I nodded and tapped my bottom lip. “If Hypno is the new designer drug and people are getting hooked on it, doesn’t it make sense that those in dire need would position themselves in close proximity?”
His features lit with intrigue as he considered. “I hadn’t thought about that, but I get what you’re saying. Once the shots were fired, anyone in those houses would’ve temporarily fled.”
“It’s not as if we can track people to question right now anyway,” I pointed out. “I’m pretty sure the cops would frown on that.”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “I don’t suppose you would be willing to completely ignore your instincts and stay away from the drug addicts?”
I shrugged. “It depends on what knowledge Jake imparts.”
“I was afraid you would say that.” He looked resigned. “You need me with you.”
“I’ve dealt with addicts before.”
“Not in this area you haven’t.” He was firm. “These people are hardcore. I don’t want you getting in over your head.”
“When do I ever get in over my head?”
“You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?”
“Not right this second.” I straightened when Jake started in our direction. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“We definitely will.”
Jake’s grimace was pronounced. “You’re free to leave ... for now.”
“Thank you,” Eliot said. “Really, we weren’t looking for trouble when we came down here.”
“I believe you.” Slowly, his eyes tracked to me. “Your blond sidekick is another story.”
Oh, that was a dangerous dig. “Hey, if anybody is anybody’s sidekick, he’s mine. I’m the boss here.”
“Good, then you’re the one I can yell at over dinner.”
That sounded dangerous. “Um ... I don’t often eat in this neighborhood. I think we’ll pass.”
“We’re going to Greektown.” He was matter-of-fact. “If I’m going to be stuck down here because of something you did, I want some freaking chicken and rice.”
Now that he mentioned it, Greek food did sound good. “Fine, but you’re buying.”
“Oh, no, you’re buying. I’m only down here to keep you out of trouble.”
He had a point, which I hated to admit. “Eliot’s buying. We probably have some things to talk about.”
“We definitely do.”
JAKE PICKED THE RESTAURANT, WHICH I WAS fine with. I’d eaten at the establishment a time or two and was familiar with the menu. The waitress, a harried woman with her hair falling out of a ponytail, didn’t even bother to recite the specials.
“Chicken and rice all around,” Jake volunteered. “A few small Greek salads would be nice, too.”
The waitress jotted down the order without a word and took off. That left the three of us to stare at each other ... and wait.
It was a competition. Sure, Jake probably didn’t think of it that way, but I enjoyed winning, so that’s how it played out in my head. The first one to speak lost, and there was no way that was going to be me. To my surprise, Eliot got uncomfortable first. He cleared his throat and shifted on the vinyl booth seat.
“I know you two have little games you like to play with one another, but I don’t think it’s necessary right now. We need to work together.”
“No, we don’t,” I shot back. “I’m fine working by myself.”
“You’re not. You’re spinning your wheels.”
I pinned him with a dark look. “I have everything under control. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Just until I believe it.” He leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You need to work with Jake. It will benefit you both.”
That wasn’t going to happen. I folded my arms across my chest and jutted out my chin. There was no way I was sharing information if Jake didn’t reciprocate.
“And what if I think that it’s best she’s not involved?” Jake challenged, fixing Eliot with his best “I’m the sheriff and what I say goes” look. “This situation is dangerous.”
“I think she’s already aware,” Eliot replied calmly. “It’s because this situation is turning so dangerous that we should all work together.”
“Or she could just stay out of it.”
Eliot shook his head. “She can’t do that and you know it. It’s not fair of you to ask her to do things out of her wheelhouse. This situation requires compromise.”
“I’m the sheriff. I don’t have to compromise.”
“You proved that wrong when you drove to Detroit to bail us out,” Eliot argued. “You know as well as I do that she’s part of this. You two need to come to a truce.”
Jake didn’t look thrilled at the prospect. “Or she could just stay out of trouble for once in her life.”
“I’m not in trouble,” I snapped, cringing at how shrill I sounded. “I have things completely under control.”
Jake shook his head. “That’s why Eliot had to shield you with his body on the pavement two hours ago.”
That had my temper boiling. “How do you even know that? Maybe I was sheltering him with my body. Did you ever think of that?”
“Sure. I definitely think you’d be stupid enough to pull that move. But I know him. I know how he’d react.”
He wasn’t wrong, so I decided to change the subject. “Cal Shepperly was involved in selling Hypno. He was organizing the men under his watch. There’s no sense denying it, because I already know it’s true. The question is, did you guys suspect him before this happened?”
Jake held my gaze for a long time, so long, in fact, that I thought he was going to ignore the question. He slouched low in the booth. “About three months ago, a multi-jurisdictional task force was set up to trace the sale of Hypno. As you know, these new boutique drugs don’t always get on our radar right away. We believe Hypno was on the street a full year before we became aware.”
That wasn’t much,
