In the Blink of An Eye by Jerry Baggett (ebook reader for surface pro TXT) 📕

know we’re coming; I’m going to be more careful.” Hunt asked the paramedic to hold off a few minutes longer. “We have several agents working undercover in this beach area. After our meeting on the beach in Avalon, you know pretty much what we’re doing here. I’m going to leave my card with you, and would appreciate a call about any activity related to drug transactions or homicides you may consider unusual. We have reason to believe the source of the problem is close by. Sooner or later, you’ll start picking up anomalies that make you suspicious. That’s the kind of help we need from you. Especially there on the island.”

He winced and put his hand on his rib cage. “I’m sharing information with you because I need your help. To win this battle, we have to have help from the public, people like you who get around where folks gather in public places.”

The paramedic interrupted. “Agent Hunt! You’ve just been in a violent accident. We need to get you into the hospital, now. You may have serious internal injuries.”

“Give me a few more minutes with these folks, please, it’s important.”

He turned back to Samantha. “As a nurse, you may have noticed. Overdose deaths have increased over five thousand or more each year since 2014. Over sixty-eight thousand overdose deaths were reported just last year. It’s a national disgrace, and California leads the way.” The paramedic checked his vitals again and stepped back. “Hear me out. I have a valid reason for talking to Samantha. We can cover that later. Experts have traced the epidemic’s origin to 1995 and the marketing of the prescription painkiller, oxycontin. It was marketed as being safer, but ended up being just the opposite. Addicts started turning to cheaper drugs now, heroin and fentanyl. Fentanyl is currently involved in over forty-six percent of overdose deaths. It’s cheap, coming out of China, and being mixed with heroin to provide a more affordable high with the same sensations. A small amount can be fatal, even absorbed through the skin, a cheap replacement for more expensive drugs like oxycontin and cocaine. If that doesn’t convince you to help out, nothing will.”

Dick said. “I’m a little puzzled. How did we get involved in all this mess?”

Hunt grimaced, then continued. “Samantha’s a nurse on the island. I need her help. There’s a large, well organized group, right in this area, providing drugs and prescriptions for drugs to addicts. We intend to stop some of the overdose deaths by cutting the head off the snake. We think he might be on Catalina Island.” He appeared to fight pain but continued to talk. “Our newly imbedded asset is currently working his way into a local hotspot for drug activity there as we speak.” He waved at Samantha. “I have a special reason to continue this conversation with you. There’s much more to talk about, but it’ll have to wait. Thank you both, again, for dragging me out of that inferno. I have your contact number and will be in touch.”

The highway patrolman motioned them onto the freeway. Dick said, “I have a feeling we’re going to hear more from DEA Agent Hunt. I don’t understand why the devil we’re involved in this mess.” Hunt has had a small concussion. Maybe he won’t involve us when he gets over the accident.

Chapter 14

Hunt had been caught half-dressed at four a.m., exiting through the emergency room entrance in stocking feet. He suspected the nurse had hidden his shoes. Pressing work demanded his attention. He’d dressed and tried leaving the hospital without authorization after he’d been isolated for four days of pain and aggravation. Let them find someone younger to poke and probe.

He’d suffered much worse after a gunshot wound, a few years earlier, and refused to take time away from his job until ordered to stand down. He’d planned on driving himself to work with a brace on his neck and tape on his ribs.

He hadn’t expected doctors to look into his overall physical condition while recuperating from an automobile accident. The much-needed physical had been avoided for years. He suspected high cholesterol and hypertension. This time, doctors told him he had a mild concussion, sprained neck, and severely bruised ribs. Hell, he’d known that going in, and demanded to be released with mild pain medication. His intimidation tactic hadn’t worked. The hospital staff rushed him through an MRI, MRA, ultrasound, and echocardiogram before his head cleared. Putting him on a damn diet and demanding he lose ten pounds had been the last straw. He was getting the hell out of there.

Margie stared at Hunt. “You don’t look too good. Weren’t they supposed to keep you another day?”

Hunt’s foul look only got worse. “Yeah, they demanded I leave immediately, after breakfast. Thank God. I haven’t even had a decent cup of coffee since landing in that damn house of torture.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I heard they tried to put a fentanyl patch on you, boss. Surely, they know how bad that shit is. Perhaps we should show them some of the victims we find on the streets.”

“What about that damn truck, Margie.? It should stand out like a naked fat man at a bachelorette party.”

She whipped her head around. “So far, the word on the street is quiet, maybe too quiet. The sheriff’s people say that vehicle, or one fitting that description, was seen several times with that junkie, called High Pockets, and another man, on the mainland making contact with street hookers a few weeks back. We need a stronger connection, something more current to work with.”

He muttered, “They have a million cameras on the interstate’s now days. See if that truck shows up anywhere in our tri-state area.”

“One more thing boss. Long Beach deputies connected someone fitting that description to a man named Hans Hempel. Hans has been seen at the Happy Huntsman