Page 27 of Compulsion

“Who was he?”

I shrugged. “They called him Peck, I never knew any other name. He worked for the club.”

“You mean that was his day job?”

I stared Jack full in the face because I was pretty sure he’d understand without needing diagrams. “No, I mean he ran the drugs and the money from the club. They were behind it all. It was their racket. Apparently all the clubs in that group were known for it.”

“This club…?” Louis looked like he was up to speed now as well.

“A Medina Group venue,” I said bitterly.

We were all quiet for a moment. Louis glanced at Jack, but Jack was staring at me intently. “Max, tell me exactly what you did.” Jack was no innocent and he always wanted the facts.

“I worked for Peck exclusively in the end. I ran the drugs out of the club. I knew the local contacts, the preferred dealers, the negotiated prices. He did the deals, but I was one of the most popular couriers.”

“And?”

“And in return I got a room, food, protection. Yeah, and sometimes my own supply.” It hurt to say it after all this time. “I had a smart mouth and fast moves, and Peck said he liked that. He told me the management liked that too.”

And to be honest, it had been a heady and exciting time. I was someone important albeit in the strange, warped world of the street. The dealers looked at me with some respect, even if it was secondhand from Peck, who scared the shit out of them. I had a great time, especially when I was high—or at least, I thought I did. I slept around, went to some wild parties. I gave my hedonistic side free rein. It was what I’d always wanted, wasn’t it? To do what I liked, to suffer no authority. I deserved it after the miserable months I’d spent when I first came to London. And many of the partners I had were like me—decent people but caught up in an indecent business. We might’ve stayed together longer in a different life. I might’ve found someone special.

Right.

“I knew it wasn’t real, Louis.” My friend’s expression was stricken. “I knew it was wrong and I knew it wasn’t going to last. I was bloody lucky I didn’t catch anything or get seriously hurt. I just… didn’t know any better at the time.”

Jack broke in. “You say the management knew it was going on?”

I nodded. “They knew. They tolerated it. Dammit, they controlled it. Or so Peck always told me. And I don’t think he was bright enough to have run things on that scale on his own. The Medina family were in charge.”

“Shit.” Louis sighed and looked into my eyes. “You poor stupid arse.”

I smiled because it wasn’t the kind of pity I despised, it was just Louis being there for me. It had never been a great time, I knew that now. And what was more, I knew it then.

Jack’s quiet, strong voice brought me out of those thoughts. “And who was Stewart, Max? Where was he in all this?”

Here was somewhere I did not want to go, but I knew I had to. “He was something unusual, you know? He came around the parks at night. First I thought he was a pervert, then I reckoned he had some kind of death wish. Then he told me he’d been looking for someone in particular but gave up on that, got a job at the local youth center, and started looking out for other lost souls instead. People on the street hated do-gooders like him. Never did them any good. But Stewart was different.”

“Tell us, Max.”

I leaned back in the chair, briefly closing my eyes. “There was a group of kids I was friendly with. An odd bunch. All ages, all backgrounds. Some had been on the street for years. I’m not sure they’d have known what to do if they were offered anything else. They were all users.” All used up. “Then Stewart comes along like some naïve knight in white armor, trying to help them.”

I heard Louis make a small sound, but Jack hushed him again.

“He did too.” Even I could hear the amazement in my voice. “Didn’t tell them what to do, didn’t try to scare or bully or shame. He was just there as a mate, and eventually they came to trust him. He got Joe into a clinic. Helped Luce get a job at some canteen. Got some medical help for others.” How could I explain it? “He did things, didn’t just talk about it.”

“For all of them?”

“No, not all of them. That’s a job too far.” There was another brief silence.

“And what about you?”

“Yeah. He worked on me too.” I opened my eyes and laughed, rather sharply. “Stewart wasn’t a saint, you know. He’d let you know exactly what he thought. And what he thought of my job was that it was shit and I should stop it. Stop it and find something else.” I shifted on the chair. “I, of course, told him it wasn’t that fucking easy.”

“Your friends…?” That was Louis, still trying to find some happy pixie dust in among the shit.

“They weren’t friends, Louis. I had no real friends.” When it came down to it, it was a life of complete and utter solitude. Full of sudden violence. Sickness, drug abuse. Pain. Cold, wet fucking misery. Honor among thieves? That was all crap. The first time I messed up with a delivery, Peck had me beaten up. Second time, I couldn’t get out of bed for two days. I nearly starved until I got out for some food and drink. I didn’t mess up a third time. “It wasn’t easy because I couldn’t see how to get off the roller coaster. I had no money but I wanted food and dope. Peck would give me all that but only as my earnings. The cycle continued.”

Jack still seemed calm, but he clutched his cup like it was a lifeline. Louis had eased his way up closer to him on the couch.