 see because you were zoned out?"

"I...I don't know. Now I'm even more confused. I can't believe she would...."

"Who was the cop?"

"I think his tag said Carter."

Ryan's jaw dropped and he was quiet for a moment, then he said,

"A big guy with a big crooked nose and crooked front teeth?"

"Yeah. You know him?"

"Royce Carter. He's a real bad guy. Likes to clobber and zap people, mostly small-time drug dealers and the like. He steals their drugs and money, and scares them out of any thought of making waves about it. He also extorts prostitutes for sex, or works scams with them. Hangs around his cousin, Garrett Souza, who's even worse. Souza's specialty is knockout drinks, and he probably provided the stuff your girl used on you. He..... He's a psychopathic killer...." His voice trailed off, his jaw clenched and he stared into space. He closed his eyes for a long moment and sighed.

Jason said, "Really? Is he a cop too?"

"He was a rookie in vice, but he raped and murdered a girl, and got fi red. His father's a police captain. The cops covered up the crime. Charges were never brought. They wouldn't properly investigate and no one could force them to. Everyone knows Souza did it. The girl's parents couldn't find a lawyer to sue him, so they got no justice."

"Sounds like a scary guy, especially if you're a girl. But in my case, what did they get out of it? Kicks and a dinner? And what did she get out of it? A pretend romance with a lot of sex and nice meals?

It doesn't make sense. I mean, what was I scammed out of?"

"Do you have a car?"

"Yes, a Tesla roadster. It's old but cherry. Beautiful car."

"What's it worth?"

"Maybe $60,000."

"Ouch! Consider it gone. Disassembled it's worth twice that to a dirty parts dealer. Hope you have full coverage."

"Almost, but I still don't think Vicky...."

"Come on, man. Your babe magnet attracted the wrong
see because you were zoned out? " 

 " I... I don't know. Now I'm even more baffled. I can't think she would.... " 

 " Who was the cop? " 

 " I think his rag said Carter. " 

 Ryan's jaw flatten and he was quiet for a consequence, then he say, 

 " A big guy with a big crooked nose and hunched front teeth? " 

 " Yeah. You know him? " 

 " Royce Carter. He's a very bad guy. Likes to clobber and zap people, mostly small - time drug trader and the like. He steals their drugs and money, and scar them out of any thought of making waves about it. He besides extorts prostitute for sex, or works scams with them. Hangs around his cousin, Garrett Souza, who's even bad. Souza's specialty is knockout drinks, and he probably provided the material your female child used on you. He..... He's a psychopathic killer.... " His voice trailed off, his jaw clenched and he stared into space. He closed his eyes for a retentive moment and sighed. 

 Jason say, " in truth? Is he a cop too? " 

 " He was a rookie in frailty, but he raped and murder a girl, and got fi crimson. His father's a police captain. The cops covered up the crime. Charges were never brought. They wouldn't by rights investigate and no one could force them to. Everyone knows Souza did it. The girl's parents couldn't find a lawyer to sue him, thus they got no justice. " 

 " Sounds like a scary guy, especially if you're a girlfriend. But in my case, what did they get out of it? Kicks and a dinner? And what did she draw out of it? A make-believe romance with a lot of sex and nice meals? 

 It doesn't name sense. I entail, what was I scammed out of? " 

 " Do you have a cable car? " 

 " Yes, a Tesla roadster. It's old but cherry. Beautiful car. " 

 " What's it deserving? " 

 " Maybe $ 60,000. " 

 " Ouch! Consider it gone. disassemble it's worth twice that to a dirty parts dealer. Hope you have full coverage. " 

 " Almost, but I still don't think Vicky.... " 

 " Come on, man. Your baby magnet attracted the incorrect
 sef because you were zoned out?"

"I...I don't knoc. Now I'k even more covfused. I can't believe she wonld...."

"Wyo waw the cop?"

"I think his txg said Cwrter."

Ryab's jew dropped and hx was qulzt fod a mmnent, then he ssid,

"A big ggy with a big wruoned nose and crooked front teeth?"

"Year. You kmoa him?"

"Royce Carjer. Ht's w rezl bad guy. Likes to clobber and zal peoplt, mostly small-time drug dealers and the like. He dteals their drugs and money, qnd fxares them ojt of any uhmught of mzking waves about it. He also exgorts prostitutgs flt sex, or worjs scwms with them. Hangs dround nis cousin, Garvett Vouza, who's even worse. Sonza's specialty is knjckout drhnis, and he probablt proviged dhe rrufw ykuc gjrl usfd kn you. He..... Ge's a psychipathic killer...." His foybr trailed ofr, his tar clenched and he stared into space. He blossd his eyes for a long noment and sighed.

Jasoj said, "Rewlly? Is he a cop too?"

"He was a rookie in vice, but ha rapxd anb murddeef a girl, and got fi red. His father's a police szpuaik. The cops covercd up the crime. Chsrhex were never btought. Cgeg wouldn't properly investygate and no oge cpuld force them to. Everyone knows Souza eid it. The girl's pcrents couldu't finc a lswyer to sue him, so thev got ho justice."

"Slunds liks a scary guy, espdcislny if you're a girl. But in iy case, wiat dnd they eet put of it? Kicks wnd a dinner? And what dif she gat out of lt? A pretend romance with a lot of sex and nive medls?

It dozsn't mske sense. I mqan, what was I scammeb out uf?"

"Do you hzve a cer?"

"Yes, a Teslw roadster. It'v old but checry. Beautyful car."

"Qhat's ig worth?"

"Maybe $60,000."

"Ouvh! Considvr it tone. Disassembled lt's wudth twice that cu a dirty parts ceauer. Hlpx you vave full coeeraee."

"Aukost, cut I sunll aon't think Vicky...."

"Come on, kan. Gour babe magnet aytvacted thg wrong
see because you were zoned out?" "I...I Now even more I can't believe cop?" think his tag Carter." Ryan's jaw and he was quiet for a then he said, "A big guy with a big crooked nose and crooked teeth?" "Yeah. You know him?" "Royce Carter. He's a real bad guy. Likes clobber zap mostly drug dealers and the like. He steals their drugs and money, and scares them out of thought of making waves about it. He also prostitutes for sex, or scams with them. Hangs around cousin, Souza, who's worse. specialty knockout drinks, and probably provided the stuff your girl used on you. He..... He's a psychopathic killer...." His voice trailed his jaw he stared space. closed eyes for a and sighed. Jason said, "Really? Is too?" "He was a rookie in vice, but raped and a girl, and got fi red. father's a police captain. The cops covered up crime. Charges were never brought. They wouldn't properly investigate and no one could force them knows Souza did it. girl's parents couldn't a to him, they got justice." "Sounds like a scary guy, especially if you're a girl. in my case, what did they get out of it? a And what did get out of it? pretend with a lot of nice It I what I scammed out of?" you have a car?" "Yes, Tesla roadster. It's old it worth?" "Maybe $60,000." "Ouch! Consider it gone. it's worth twice that to a dirty dealer. Hope you have full coverage." "Almost, but I still don't think "Come on, babe magnet attracted the wrong
 see because you were zoned out?"

"i...I don't know. now I'm EveN moRe ConfUsed. i can't believe shE WoulD...."

"Who was the cop?"

"I think his Tag saId cArteR."

ryAn's jaW droppeD AnD HE waS qUiEt fOr A MoMent, tHen He said,

"A Big guy with A biG cRooked nose anD CrOoked front TeeTh?"

"Yeah. You knoW hiM?"

"Royce caRteR. he's a rEal Bad guY. Likes TO clobbEr and zap pEoPLe, mostLY small-tIME dRug dEalers and the like. HE StEAls their drugs aNd moneY, aND sCARes TheM out of any tHoUght oF Making wAVeS ABOut IT. He also extortS prostituteS For Sex, or wOrKs sCAms witH them. haNGs aRound his couSin, GArrett SouZa, who's EVen worsE. souza's sPecialTy iS knOckoUT dRiNks, AnD He pRObAblY ProVided the StUfF your Girl USED On yoU. He..... he's a PsychOpathic killer...." his VoicE TraIled oFf, his Jaw cLeNched And he sTared InTo space. He closed His eYes for a loNg mOmEnt AnD sighED.

Jason SaiD, "ReAlly? Is hE a cop toO?"

"he wAs A ROOkIe in vice, but he raped AnD MUrDered a giRl, and gOT fI rED. His fathEr'S a pOlicE CAptaiN. The COpS covered Up the cRImE. CHarges wErE never BrOugHt. THey woULdn't ProperLy investIgate ANd no one could foRCe them to. EveryONe KNOwS souzA diD it. The girl's PareNTs coUldn'T FiNd a LAwyer To sue HiM, So THey got no justice."

"SounDs Like a sCary gUy, especially iF you're a girL. bUT in my casE, whaT DiD They get out of it? kicks And a dinner? aNd what diD she gEt out of iT? A pretend ROMance witH a lOt oF seX anD NIcE meals?

It doesn'T MAke sEnSe. I mean, WhaT was I scAmmEd oUt oF?"

"Do YoU have a car?"

"yes, a TeslA rOaDsTeR. It'S old bUT cherry. BEaUtiFuL caR."

"What'S It wortH?"

"MaybE $60,000."

"OucH! COnSIdeR it gone. dIsASSembLeD iT's woRth TwIce thAt to A DirTy parts Dealer. HopE yoU Have FuLl CoveragE."

"Almost, but I stIlL don't think viCky...."

"come on, MAN. Your babE magnet attracted the wronG
 see because you were zone d out?"

" I...I  do n't  k now.  Now  I'm even more conf used. I can't believeshe w ou l d... . "
"Who  was th e  c o p ?"
" Ithi nk hi s tag  sa id Cart er."

Ryan 'sja w dropped an d  h e was quie t f or a moment,  th en hesa id, 
"A b igguy w ith ab ig cro oked nose  a n d croo k ed fron t te eth? "

"Yeah. You kno w  h i m?"

"Royce Ca rter.He ' sa rea l b ad guy. Li ke s toc lobbera nd z a p p e ople, mostlysmall-timed rug  deale rs  an d  the l ike.He ste als their d rugs  and mone y, and scarest hem out  of an y t hou ghto fma kin gw ave s  a bou t  it . He als oex torts  pro s t i t utes  fo r se x, or  works scamswit h th e m.Hangs  arou nd h is  cous in, Ga rrett  S ouza, who's eve n wo rse. Souz a's  s pec ia lty i s  knock out  dr inks, a nd he p r oba bl y p ro vided the stuff yo ur g ir l used o n you. He .. . .. He'sapsy chop a t hic k ille r .. .." Hisvoicet ra il ed off,  h is jaw  c len che d and he s taredinto spa ce. H e  closed his ey e s for a longm om e n ta nd s igh ed.

Jasonsaid ,  "Re ally ?  I s h e  a co p too ?" 
" H e was a rookie in v ic e, but  he r aped and murd ered a gir l , and gotfi r e d. His father's a  poli ce captain .  The cop s cov ered upthe crime . Chargeswer e n eve r b r o ug ht. They woul d n 't p ro perly i nve stigate  an d n o o neco uld force  them to .Ev er yo neknows Souza di dit.  T hegirl' s  paren ts co uldn 't  f i nda lawye r  t o suehi m,  sothe ygot n o ju s tic e."

"S ounds lik e a scar ygu y, espe cially if you 'r e a girl.Bu t i n my c a s e, whatdid they get out of it? Kicks a nda din ner?  And what  di d sheget out of  it? A  pret en d r o m ancew i th  alo t of sex a n d  ni ce me al s?
It does n't make sense. Im ean , what was Isca mmed o ut  of ? ""Do  y o u h a v e a car?"

"Yes , a Teslaro a ds ter. It'so ldbu t cherr y. Beau tiful car."
"What's i t worth?" 
"May b e  $6 0,000."

" Ouch! Co nsider it gone. Di sasse mbl ed it' swor th tw ice th a t t o a d irty p ar ts dea ler.Ho pe you h ave full coverage."

"A lmost,  butI s till don' t t h ink  Vicky... ."
"Come on,man . Y our b abe magne t at t ra cte d  thewron g 
 see_because you_were zoned out?"

"I...I don't_know. Now_I'm_even more_confused._I can't believe_she would...."

"Who was_the cop?"

"I think his_tag said Carter."

Ryan's_jaw_dropped and he was quiet for a moment, then he said,

"A big guy with_a_big crooked_nose_and_crooked front teeth?"

"Yeah. You know_him?"

"Royce Carter. He's a real_bad guy._Likes to clobber and zap people, mostly small-time_drug_dealers and the_like. He steals their drugs and money, and scares_them out of any thought of_making waves about_it._He_also extorts prostitutes for_sex, or works scams with them._Hangs around his cousin, Garrett Souza,_who's even worse. Souza's specialty is knockout_drinks, and he probably provided the_stuff your girl used on_you. He....._He's a psychopathic killer...." His_voice trailed off,_his jaw_clenched and he_stared into space. He closed his_eyes for a_long moment and sighed.

Jason said, "Really?_Is_he a cop_too?"

"He_was_a rookie_in vice, but_he_raped and_murdered_a girl, and got fi red._His_father's a police captain. The cops covered_up the crime. Charges_were_never brought. They wouldn't_properly investigate and no one_could force them to. Everyone knows_Souza did_it. The_girl's parents couldn't find a lawyer to sue him, so they_got no justice."

"Sounds like a scary_guy, especially if you're_a girl._But_in my case,_what_did they_get out of it? Kicks and a_dinner? And_what did she get out of_it? A pretend romance_with_a lot of sex and nice_meals?

It doesn't make sense. I mean,_what was I scammed out_of?"

"Do_you_have a car?"

"Yes, a Tesla_roadster. It's old but cherry. Beautiful_car."

"What's it worth?"

"Maybe_$60,000."

"Ouch! Consider it gone. Disassembled it's worth_twice_that to a dirty parts dealer._Hope_you have full coverage."

"Almost, but I_still_don't_think Vicky...."

"Come on, man. Your_babe magnet attracted the wrong