Part 9 (1/2)
The third Customs agent looked disgusted. ”For an innocent lambikins, you know an awful lot about dope, Eddie.”
”What I didn't pick up on Miami Vice Miami Vice I got from the I got from the Reader's Digest. Reader's Digest. Now tell me the truth-how many times are we going to go through this?” Now tell me the truth-how many times are we going to go through this?”
A fourth agent held up a small plastic Baggie. In it were several fibers.
”These are filaments. We'll get the lab confirmation, but we know what sort they are. They're filaments of strapping tape.”
”I didn't take a shower before I left the hotel,” Eddie said for the fourth time. ”I was out by the pool, getting some sun. Trying to get rid of the rash. The allergy allergy rash. I fell asleep. I was d.a.m.ned lucky to make the plane at all. I had to run like h.e.l.l. The wind was blowing. I don't know what stuck to my skin and what didn't.” rash. I fell asleep. I was d.a.m.ned lucky to make the plane at all. I had to run like h.e.l.l. The wind was blowing. I don't know what stuck to my skin and what didn't.”
Another reached out and ran a finger up the three inches of flesh from the inner bend of Eddie's left elbow.
”And these aren't needle tracks.”
Eddie shoved the hand away. ”Mosquito bites. I told you. Almost healed. Jesus Christ, you can see that for yourself!”
They could. This deal hadn't come up overnight. Eddie had stopped arm-popping a month ago. Henry couldn't have done that, and that was one of the reasons it had been Eddie, had had to be Eddie. When he absolutely to be Eddie. When he absolutely had had to fix, he had taken it very high on his upper left thigh, where his left t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e lay against the skin of the leg... as he had the other night, when the sallow thing had finally brought him some stuff that was okay. Mostly he had just snorted, something with which Henry could no longer content himself. This caused feelings Eddie couldn't exactly define... a mixture of pride and shame. If they looked there, if they pushed his t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es aside, he could have some serious problems. A blood-test could cause him problems even more serious, but that was one step further than they could go without some sort of evidence-and evidence was something they just didn't have. They knew everything but could prove nothing. All the difference between world and want, his dear old mother would have said. to fix, he had taken it very high on his upper left thigh, where his left t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e lay against the skin of the leg... as he had the other night, when the sallow thing had finally brought him some stuff that was okay. Mostly he had just snorted, something with which Henry could no longer content himself. This caused feelings Eddie couldn't exactly define... a mixture of pride and shame. If they looked there, if they pushed his t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es aside, he could have some serious problems. A blood-test could cause him problems even more serious, but that was one step further than they could go without some sort of evidence-and evidence was something they just didn't have. They knew everything but could prove nothing. All the difference between world and want, his dear old mother would have said.
”Mosquito bites.”
”Yes.”
”And the red mark's an allergic reaction.”
”Yes. I had it when I went to the Bahamas; it just wasn't that bad.”
”He had it when he went down there,” one of the men said to another.
”Uh-huh,” the second said. ”You believe it?”
”Sure.”
”You believe in Santa Claus?”
”Sure. When I was a kid I even had my picture taken with him once.” He looked at Eddie. ”You got a picture of this famous red mark from before you took your little trip, Eddie?”
Eddie didn't reply.
”If you're clean, why won't you take a blood-test?” This was the first guy again, the guy with the cigarette in the corner of his mouth. It had almost burned down to the filter.
Eddie was suddenly angry-white-hot angry. He listened inside.
Okay, the voice responded at once, and Eddie felt more than agreement, he felt a kind of go-to-the-wall approval. It made him feel the way he felt when Henry hugged him, tousled his hair, punched him on the shoulder, and said the voice responded at once, and Eddie felt more than agreement, he felt a kind of go-to-the-wall approval. It made him feel the way he felt when Henry hugged him, tousled his hair, punched him on the shoulder, and said You done good, kid-don't let it go to your head, but you done good. You done good, kid-don't let it go to your head, but you done good.
”You know know I'm clean.” He stood up suddenly-so suddenly they moved back. He looked at the smoker who was closest to him. ”And I'll tell you something, babe, if you don't get that coffin-nail out of my face I'm going to I'm clean.” He stood up suddenly-so suddenly they moved back. He looked at the smoker who was closest to him. ”And I'll tell you something, babe, if you don't get that coffin-nail out of my face I'm going to knock knock it out.” it out.”
The guy recoiled.
”You guys have emptied the c.r.a.p-tank on that plane already. G.o.d, you've had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bent over and let one of you stick the world's longest finger up my a.s.s. If a prostate check is an exam, that was a motherf.u.c.king safari. I was scared to look down. I thought I'd see that guy's fingernail sticking out of my c.o.c.k. c.o.c.k.”
He glared around at them.
”You've been up my a.s.s, you've been through my stuff, and I'm sitting here in a pair of Jockies with you guys blowing smoke in my face. You want a bloodtest? Kay. Bring in someone to do it.”
They murmured, looked at each other. Surprised. Uneasy.
”But if you want to do it without a court order,” Eddie said, ”whoever does it better bring a lot of extra hypos and vials, because I'll be d.a.m.ned if I'm gonna p.i.s.s alone. I want a Federal marshal in here, and I want each one of you to take the same G.o.ddam test, and I want your names and IDs on each vial, and I want them to go into that Federal marshal's custody. And whatever you test mine for-cocaine, heroin, bennies, pot, whatever-I want those same tests performed on the samples from you guys. And then I want the results turned over to my lawyer.”
”Oh boy, YOUR LAWYER,” one of them cried. ”That's what it always comes down to with you s.h.i.+tbags, doesn't it, Eddie? You'll hear from MY LAWYER. I'll sic MY LAWYER on you. That c.r.a.p makes me want to puke! puke!”
”As a matter of fact I don't currently have one,” Eddie said, and this was the truth. ”I didn't think I needed one. You guys changed my mind. You got nothing because I have have nothing, but the rock and roll just doesn't stop, does it? So you want me to dance? Great. I'll dance. But I'm not gonna do it alone. You guys'll have to dance, too.” nothing, but the rock and roll just doesn't stop, does it? So you want me to dance? Great. I'll dance. But I'm not gonna do it alone. You guys'll have to dance, too.”
There was a thick, difficult silence.
”I'd like you to take down your shorts again, please, Mr. Dean,” one of them said. This guy was older. This guy looked like he was in charge of things. Eddie thought that maybe-just maybe-this guy had finally realized where the fresh tracks might be. Until now they hadn't checked. His arms, his shoulders, his legs... but not there. They had been too sure they had a bust.
”I'm through taking things off, taking things down, and eating this s.h.i.+t,” Eddie said. ”You get someone in here and we'll do a bunch of blood-tests or I'm getting out. Now which do you want?”
That silence again. And when they started looking at each other, Eddie knew he had won.
WE won, won, he amended. he amended. What's your name, fella? What's your name, fella?
Roland. Yours is Eddie. Eddie Dean.
You listen good.
Listen and watch.
”Give him his clothes,” the older man said disgustedly. He looked at Eddie. ”I don't know what you had or how you got rid of it, but I want you to know that we're going to find out.”
The old dude surveyed him.
”So there you sit. There you sit, almost grinning. What you say doesn't make me want to puke. What you are are does.” does.”
”I make make you you want to puke.” want to puke.”
”That's affirmative.”
”Oh, boy,” Eddie said. ”I love it. I'm sitting here in a little room and I've got nothing on but my underwear and there's seven guys around me with guns on their hips and I I make make you you want to puke? Man, you have got a problem.” want to puke? Man, you have got a problem.”
Eddie took a step toward him. The Customs guy held his ground for a moment, and then something in Eddie's eyes-a crazy color that seemed half-hazel, half-blue-made him step back against his will.
”I'M NOT CARRYING!” Eddie roared. Eddie roared. ”QUIT NOW! JUST QUIT! LET ME ALONE!” ”QUIT NOW! JUST QUIT! LET ME ALONE!”
The silence again. Then the older man turned around and yelled at someone, ”Didn't you hear me? Get his clothes! Get his clothes!”