Unfortunately, Codie wasn’t on board with that plan. When she came downstairs wearing a serious expression that she then levelled on me, I knew I was in for it.
“Can we talk?” she asked, taking a seat on the end of the couch.
“Sure. Go for it.” I pushed myself up into a sitting position, doing my best to appear attentive. I had a feeling I knew what was coming.
Codie twisted the hem of her sweater between her fingertips, chewing her bottom lip. She didn’t seem to know how to begin. I sat there waiting, hoping she would finally spit it out. The anticipation was making me crazy.
“I’m worried about Ripley,” she finally said. “I think there’s something going on with her. Like maybe she has a problem or something.”
“What kind of problem?” I wasn’t trying to play dumb. It simply wasn’t my place to share Ripley’s private business with anyone, even her best friends. That was between them.
“Maybe a drug problem. I know she didn’t mean to get so messed up last night, but she hasn’t been herself lately. Athena found a bottle of pills in her room one day when she went in there to borrow a hoodie. A while back, Ripley spilled her purse at a party, and a pill bottle fell out. I don’t think she needs them for her back anymore. I’m afraid she’s addicted. Maybe she doesn’t even realize it. Do you know anything about it?”
Codie turned on the couch to face me, her gaze locking on mine. I saw how worried she was about her friend. The same worry I’d felt for Ripley last night. Even though I didn’t want to be talking about Ripley’s business behind her back, I knew that she might be in trouble. Ignoring that would only make things worse.
“Yeah, I might know something. She mentioned the pills. She knows she shouldn’t be taking them anymore, but that doesn’t mean she’s not in control. I don’t think we should judge.” I found myself defending Ripley, even though Codie hadn’t accused her of anything. Maybe that’s because I was an addict too.
Codie’s long braid flung about as she vigorously shook her head. “I’m not judging. I’m worried. Her mom has substance abuse problems. I don’t want Ripley to end up like her.” Shepaused to take a deep breath before adding, “That’s why I think maybe you should stay away from her.”
I did a double take. “Excuse me? What the hell did I do wrong?”
I couldn’t help but feel like I was being punished for something I didn’t do. Not that Codie could stop me from seeing Ripley. Although it boggled my mind that she’d gone from pushing us into being a couple to telling me to stay away from her friend.
“Nothing,” she was quick to assure me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just think that maybe the two of you might be a bad influence on one another. You do a lot of drugs, Auryn. That kind of thing might make it more difficult for her to quit.”
The tray of cocaine sat on the coffee table in front of us, mocking me with its presence. How could I possibly argue? Codie was right. Had Ripley and I ever been completely sober with one another? Probably not.
We hadn’t been involved in this charade for all that long. Yet already I felt myself growing more protective of Ripley. Wanting to keep her safe. I couldn’t keep her safe from the drugs, especially if I was doing them too.
“I know. You’re right.” I nodded, staring hard at the white powder on the table. “Your concerns are valid. However, you need to understand that quitting is easier said than done. Even if I wanted to, it doesn’t happen overnight. It won’t happen overnight for Ripley either.”
Codie swallowed hard, her eyes glistening. “I get that. Don’t freak out at me for saying this, but I see something between the two of you. Something that could be special if you let it. I don’t want to watch the two of you feed each other’s vices. I know that it’s not my place to tell either of you what to do. That’s not what I’m doing. I just needed to voice my concerns because I care about you both.”
I had to give Codie credit. She really was a good person. Sometimes I still didn’t know how Stray had landed her. Thankfully he had though because she also made him better too.
For the briefest of moments, I wondered if Ripley and I would be able to do that for one another. Then I reminded myself that there was no Ripley and I. Not really.
And yet the need to protect her still won out. Picking my phone up off the coffee table, I opened up the contacts, staring at the name I’d added this morning while she was still asleep. A name and number I’d obtained from her phone. I got lucky when the Face ID worked while she was asleep.
“I hear you,” I said to Codie while still staring at my phone. “I’ll keep everything you said in mind.”
She patted my foot before rising from the couch, disappearing into the kitchen. Copying the number I’d saved into an app that hid my personal number, I fired off a text message, asking the recipient to meet up. Ripley’s dealer replied within ten minutes.
Abandoning my plan to have a lazy afternoon, I got dressed instead. Tucking my Glock into the waistband of my jeans as I headed out the door. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going.
As I drove to the agreed upon location, I asked myself if this was the right thing to do. Finding the scumbag that had been dealing to Ripley felt right to me. Stopping her from scoring on the street might help push her in the right direction. There was no way of knowing the stuff he was giving her was exactly what he claimed anyway.
He was only helping her feed her addiction. These street dealers didn’t give a damn about anyone. They often peddled terrible shit, including fentanyl, which had been killing people left and right these days. I was doing her a favor by taking him out of the picture.
I made sure to arrive before the appointed time. Parking a block away, I walked to the hardware store and around to the alley in behind. There wasn’t a lot of traffic in this area which was probably why he’d chosen it. With my hands shoved into my pockets, I shifted from foot to foot, waiting.
A few minutes later a forty-something man rounded the corner at the other end of the alley. Charlie took his time, his feet shuffling along as he walked. Making me more impatient with every step.
“You’re the guy I talked to an hour ago?” he asked. “You wanted the heroin.”
I hadn’t given him my name. The first drug that popped in my head while texting him had been heroin. Not that I touched the stuff personally. It didn’t matter. I just needed to get him here.
“Actually, I’d like to have a little chat with you about one of your clients.” Grabbing him by the front of his jacket, I slammed him against the back of the hardware store. Pulling my gun and jamming it against his temple.
