CHAPTER 9: First transaction
It's 10 :08 p.m and the McQuaids enter the pub. Rick and Mikey are already there, sitting at a table and making signs for them to come. Tom and Doug take a seat and order a beer.
Tom would have apologized for being late but being a McQuaids brother he preferred not to say anything.
- You got the dope ? Doug asks.
- Sure, you got the money ? Mikey asks.
- Of course, Doug says showing his pocket.
They discreetly exchange the money against the dope under the table so nobody can see what they're doing.
- You don't count ? Tom asks.
- No, we trust you. If everything's not in there the boss will kill you, Mikey says serious.
Tom's smile leaves as he takes a sip. Doug doesn't smile either.
- You don't try the dope to see if it's okay ? Rick asks.
- No, Doug answers looking at Tom trying to hide a smile. We have enough for now. We sniffed a line before coming.
- Okay I see, Mikey says smiling at them.
- If it's not as good as the one we had earlier I promise you'll hear from us in a bad way, Doug says seriously.
- Okay we all agree then, Mikey says.
- No problem. We're all okay !
Tom sees Trisha's still there. She has bruises and scars on her face. "She's been beaten" Tom thinks. He can't really see her face cause this place's dark and she's not really close to him. She's still trying to attract guys to have money in return and buy drugs. Tom's sad to see her like that. "This girl's only 16" he thinks.
Trisha doesn't see him otherwise she'd be on his knees again as he gave her money without asking anything in return earlier in the day.
Once they have finished their beers, Rick and Mikey leave, Tom and Doug wait a bit before leaving.
- You saw how Trisha looks tonight ? Tom asks Doug.
- Yeah it's sad, Doug answers really sad for her.
- She's been beaten ! We have to do something, Tom says.
- Yes but even after that you can be sure she'll still be living the same way if we can call that living. She'll be acting like nothing happened, Doug says. By the way what can we do ?
- I don't know but I hope we'll find the guy who sells that shit to all these teens and the bastard who beat her, Tom says mad at the situation.
- We'll succeed Tommy, believe me ! I'm sure we can do it.
- Hope you're right !
Trisha succeeds attracting a guy and they both go outside.
Tom and Doug are looking and decide to leave the pub to see what's going on before it's too late.
- Oh no, Tom says. We have to do something now.
- Yep you're right.
They arrived outside near Trisha and the guy.
- Sorry man, Tom says, no luck for you tonight Trisha's with us for the evening.
- But… says the man.
- There are no buts, Doug says to the guy. Go away !
The man lives and Trisha looks angry. She looks at Tom and Doug wondering why they did that.
- Are you crazy or what ? she asks. He was my money for tonight. I won't have my dope right now. Because of you I'll have to wait and find another client. You'd better have drugs to give me now cause everything happened because of you. So give me some now !
- Calm down Trisha… Tom says.
Trisha's so mad and on the nerves she begins to cry, she's on withdrawals, she needs drugs and you can see the pain on her face.
Tom takes her in his arms to try to calm her.
- Don't cry Trisha, everything's gonna be okay, Tom says calmly.
- Oh yeah ? How ? Why did you do that ? Trisha asks between sobs.
She's still crying. Tom keeps talking to her, trying to make her feel better, to reassure her but it's not easy to do.
- You got dope for me ? she asks still crying.
- No Trisha I have nothing, Tom answers.
- Do you at least have money ?
- Trisha, look at me, Tom says forcing her to look at him in the eyes.
- What ? What do you want ? she asks.
He puts his hand on her face, on the bruises she has.
- Who did this to you Trisha ?
- No one, I fell.
- Stop lying, says Doug. Someone beat you.
- No, it's not true, she says even if she knows they don't believe her cause it's not true.
Then Tom sets off her sleeves to see the marks.
- What the hell are you doing ? she asks.
- Is this how you want to live your life Trisha ? Tom asks her.
- So what ? I got the right to live my life the way I want to. Plus you and your friend are also here for drugs so you'd better look at yourselves before judging others.
They can't say they don't do drugs cause it'd blow their covers.
- It's different for us, Tom says showing his arms.
- How is it different, you're both like me.
- No look at my arms, we're not like you. We only take drugs once in a while, that's it. We're not addicted like you and our lives don't depend on that. You see the difference now ? Tom asks.
Tom would like to reason her but she doesn't want to hear anything. She's hurting. The pain is horrible for her.
- So do you get money or what ? And you ? she asks looking from Tom to Doug.
- What kind of life do you think you can have by getting high all the time ? Tom asks. Are you gonna be a prostitute forever ? You'll get beat again and again. Is that what you want ?
Trisha begins to cry again cause she knows he's right. Tom takes her in his arms again, holding her tight. He caresses her hair and keeps talking to her to try to reassure her. He tries to make her forget the way she feels, the pain…
Doug's looking at the scene. He was first amused by the situation but now he'd like to help this girl as much as Tom would. They want to protect this girl. They don't want to find her dead body one day after an overdose or beaten to death.
"She seems to like to be in Tom's arms" Doug thinks.
Sure she feels good in his arms, who wouldn't ? He's so sweet and tender, and cute !
Tom holds her tight for a few more minutes before she leaves.
- Trisha, wait a sec… Tom yells.
- Leave me alone ! she answers.
Tom and Doug are sad they couldn't 'save' this girl tonight.
- Don't be too sad Tommy, we'll save her later, I promise.
- If it's not too late… Tom says sadly.
They take Doug's car once again to go to the chapel where Fuller's waiting for them to examine the drugs they got from the deal with the one that killed several teens.
…
