The Evil And The Pure (25 page)

Big Sandy smiled in the darkness and mouthed the word, “Amelie.” And though he still couldn’t sleep after that, the smile stayed with him as he stretched out, put the grim dream behind him and started making plans.

TWENTY-TWO

Friday evening, hanging out with Phials, watching
Carlito’s Way
, one of Clint’s favourites. Phials talked over the movie, as he often did — the makers got this right, that wrong, this actor would never pass for a goodfella, that actor looked mob born and bred. Sometimes the narration irritated Clint but more often than not he welcomed it, valuable tips for when he went Stateside.

“
A favour will kill you faster than a bullet
,” Phials chuckled as the credits rolled. “True words, my friend. But a world without favours would be hell indeed.” Licked his lips and winked at Clint. “Speaking of which…”

Clint calm
. He’d been waiting for this, several visits now without Phials asking for Tulip, afraid the doc had gone cool on her. He tried to act the same as normal. “You wuh-want me to see if the Tuh-tuh-tuh-Tynes are free?”

“Would you?” Phials smiling, running a hand over his jaw, checking whether or not he needed to shave.

Clint phoned Kevin. A short conversation, Clint speaking out of earshot of Phials, yes they were free, yes they’d bring the drugs, no they wouldn’t mention Clint if they were rumbled by the guards. He faced Phials, grinning nervously, willing everything to go right. “I’ll hit the ruh-road when they cuh-cuh-cuh-come.”

Phials shrugged, studying himself in the
reflection of the TV, his robe creased and stained, picking at it, wondering if it was worth changing into another.

“Mind if I ask you a quh-quh-quh-question?” Clint trying hard not to stutter
. Phials knew he only stuttered when he was nervous — might wonder what he had to be nervous about.

“Ask away,” Phials said, too concerned with his appearance to
note Clint’s nervousness.

“With the Tuh-Tynes… Kevin wuh-wuh-wuh-watching… what’s the attraction?”

Phials chuckled. “Voyeurism’s a kick. I used to enjoy watching others have sex at orgies, but it’s only since I started with Tulip and Kevin that I realised what a buzz you can get from being watched.” Looked around. “Ever tried it?”

“No.” Clint laughed sheepishly. “A bit exotic fuh-for my
tastes.”

“You don’t talk much about your sex life,” Phials noted.

“Not much to tuh-talk about,” Clint answered softly. He forced a bright smile. “I’m pretty nuh-normal in the sex department. A puh-puh-puh-pilgrim.”

“Heh. I thought you were abo
ut to say a puh-puh-puh-penguin.” Phials snorted.

Clint c
huckled, though he reddened too. He didn’t like it when people mocked his stutter. He pressed ahead as casually as possible. “I’ve been th-th-th-thinking that I might try suh-suh-something like what you have going with the Tynes.”

“With Shula?” Phials asked.

“Of course not,” Clint growled. “I’d never drag her into something like that. Shula’s a luh-lady. I meant with suh-someone else, muh-muh-maybe a couple like Kevin and Tuh-Tulip.”

“You should,
” Phials beamed. “Try everything once, man. Hell, I experimented with every kind of fetish you can think of, and probably a few you can’t. It’s easier when you’re stoned – life’s a lot simpler when you’re high – but even straight it’s worth messing about a bit.”

“I dunno,” Clint muttered. “I think I’d huh-have to be huh-high to perform under th-th-th-those sort of cuh-conditions.”

“Well, you’re Mr Connections. If
you
can’t get high when you want, who can?”

“I suh-
suppose.” Clint pulled a bashful expression, wanting Phials to make the offer without Clint having to ask, more natural that way. Chanting inside his head,
Ask me. Ask me. Ask me.

Phials stared at Clint, sensing a new need in him, taking a while to click to what it was. Then, seeing the young man’s blush, he thought he
knew. “Wanna stay and join in, Clint?”

Clint licked his lips, acting uncertain, and mumbled
, “I cuh-cuh-couldn’t.”

“Of course you could,” Phials laughed. “The more the merrier.”

“But wh-where would I fuh-fuh-fit in?”

“I’m sure we could find a space for you,” Phials smirked. “You can observe with Kevin if you want or take a more hands-on approach. Your call.”

“Kuh-kuh-kuh-Kevin wouldn’t luh-like it,” Clint said dubiously.

“Actually I think he’d get off on it,” Phials mused, dark brown eyes distant. “It’s what he’s been leading up to, only
I don’t think he’s realised yet — to be watched while he watches. It’s the natural next step. He might object, but secretly he wants it. He’ll accept you if we push him.”

“Muh-muh-maybe another nuh-night,” Clint said, not having to fake the hesitancy, having second thoughts, half-wishing Phials would bar him, looking for a way out even while he was desperately plotting a way in.

“If not tonight, then when?” Phials smiled warmly but unevenly, nerves of his own to contend with. This would bring them closer together, make it easier for Phials to manipulate Clint. “You have to seize the moment, live life to the fullest. We could all be dead tomorrow.”

“I guh-guh-guh-g
uess.” Clint took a deep breath, half real, half fake. “But I cuh-cuh-can’t do this struh-struh-struh-straight. I’ve nuh-nothing on me, but I’m suh-sure Kevin and Tulip could ruh-rustle up something.” Pulled out his mobile. Paused. “Yuh-yuh-you want anything?”

Phials’ mouth went dry. “I thought you needed to OK anything like that with Eddie or Dave.”

“I do. Buh-but Eddie isn’t here and the nuh-nuh-nuh-new guys aren’t as th-th-th-thorough.”

“You think Kevin and Tulip could smuggle something in?” Hope blinding Phials t
o the obviousness of the set-up, hunger winning out over his intellect.

“Wuh-wuh-
worth a truh-try. Of course they muh-mightn’t have anything on them, or they mightn’t want to sh-sh-share, or they muh-might be stuh-stopped coming in, but if we duh-don’t ask…”

He phoned a dummy number, moved to the far side of the bedroom, conducted a muffled one-way conversation, Phials rigid on the bed, trying to remember his last real high,
excitement flooding his system.

Clint turned
off his mobile, pocketed it, faced Phials glumly – Phials’ stomach dropped – then grinned. “They have coke and E’s. They’ll do their best to smuggle them in.” Stutter disappearing, eyes bright, locked on to his course, no turning back, in command now. Phials panted like a happy puppy, imagining the buzz, already feeling it. Clint watched smugly, thinking,
Who’s the dumb, exploitable asshole now?

TWENTY-THREE

Tulip was
unhappy about the drugs, but otherwise she was more cooperative than she’d been in a long time. By no stretch of the imagination upbeat – she never looked forward to their appointments – but resigned. After several visits, Fr Sebastian had stopped coming. Kevin not sure what had happened – the priest avoided him in church, ashamed, afraid – but quick to make the most of the unexpected windfall. He told Tulip he’d had words with Fr Sebastian, told him never to return. Tulip relieved, hugging Kevin, kissing him the way sisters all over the world innocently kissed their brothers, insisting they go for a celebratory meal, thanking him over and over, Kevin acting nonchalent, no big deal, he lived to serve.

Nervous as they approached the lab, the small pouches hidden in Tulip’s curly auburn hair, tied in with tiny pieces of thread, invisible to the eye. Fast Eddie
sometimes combed through her hair. If the guards did that, they’d discover the drugs. Tulip had a story prepared – drugs for another customer – but she wasn’t a good liar, especially when she was high, as she was was now, smiling crookedly.

Opening the large outer door, sliding it shut behind them, pressing the button, waiting for the inner door to open. Kevin didn’t recognise the guard.
He forced a smile as he stepped forward and spread his arms. “Fast Eddie’s night off?”

“He’s away,” the guard grunted, patting Kevin down, a careful job but not as
probing as Fast Eddie. “Holidays.”

“Home or abroad?” Kevin asked, Tulip’s turn to be searched, tense as the guard ran his hands up her body and over her shoulders — relaxing as his fingers slid down her back,
not touching her hair.

“Don’t know,” the guard said. He stepped
aside and nodded at a security camera. The door closed. He turned away from the Tynes. “Follow me.”

Through the lab, up the
stairs to Phials’ room. The chemist opened the door quickly when they knocked, breathless, eyes alight, ushering them in without even an hello, slamming the door on the bemused guard. “Did you bring the gear?” Snapping, anxious, more interested in the drugs than Tulip. Clint watched, alert, smiling, smug.

Kevin reached into Tulip’s hair and pulled the
baggies free. Phials went limp. Stared at the pouches, tears in his eyes. “How much?” Willing to pay whatever they asked.

Kevin glanced at Clint,
tempted to make him pay for his own drugs. Decided not to be greedy. “No charge.” He handed the baggies to Phials.

Phials too
stoked to thank him. He yanked the pouches open, shut his eyes in delight, hurried to the dressing table, popped a couple of E’s and began making lines of coke. About to snort the first line when he remembered his manners. Smiled at his guests. “Ladies first,” he said, offering Tulip a rolled up note.

Tulip leant forward and inhaled deeply, expertly. The more she took, the less
real it seemed. Kevin was worried she might OD but he didn’t want to start an argument with her, not when she was high, no telling how she would react.

Phials offered the note to
Kevin and Clint. Both men shook their heads. Phials was so excited, he forgot that Clint was the one who’d originally requested the drugs. “All the more for me,” he murmured, thinking,
Don’t blow it all tonight. Save some. Make it last.
Knowing he wouldn’t heed his good advice, never able to call time when he went on a binge.

Phials leant over the dressing table. One line up his left nostril, one up his right. Pinching his nose tight, quivering with ecstasy, head filling
with lights, grinning at Tulip, more beautiful than ever. “We’re going to do some godalmighty fucking tonight,” he whispered, moving towards her. “Wait till you see me hard on coke. I can keep it up all night.”

Tulip smiled shakily and let her eyes roll towards the ceiling,
zoning out as Phials groped her. With the help of the coke she imagined herself elsewhere. Anywhere.

Kevin began unbuttoning his trousers. Stopped when he spotted Clint gesturing furiously at him. Remembered the script. Coughed and spoke loudly. “Time for you to leave, Clint.”

Clint came back with, “Tony suh-said I could stay.”

Kevin frowned ridiculously,
a lousy actor, but Phials too far gone to notice. “We’re not into group sex. Please leave.”

“Tony?” Clint said. Phials didn’t hear him. “Tony!”

Phials looked up, dazed. Waved absentmindedly at Kevin. “Let him stay. I’ll pay extra. Get high. Get laid. Get happy.”

Kevin swung in close to Clint. “What do we do now?”

“Whatever you normally do,” Clint replied, watching as Phials simultaneously popped an E and rolled Tulip’s jumper up. He had no interest in the glimpse of naked flesh, focused purely on Phials.

Ke
vin was watching Clint intently. If Clint made a move on Tulip, he’d have him thrown out. But he saw that Clint had eyes only for the chemist. He relaxed and spun away, circled the pair on the bed, losing himself to the passion.

Clint kept to the background at first, a neutral observer, no excitement as Phials stripped Tulip and mounted her, mild distaste at the sight of Kevin jerking off, nothing more. Phials as wild and persistent on the
drugs as he’d claimed, a variety of positions, breaking only to make swift attacks on the coke and E’s.

As Phials got higher and wilder, Clint
realised he’d have to get closer to the action to interrogate the chemist, and quickly, before he went comatose — Clint now wished he hadn’t added so many E’s to the pouch. He slipped up beside the bed. Kevin paused when he saw Clint zeroing in, but relaxed when Clint patted his groin and winked — no erection.

Clin
t tapped Phials on the shoulder. “Mind if I join in?” Phials laughed with horny delight. Arched upwards to kiss Clint. Clint saw the kiss coming, ducked it –
not
part of his plan! – laughed and snuggled up to Tulip, cuddling her, running his hands over her, kissing her shoulder, putting on a show for Phials. Leaning over the table, he pretended to snort some coke. Phials cooed. Clint picked up a couple of E’s and put them between Tulip’s lips. She started to swallow. “No,” he whispered. “Not for you — for Tony. Pass them to him.” Tulip didn’t like letting the pills go, but she did as ordered, kissing Phials, letting him take the E’s from her with his tongue, Phials almost choking on the pills.

Clint decided it was time to act. He was half-naked, sweating, making grinding motions against Tulip, cackling hysterically wh
enever Phials laughed. Pretending to snort more coke, he collapsed across the bed. Nudged Phials. “Is this great shit or what?”