Prescient

Chapter 27

Maggie didn't have much trouble finding out where Gizmo lived.

She'd never been to his house before. Either they met him somewhere, or Lyle went to collect from Gizmo's place on his own. The dealer had something against women. He didn't trust them with their big mouths that liked to chat and gossip among other females of the junkie species.

However, when Maggie called her ex-boyfriend and told him she had the money to make their debt to Gizmo go away, it didn't take her too long to get an address out of him. He hadn't wanted to give it up, not to begin with. First, he had tried to convince Maggie to just give the money to him so he could pass it on.

Maggie wasn't that stupid.

"He's not going to want you at his house, Maggie. You know what he's like," Lyle said.

"Too bad. If he wants his money, that's how it's gonna be."

"Why are you so hell-bent at going to his place? If you really want to hand it over to him yourself, just call him and he'll tell you where to meet him. No need to play games, Mags."

Maggie didn't want to tell him about Gizmo having Kaylah. Before she left him she hadn't said anything about thinking their dealer had her sister, just that Kaylah was missing and she needed to go home.

"Look, Lyle, just give me the God-damned address, please."

Maggie looked up at her mother, who was listening to her end of the conversation. She didn't want to say what she was going to next in front of Tanya, but she did.

"You know, Blakey has always wanted to get in my pants, Lyle. Blakey knows where Gizmo lives and I reckon he'd tell me straight up if I said I'd let him get in my pants."

Her mother's forehead creased, lips pursed, disapproving, just as Maggie had anticipated.

"What would I care anyway?" Lyle said. "You pissed off on me, so not like we're together no more."

"Oh, you'd care."

"Like hell, I would not."

"Right. Okay then, well I guess you're a waste of my time and the money it costs for this phone call. I need to go now so I can call Blakey. Bye, Lyle."

"No-no-no-no-no, wait Mags."

"Yes."

"Don't go doing that shit, babe. I'll give you the address."

"I knew you would, Lyle."

The money was bundled up at the bottom of Tanya's handbag.

Maggie held out her hand, waiting for her mother to hand it over, but Tanya was hesitant. This was what she wanted, she had been adamant this was what they needed to do. However, she couldn't help but feel wary about the situation.

What if something happened to Maggie once she handed over the money?

What if something happened to Kaylah?

And now, another thought suddenly occurred to her.

What if this was all just a scam Maggie and her junkie boyfriend had cooked up to squeeze Tanya and Michael for an amount of cash her daughter knew she'd never get under normal circumstances.

"Mum? Mum, are you okay?" Maggie's voice echoed in her thoughts.

"Michael's going in with you," Tanya said, out of the blue.

"No way, Mum. Gizmo will freak bad enough that I'm showing up at his house unannounced, let alone if I rock up with my step-dad."

"There's no way you're going in there alone. I don't want something to happen to you."