Race

enforcement officer, I received a call that some guy was ready to jump off a building on Wellington. “Ketamine is a powerful hallucinogen,” I ended off.

Both Herrera and Barnes looked amazed.

I said, “We also met some DJ from the House of Jam.”

“You mean, DJ Krash?” Barnes asked. “He’s the second-”

“-Best DJ. Yes, I know,” I said.

“Have you ever been to the House of Jam?” Barnes asked.

I shook my head.

“In my opinion, it is the best place to be in Toronto. But it’s so hard to get in. I would love to go again.”

Herrera was feeling left out, so he said, “What’s the story over there?” He jerked his head in the direction of the building. “Detective Beadsworth never detailed me.”

“We believe it’s possible that Nex is being produced in there,” I said.

“Okay, Great.” Herrera rubbed his hands with pleasure. “Then let’s go.”

“Um, I think we should wait,” I said scratching the back of my head. I didn’t like saying this but I might have to take command. “If we see anything suspicious then we go in, only after we get approval from Detective Garnett or Sergeant Aldrich.” I couldn’t believe it. I was sounding like Beadsworth.

“Yes, of course,” Herrera said. He placed his hands in his pockets and squinted. “Something doesn’t make sense.”

“What?” I said.

“Wouldn’t you be suspicious if you saw three guys standing across the road looking at you?”

I nodded. It would be suspicious, even though the road dividing us was very wide.

“If you were making a product like Nex wouldn’t you have more safeguards?”

“Probably,” I said.

“Maybe,” Barnes said. “They’re trying not to be suspicious and that is why they have their lab in a place like this.”

I was trying very hard to understand their point.

“Maybe Nex is not being produced there but somewhere else.” Barnes moved his head in all directions. “Maybe it is being produced inside one of those stores.”

What? That made absolutely no sense.

“It could be inside that textile store,” he pointed. “Or that barber shop. Or that convenience store, or that pizza parlor or that bubble tea shop. Maybe we’re purposely being diverted.”

“That was what I was thinking.” Herrera agreed.

Okay.

“I like your theory,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Why…don’t…you guys go and scope out the area. Find out what you can. I’ll watch the building.”

“What?” said Martin, flabbergasted. “Nex is not going to be in tablet form?”

“We’re not sure,” Ms. Zee answered.

Martin took a deep breath and adjusted his tie. He laughed. “Ms. Zee, this is bad business. We have been marketing Nex in tablet form. We’ve even distributed samples.”

“Yes and we need to get them back.”

“All of them?”

“Kong has already retrieved some, while others have guaranteed on their lives that the samples were destroyed. Only one left. Cal Murray has it.”

“Isn’t that the owner of the House of Jam?”

“Yes, Kong and I will pay him a visit tonight.”

Alone again, I rubbed my temples. Something was bothering me but I couldn’t put my finger on what. I felt like I was supposed to remember something-a date, a number, something. Did I have some unfinished business? Was I supposed to meet someone? Think Jon. Think.

There was enough money in the bank for the rent, so that wasn’t it. The car insurance was paid last week, so that wasn’t it either. Cable bill. Check. Telephone bill. Check. Returned old library materials. Check.

I was supposed to go somewhere, but where?

My cell phone rang.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hello, big shot,” said the familiar voice. It was Roberta Collecci, from PEU. “Since your promotion you’ve forgotten about us,” she said.

“Us?” I said. “Who is this?”

She went silent. “Jon, it’s Roberta from Parking Enforcement.”

“Roberta? I remember. One of those little people who give out tickets,” I said snobbishly.

“Little people?” She snapped.

I started to laugh.

“Jon, I’m glad you haven’t changed. You’re still obnoxious.”

“Thank you.”

“So, how’s everything?”

“I’m on a stake-out.” I lowered my voice. “The ultimate drug is being produced in the building across from me. I have my gun ready.” I began whispering. “Any moment when signaled I will run across and break the door down.”

That didn’t affect her. “You’re standing around, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I said like a child who’s just been told he’s fibbing. “So what’s up?”

“I just called to see if you were still alive. No one at the drug squad gave you a hard time?

“Nah, they knew I’m not the type of guy they could mess with.”

“Sure, Jon,” she said. “Are you with the drug squad indefinitely?”

“No. Just for another twenty years.”

She didn’t laugh.

Roberta missed me. I felt guilty. With everything happening around me I didn’t think twice about her.

“You miss giving parking tickets?” she said.

“Yeah, sometimes,” I said. “I did enjoy my daily routine.”

“It’s not the same without you,” she said. “No one around to tell stories.”

“Hey,” I said in a defensive tone. “Those things actually happened to me.”

“What about the time you said you saw ghosts outside your window.”

“That was true. They wanted to borrow money.”

“Why would they need money?”

“Hey, I don’t know. These modern ghosts don’t care about scaring people any more. All they want is someone to spot them a twenty.”

“What about the time you said you scored fifty-two points in a basketball game.”

“Is that what you heard? Let me clarify. I said my team scored fifty-two points. I didn’t even get to touch the ball.”

She didn’t laugh but I knew she was smiling.

“Roberta, something is bothering me and I don’t know what it is. Am I supposed to do something soon?”

There was silence. “Yes, but I’m not going to tell you. We had a deal you were not going to depend on me.”

“But this is seriously bothering me. This could jeopardize my new position.”

“No way.”

“Just this once.”

“Nope.”

“Is it someone I know?”