𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

iii. are you okay?

    

     AFTER JAMES explained everything to Robin and Steve, he finally looked to his ex-boyfriend who's staring at him in concern. "Okay, yeah, that's totally a big deal, I suppose..." Steve merely says and James sighed softly, looking at Dustin right away.

"Okay. Here is the list of Eddie's friends and their numbers. We call them all up and ask them if they've seen Eddie recently. Either of you two can help, Max, James and I will call them..." Dustin says, nodding as Robin raised her hand. "I can do that. I'm a people person." She says and James nods.

"Perfectly. Buckley can help us and Steve, you can... do what you do." He shrugged and grabbed one of the phones Robin had brought to them. They all took turns dialing numbers as Steve helped out customers. "Hello? Yes, you're friends with Eddie Munson, right?" He asked, standing on the opposite side of Dustin, Max and Robin. "Who?" The boy replied.

"Eddie Munson." He says. "Ohh..." The other said at the mention of the name. "Yeah. Have you seen him?" James asked and waited. "No, nah, man. But you know who might've? Reefer Rick." The boy on the other end sounded sure as James squinted his eyes.

"Reefer Rick? Who the fuck is that?" He asked. "You know? Reefer Rick! You don't know Reefer Rick, man?" The boy replied and James sighed as Steve approached a girl with a tape in his hand. "Yeah. Reefer Rick, sure. What's the last name?" He asked and the boy made a weird noise like blowing raspberries. "I don't know, man. It's Reefer Rick, ya know?" He says and James rolled his eyes.

He can't tell if he's annoyed by this stupid little shit or the other stupid little shit flirting with a girl right in front of him. "So, my boyfriend won't, like, totally puke when I bring it home?" The girl says to Steve and James almost laughed at the reaction his ex-boyfriend has. "Fine, dude, yeah, Reefer Rick, you don't happen to know where he lives, do you?" He asked as Steve then glanced over at him when the girl walked past him. "No, man. I wouldn't know that." The boy replied and he sighs.

"Okay, yeah. But who is this Reefer Rick exactly? Like a buddy of Eddie's or what?" He asked and the boy sighs. "I mean. Yeah. That's where Munson gets his drugs, man. Sometimes he crashes there, that's what I heard at least, but yeah, they got like drugs and shit. I don't know the address." He says and James softly nods. "Oh, that's okay. Thanks for your help anyway." He said before he finally hung up.

"Guys, I think I got a lead." He turned to the others and the other three turn to him. "Really?" Dustin asked right away. "Yeah, there's this Reefer Rick guy Eddie gets his drugs from, he said Eddie crashes there sometimes." He shrugs and Robin raised her brows.

"Sounds promising. Where does he live?" She asked and he sighs. "That's the thing. That guy said he doesn't know..." He says, pursing his lips. "What about a last name?" Dustin asked and James crossed his arms. "He didn't tell me..." Is all he says. "Bet the cops know the last name." Steve spoke up, organizing VHS tapes so they all looked over at him.

"What?" Max says, confused. "Cops." Steve glanced over, looking at James in the eyes. "I mean, listen, if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. Means he's in the system." He explains, leaning against the counter. "The cops? Really? That's your suggestion?" James asked as he now leans against the counter as well, in front of his ex-boyfriend.

"I mean, I think they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on." He said and James raised his brows. "You think Munson's guilty. Don't you?" He asked right away. "Woah, I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit. I just, you know, don't think we can rule it out." He says, rubbing his hands together and James scoffs.

"That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve." Max says right away. "And maybe, we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time trying to find Eddie." He says and James raised a brow, tilting his head as he kept his eyes fixated on his ex-boyfriend. "Somebody has to tend to the customers." Steve gestured, glancing awkwardly at James a few times.