Unknown - The Watch Dog

«Wait a minute, what's that about a drug-dealer? I don't remember anything like that. A punk, yeah, but what's with the drugs?»

«Man,- didn't you hear? Those punks they busted out at Second Street Emergency?»

«No, I don't keep up with the gossip much.»

«Well, it was quite a haul. Seems this David Parker punk turned up there at the all-night clinic for treatment of some kind of wound … a dog-bite, they said it looked like … anyway, he was obviously high on something and the night doctor called the station. They sent a car over and checked out the license on the car the punks were driving. Guess who?»

«I give up … tell me, tell me.»

«Sammy De Angelo … Mr. Big in the drug scene himself.»

«You mean they finally got the goods on that bastard?»

«Not quite such a happy ending … he's beaten the charge already, but they found some methaqualone on two of his henchmen and got a warrant to tear the car apart … four packets of uncut heroin hidden behind the rear firewall. They're all locked away on a bail so high a politician couldn't raise it. It looks like ten years for the Parker kid at least, maybe less for the others.»

«How did the Barrett girl come into the picture?»

Manners laughed. «You've got a lot to learn yet, Turner. Her name didn't come into it at all. With a name like Barrett, the papers are awfully careful about throwing it around. Seems there was some kind of investigation, but nothing ever made the official report. Whatever it was, we'll probably hear it around the locker room some day when it's old news.»

«If that sweet blonde thing would bring me the news herself, I'd wait ten years! Man, would I give a stripe or two for some of that!»

«Forget it, you don't have any stripes to give anyway. And besides, that's rich man's pussy, like I told you before. They don't have time for jerks like you and me … they fuck only the best!»

«Look out!» Manners had been looking away from the street in his effort to make his point and he swerved at the last second, narrowly avoiding a blur of fur as a huge German shepherd crossed in front of the cruiser.

«Damn dog, what's he doing running loose? Don't these people know about dog catchers?»

The big dog paused in the lighted driveway and looked back at them as they passed, then bounded up the lawn toward the Barrett home at the crest of the slight hill.

«Forget it, Bill, he's a Barrett dog … he's probably got enough pull to beat the rap! Remember, we don't mess with rich man's pussy … and not with their dogs either.»

Officer Manners mumbled something under his breath and stuck his foot to the floor of the heavy-engined cruiser; Valley Farms Estates was quickly behind them in a lingering cloud of burned rubber … taxpayers' rubber!