Until The Trial

Chapter 10

Lucas

Julian and Lucas inspect the house in front of them. It's a humble suburban home with toys littered across the yard. It doesn't look like what Lucas expected Agent Harlow's place to look like. With both of them staying on high alert, they approach the house and knock on the front door. After a couple of seconds, the door swings open. A tiny but built man opens the door.

"Good Morning, Mr. Harlow, I am Agent-"

"I know who you are. The whole God damn department knows who you are," Harlow steps aside, "if you are here to talk then hurry up and come inside. My wife doesn't like the door staying open due to the cold."

"Thank you," Lucas says. Harlow leads them to the living room. The toy situation inside is much worse than the one outside, causing Lucas to have to almost do a little dance to avoid them.

"I'm guessing you're here about the drugs," Harlow says once they are seated.

Lucas nods, "We have some questions we would like to ask you."

"Alright, but you better hurry because my kids will be here soon, and I don't want any of this shit around them."

"I understand, I'll be brief then and blunt. I'll start with allegations that lead to you getting fired. You got fired for an alleged addiction, correct?"

"Yes, never mind the fact I've never used the stuff."

"So you claim to be falsely accused?"

Harlow scowls, "Yes, I do."

"Can you give me a rundown of what happened the day drugs were found among your things?"

"Everything was normal. I went for my lunch break and when I came back there were two agents at my desk. Of course, this isn't unusual, so I sat down and asked them what they needed. That's when they stated the allegations and asked to go into my things. As you know, they found the drugs. I was then interrogated and asked to take a drug test. Somehow it came out positive."

"When you took the drug test, everything seemed normal with it?"

"Yes, it was sealed until I got it. I wasn't worried because I am not an addict nor do I take them for enjoyment. However, the results came back positive with Meth."

"And there was nothing suspicious or out of place in the days leading up. No one acting out of character?"

"No one."

"How about after? Did anyone approach you?"

"Some did, but they only came because it was quite obvious I got fired. They came to say goodbye."

"Who?" Lucas takes out a pen to write the names down.

"I can't remember all the people, agent Flynn. They were all very sympathetic."

"Tell me as many as you do remember."

"The only ones I do remember are Howard and Ellison. There were others, but I was just so much in limbo, I can't remember. There was another woman, her name starts with a D but I forgot."

"They have first names?"

"Maybe, I don't remember them."

"And is there a reason these two people stood out?" Lucas asks.

"Not really, I think they were only among the last to visit. I was more alert than."

"Do you have any connection to the gang 166?" Julian finally speak up.

"Who are you?"

"I am a police consultant. I specialize in gangs."

"So that's why you're here with him," Harlow says, "I do know of the name, because of the case. Other agents were trying to find something that ties them, unfortunately, nothing came up. As a forensic accountant, I was only working in finding irregularities in Gordon's financial records."