Some Kind of Evil; 𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏

chapter fourteen

゜✧*̣̩☽⋆゜

[ chapter fourteen  ]
"That's a lot of Ricks."

゜✧*̣̩☽⋆゜

     "Hey guys," Max said as she put the receiver down, hanging up the call. "I might have a lead."

     Robin and Dustin quickly turned to face her. "Seriously?" He asked, a smile lighting his eyes with the first glimmer of hope at this shot in the dark.

     "Yeah. Apparently, Eddie gets his drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there."

     "That sounds promising," Robin said. "Where does this Reefer Rick guy live?"

     Max winced. "See, that's the thing. No one knows. He's more of a...a legend than someone that people actually know."

     "What about a last name?" Dustin asked.

     "Don't know that either..."

     "Bet the cops know the last name," Steve said finally.

     "What?"

     He turned around from the bin he'd been stocking, propping himself against the counter. "I mean, listen, if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. Means he's in the system."

     "The cops?" Dustin was irritated as he stood up from where he'd been seated. "Really, Steve? That's your suggestion?"

     Max crossed her arms over her chest and Robin watched from the sidelines in amusement at their bickering. "I mean, I think they should probably be filled in on what we know, what's going on." Steve went on.

     "You think Eddie's guilty, don't you?" The younger boy challenged.

     "Woah, I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all of that constitutional shit." Max narrowed her eyes at him. "I just, you know, just don't think we can rule it out." Steve finished, clasping his hands together.

     "That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve," She said. Dustin gestured agreeably to Max, still fuming from what the older boy had said.

     "And maybe," Dustin added, "we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time trying to find Eddie!"

     Steve scoffed. "Oh, well somebody has to attend to the customers."

     "Especially if they're babes, right?" Robin winked at him.

     The bell above the door rang as someone entered. "Hey, not fair. Okay?" Steve pointed at her. "I attend to all customers equally, babes and non-babes alike. We've got a very big selection in here. It can be super overwhelming for these people."

     If a light bulb could've turned on over Robin's head at that moment, it would've. "Yeah, it can be." She sat at the computer and began typing.

     "What are you doing?" Max asked.

     "Maybe we don't need a last name."

     Steve came around the counter to join Dustin and Max behind Robin. "Twelve Ricks already have accounts here."

     "That's a lot of Ricks," added Max.

     "So, let's narrow it down." Robin selected the first Rick. "Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo. What are the chances our drug dealer has a family?"