is my guess. The other two were meth heads. If they had the money, they'd buy more crank."
"One of GD’s primary components is heroine, but they cut it with elephant tranqs."
"Are you serious?" Kyle blinked up at him. "I've heard about GD, but I haven't seen it on the streets. Not here at least. Thank God."
"Do me a favor and keep your eyes open. When the tox comes back on that H user, let me know what it says?"
"Yeah, I've got a good working relationship with Miller and Tripp. I'll give them a call and give them a heads up."
"Thanks, but keep it quiet for now. We don't need anyone talking. If Peña gets wind of us working to close down what we suspect is his pipeline, we're screwed."
"Gottcha. I'll call and make an inquiry then. Casual."
"Perfect. You have much business in the Cottages?" He pushed his hands into his jean pockets so he wouldn't touch anything.
"Always. Cheap drugs cut with everything from baby powder to drain cleaner tend to eliminate the poor suckers that are hooked on the shit, but I'm tracking an anomaly. Prescription drugs."
"No kidding?"
"Yeah."
"Let me know if I can help. We can put out feelers if you have anything to go on. Oh, and thank you for coming to the 'rents’ yesterday."
"I'll take you up on that offer, and dude, mini-you is a great kid. Sorry I couldn't stay longer." He nodded toward his partner, Alex. "We had a call out."
"No worries. I'm glad you made it over."
"Hell, I wouldn't miss it." Kyle glanced at him. "You were getting pretty close to Amber. That on again?"
"It is."
"Be careful."
He groaned, "Man, not you, too."
Kyle chuckled. "You're my best friend. Yeah, I'm going to tell you to be careful. I'm also going to tell you to go for it, because that woman and that kid are worth the effort. I tried to kick your ass into going to see her after the accident."
"Yeah, I remember. Wish like hell I'd taken your advice back then."
"So... you're saying..." Kyle's smile spread across his face.
"Fine. You were right." Brody laughed when Kyle punched the air in front of him.
"Damn, that hurt didn't it?" Kyle's eyes caught on something across the way.
"It did. I'm leaving now."
Kyle blinked back to him; his brow furrowed. "Yeah, okay."
"What? What did you see?"
"Someone that doesn't belong, which makes me edgy. Let's go to the Celtic Cock this week. You owe me a drink or ten for being right."
"Deal. Take care."
"You too." Kyle tossed the words toward him before he headed across the encampment, zeroing in on a woman wearing a backpack. She really didn't fit in. New clothes, nice backpack, and... was she wearing earphones? No wonder Kyle was making tracks that way. The woman was going to get herself robbed or worse.
He threw Alex another wave as he headed back to his truck. With Kyle and Alex keeping an eye open for GD in this district, it wouldn't take long to get notified if the drug had started making it to the inner city and the homeless population.
Chapter 16
Amber held the ladder for Brody. The small camera he was mounting to the eaves at the corner of the house masqueraded as a flood light. They'd arrived about ten this morning and made a show of pulling up the SOLD sign that hung in the front yard.
Brody had wheeled in several suitcases that held nothing but monitoring equipment. She’d toted in several boxes with extra pots and pans they'd scrounged from their kitchens over the last two days. Dawn and Hannah were taking turns picking up Gage from school this week. Gage was thrilled he could introduce his grandmother to his friends at school. She grabbed Brody's jeans when he leaned forward on the ladder. "Don't you dare fall off this thing."
He chuckled and leaned even further. "Yes, dear." He leaned over. "Heads up." He grabbed the cap that would hide the small camera and snapped it into place. The lens of the camera looked like a sensor, not the wide-angle lens that would record the comings and goings of the people in the two-story colonial next door.
"Hi!" A beautiful, dark haired woman strolled across her manicured lawn and headed their way. "Are you moving in?"
"Hi!" She held the ladder until Brody was no longer standing on the top rung. "Yes, we are. I'm Amber. This is my fiancé, Brody."
"Clare Edelman." The woman extended her hand.
"Nice to meet you. Your yard is absolutely beautiful." Amber nodded