Owen snorts. “It went further than that, but you’re right. This is for a good cause.”
“Damn right it is. By the way, I saw you at Rodie’s last night.”
“Oh yeah? Why didn’t you say hello?”
“You seemed deep in conversation with your friends. I don’t remember who was there besides Bradley.”
“Will and Esteban.”
“Cool. You like those guys?”
“Sure, they’re great, and Bradley’s hilarious. But I think Will doesn’t like me much.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“I don’t know. I mean, he’s friendly, but I’m getting a weird vibe from him.”
Nate decides to seize the opportunity. “Listen, I don’t like to badmouth anyone, but since you and I are friends, I should be honest with you.” He glances at Owen, who’s watching him intently. “Will isn’t a good guy. He likes playing with people and fucking with their heads. Most folks in town will tell you that if you ask them. A few years ago, he even got someone killed. Well, it was suicide, but Will was responsible.”
“Will was responsible for someone committing suicide? How?”
“Well, this guy, Joel, who happened to be my best friend and the sheriff’s son, had some mental issues he was dealing with. Instead of helping, Will dragged Joel straight to the bottom until he took his own life. It was the biggest shitshow we’ve ever had in town, and Will was right at the heart of it.” Nate sighs. “I miss Joel.” It’s not a lie, but the full truth is a lot more complicated.
“I’m sorry,” Owen says after a long pause. “I got a very different impression of him, but the sheriff mentioned someone being responsible for his son’s death. I didn’t know he was talking about Will.”
“Wicked William Thomas, as many tend to call him. You’d be wise to keep your distance. I’d hate to see youget hurt.”
Owen remains silent, but Nate has made his point.
They reach Eminence in less than thirty minutes due to the light Saturday-morning traffic. It doesn’t take long before they find the first junkie lying on the pavement.
“Should we help him?” Owen asks.
“We’re not here for that.” Nate drives slower. “Dealers here operate from different neighborhoods. Sometimes they fight over territory, but these days they have plenty of clients to keep all of them happy.”
“Am I supposed to buy from all of them?”
“No, that would be too suspicious in case they talk to one another. We’ll focus on one location where the dealers seem the most chilled. I think they’re brothers. There’s usually at least one of them sitting outside, waiting for clients.”
“What am I supposed to buy?”
“We should go for something light like marijuana.”
Two minutes later, Nate stops the car and points ahead. “You see the guy over there? He’s one of the brothers I was talking about. When you go to make a purchase, he’ll ask you questions to make sure you’re legit, and you need to stick to the truth as much as possible. Keep your answers short, and if he gives you a hard time, act like it’s no big deal and walk away. We can find other dealers if we have to. Are you following so far?”
Owen nods, his eyes troubled. “Yes.”
“Once you make contact, you start to form a relationship. Be friendly and outgoing. If we’re lucky, the brothers might offer you a gig. You likely won’t find out much until they see you as a potential partner, but if they happen to let something slip, you tell me straight away.”
Owen exhales. “Okay. When do I need to start?”
“If you ask the sheriff, he’d tell you to start yesterday, but I say you do it whenever you’re ready. A few more days won’t matter.”
“Okay. Can we go back now? I don’t feel great.”
“No problem.” He starts to drive. “Feel free to ask questions.”
Owen clears his throat, but his question has nothing to do with the undercover work. “Is there a chance that what you told me about Will isn’t true? I mean, I’m sure parts of it are, but stories have a tendency to escalate when too many people share them.”
