Moth(10)

Stebbins gives me some time to myself before leading me back upstairs. I’m back in the room from before, but this time staring at the photos of the heroin wrapper. He’s also provided me with a few other cases involving drugs from the same distributor. This is bad. Each file contains the evidence I hoped wasn’t there.

I pull out my cell and prepare to deliver the bad news to my director. The shit is about to hit the fan, but it’s better coming from me than him going behind my back and finding it out himself.

He no sooner answers before I offer the bad news. “It’s Moth. They found Alizar’s heroin on my brother. Apparently it’s made its way to Richmond.”

“Do you think it’s related? Is it a coincidence? Was he a user?”

I squint my eyes. It pains me to admit it. “Yeah, it’s possible it’s related. They’re at least distributing in the area. As far as my brother goes, I won’t know without further investigation.”

“Damnit! I knew it.” I hear him sigh. “This ain’t good, Moth. You need to stick around and find out who did this. We have to rule out Alizar as a direct link before I can allow you to return back to duty. I can’t have him attacking random family members.”

“I know.” I’m disgusted, utterly gutted this could possibly have something to do with me. “I know how important it is. I’ll offer my assistance to the local police if you grant me the authority.”

He’s silent for a second. “Let me make some calls. For now, dig up what you can. I’ll be in touch.”

When we hang up I head over and copy the entire contents of the manila file so I can take it with me and study. I came home to help lay my brother to rest, but now I have to stay to make sure I’m not the one who put him in the ground.





Chapter 4


I’ve had a hell of a night. After going back to my dad’s place, I was met with extended family I hadn’t seen in years. Jamie’s mother was all sorts of confounded over the loss of her son. I manage to keep it together while they have me sit with them and look for photos they’ll be displaying during the funeral service. I don’t have the heart to tell them I’m about to open a can of worms that’s going to prolong the body being released. I’m left with no other options. In order to rule out foul play, I have to take the necessary precautions to make sure things are done right. That’s going to require the DEA’s resources. Forensic toxicology reports aren’t as quick and efficient as they’re seen on television shows. Normal pathologists can take weeks, sometimes even months to return with their findings. I don’t have that kind of time, so I’m going to send everything away to our people to do the testing.

I make a couple calls outside on the porch, unknowing my father is at the door listening. He waits until my call ends to make his presence known. “I was right. Jamie didn’t kill himself.”

I clench my jaw and turn away. “I don’t know any more than you at this point.”

“What do the toxicology reports say?”

“Preliminary says it’s heroine. His lips were blue, his eyes constricted. They found a spoon and lighter next to his body, only his prints were discovered on both, but I’m not convinced he cooked up the heroin and injected it himself. He’s left handed and the needle was stuck in his left arm. If Jamie did it he would have stuck it with his left hand in his right arm. There’s also the fact that besides the injection site there isn’t a track mark on him. There wasn’t any other drugs found at the scene. It doesn’t add up.”

He places his hands in his pockets and jingles around some change. “Tell me something I don’t know, son.”

“The drugs found at the scene, the stuff he died from, they’re related to a case I’m working on.”

“And?”

“And that’s all I know right now.”

“I know what you’re thinking, Tim. Your brother wouldn’t get involved with sketchy people. He knows better. He had a job, and hasn’t hurt for a single thing his whole life.”

Little does he know, I’m not thinking that route at all. My brother had no reason to need to be involved with drugs or dealers. From what I can tell he had a good life, with a damn promising future. “I’m going to be helping the police. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but you’re not going to have his body right away, at least not until the autopsy can be completed.”

“What does that mean? I don’t want my son getting chopped up.”

“Dad, it’s not like that. You want this done right, don’t you? I’m sending everything off to the pathologist at the DEA. The results are now in the hands of the best people out there.”

“You expect me to tell that to his mother?”

I put my hand on my dad’s shoulder. He’s shocked I’ve touched him but doesn’t push it away. “I’m sure you’ve said worse to the woman.”

“Make damn certain you prove he isn’t what they’re saying he is. This looks bad on all of us.”

He’s retired, so I don’t see why he’d care about what anyone thinks, but who am I to judge? I’d want the same conclusion; the truth.



Five days.

That’s how long it takes for the pathology test to come back, and just as I suspect it’s way over the lethal dose. In fact, my brother was pumped with five times the amount it would take a non-user to die. With the evident results I know I need to stick around and start investigating the people closest to him.