A Crisis With Hop

About Liabilities

Phillip was clear headed enough not to argue with Luke. Phillip did try to bargain. Luke wasn't having any of it. "No bargains. No extra hop. You tell me all you know. You tell me now."

He was to the point that he didn't need any more hop to recover. His body didn't need it, his mind felt he did. It proved the most difficult part of the transition. Convincing him that he would not die without the drug in his system would be difficult. That more drugs now would destroy the progress he has made. There would still be pain caused by the mind demanding the drug.

Phillip spilled the location of every drug den he was aware of. Every name of the dealers he knew. Once he saw the needle, Phillip became cooperative. All that was in the needle was diluted aspirin and alcohol. A placebo to make Phillip think he was getting his drug. The aspirin would help with the pain, without the addiction that goes with opium.

Luke began to hit the places one by one. The police in New York kept from getting involved with the gang war. Drug dealers and bootleggers were both careful not to involve innocent civilians. I don't think that the police cared if the criminals killed each other. It saved them a lot of work.

Zach Nathon did not just stop by for tea. "What do you want, Detective?" Rae sat across the small table drinking her tea. Smiling at Zach.

"Your friends. Luke Mason and Ellen Cross. They have declared war on the opium trade. Why is that?" Zach wished the woman would serve coffee. All the same, he drank the tea.

"You are mistaken, Zachary. How would the two of them make war on a bunch of criminals?" Rae played the innocent. Despite the fact that Zach knew better.

"My superiors aren't interested in why they have declared war on the opium trade and visa versa, but I think that a war will eventually spill over to innocent civilians." Zach said.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, darling. Why would dear little Ellen be involved in such a horrible business. Luke is a legitimate business man who would not be involved either." Rae still smiled over her tea cup at Zach.

"Luke Mason is a bootlegger. Ellen Cross is his kept woman and possibly his partner in crime." Zach said.

"Darling, you shouldn't make such accusations without evidence. After all, if that was all true, the police would have the evidence to arrest them. Don't you think?" Rae's showed her usual smile.

"Rae's friend, Detective Nathon, suspects us of being criminals." I had just gotten off the phone with Rae.

"We are criminals." Luke sat behind his desk.

"Yes, we know that. What does Nathon really know?" I said.

"Princess, most of the New York Police Department knows we are criminals." Luke looked up from his papers. "A majority of the people who know us know we are criminals."

"Oh, they suspect, but they don't know." I sat on the edge of the desk and smiled at Luke. "No one actually knows anything about us. So, why should the police actually suspect us of anything."

"Princess. Is there a point to this coy little act." Luke wasn't smiling.

"I'm thinking we should do something to deflect that suspicion. Start a charity. Donate to some organization." Luke gave me a hard look.