Prelude
Alex Masters ducked into the alley. She peeked around the corner, trying to make sure she'd just seen what she thought she'd seen. Her heart rate had suddenly tripled at the sight of him. Just one more look to be sure.
No. It wasn't him, too young. She let out a sigh of relief. That ghost wasn't back to haunt her at least. At first glance the resemblance had been amazing. She watched him walk by the alley and saw the difference in build, gait.
When she caught her breath once more and her heart stopped pounding, she slipped back onto the sidewalk and continued on her way to Jellyroll's.
He answered at her first knock and ushered her inside. Alex stepped through the doorway a bit warily. This was her normal time, her normal day. He should have been ready with her stuff and just given it to her. She stayed just inside the entrance.
"What's going on? Where's my stuff?"
Jelly gave her a big smile, suspicious in and of itself. "Just a little mix up. I didn't get a delivery last night. I have something else though. Do the same thing. Just keep your energy up."
Alex eyed him suspiciously as he reached under a sofa cushion and pulled out a small packet of white powder.
"No. I'm not going on the hard stuff. I told you when I started coming here, I just need a little pick me up because the pain meds drag me down so much."
"Easy girl. Easy. This is the same thing, just in a powder. I swear. It's just this one time." He eyed her. "Of course if you'd rather go home empty handed."
Alex dropped her head back and it smacked against the wall. Shit, that hurt.
Maybe this was a sign she was supposed to stop. She needed to cut back at the very least. If she could only kick the painkillers it'd all be fine. But she couldn't sleep without them.
A shiver of cold went through her and her body trembled, begging to be fed what it needed.
"Just this once?"
"Sure. I'll have your regular stuff next time, I promise."
"Same price?"
He grinned. "Same price." He handed it to her as she handed him the wad of bills.
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