Last time with Timmy & Wally:

Timmy and Wally sneak into a hidden tunnel beneath the Gnommish restaurant and overhear a secret meeting between Tiko and Rufi. Strangely, instead of dealing Burn, they seem to be trying to get rid of it, fearing that a rival faction deliberately tainted it with a deadly parasite. Shocked by the revelation, Timmy and Wally report back to Conway, who is even more baffled by the idea of Goblins and Gnomes working together to clear the drug from the streets. While the OD cases are slowing, the case is far from closed and Conway still wants the real dealers caught and hanged.

30

It had been three days since Timmy and Wally went undercover in the Gnommish restaurant and a week since the last report of an overdose. The Drug Enforcement Squad’s case had ground to a standstill. Their surveillance of Tiko had produced no evidence of him selling Burn. In fact, it looked like there was no Burn being sold citywide. The entire industry seemed to have disappeared overnight. Slowly, one by one, detectives were being reassigned and sent back to their old postings. Timmy and Wally, still technically only being Corporals, were among the first to be decommissioned. They were back in their blues and walking their beat as if the whole thing had just been a vivid dream. But the blues suddenly felt more itchy than before. Their boots were more uncomfortable. Their work suddenly felt dull and unimportant compared to the excitement of being a detective.

“Nuffin’ to report on Marley Street,” Wally said tonelessly as they plodded along.

“Other than rain,” Timmy muttered.

The rain was coming down thick and heavy, and the leather ponchos they had been issued with did little to keep them dry.

“How many hours ‘til we can clock off?” Wally asked.

“Still three more.”

Wally sighed as they took a left down Foxworthy Gardens. The streets were quiet. Valderians still hadn’t grown accustomed to the torrential summer rains and as soon as the storms would whip up again, the streets would empty. That suited Timmy fine. He would rather plod around in the rain than actually have to deal with people.

“”What d’yer reckon Conway’s up to?” Wally asked idly.

“I don't know. But I bet he’s dry,” Timmy replied.

“And probably halfway down a bottle by now.”

“What do you think Sarpele’s doing?” Timmy asked.

“I dunno,” Wally replied. “Wot does ‘e do? Like does ‘e work for other squads? Or like does ‘e just disappear until they need someone undercover?”

“He could be anywhere,” Timmy laughed. “That could be him.” Timmy said, nodding his head at a lone stall owner who was still trying to sell his flowers in the pounding rain.

“Don’t joke, I’m seriously worried about that guy,” Wally said. “‘E could be anyone! Anywhere!”

“Yeah,” Timmy sighed. “Wish we could have spent more time with him undercover.”

“I don’t,” Wally said, sniffling and wiping his nose. “‘E was a right mental case.”

“It was better than splashing about in the rain.”

“True. And ‘ow good was that Gnommish grub?”

“So good!”

“Right? I never had proper Gnommish grub before. Everyone always says that foreign grub is proper smelly and all that, but I thought it was proper quality.”

“Too bad we could never afford to eat there for real,” Timmy said.

“If we woz businessmen we could,” Wally said, waggling his eyebrows at Timmy, who chuckled.

“I still don’t know what a businessman is,” Timmy said.

“Me neither. But they eat good!” Wally said.

They shared a laugh and rounded Pebblebury Park. They were on the home stretch back to the precinct where they would be able to change into something dry, have a hot drink and a bite of dinner, before coming back out for their final loop before home time. They trudged wearily back to the precinct, the wind picking up and sluicing rain into their faces. They bent low and fought the gale the whole way back in silence. They walked through the double doors into the precinct and immediately hauled off their soaking wet ponchos, hanging them on an overstuff hook with dozens of other ponchos drip drying in the corner. They nodded at Myrtle behind the desk and made a beeline for the canteen.

“I ‘ope there’s something decent in the canteen,” Wally said as they nodded greetings to other soaking wet coppers.

“Doubt it,” Timmy said, almost slipping on a puddle in the middle of the corridor.

“Ho there!” a great voice boomed from behind them. “Corporal Edgewater and Washbottom!”

They turned to see the towering figure of Corporal Charlie Nelson wading through the other officers towards them. Charlie was a legend of the force. He had been a Corporal for longer than either of them had been alive and had routinely turned down every opportunity for promotion. He was a true blue copper. He did things fair, he could knock a Troll out with one punch, and he was the kindest soul around. He was as tall as a fully grown Goblin warrior and almost as strong, with thick blonde hair and a strong blonde moustache, with twinkling blue eyes that radiate warm but stern authority.

“Charlie!” Timmy said, waving back at him.

“How are you boys? I heard you’d been made big time detectives!” Charlie said, the corners of his eyeswrinkling with pride.

“Yeah, we had,” Wally said dejectedly. “But the case sorta went cold and we got busted back down to the cobbles.”

“Ahh that’s a shame! But it’s a great look for two young bucks like you to have even been considered for the role. Head up! I’m sure you did your best!”

“We tried,” Timmy said. “We even went undercover a couple of times.”

“You’ll have to tell me all about it over a pint later on,” Charlie said, slapping Timmy warmly on the back and almost knocking him over. “But for now lad, you’ve got a prisoner that wants a word.”

“We do?” Wally said.

“Yeah, young girl got picked up a couple of hours ago. She keeps mentioning both of you by name and saying she has information.”

Timmy looked at Wally and shrugged.

“Guess we’ll go check it out. Thanks Charlie.”

“No problem boys. And I’ll see you in the pub later.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Yessir!” They both saluted and ran off before Charlie could reprimand them for saluting him.

“Since when do girls know our names?” Wally said.

Timmy shrugged, and they made their way down to the cell block. They nodded at the eternally disinterested guard on duty who waved them through without looking up from the dirty magazine he was idly flicking through. The cellblocks were pretty much empty other than a single drunk humming tunelessly; the rain had even driven the criminals off the street, it seemed. At the far end of the block they stopped at a cell with a small hunched over figure, hugging her knees to her chest sorrowfully.

“Marney!” Timmy said, his heart jolting at the sight of the young addict they had met whilst undercover in the RatHoles.

“You came!” Marney ran towards them, smiling widely while clinging to the bars.

She looked even rougher than the last time they had seen her. She had the shadows of another black eye, her lip was swollen on one side, and her clothes were filthy and covered in splatters of blood. Her hair hung lank around her face like it hadn’t been washed in months and her fingernails were chipped and caked in grime.

“They said you woz askin’ for us…” Wally said, looking as horrified as Timmy felt.

They had both completely forgotten about her. So much had happened since they left the RatHoles, but that didn’t stop Timmy from feeling like a complete bastard.

“That’s right! I’ve still got your card.” She held up the dogeared card.

“What are you doing here?” Timmy asked.

“They picked me up for trespassing… and a little bit of theft,” Marney said, looking away from them. “I was just hungry and I needed somewhere to sleep!”

“Are you alright?” Wally asked, noting the fresh bruises.

“Yeah… it’s just… nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Marney said, letting her hair fall across her face. “Do you think you could help me out? I know I shouldn’t ask but is there anything you can do?”

Timmy looked at Wally. What could they do? They were just Corporals, they didn’t have any pull.

“I don’t know Marney,” Timmy said. “We’re not really important around here.”

“Oh… but you’re detectives. You could try, couldn’t you?”

“Ummm… we’re not really detectives,” Wally said, going pink around his ears. “We umm… we were just on assignment. Now we’re back to being Corporals.” He waved a hand at their blue uniforms.

“Oh right,” Marney said, deflating. “It’s okay. Hopefully they take it easy on me… I guess.”

Timmy looked at Wally again.

“We really wish we could help you,” Timmy said. “If you like, maybe we could put in a good word for you with the arresting officer and the Duty Sergeant. Who arrested you?”

“I dunno,” Marney said sullenly. “Some arsehole called Mockney or something.”

“Mockney?” Wally said.

“Do you mean Detective Mortney?” Timmy asked.

“Yeah that sounds right.”

“Why would a detective be your arresting officer?” Timmy asked.

“Well… umm… there might have been someone in the bakery that I broke into and umm… I might have hit him… a little bit.”

“‘Ow much is a little bit?” Wally asked.

“I brained him with a cake tin. They’re charging me with assault with a weapon. But I didn’t mean to! I was eating, and he came out of nowhere and grabbed me, and I panicked and hit him.” Marney’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Oh jeez,” Timmy said.

“How much trouble am I in?” Marney asked.

“Depends on if the baker wants to press charges and how badly he’s injured,” Timmy explained. “I’m sorry Marney, I don’t think there’s anything we can do for you.”

“But… wait what if I have information?” she asked desperately.

“What kind of information?” Timmy said.

“Are you still looking for Burn dealers?”

“Not really,” Wally said. “The case ‘as kind of gone cold coz we can’t get any major players. We ain’t interested in street level dealers no more.”

“Not street level!” Marney said quickly. “I know who’s bringing in loads of Burn. Word’s been all over the streets for last couple of days, a new shipment is coming in.”

“How much?” Timmy asked.

“Big,” Marney said. “Big enough to go all around the city.”

“Who?” Wally asked.

“His name’s Cameron. He’s a Human dealer, he moves big weight. He was the one whose warehouse got burned down by the Goblins. Now he’s back up and running and putting word out that there’s a new shipment coming in.”

“Do you know where?” Timmy said.

Marney shook her head.

“I do know he’s mainly based on the out West of the river and that the shipment’s s'posed to be coming in the next day or two.”

“Does this Cameron have a last name?” Wally said.

"Probably, but I don’t know it. Can’t be too many Camerons selling tonnes of Burn in the city, can there?” Marney said with a hopeful little smile that accentuated the welling around her lips.

“Okay. Thanks Marney.” Timmy said.

“Is that good enough?” Marney asked. “Can you help me out?”

“We’ll try,” Timmy replied. “We’ll go straight to the head of the Drug Enforcement Squad, if anyone can get you off, he can.”

“Thank you!” Marney said, reaching through the bars and grasping his hands. “Thank you so much. Both of you!”

“No promises,” Timmy said. “But we’ll try.”

*

“How reliable is this intel?” Conway growled at them ten minutes later as he sat back in his chair and squinted at them.

“I don’t think she would lie,” Wally said.

“She’s clinked up looking at robbery and assault,” Conway said bluntly. “And she’s an addict. She can’t help but tell lies to save her skin.”

“But… she’s a good girl really,” Timmy said. “She’s just got into a bad way. I think we can trust her.”

Conway ran his tongue across his teeth and breathed heavily through his nose.

“Morris!” Conway barked.

A second later, a balding detective with thick glasses stuck his head through the door.

“Cameron, big time Burn dealer from out West, ring any bells?”

Morris nodded and then disappeared. He returned with a folder and plopped it down on Conway’s desk.

“Cameron Haney, 24 years old, stepped up in a big way recently. He’s been lifted a couple of times for low level distribution and once for carrying a concealed blade. He was one of the distributors that was robbed by the Goblins and they burned down part of his warehouse.” Morris said.

“He’s a real player?” Conway asked.

“Intel says he is, although that’s a recent development. He seems to have been a nobody before that.”

“Do we know where he’s operating from now?”

Morris flicked through the file.

“Our last observations put him on Grain Street, although if he’s getting it in by boat he’ll have a warehouse somewhere along the river.”

Conway mulled this over for a minute.

“Well it’s the most solid lead we’ve had in a while.” Conway cleared his throat and then grabbed a pen before scribbling a few notes. “Who did you say the arresting detective was?”

“Mortney,” Timmy replied.

“Oh he’s not gonna be happy,” Conway muttered.

“Mortney rarely is,” Morris replied.

“I’ll get your girl released. She’s now a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Squad. Tell her to get back out there and find us a time and place for this shipment. If any information she gives us leads to Haney’s arrest, we’ll wipe all of her charges.”

“Thank you, sir!” Wally said.

“Isn’t that a bit dangerous?” Timmy asked hesitantly. “Sending out a young girl to ask about after a big time drug dealer?”

“Being an addict and breaking into people’s businesses and braining ‘em is a dangerous game, Edgewater.” Conway growled in response. “If she don’t wanna do the time, then we need more information.”

“Yes sir,” Timmy muttered.

“And as for you two,” Conway said. “I’ve had my budget cut to the bone, so I can’t recommission you, but I can borrow you. You’re back on the squad. I want you out West, working your way up and down the river looking for any warehouses with docks that our man Haney could use to bring in the shipment. Morris, I want you to look through the deeds and leases for all the warehouses on the riverfront. See if any have changed hands recently. That should help narrow down the list. I want this warehouse found in the next 24 hours, understood?”

“We’re back on the case?” Wally said excitedly.

“For a little bit,” Conway said.

“Can we ditch the blues?”

“No, it’ll be good cover. Gives you an excuses to walk up and down without anyone questioning you. Now get moving. I’ll talk to Mortney and get your girl released.”

“Thank you, sir!” They both saluted smartly and hurried away with a new vigour in their step.

They'd got Marney out of trouble! They were back on the case! They had a new lead! And they could be a part of one of the biggest drug busts in Valderia history! They just had to track down and capture Cameron Haney first, how hard could that be?