“Unraveling the Truth” – Part 1

Colin left Richie’s office and made his way over to Andy’s Restaurant to meet up with Adam and Dob. He stood in the doorway, scanning the room, but his brother-in-law was no where in sight. He’d seen Adam’s car parked out front so he knew the lad was still around somewhere. At least, he hoped he was. Just his luck, Adam might have decided to drive off with that strange uncle of his. Just when he was about to turn and leave, Adam came up behind him, giving him a bit of a startle.

“I was about to give up on you,” Colin told him, concerned about his appearance. The color seemed to have drained out of Adam’s face, his shoulders slumped and hair wet around the edges. “Mate... is everything okay?”

“Fine, no worries,” Adam said, a bit gruffly, leading Colin to the table he and Dob had been sitting at. He slumped down in his chair, pushed his plate of un-eaten food away.

“You don’t look fine,” Colin told him, quietly. Something was up with this kid, he knew it.

“Yeah? Fuck you, what do you know, anyway,” Adam replied, angrily.

“Mate, look, I’d like to help if you’d only let me in,” Colin told him. “What’s going on with you, where’d that uncle of yours get off to?”

“Fuck Dob and fuck you,” Adam told him, pushing his chair away from the table. He just wanted to get out of there, get the fucking job done for Dob so he could get his wife back home safely. He paused, looked up, catching Colin’s eye. He sighed, pulled his chair back up to the table, his arms crossed in front of him. “You aren’t gonna let this go, are ya then?”

“No, I’m not,” Colin told him.

“I... oh, shit, mate,” Adam sighed, trying his best to hold it together, “If I say anything... if I tell you what’s going on... we’re all dead then.”

Colin leaned forward, “What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into, mate? If you’d just tell me...,” he stopped, looked into Adam’s blood-shot eyes. The lad was scared, he could see that – he knew that look, that same feeling; he’d been there before, years earlier. “Wait here,” he told Adam, getting to his feet. He went up to the front counter, paid Adam’s tab, then came back up to the table. “C’mon, we’re going to get you home. You can fill me in once we’re there.”

Adam scrambled to his feet, wobbled a bit. Colin noticed and grabbed hold of his shoulder to help steady him. “Stay with me, mate,” he told him, concerned that Adam might pass out there in the restaurant.

“I’m fine,” Adam slurred, pushing his hand away. “Jus’ fuckin’ tired.”

“Yeah, okay,” Colin told him, leading him out of the restaurant and out to the car, “we’ll talk about that later, too. Right now, we’re gonna get you home.”

Adam unlocked the car and the two men quickly got inside and drove down the road towards Colin house. More than once, Adam let the car swerve a bit and Colin had to grab the wheel and steer the car back onto the road. Finally, they pulled up in front of Colin’s house and went inside, neither man saying a word until the door was firmly shut and locked.

“Okay, spill, mate,” Colin told Adam as he lowered himself into an armchair and set his crutches aside.

Adam flopped down on the couch across from him, quietly mulling over what he was going to say. “What do you want to know?” he finally asked, lying back on the couch, his eyes mere slits.

“First off, what the fuck did you take and how much?”

“What’s it to you? We’re all gonna die soon anyway,” Adam slurred.

“Die? Look... Adam...,” Colin was getting really tired of this whole tough-guy act Adam was putting on. He’d had it with all his games, now he just wanted answers. He grabbed one of his crutches and walked over beside the couch where Adam was laying. “Empty your pockets – now,” he ordered.

Adam sighed, “I don’t fuckin’ have time for this,” he said, trying to sit up. He wobbled a bit, then fell back flat on the couch.

“Seems to me you ain’t goin’ no where, mate,” Colin replied.

He bent down, patted Adam’s jacket pockets – finding what he was looking for. Adam tried to slap his hands away, but Colin was too quick. He reached in and pulled out the contents – one half-smoked joint and a little packet which contained a powdery substance.

“What’s this then?” he asked, holding up his findings in front of Adam.

“What’s it look like?” Adam replied.

“Looks like a felony to me, mate,” Colin told him, “You want me to explain to your wife why you pissed away your marriage to her for this shite?”

“Col... c’mon, mate,” Adam tried to reason, “you ain’t gonna call the sheriff on me, you know it.”

“Give me one good reason why I’m not, motherfucker.”

Adam pushed himself up on his elbows, tilted his head, “Cuz I’m the only one that can get Raine back alive, that’s why.”

TBC...