To Fall From Grace (Closed for Master_debator1)

[HandcuffHeather]

This summer heat was really something. All around her, people were sweating, wearing skimpy clothes, fanning themselves with anything they could find. It was a busy street, and getting close to a traffic jam, and between the heat and the noise, most people would be going quite mad.

Luckily for her, Heather Samsa was not most people. Sure, she was breaking open a can of coke in her car, cranking up the AC, and listening to the radio as she drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, like many other people. But unlike most people, she was a policewoman, and trying to get to a downtown address to pick up a witness in a major drug-bust case involving more cocaine than any reasonable person would know what to do with. So her situation was slightly special.

She was a reserved woman, with wide, expressive eyes, short blonde hair tied back, and a crisp white uniform for patrolling the small town in which she lived and worked. Heather was known for her patience, her composure, her cool under fire. She was also known for nabbing a lot of drug dealers in her previous posts. This little town of Carston, Texas, was beginning to get onto police radars for its flow of drugs from Mexico up to the Northern states. It was a sleepy little city, but had a very thin police force even for the size of the municipality, and the dealers had decided that it was an ideal place to settle in. Officer Samsa had been posted from an older placement in Houston, due to her expertise and clear-headed judgment in these matters. Her sister had also moved along, because their parents had passed away several years ago and they wanted to stick together.

Her sister, Celine, sent her over a text message. As Heather was stopped at the lights, she flipped her phone open. It was a weird message.

YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET A PHONE CALL. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO WHAT THEY WANT. I CAN GET THE MONEY TOGETHER TO PAY YOU BACK LATER.

Heather froze up upon seeing it. In a heart-beat, she was in 'cop mode', thinking alertly. Who was this concerning? Had someone been taken hostage? Celine and herself were the only family that were left, now. They frequented a church together, here in Carston, but aside from that - who could have been taken but Celine herself? What the hell did that mean - 'do what they want'? Was someone about to demand money from her?

She considered radioing this in, but before she had decided, her phone began to ring. Someone was calling her.

 

[Master_debator1]

Chad Hillard smiled inwardly as he imagined how the policewoman would react to his phone call. He knew from experience that most people froze in fear when family members' lives are threatened, and he expected this encounter to much the same way.

Threatening people was not uncommon in Chad's line of work. Reason tends to be left behind when your job is selling smack to lowlifes, criminals, and social rejects. He didn't personally use the heroin he peddled, but had in the past and understood the drugs' power. He saw it rip apart one life after another, and not just lowlifes. College students, doctors, housewives, people from all walks of life became his loyal customers up until their last dollar or last breath, whichever came first.

One customer in particular drew his attention, however. A young girl named Celine. He first met her when she came into his house with a man who was looking to buy . She seemed nervous at first, and it was clear she had never seen heroin outside of a movie. But after several more visits she began to use herself. She visited more frequently, and Chad allowed her to open up a line of credit after she performed a few favors for him.

It wasn't long before she sank into debt with Chad. He assumed she lost her job or something when she stopped paying, but he didn't care enough to ask. One day, he drove to her house to collect one way or another. He parked down the street, and as he got out of his car, he saw a police cruiser pull into Celine's driveway. He ducked back into his car and started the ignition when he noticed the gorgeous blond police woman who stepped out of the car. He watched as Celine ran from the house and embraced the woman. Sisters! He thought as he drove away.

 

[Master_debator1]

Chad Hillard smiled inwardly as he imagined how the policewoman would react to his phone call. He knew from experience that most people froze in fear when family members' lives are threatened, and he expected this encounter to much the same way.

Threatening people was not uncommon in Chad's line of work. Reason tends to be left behind when your job is selling smack to lowlifes, criminals, and social rejects. He didn't personally use the heroin he peddled, but had in the past and understood the drugs' power. He saw it rip apart one life after another, and not just lowlifes. College students, doctors, housewives, people from all walks of life became his loyal customers up until their last dollar or last breath, whichever came first.

One customer in particular drew his attention, however. A young girl named Celine. He first met her when she came into his house with a man who was looking to buy . She seemed nervous at first, and it was clear she had never seen heroin outside of a movie. But after several more visits she began to use herself. She visited more frequently, and Chad allowed her to open up a line of credit after she performed a few favors for him.

It wasn't long before she sank into debt with Chad. He assumed she lost her job or something when she stopped paying, but he didn't care enough to ask. One day, he drove to her house to collect, one way or another. He parked down the street, and as he got out of his car, he saw a police cruiser pull into Celine's driveway. He ducked back into his car and started the ignition when he noticed the gorgeous blond police woman who stepped out of the car. He watched as Celine ran from the house and embraced the woman. Sisters! He thought as he drove away.

Chad formulated a crude but plausible plan as he drove home. He knew he would get his money, but he wanted to milk the situation as long as possible. He had the opportunity to make an officer of the law do whatever he wanted, and wasn't going to miss it. A quick angry phone call to Celine revealed her sister was named Heather. Celine took little pressure to crack, and offered her sisters phone number and address, as well as a promise that both sisters would do whatever Chad said until the debt was repaid.

Chad dialed Heather's number slowly, anticipation her response. This is going to be fun, he thought. He hit call and waited for her to answer.

 

[HandcuffHeather]

Heather flipped her phone open again, exhaling in annoyance at this whole situation. If Celine was in some sort of trouble...well, Heather was all she had left. She was not going to abandon her.

In her mind, Heather was already calculating how much money she could scrape together. Maybe seven or eight thousand in savings, maybe she could get something on the car...please let it not come to that, she thought. More to the point, exactly whose bad books was Celine in? Celine had been such a sweet, decent girl through their childhoods. What kind of pressure had it taken to turn her into someone who would rack up debts?

"Hello" she answered briskly. Her voice was sharp, almost impolite, but between the heat and the pressure of the situation, she was in no mood for pleasantries.