“Just the peanut butter lunch?”
“Nah, it has to be the special peanut butter lunch. As soon as I got it, I hurried away and opened it up. Had a bag of some pills. It was more pain pills than what I could get the doc to prescribe. The next time I got in line, he came again and said that I’d be approached and paid for the pills.”
“And the guy today?” Carter asked, his eyes narrowing.
“He’s the one who approached me the first time. I give him the bag of pills and get paid.” Levi licked his lips, his chest heaving. “This isn’t the life I want,” he whispered, his voice anguished.
Carter stared at Levi, watching as he blinked tears away. “What do you want?”
“I want to be out of pain. I want to be clean. Want a fuckin’ job I can be proud of. I want to know that I can buy my own food and not have to sleep in a box under the bridge.”
Levi’s words scored straight through Carter. A good judge of character, he would swear that Levi was telling the truth.
“I heard there was a man at the shelter who can help veterans. His name is Enrico. I’ve seen him there but not talked to him. I got tangled up in this shit and don’t know how to get out.”
“Enrico?” Evan turned his gaze from Levi to Carter. “We wanted to talk to him anyway. Why don’t we all take a trip?”
Nodding, Carter gripped the front of Levi's shirt and pulled him forward so that he was steady on his feet. “Sounds good to me. Let’s see what Enrico has to say about all of this.” Expecting Levi’s gaze to turn wary or frightened, he was surprised. For the first time since they encountered Levi, his eyes looked hopeful.
25
Carter could not afford to let Levi go but didn’t want him to remain in handcuffs as they walked into Ever Hope. Warning him, he gained Levi’s agreement that he would not run. Now, if he could just talk to Enrico without having to involve Tara.
His luck was not holding as they ran into her as soon as they entered the reception area. Her gaze brightened when she saw him, then her forehead crinkled as she glanced between him, Evan, and Levi.
“Ms. Wilson, we need to speak to Enrico. Are you able to offer a private room where we can do so?” He held his breath as she glanced toward Enrico then back to him.
Inclining her head politely, she said, “Of course, Detective Fiske.” She walked over to the reception desk and spoke quietly. “Sable, if you’ll watch the desk alone for a few minutes, Enrico needs to follow me, please.” She turned and walked down the hall past the dining area. Moving through a door, she stood to the side as the others moved into an empty classroom. “You’re more than welcome to use this room as long as you need. There are no classes planned at this time.”
As she was turning to leave, she offered a small smile toward Carter, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Actually, would it be okay if Ms. Wilson stayed?” Enrico asked.
At his words, Carter jerked his head around, his denial on his lips. “Absolutely not—”
“She needs to hear what’s going on. She needs to hear what I’ve been doing.” Enrico spoke to Carter, but his eyes were on Tara.
She glanced between Enrico and Carter, uncertainty written on her face, and Carter grimaced.
“If this is a private matter, then I should not be here,” she said. She faced the group of men, her hands clasped in front of her, her demeanor calm. “On the other hand, if this involves the shelter in any way, I should be present.”
The five occupants of the room remained perfectly still, and Carter finally released a held breath, giving a curt nod. At that, she stepped forward and waved her hand toward one of the tables, inviting them to sit.
Once seated, Tara immediately reached out her hand toward Levi. “Hello. I’m Tara Wilson, Lead Social Worker here at Ever Hope.”
Levi hesitated before reaching his hand out. Snatching it back quickly, he wiped his palm on his jeans before taking her hand in his. Giving it a quick shake, he released her fingers, giving a slight nod. “Levi Marks, Ma’am.”
Carter leveled his gaze on Enrico. “Detective Barlow and I were going to visit you today anyway, but our conversation with Levi has added a new level of interest. You already seem to know what that is. Care to elaborate?”
Enrico placed his forearms on the table, linking his fingers together. He sighed as he looked toward Tara, his expression unreadable. “I not only work at Ever Hope, but I also volunteer with several veteran organizations in the city. I spent twelve years in the Army, doing three tours in Afghanistan. I was one of the lucky ones. I saw action but was never injured. I came home to a wife, my kids, and found this job. Every person who walks into the shelter and needs a place to stay, I want to help. When that person is a veteran, it hits me right in the gut. We can’t help everyone, but I try to discern those who need more than what we can give.”
“What is it that you do?” Tara asked.
“Some studies say that ten percent of veterans have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder, which is higher than the general population. That’s only those that have been actually diagnosed. We know that number has got to be more. In young male veterans, the rate is even higher, compounded by pain, suicide risk, trauma, and homelessness.”
Carter leaned back in his seat and, glancing at Levi, noted the young man’s intense gaze as he stared at Enrico.
“Recently, there’s been a lot in the news about the amount of prescription pain medications for military personnel,
