LIFELINE

huge surprise since it was made of a woven material. And regardless of what CSI: Miami might lead you to believe, there are some things it is simply too difficult to g

e the drugs. It came back to a two-time loser named Phillip Ostrander who, coincidentally, was already in jail when we found out. Mr. Ostrander, it

up waiting for arraignment for destruction of property charges. Lauren Wells recognized

drug business who wouldn't recognize my wife's face. For many of them, my wife was the last face they saw before be

-Wallace and some guy he didn't know, Mr. Ostrander pissed in his pants. He knew his nex

rom him. I just stood in the background and tried to look menacing. It must have worke

uys had been stealing from, uh, the

If she was thinking as I was it was something alon

r print on almost a kilo of heroin seized from a park last week. So

e key but Tiny had been known to – allegedly, of course – torture his victims for days before allowing them to die. It was rumored

e away but I ain't sayin' a w

h smiled

said. "Right now, at least. I'll work my way up

laughed

ut he uses his kid as a mule. And you know what that fucker did? He set his daughter up. She got busted, I heard, and Wells left her high and dry. My Boss is a bad-ass but he takes ca

you want

olice force, I have not been in a physical confrontation of any magnitude. Sure, a little male posturing here and there, but no fistfights. B

of the Narco guys," I sai

t get chummy with cops. Of course we also don't mar

eeting, in private, with m

lone. Tiny Huntley would kill you the first time you pissed him off. A

where I'm going and when I'll be there. Or I can go trolling the street corners getting the word out I want face-

s a black belt in tae kwon do and she can be found practicing her moves – I'm sure they have a name but since this is a part of her life that is hers exc

was testing her

t out to bust him. That's your job, not mine. I just want him to know that if he does get hold of Biff before the police do, I need him in one piece for a little long

ride but I wasn't surprised when I got a

me. "The Welcome Center at

ore I could thank h

at the City Police Department considered "undercover" officers as I approached the water park. I also saw tw

d and everyone. I noticed the mugshot I'd seen didn't do him ju

or a smile. "It really is good to meet you. You hel

a name I didn

," I said. "He wasn'

lau

e. "This sounds fucked up but I don't

. Tiny seemed impress

me, I will hurt you. But I don't want my kids in this business and I don't want my sister's kids around it. I

to make sure my kids don't have to k

iny's words ma

round. "Motherfucker is in the breeze but I got some ideas. Wor

odd

ory?" he asked a

mething. I'm not sure she knew what it was. But if she

his head in

"I saw thousands of kids in the same shit. Don

ou wanna talk

y from the windows the cops would have a hard time picking up anything I might sa

laugh. "I figured we weren't going to talk

hru

ything. If I find him first, do you want him when I'm done with him? I talked to a guy who says Well

ley's eye

ng. Odds are my people can't get to where yours can. Your people might not be able to get to where mine

onscious enough to come clean at the hear

hru

wanna fuck with

he chance a few years back and I didn't take it. Bif

ur wife off my a

lp it. I laug

her," I said. "It's a close race because you're righ

to understan

e is depleted. It makes no difference if it wai

or it either. But I find him, he'll be at the courthouse ready to testify. You find him, I'll get him a

ts put in Gen Pop," he continued. "No

ld on

s hand and tu

g," he told me. "I'll call you if

it for prob

at situation than I would," I said. "I might want to

fferent from Desmond "

East Side Police Station of

were no visible signs of coerci

itness relocation in exchange for what he knew

s only too ha

ternoon. It was the same voice as before dire

iny at the park's Welcome Center. Th

les," Tiny said. He

I succeeded. "Wells popped into the station this morning. My wife is on lea

red at m

way this played out

he drug trade in the region. It didn't make a shit to me if it was him or someone else.

stated. "Wells is dumb as fuck bu

iny and me at

ts himself a la

aid. "You got a way to

hook h

ed tactics and begun to pay its higher-level guards pretty well in the last few years. The guards in Adminis

to get to him

ok my

an do is maybe let you know where they release him to or what

g with that girl. My way doesn't help us both either. A dead man c

s time to cu

. "I understand that you gotta do whatever you n

mile was

ady is," he said. "That is the only reason I took the time to ta

huc

am dumb enough to cross you," I said. "Elizab

o stay low-key 'round here cause I don't wanna

help us both – get Lauren off and keep Wells from hurting you, I'll do it. Only because

yed me

at need killin'," he

er, I don't fuck with him. He's a dumbass but he is loyal. I do th