PART 18

Steve continued his restless pacing as Jesse watched. Amanda had gone to the beach house to get some things for him. He walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to look out. He turned to face Jesse.

"Why aren't there any unmarked cars out there?" he demanded.

"They're there Steve, you just can't see them from the window."

Mark walked out of the kitchen with a pot of coffee and set it on the table. Steve walked over to the table, and poured himself a cup. Mark watched as he took the sugar and began to pour an alarming amount of it into his cup.

"Don't you think that's enough sugar?" he asked.

Steve ignored the question and began searching through the candy wrappers that were left there from the night before. Steve felt his anger begin to build, and before he could stop himself he hurled the cup across the room. Mark stepped away from this as Jesse hurried into the dinning room

"Where the hell is Amanda with that candy?" he asked angrily.

"Chill, Steve. She had other stops to make besides the candy store," Jesse informed him.

Steve began to pace the floor once again, looking like a trapped animal in a cage. He stopped for a moment and looked down at his hands, which were visibly shaking, and then started to pace again.

"When the hell is this going to stop?" he asked, balling his hands into fists, hoping that would stop the shaking.

"Steve, the heroin is still in your system," Jesse said. "It's going to take a while before it's completely cleared out."

"I know that, Jesse," Steve said. "I've seen what people in heroin withdrawal go through. I see it every time I'm out there on the streets. I always wonder what the hell they were going through. Well, now I know. And it sucks, Jesse. It really sucks."

"I know," he said. "But it looks like you've been through the worst of it…"

"Oh, is that your professional opinion Doctor Travis? How do you know the worst is over? How do you know if the stomach pain isn't going to come back, or the vomiting, or shaking? How do you know?"

Jesse continued to stare silently at Steve.

"You see, Jesse, you don't know," he said. "So don't tell me the worst is over; it could still be yet to come."

"You know, Steve, you've been one big pain in the ass since you got up."

"Well, if you don't like it, leave!"

"No. You aren't going to get rid of me that easily. I know what you're going through."

"You know JACK SHIT about what I'm going through!" He turned to walk away from Jesse.

Jesse grabbed Steve's arm to turn him around to face him. Steve turned back around swinging. Jesse caught Steve's arm in mid-air and twisted it behind his back, bringing Steve down to his knees,

Steve was surprised at Jesse's strength. "Jesus Christ, Jesse, let go of me!"

"No, no until you hear me out. You're going to stop with the attitude, Steve. I know you're hurting, but you have to stop taking your anger out on us. Now I'm going to let you go, and so help me God if you come up swinging, I'm going to hit back this time."

Steve didn't say anything as Jesse let him go. He stood up shakily, walked away from Jesse and stood by the window.

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Torres sat at his desk looking over some paperwork. A knock came at the door. "Come in."

Jackson and Franklin walked into the office and over to his desk. Torres looked up at them and sat back in his chair. "Well?"

"Everything is taken care of," Jackson said.

"Good, good. Where did you dump the body?"

"Left him inside his car, in one of the alleyways downtown."

"Did you make it look like he shot himself up with the stuff?"

"Actually he did," Jackson said. "It's cool to see what people will do when there is a gun pointed to their head."

"Okay," Torres said with a smile. "It's now," he looked at his watch, "two o'clock. Why don't you boys go get something to eat and meet me back here at five?"

"Yes, sir."

Jackson and Franklin walked out of the office and Torres turned his attention back to his paperwork.

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A patrol car made its way down the alleyway, approaching Goodwin's parked car. Both officers got out and after exchanging glances, proceeded cautiously toward the figure sitting in the car.

"Hey, mister," one of the officers called. "Mister, wake up." He banged on the fender of the car but Goodwin didn't move.

As they both moved further up the length of the car, one of the officers made it to the driver's side, where he saw Goodwin slumped back in the seat. There was a hypodermic needle laying in his lap.

"Call it in. Looks like we have an overdose victim here."

His partner went to the patrol car and got back inside to use the radio. The other officer looked around the inside of the car, and spotting a note, put on a pair of gloves he took from his pocket. He leaned into the car, picked up the note and began to read it. He looked up as his partner go out of the car.

"Get Captain Newman and Lieutenant Banks here ASAP. They are going to want to see this note." He placed the note carefully back in the car.