A Healer's War

Chapter 24 - Death's Touch

Chapter 24: Death's Touch

9:54 am. Saturday. - April 21st

McMinnville, Oregon (37 miles south-west of Portland)

"Deb!" Chuck roared. "Damn it. I told you to clean this shit up!"

Deborah's head throbbed before she even opened her eyes. Her joints ached, her skin itched everywhere, and the cramps and nausea wouldn't be far behind. She felt sticky—she was already sweating. The comedown was always the worst part of the high.

"Hey!" Thump. The couch shook, and she clutched her head. She peeked open an eye and saw Chuck standing over her in a black and yellow football jersey, his dark hair slicked back. A gold watch glittered on his wrist as he gestured to the floor covered in toys. Tommy's toys.

"I said clean it up," Chuck growled. "You know I have a meeting today!" He turned around and mumbled to himself. "Old man would shit himself if he knew how many zeros I'm going to see." His old man again. Chuck could never please the ghost.

Deborah fell to her knees and started gathering up the toys. Her hands found a small stuffed monkey. "Tommy," she sobbed quietly, closing her eyes again. She needed another dose. She wasn't there when Tommy got hurt, but the guilt was constant anyway. An accident, he'd said.

"My baby." Her vision blurred. "You didn't let me say goodbye."

Chuck's expression softened, and he sat down on the couch beside her. "No, no, babe. They kicked us out. They did this to us. I tried to get back to see him, but they locked the doors. They didn't want people like us there. I didn't want to leave either, but... hey, don't worry though, I got my lawyers on it. We won't let that hospital get away with killing Tommy, I promise."

Fat tears welled in Deborah's eyes. She wasn't a mother anymore. They'd taken her baby away from her and hid what happened. They were monsters. That's what Chuck told her, and he'd always looked out for her and Tommy. He'd taken her in, hadn't he? Why would he lie?

"Now come on," Chuck continued, gently wiping the tears off her cheek. "Trust me."

Deborah sniffed. "Can I have my phone back, at least? I have videos of him."

"Not yet, babe. I'm still having my guys check it for bugs. They could have got it while we were sleeping."

Deborah nodded. Even in her fog, she remembered the warning. Chuck said they had to be extra careful right now. He was always checking his rear-view mirror, certain that another raid was coming. Since moving in, Deborah had gotten used to only shopping at night and dodging phone calls from her family. Chuck often reminded her that her family was working with the police, trying to tear them apart and shut down the business they were growing together. If she slipped up, then the cops would get them, and she'd be alone again.

Chuck rubbed her back. "I miss Tommy, too."

"You do?" Chuck hadn't seemed one way or the other about it after they'd gone to the safe house. He spent most of his day in the basement, cooking. "But you said he was bad for business."

"I..." Chuck sighed. "Hey. The next batch is done, and it's a good one. Come help me, and you can have some."

A deep craving rose in Deborah, pushing aside her hollow longing. She licked her lips. "Really?"

He nodded.

Muffled barks came from the front yard. Chuck hurried to the door, grabbed the shotgun leaning against the wall, and pulled the blinds aside. "Damn that fucking dog." He banged on the window, and the barking stopped. "Shut up!" He set the shotgun down and stormed across the stained and cigarette-burnt green carpet. "Come on, we gotta finish."