hand. “I can tell a lot about a man from a handshake.”
“So what can you tell about me?” Devlin asked, only half
interested in the reply. In close proximity to Albert he noticed the overpowering
ambient smell of urine was magically fused with a mixture of sweat and alcohol
and he figured that any reply wouldn’t warrant much consideration.
“What can you tell me about mine?” asked Albert.
“Maybe later. We gotta’ get upstairs,” said Ikel, much to
Devlin’s relief. Ikel led Devlin from the carpark into the darkness of the
laneway.
“I’ll be here,” said Albert with a look of lonely sadness
as he was left on his own again.
The fresh air of the night was utterly fragrant compared
to the carpark. Devlin sucked in deep breaths as they walked. “Is Albert on
the LastGasp’ payroll?” he asked, half in jest.
“Albert’s alright,” Ikel explained. “The downside of
being undercover is that the carpark never gets rain to wash away the smell.
Glen slips him some cash every week to splash the hose around, otherwise this
place really stinks!”
“He either isn’t getting paid enough, or he’s not doing a
good enough job. Why doesn’t Glen give him a real job?”
“I think Albert used to work with Glen. Ask him yourself
one day. He’s really good for a chat. He’s there most days and he enjoys the
company.”
“I might do that. I might get him in for a shower and a
change of clothes too!”
Ikel stopped in his tracks and grabbed Devlin on the
shoulder forcefully. “No-one comes inside except us, or someone that Glen
gives the nod to. And even then, outsiders aren’t allowed anywhere near the
bunker. Remember that,” Ikel said aggressively. “Albert might be a special
case, but he’s not allowed in either.”
“OK. I forgot!” insisted Devlin, still a little taken
aback at being apprehended.
“Don’t forget . Don’t ever forget.” Satisfied,
Ikel released his grip on Devlin and continued walking.
“I still don’t get the fixation on security,” said
Devlin. “Why?”
“Glen will explain why. I’ll just tell you to accept
it.” He kept walking. “Come on. It’s ‘ken cold and I want to get back.”
Chapter - 14.
Detective Reymond briefed the paramedics on their arrival,
pointing out the syringe and his belief that this was not a run of the mill
overdose. They’d reacted assuming some opiate derivative had been used, based
on a simple swab test, and the Narcan they administered made Angie alert
almost immediately. Still, she was slow to respond to a volley of well-intentioned
questions from the paramedics. She settled her gaze on her attendants and
began to answer their questions cautiously.
Reymond stayed silent in the background, watching with
interest as the paramedics tended to their patient. He’d seen them in
operation on overdose cases before, but he noticed a difference in their
behaviour on this occasion. This time at least it was unlikely that they’d be
met with an expletive ridden tirade about their role in wasting their patient’s
score, or interfering with their patient’s suicide. Instead, they expected to
be thanked, even if not verbally, and there was a noticeable zeal in their work
as a result.
As soon as he was given the nod, Reymond stepped in to ask
his own questions. Her punctured lung mandated further hospital based care,
but he would be OK to ask a few questions, and more importantly, she should be OK to answer them. Of course anything she said in her pharmaceutical
grade state of alertness would be inadmissible, but it would surely
“So what can you tell about me?” Devlin asked, only half
interested in the reply. In close proximity to Albert he noticed the overpowering
ambient smell of urine was magically fused with a mixture of sweat and alcohol
and he figured that any reply wouldn’t warrant much consideration.
“What can you tell me about mine?” asked Albert.
“Maybe later. We gotta’ get upstairs,” said Ikel, much to
Devlin’s relief. Ikel led Devlin from the carpark into the darkness of the
laneway.
“I’ll be here,” said Albert with a look of lonely sadness
as he was left on his own again.
The fresh air of the night was utterly fragrant compared
to the carpark. Devlin sucked in deep breaths as they walked. “Is Albert on
the LastGasp’ payroll?” he asked, half in jest.
“Albert’s alright,” Ikel explained. “The downside of
being undercover is that the carpark never gets rain to wash away the smell.
Glen slips him some cash every week to splash the hose around, otherwise this
place really stinks!”
“He either isn’t getting paid enough, or he’s not doing a
good enough job. Why doesn’t Glen give him a real job?”
“I think Albert used to work with Glen. Ask him yourself
one day. He’s really good for a chat. He’s there most days and he enjoys the
company.”
“I might do that. I might get him in for a shower and a
change of clothes too!”
Ikel stopped in his tracks and grabbed Devlin on the
shoulder forcefully. “No-one comes inside except us, or someone that Glen
gives the nod to. And even then, outsiders aren’t allowed anywhere near the
bunker. Remember that,” Ikel said aggressively. “Albert might be a special
case, but he’s not allowed in either.”
“OK. I forgot!” insisted Devlin, still a little taken
aback at being apprehended.
“Don’t forget . Don’t ever forget.” Satisfied,
Ikel released his grip on Devlin and continued walking.
“I still don’t get the fixation on security,” said
Devlin. “Why?”
“Glen will explain why. I’ll just tell you to accept
it.” He kept walking. “Come on. It’s ‘ken cold and I want to get back.”
Chapter - 14.
Detective Reymond briefed the paramedics on their arrival,
pointing out the syringe and his belief that this was not a run of the mill
overdose. They’d reacted assuming some opiate derivative had been used, based
on a simple swab test, and the Narcan they administered made Angie alert
almost immediately. Still, she was slow to respond to a volley of well-intentioned
questions from the paramedics. She settled her gaze on her attendants and
began to answer their questions cautiously.
Reymond stayed silent in the background, watching with
interest as the paramedics tended to their patient. He’d seen them in
operation on overdose cases before, but he noticed a difference in their
behaviour on this occasion. This time at least it was unlikely that they’d be
met with an expletive ridden tirade about their role in wasting their patient’s
score, or interfering with their patient’s suicide. Instead, they expected to
be thanked, even if not verbally, and there was a noticeable zeal in their work
as a result.
As soon as he was given the nod, Reymond stepped in to ask
his own questions. Her punctured lung mandated further hospital based care,
but he would be OK to ask a few questions, and more importantly, she should be OK to answer them. Of course anything she said in her pharmaceutical
grade state of alertness would be inadmissible, but it would surely
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