Stark: A Novel Read Online Free Page B

chest high between both hands. As Stark finished rolling up his sleeve, she moved forward and wordlessly wrapped the nylon around his left bicep, brushing one of her breasts across the other arm as she leaned over.
    “Tighter,” he commanded, feeling the blood being trapped. Even in the urgency of the moment he became aware of her warm breath against his cheek, and of her flesh. As she tightened her grip, her unfettered breast beneath the filmy negligee pressed closer against his body.
    He knew that this girl, so strange and innocent, so hard and hip, was trying to turn him on. She might think she could manipulate him. He smiled at the idea, for sex had never been his weakness. Shit was his current weakness. There wasn’t room for a dame, too.
    He forgot Dorie as he tapped the needle into the ridge of vein. A stream of blood filled the eyedropper.
    “Here’s to J. Edgar Hoover,” he said with a smile, and squeezed off the hit.
    The glow exploded and suffused him almost instantly. It was a crushing blow that weakened his knees, but sent him to lalaland.
    “Nice,” he muttered, “Nice. Real nice.” The words came out in a guttural monotone. He cleared his throat. “It’s good shit, Momo. The best you’ve ever had. Is this a new brand?”
    Momo paused in his own preparations. “It’s from a new package I picked up today. The Man said it would be top grade from now on.”
    “It is,” Stark said, face pale and eyelids fluttering. His face was breaking into a sweat. “Real good. Did he say where this new shit came from?”
    “No. But you know how connections are - never quit bragging about their stuff.”
    “This one’s right,” Stark gasped. “Better be cool. Don’t overdose. Maybe you should cut it a bit for other customers.” He wavered and felt the nausea rising in his stomach. “I’m gonna sit down, before I fall down. I’ll be in the other room.” Momo nodded jerkily without looking up. He was intent on cooking his own fix.
    Stark stumbled blindly around Dorie and went to the unmade bed and stretched out in a semi-prone position, back braced by the headboard, head slumping loosely forward to his chest. Through the haze of euphoria he could hear her urging Momo to hurry, the urgent cry of another junkie in need.
    Momo would hurry, Stark was certain. He dreamily visualized the fat Hawaiian moving swiftly, the girl hovering impatiently at his shoulder. Momo would hurry, both because he craved the flash and because of Dorie’s obvious need to fix. The drug peddler was paying for her flesh with his drugs. A nice setup. Everyone in happy land, Stark thought sardonically.
    Stark smiled at the thought of how he might get the info Crowley wanted from the girl. She could wheedle it out of Momo in ten hot seconds of teasing. And he, in turn, would be able, later, to mix business with pleasure as he screwed the information out of her. Anything to get Crowley off his back. He shifted to a more upright position.
    “Man, this is serious,” he muttered.
    “What’s serious?” Momo asked. He had finished in the bathroom and stood in the doorway, eyes heavy lidded.
    “I was going into a bad nod. That’s how people die… just coast on out. I dig the nod, but I’m not ready for the big one.”
    “Yeah, that would be serious… especially in my pad where I’d have to get rid of your body.” Momo paused, brushed a fluttering hand across his eyes, and smiled. “I’m glad you warned me to take it easy. He wasn’t jiving about the stuff. I might’ve overjolted. I think I’m going to have to cut it for my other customers.”
    “Yeah, like I told you to. I got other good business ideas. You could use a guy like me. I’m always figuring the odds.”
    Stark looked at Momo, drowsing on his feet, and decided to try a wild shot in the dark, a direct approach.
    “I’d like to meet your connection and make a big buy.”
    The effect was negative. Momo sneered with arrogance, but without suspicion. He shook his