Inferno – Chapter Nine

I do not own Firefly, nor is any copyright infringement intended. It’s all fun.

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“What kinda problem?” Mal sighed, looking up at his new investigator.

“Another killing,” Bontrager told him flatly. “Looks like someone is declaring war on the drug dealers.”

“Who is it this time,” Mal asked, not that he was likely to know them.

“Sid Marley,” Bontrager replied. “Another one that always managed to stay outta jail, somehow.”

“Toby, is this some kinda vigilante thing, you think?” Mal asked, worry in his voice.

“No, sir, I don’t,” Bontrager answered. “I think that some of the smaller hoods, seeing the bigger fish without Grip to look after them, are trying to eliminate the competition.”

“That’s all I need,” Mal groaned, leaning back in his chair. “A buncha hoods sluggin’ it out.”

“So far, it’s just hoods doing the dying,” Bontrager pointed out. “Long as it stays that way, I wouldn’t worry over much.”

“I can’t just let all these killings go unchecked, Toby!” Mal objected. “People will begin to think we can’t keep things under control.”

“Things aren’t under control, boss,” the detective pointed out. “And they knew it would be bad. Grippen kept too much information close to his vest. We don’t know who all the players are.”

“And I suspect that any of the men who did know were among them as quit,” Mal stated, and Bontrager nodded.

“‘Fraid so.”

“And just as unlike to help us in that regard,” Mal finished. Another nod.

“‘Bout the size of it, I’m afraid.”

“Okay, what do you need? We have got to get something done, somewhere, and soon, or we’ll be out of a job.”

“Well, I got a good tip on a drug operation, and another on a fence,” Bontrager replied, opening his notebook. “I’d suggest we take the fence down, first. Might recover a good bit of stolen merchandise, and that will make for good news coverage.”

“And we may can backtrack the stuff, and put some of the thieves in jail,” Mal nodded. “Okay, let’s go with that. What do I need to do?” Bontrager pulled a