Chapter 3

URIAH

Most people wanted to live in the Northside. When you were there, you knew you’d made it. The Southern Block was just the opposite. It was a place forgotten by most of the politicians and residents of Snow Falls. A place where everybody down on their luck had no choice but to live. It was like two different sides of the city. But the West Bay…

The West Bay in Snow Falls had its own unique flavor. The buildings weren’t as rundown or abandoned as the Southern Block. They weren’t fancy either. A lot of the traffic on the streets came from some of the biker clubs roaming around the area like wolfpacks. And when it wasn’t traffic on the streets, there were gangs lurking in the darkness of the alleys and hiding behind the corners. The West Bay wasn’t as destitute as the Southern Block but it was definitely more dangerous.

“You nervous?”

I looked over at Sanders in the driver’s seat. He had a subtle grin on his lips.

“Why would I be nervous?” I said.

“You’re looking around like you’re paranoid.”

“I’m not paranoid. I’m just checking to make sure that nobody is tailing us. Anybody finds out we’re police and it won’t be pretty.”

“Folks in the West Bay are dangerous but they’re not the smartest bunch. You keep your nose out of everybody’s business and they won’t try smelling you to see if you’re a cop.”

“That’s just it. I’m here to put my nose in everybody’s business. If we’re going to get our hands on Rivera, I have to do whatever it takes to get as much information as I can.”

I couldn’t hold back a sigh.

“You’re nervous,” Sanders said.

“Not nervous…” I muttered.

I looked back out the window and watched the West Bay pass me by. The punks and thugs on the streets eyeballed me but it wasn’t much more than a passing glance. I searched for the right place to start. Something caught my eye in the distance.

“Over here,” I said.

Sanders slowly pulled the car to the curb. The old man leaned back in his seat and got comfortable with a donut from the box he had in the backseat.

“You know, I’ve gotta admire how nonchalant you are about all this,” I said. “We’re going after a major drug dealer and you can sit comfortably in your seat and eat that donut like nothing is wrong.”

“Just because I’m not as serious as you are doesn’t mean I’m not aware of how serious this situation is. This is a big deal for you.”

“It’s a big deal for all of us.”

“No, mostly you. Captain Lee has got an eye on you. She’s expecting big things from the prodigy at the police station. You nail Rivera and you’ll make detective.”

He took a chunk out of his donut and smiled at me while he chewed on it.

“Like I said. Big deal for you.”

“It doesn’t matter who it’s a big deal for,” I said. “One way or another, I have to do this. Can’t let a guy like Rivera come to our town and try to pollute it. Snow Falls already has enough problems.”

“And why did you pick here exactly?”

I looked over in the distance. There was a small bar with a flashing neon sign. There was something about the place that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was a feeling I couldn’t explain but couldn’t shake either.

“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “This place looks just as good as any. The West Bay is a big place. With all of the gangs and biker clubs around here, I’m bound to run into someone who knows something about Rivera.”

Sanders swallowed the rest of his donut and smacked his lips with satisfaction. He dusted his hands off before reaching back for another donut. He was so fat that he struggled to shift around in his seat. It was a wonder how someone like him managed to keep serving on the police force.

“Just remember,” he said. “Take your time on this. Lee doesn’t want you to solve this case in a few hours.”

“I know, I know. The district attorney’s office is building a case against Rivera. As soon as he steps foot in Snow Falls, all eyes will be on him. I’m supposed to gather as much evidence as I can. Once we’ve got enough to make a conviction stick then we go after him.”

“Hey, look at you. You’ve got this all figured out.”

“I haven’t got this figured out until I’ve got it figured out.”

“This will take a few weeks. A few months, maybe. This isn’t like anything you’ve ever worked on, Kennedy. Take your time.”

“You know I will. I just said—”

“You just said you’re taking your time to collect evidence because the DA wants as much dirt on Rivera as possible. I’m telling you to take your time for your sake.”

I shook my head in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

Sanders actually took the time to ignore the new donut in his hands, so I knew he was about to get serious. He looked me right in the eye and pointed a finger at me.

“How long have you and I been working together?” he asked.

“I don’t know. About a year now.”

“A year… That’s more than enough time to figure out what kinda man you are.”

“Really?” I said, an eyebrow raised. “And what kinda man am I?”

“You’re a young go-getter. Always looking to do what’s right. The kinda man who sacrifices everything else if he really believes in something.”

“I wouldn’t say that but even if I agreed with you, would that be such a bad thing?”

“It makes you a fine person, a damn fine person. But men like that don’t last very long. Especially in a place like the West Bay.”

“And how would you know that?”

“How long have we been partners, Kennedy?”

“I just said. About a year—”

“I’ve been on the force for more than 20 years.”

“Yeah. And?”

“You aren’t my first partner. What do you think happened to the other ones?”

He widened his eyes at me. I didn’t have to think too hard to see what he was getting at. But there was nothing he could say to deter me. I had to do this.

I clenched my jaw and gave him a nod.

“I’ll be careful,” I said. “I’ll go slow. If it takes weeks… months even… We’ll get Rivera.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear. Now… Go ahead and check the place out. I’ll be here waiting on you. You call me or come back if you run into any trouble.”

“Are you sure it’s such a good idea to be sitting in your car? Especially with all these people roaming around. Looks suspicious…”

“Folks around here mind their own business. To them, I’m just some fat man looking to have a donut in peace.”

Sanders gave me a satisfied smile then took a generous bite out of his glazed donut. I chuckled softly at him and got out of the car.

It was a warm night in Snow Falls but the breeze was cool. The sky had already gotten dark and along with it, most of the buildings in the West Bay. The only lights came from the places where everybody looked to be hanging out. Bars. Clubs. Pool halls. The kind of places you knew something was going on behind closed doors.

I headed down the street and stopped at the place I saw from a distance.

Brickstone… Looks as good a place as anywhere else…

I went inside and immediately noticed that it wasn’t as lively as the neon sign shining through the window. There was a decent number of patrons but all of them were sitting at their tables and drinking like they were too tired to do anything else. The conversations were mum. The only sound came from some music on a jukebox in the corner of the bar and the smacking of pool balls on the pool table.

The liquor was so strong that it felt like the insides of my nostrils were burning. The lights were dim but the floors and walls looked like they could use a good cleaning.

You sure know how to pick ‘em, Uriah.

I figured examining the decor would draw too much attention to myself, so I headed to the bar. The bartender was leaning up against the wall. His arms crossed, he looked at me for a second before turning his attention back to the TV hanging on the side of the wall.

“How do you get any service around here?” I said to the woman sitting next to me.

She was an older woman, leaning up against the bar like she had too much to drink.

“If I knew how to get good service around here, it’d be the first time it ever happened.”

“Yet you’re still here.”’

“Some of us don’t have much of a choice.”

She gave me a smile. I wanted to assume she was just being friendly but there was no telling with the residents of the West Bay.

I decided to try my luck.

“Uriah,” I said.

“Uriah… Judith.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Judith. You from around here?”

“I’m from around here, sure. You think someone like me would bother coming to a place like this on purpose?”

“So you’re from the West Bay. You must know a lot about this place.”

“I know as much as anybody else. Not that there’s much to know.”

“But I bet you know a lot of other people. People who know a lot more than you do…”

She moved back in her seat a bit. Her eyes narrowed like she was suspicious.

Shit.

“What’s it to you?” she said.

“Nothing,” I said with a shrug. “I just figured you know people around here.”

“What are you asking me for? Trying to score some dope? Looking for a hook-up?”

“What?” I exclaimed. “I was just—”

“Bryce!”

She shouted out suddenly and interrupted me, her eyes still locked on me. A few moments later, a man appeared out of the back of the bar and walked up to Judith.

“What is it?” the man said.

“This guy over here,” she said. “I think he’s up to something. Drugs, I’m thinking.”

The man looked up at me.

It was so dark in the bar that I immediately noticed how striking he was in contrast. A fair complexion. Dark blond hair that was short. He had a bit of a boyish face that made him look a couple of years younger than he actually was. A strong jaw and chiseled cheekbones that couldn’t grow any hair. And then his eyes… Light green eyes as round and wide as you’d ever see on a man. A strange kind of innocence coming from him that you wouldn’t expect in a place like this.

“What are you doing?” the man said to me. “We don’t deal with any of that stuff in here. If that’s what you’re interested in, I suggest you leave—”

“I’m not looking for any of that,” I said. “I was just trying to make some friendly conversation and maybe a drink. Your bartender doesn’t seem to care too much for me.”

He looked me up and down. He had a smaller frame though I could see his bicep rippling underneath the sleeve of his shirt. The man was built like an Omega. I could take him if it came down to it but I wasn’t interested in a fight just minutes after stepping foot into the bar.

“Just a beer,” I said as I put my hands up. “Honest.”

The man was still skeptical but he turned toward the bartender and gave him a nod.

“You have to excuse Norman,” the man said. “It’s not often we get people who aren’t from around here.”

“How do you know I’m not from around here?” I said.

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

“I guess not…”

I gave him a shrug and he turned around to leave.

Something about him.

“Hey, Bryce, is it?”

I called out to him without thinking. He turned around and arched an eyebrow at me.

“Thanks,” I said.

He gave me a smirk and nodded.

“Enjoy your beer,” he said before turning back around and leaving.

“What’s his deal?” I said to Judith.

“Bryce? He doesn’t have a deal. He’s just the guy who runs the joint.”

“Right…”

“I suggest you stop asking so many questions unless you wanna get kicked out.”

The bartender shoved my beer in front of me. I was only just getting started in Brickstone. There was no need to rush things.

“Right now, all I want to do is enjoy this beer.”