Page 41 of All Wrong
“Aren’t you?”
“I suppose in some roundabout way, I am. I wouldn’t have met you if it hadn’t been for her. But I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t enjoy your company. What about you? Did you ask me out as a favor to your sister because she told you how pathetically introverted I am?”
Corinne laughed at his self-deprecating remark. Brett Buckman might not be an in your face, aggressive kind of guy, but he wasn’t pathetically introverted either. The man exuded a quiet confidence that was hard not to like. “No. All my own doing.”
“All right then. Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes,” she answered honestly.
“Then, let’s not overcomplicate things,” he said. “We’re just two people who share a penchant for really bad horror movies. No pressure, no expectations.”
She smiled, a wave of relief washing over her. “Sounds good.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NICK
Nick waited outside The Zone, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Corinne’s group dance class had ended twenty minutes earlier. Allotting time for lingering and cleanup, she should be out at any minute.
More samples had been passed around over the weekend, this time at the drive-in. The descriptions of the guys handing them out were similar to the dealers AJ, Jackie, and others had provided. Around senior high age or thereabouts, broad shoulders, dark hoodies, expensive kicks.
Like varsity athletes, AJ had said.
Not the usual pusher stereotype.
Nick wasn’t naive. He knew drugs weren’t specific to one group or class of people. Rich or poor. Upper, middle, or lower class. Athletes, scholars, artists, punks. They were equally seduced by chemicals that promised to make them stronger, smarter, more creative, just … more.
Distributing product through a certain demographic was smart marketing. By using affluent jock types, the ones others respected or saw as popular or as influencers, the source was sliding a mask of respectability over the ugliness of the business. Making it look acceptable and less dangerous than it was. Making it all about the,Hey, how bad can it be if so-and-so is telling me I should try it?Objectively, it was a smart move. Kids, particularly teens, trusted their peers more than they did adults.
That also suggested that whoever was behind the recent surge, he had an in with the kids.
Like a teacher or a coach, for example.
An image of Mr. Wholesome came to mind. New to town—check. Clean-cut image—check. Access to kids—check. Raised Nick’s hackles—check.
Nick’s lip curled of its own accord.
The only box he couldn’t tick off was tangible evidence. Everything was circumstantial at thatpoint. Nothing on the guy’s background check indicated he’d been involved in anything dirty. His record, at least according to what Ian had told Nicki, was squeaky clean.
Nick wasn’t buying it. Regardless of Nicki’s insinuations, his gut instincts didn’t have anything to do with the guy sniffing around Corinne. Buckman was more than your average, run of the mill gym teacher—Nick was sure of it.
Then there was the fact that Buckman had been at the fair the night AJ and Jackie were approached. He had a truck similar to the one cruising around Corinne’s neighborhood. Most recently, Buckman had been seen talking with some kids at the drive-in on Saturday night.
Chance events? Accidental occurrences? Anything was possible, but Nick didn’t believe in coincidences.
The real kick in the nuts was hearing through the grapevine that Corinne had been with Buckman at the drive-in. First the café, then the movies.
What happened to resisting her sister’s matchmaking attempts?he thought bitterly.
More importantly, why did that piss him off so much?
That dark tendril wrapping around his moodwasn’t jealousy. Itwasn’t. Corinne was an adult. She could do what she wanted. But his conscience wouldn’t let him stand idly by while she walked unaware into a potentially dangerous situation.
He debated on saying anything. He had no proof, and without it, Corinne might mistake his interest for something other than the well-intentioned warning it was. He was only looking out for her, was all. He’d do the same for anyone. They were practically family, for God’s sake.
The sister of a sister-in-law of my sister’s husband is not family.
No, but it might as well be.
