That’s the deal.

It’s part of the compromise I made with Vic, the owner of the gym. I can fight as much as I want. For him, I keep the cops away. Every time word gets out about a little illegal gambling behind the perfectly legal boxing gym, I shut the rumors down. For me, he lets me hang around these little concrete brawls, sniff around for leads if I need to, and we both stay happy. I don’t make any arrests around here. I get to be a slightly crooked cop for a couple nights a week, and it pays off in bigger ways than shutting down some harmless betting.

Tonight, I’m here for more than just knocking out this slimy piece of shit finally coming to back his feet. And I see just the person I need to talk to. After I wipe the sweat and blood dripping off my eyebrow, I head over.

As soon as I step up to her, Maggie rolls her eyes at me. "I’m not talkin’ to no cop tonight, so just buzz the fuck off," she snaps at me, and a hearty laugh bubbles out of my chest.

"I can't even say hello?"

She presses her lips together, clearly not buying it for one second.

"Your nose is bleeding," she notes, but I know Maggie isn't grossed out by a little blood. As Vic's little sister, she's used to nights and crowds like these. She's easily as smart as him, twice as tough, and ten times prettier. And always good for a little intel.

Maggie is the wallflower. She's always around, but no one pays her any attention. So she hears a lot.

"I'm not here to dig, Maggie. I just picked up a young kid yesterday for intent to distribute, and I want to know what the fuck I'm missing."

She averts her eyes and doesn't answer me. I take this to mean she knows exactly what I'm talking about. The kid's only sixteen, clean according to his blood sample, and was carrying twenty individually bagged grams of crystal. He kept his mouth shut, and I'd like to get other people talking before I pressure him to.

"Point me in the right direction, and I won't say another word."

"I heard about it, Rafe, but I honestly don't know anything. The guys are as confused as you are."

By the guys, she means her brother and his friends. The worst they do is a little underground fighting and gambling, but I know for a fact Vic hates drugs. He loves the fights, and he likes them to stay clean. I couldn’t keep up our bargain if it were any other way.

Ever since I busted my club brother, Logan's supplier last spring, the narcotic activity around the beach has been quiet. A few little busts here and there, mostly punks who buy it in Newport and bring it to our little beach town. But this kid didn't come from Newport. His aunt and uncle own a souvenir shop on the main drag, and I have a very bad feeling that it's not just a bad habit he's picked up.