The following week was uneventful, which pissed me off. How in the hell could two junkies like Spring Lawson and Roy Mayfield completely disappear without a trace?
Despite our best efforts, as well as those of the Devil Springs Police Department, no one had seen hide nor hair of River’s mom or her boyfriend.
My phone buzzing on my desk pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen to see Spazz’s name and quickly answered. “What’s up, brother?”
“Got some info on your girl. She—”
“—is not my girl,” I interrupted.
“The girl you asked about. Is that better?” he snapped, which was very out of character for him.
“What did you find?”
“Like River said, Didi died from an overdose. Preliminary testing showed a variety of things in her system, including opiates, marijuana, and cocaine. According to hospital records, she had track marks on her forearm, so it sounds like it was a heroin overdose, but they can’t officially say that until the toxicology reports are back.”
“Do you think that’s why she started hanging around the club?” I asked.
Spazz made a noncommittal noise. “I wouldn’t think so. Everybody in this area knows we’re not into drugs.”
“Maybe she’s not from around here.”
“She is. Born and raised in Fountain Mill.”
“Really? Did she go to school in Devil Springs?”
“Nope. Mountville. Not that it matters. None of us would’ve known her. She was only twenty-one years old.”
She certainly didn’t look twenty-one. She looked much older, but repeated drug use will age you faster than anything else.
“There is one other thing,” Spazz said and paused. “She was last seen at Precious Metals. Apparently, she left the bar, drove herself home, and was found unconscious in her car by whoever anonymously called 9-1-1.”
“Does Prez know?”
“Told him the second I found out. He said he’d discuss it in Church tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Spazz,” I said and disconnected the call.
What in the hell was Didi doing at Precious Metals the night after she was banned from the club and any club owned establishments? And more importantly, did she already have the drugs on her, or did she get them from someone at Precious Metals?
***
I barely made it to Church on time after spending the morning with Mom. Knowing how hard-headed she could be, I wanted to make sure her floors were mopped and vacuumed so she didn’t try to do it herself. I also mowed the front yard and even pulled the few weeds from her flower beds. By the time I was finished, I was covered in dirt and sweat, so I had to go back home to take a shower and change.
“Nice of you to join us,” Copper teased as I dashed into the room and took my seat.
I made a show of looking at my watch. “I’m not late.”
He laughed. “No, but you’re the last one to arrive, and you’re almost always the first. But, since everyone is here, we’ll get started a few minutes early.”
We went through the usual stuff we discussed at the beginning of every meeting before we brought up any new business.
“Any word on the repairs for the rental house?” I asked.
Copper grimaced while Bronze answered. “We’ve had a few issues passing the inspection. We’ve got another one scheduled for the end of next week.”
“What was the issue?” I asked.
“The first time it was because the steps leading from the kitchen to the garage didn’t have a handrail, which is required for anything over thirty inches.”