Page 6 of Tough Justice

“Good.” Rivera nodded. “Aside from keeping our masks on, what else can we do to prevent this from happening again?”

Needing more time before he blurted out what he was thinking, Deck stood and went to the windowsill, leaning back against it. Given his family’s less-than-stellar track record with doctors, he couldn’t believe what he was about to suggest. “The changes we’ve been talking about are all defensive moves, and they all makes sense. But I think we need to supplement that defense with a good offense.”

“Go on.” Rivera began stroking his goatee.

“To start with, we need more field training, and I’m not talking about tactics. The entire SOTF sat through a one-hour training session on treating opioid exposure in the field. We all carry naloxone nasal spray, but the ER doctor who treated Dan yesterday said she’s seeing more ODs now than ever and that whatever this new cocktail is, it’s not as responsive to naloxone. We need to start tipping the scales in our favor with everything we’ve got. I’ve been doing some research, and there are a few studies out there suggesting naloxone auto-injectors are more effective than the intranasal version. We need to get those and get trained on them ASAP.”

“I’ll shoot an urgent request to HQ.” Rivera began tapping on his phone. “We’ll have to set up mandatory training for every DEA agent in the state and every SOTF officer working with us.” Rivera kept tapping. “Since this involves needles now, not just spray, I’m telling SAC Osaka that we already have someone in the medical profession lined up as our instructor. In the meantime,” he added, looking directly at Deck, “find me someone.”

“Yes, sir,” Deck replied. Immediately, Dr. Sampson’s face flashed before his eyes. He would probably never completely trust doctors—any doctor—but in between glaring at him and reaming him a new one, she’d exhibited total command of the situation and knew exactly what was necessary to save Dan’s life. She’d make a kick-ass instructor, and she had hands-on experience with opioids. If they went through regular channels, they’d wind up with a contractor who probably sat at a desk all day and hadn’t seen an overdose in years, if ever.

“What else have you got?” Rivera asked.

“Whatever this stuff is, it’s new to Denver,” Deck continued. “Last night, I contacted every snitch we’ve got. A few of them said it’s gray death but a whole lot stronger. No one knows who’s distributing it or where it’s coming from.”

Rivera frowned. “Do we know what’s in it?”

Deck shook his head. “Not specifically. We’ve seen it before in other parts of the country, but the formula varies from one batch to the next. As soon as we get the info from our lab, I’ll compare it to what we already have in the agency database. Maybe we can narrow down the manufacturer. Remember that gray death case our office had in Pennsylvania? A lot of people died there, too. Maybe whoever was making it there is branching out. Could be a bad batch hit the street. Either way, I’ll check the reports and reach out to the Philly case agent.”

“That’s a good start,” Rivera agreed. “But we need to do more, and we need to do it fast. The press and the governor’s office are breathing down our necks enough as it is about the opioid crisis. The uptick in cases will make the media see red and turn this into a mass feeding frenzy.”

Rivera was right. The DEA was getting slammed and, as the good Dr. Tori Sampson had accused, rightfully so. People were dying at an alarming rate, and if Dan’s experience was anything to go by, the situation had the potential to go sideways in a major way. Standard investigative methods weren’t working, at least not fast enough. “We can keep putting money on the street, and eventually one of our snitches will come through. But in the interest of time, we should go at this from all sides. Find a new way to get to the source more directly.”

“I gather you have something in mind,” Rivera said. “And from the look on your face, I gather it’s unconventional.”

His boss knew him well. He really was gonna miss this guy when he left. “Maybe.” Deck hesitated, still unsure if he could work that closely with a doctor. For the sake of every agent and cop on the task force, he had to put his personal feelings aside. For whatever the reason, Dr. Sampson had a bug up her butt for the DEA. Or maybe that bug was directed specifically at him. “I don’t know if she’ll do it.”

Deck flipped his gaze to Dan, who nodded in agreement. They’d already discussed the plan over the phone that morning. “The ER doctor who treated Dan said there’d already been ten opioid ODs this week. The hospital has the labs on these people. I don’t know how specific they are, but I want to see those reports and compare them to Dan’s labs and what’s in those baggies we seized.”

“That’s easy enough,” Brett said. “We can get subpoenas for the labs and any autopsy reports. Dan can sign a release form for his own medical records.”

“Already done.” Dan reached for a piece of paper on the side table and handed it to Deck.

Rivera hmphed and started stroking his goatee again. “What else?”

Now for the unconventional part. “Last night, I also checked with half a dozen other hospitals in Denver and Aurora. They’re all seeing a spike in ODs. I want to get that doctor to hook me up with any overdose victim who rolls into this hospital. If they live, that is.” A very real complication.

“Then you’ll need subpoenas for that, too,” Rivera said. “Without them, you’ll never get those patients’ medical records. The hospital will scream HIPAA and tell you to pound sand.”

“I’ve already thought of that,” Deck said. “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects patient information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. But I don’t want their medical records. What I want is the patients’ source. Who did they buy gray death from, and where did they go to get it? I want this ER doctor to notify me anytime an OD patient rolls through the door and lives. I want her to ask them if they’ll talk to me. The timing is tight, though. If they live, most overdoses are released within an hour.”

“Make it happen.” Rivera gave him a meaningful look then stood. “Do whatever it takes. Take her to lunch, buy her dinner… I have to get back to the office. Dan, glad you’re doing okay.”

“Me, too,” Dan said. “Thanks, boss.”

The second Rivera was out the door, they all dug into the pizza. Thor sat up and uttered a high-pitched whine, his nostrils flaring as he pulled in the multitude of scents the pizza gave off.

Deck caught Dan picking another piece of pepperoni from his slice. “Don’t even think it, buddy.”

“Okay, okay.” Dan shoved the pepperoni into his mouth and swallowed. “Sorry, Thor.”

“You really planning on hitting up that ER doc?” Evan asked between chews.

Brett reached for a slice. “I know one of the nurses who was on call last night. She said Dr. Sampson chewed you a new asshole.”

“True,” Deck had to admit. “I’ll have to wow her with my subtle charm.”

“You don’t have any subtle charm,” Brett kicked back drily.