True to her word, Maria provided security outside of his mother’s nursing home. That appeased the facility enough to permit him to keep her there and continue visiting. As if he didn’t have enough frustration, she had deteriorated more in the last few weeks. She no longer spoke at all, not to him or anyone. Gone were the days when she might recognize him for a fleeting moment.
The director of the facility even came into her room while Tuck was visiting yesterday and gently told him he didn’t need to feel guilty if he didn’t visit as often. She would never know the difference. He couldn’t bring himself to abandon the woman who raised him like that though. The guilt would eat at him.
The best part of every day, no matter how equally frustrating, was arriving at the bar. At least he got to spend those ten hours in the same room as Jodi even if he couldn’t do anything to compromise his stupid contract.
As he pulled into the parking lot, trying to clear his mind of all the shit that cluttered it, he stiffened. A squad car was parked directly in front of the bar.
Tuck hurried to park and get inside, his mind now racing with the possibilities, all of which he feared had something to do with the damn drug dealer he had yet to identify.
He squinted at the dim lighting as he stepped inside. The bar was supposed to open in fifteen minutes. Bill, Jodi, Stan, Liz, and Roxie were standing in a circle near the bar itself. Bill waved Tuck over and introduced him. “Tucker Lawler, this is Officer Roger Feltner.”
As Feltner shook Tuck’s hand with a nod, he wasted no time bringing Tuck up to speed. “I understand you were hired to keep a close eye on the place. Bill tells me you’re a SEAL. Oh, thank you for your service, by the way.”
Tuck nodded. “Did something happen?” He glanced at Jodi. She looked more forlorn than usual. She had her arms wrapped around her body as if she were cold. Her face was pale, and her hair was down. He almost never saw her without the signature clip she wore when she worked.
Feltner responded. “A woman came into the ER last night complaining of a severe headache and blurred vision. Her heart rate was elevated, and eventually she told the physician she had taken weight-loss pills she bought from someone here.”
Tuck winced. It infuriated him that he had not managed to spot a single illicit interaction between customers. Obviously, even with his added presence, it was still going on. “Did she say when she bought the pills?”
“Wednesday night.”
“Did she have a description of the dealer?”
Feltner shook his head. “Unfortunately, no, but we did get more information out of her. The previous women were reluctant to divulge much. This woman says she got the number of the dealer from a friend of hers. Everyone passes around this number. It’s well known. I’m betting this bar isn’t the only place used for transactions. She called and spoke to a man on the phone. He had her send him the payment first. After he received the money, he told her what day to come to the bar. She told him what she would be wearing, left her purse hanging on the back of her chair, and he dropped the pills into her purse during the evening. If that’s how he does business with everyone, it’s pretty smooth. Could be anyone.”
Roxie shuffled her feet. She looked a bit flushed. Tuck couldn’t blame her. It was nerve-racking knowing someone was using this bar to push drugs. With Roxie, he never knew what he might get each night. Some days she was cheerful. Other days she was grouchy. Today, she was nervous. Reasonably so. “She didn’t even see the guy? That seems kind of…weird.” She shuddered.
Feltner shrugged. “Not sure what to tell you. If he waits until the bar is busy, all he has to do is get near her purse and easily drop the pills in.”
Liz shuddered. “Kinda freaks me out.”
Jodi rubbed her arms and asked, “Do we at least know what the pills look like and what they consist of?”
Tuck could see her mind wandering to the night she’d touched the small tablet she found in the bathroom, probably hoping to hear that it in no way resembled the pills being sold for weight loss. He felt her stress.
The officer nodded. “The pills are small blue-coated tablets. The woman gave the physician the rest of them, and he ran some tests. They are indeed the same type of stimulant thousands of people are using to lose weight. However, this particular type is not FDA approved because of the side effects, which include mood swings that range from almost too relaxed to raging bouts of anger.”
Tuck nodded. “I’ve seen the effects. Several women on the set of the reality television show I was on were taking similar pills. They pop them like candy, and then they act like feral cats.”
The officer smiled and snapped his fingers. “I knew I recognized your name. Cold Feet, right? My wife talks about you.”
Tuck rolled his eyes. “Whatever she’s told you, it’s probably not true.”
Feltner visibly forced himself to sober and get back on track. “Have you seen any patrons of the bar behaving erratically?”
“Not yet. But I’m keeping a close eye out for the signs. I assume the women often buy the pills here but don’t take them until later.” It’s not like they’re purchasing crack for an instant high. Because diet pills are intended for weight loss, there’s no benefit to taking them the second someone buys them. That fact was making it more difficult for Tuck to spot the signs.
Feltner sighed. “Well, I’m sorry I don’t have more information. I just wanted to stop by and let you know the problem still persists. I realize I’ve given you very little.” He turned to face Tuck and handed him a card. “Please call me if you see anything remotely suspicious. Too bad I can’t stand here and check the pockets of every patron who comes in, but my hands are tied. We need to catch the guy in the act.”
Tuck nodded agreement. “He can’t get away with it forever. I just hope I spot him before he decides this location is too hot and moves his business to another bar.”
“That is a concern.” Feltner headed for the door. “I’ll let myself out. You folks have a nice evening.”
Jodi spun around and stomped from the main room, heading for the hallway. A second later, her footsteps could be heard on the stairs.
Tuck glanced around at everyone as they scattered and then looked to Bill.
“Will you talk to her, please?” Bill’s request was loaded. Tuck suspected this wasn’t about the drug dealer at all but rather her growing frustration with Tuck’s obligations.
Tuck nodded. “Of course.” He glanced at his watch.
“The place isn’t going to swarm with clients in the first ten minutes. Stan can handle the bar. I’ll man the door.”
Liz set a hand on Tuck’s arm as he reached the hallway. “We’re all friends, Tuck,” she said gently. “No one is going to breathe a word of your interaction with Jodi. Just… I don’t know. Say something to her so she can calm down a little. I think, well, I know she’s doubting your intentions.”
Tuck swallowed, hating himself and everything about this fucked-up arrangement. He glanced at Stan, who was checking inventory behind the bar and then Roxie, who was arranging chairs around the tables. Would either one of them go running to Maria and tattle that he’d spent time alone with Jodi?