Demonic Detective: Day One

Dangerous people

"I'm still not sure what we should do with her." Elvira confied in her friends. Robin was currently in her own room, while Elvira and Jasper moved to Poke's place. "She's been here three days and we still haven't reached a decision. She's confused by the simplest concepts and she's gotten into more fights than all of us combined."

"You mean she attacked more people." Poke sighed. "I had to bandage up three people just yesterday."

"They need to learn to stop touching her."

"No, she needs to learn that people tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention or accidentaly bumping into her in a cramped space don't want to brawl to the death."

"She needs to calm down or she's out." Jasper announced. "She's too unpredictable."

"She has nowhere else to go." Elvira said.

"We don't know that. She might be just a batshit crazy millionaire and her rich family is looking for her right now."

The furs moved as Chris ran inside, completely out of breath.

"Miller is here!" The man choked out, breathless. "Him and his crew. They want your ass, Jasper."

Jasper swallowed, bile raising to his throat. Everyone's eyes fell on him.

"Shit."

"Get out here, coward!" Miller yelled from the outside. "Show yourself!"

Jasper walked through the camp on weak legs.  Everyone was watching as he stopped on the sand right outside, facing the threat.

Miller had five men with him, all standing good hundred meters away. Miller himself was in the very front in his impeccable suit, ever elegant even as a homeless man. He was holding a hammer, while the other men were equipped with crowbars and long planks as weapons. Jasper didn't want to think about what awaited him if they got their hands on him.

People from the campsite were wearily watching from inside through the makeshift windows and cracks in the cardboard walls. The smell of fear was almost palpable in the air.

Jasper felt even worse than before, his heart almost drowning out Miller's words.

"Jasper, you insolent boy." Miller spat on the sand when Jasper emerged. "Finally you show your thieving face."

"Miller!" Jasper called out with pretended bravado. "Good to see you!"

"Don't try to bullshit me right away, boy. You stole our bread supply from the baker's."

"Your people were not there when Lucius was handing it out, so I assumed it was free for the taking."

"Of course it wasn't. We were late for pickup, but I had been clear that all the bread from Lucius goes to us."

"You just take it to sell it. We were hungry. It's just one delivery. Lucius will have more next week and I promise not to touch it."

Miller scoffed.

"I guarantee you won't be touching it. You still have to pay us back for the last batch."

"How much?"

"Three thousand."

Jasper took a step back.

"There is no way you get three thousand for each batch."

"It's potential profit plus interest for trouble. Having me come all this way, for one."

"Listen, Miller, I don't have that kind of cash right now." Jasper's voice shook. "I have like one fifty right now. I have a gig next month, so I'll get a thousand for you then. Chris is starting a new job soon so he'll lend me some. I'll come up with a way to pay you back, just not right now."