Federico Sosa

"When was he found?"
"We took the call at 3am, he was long gone. They'd cleared out the house and dumped the body outside."
"Is it this bad batch again?"
"Possibly, the doc's booked the Post Mortem for later today."
"Any ID?"
"Federico Sosa. I've checked the address out. They confirmed he lodged there. Ran three jobs, bellboy and pot washer at a hotel nearby, and usher at the Colon Theatre."
"That a lot of work for a drug addict."
"Maybe he needed the work to feed his habit, the landlady said he sent money home to his parents up north."
"Previous?"
"Nothing."
"How old?"
"19. Landlady said he was pretty quiet, polite. Kept his room tidy and washed up clean in the bathroom. She wasn't aware of any drugs problem."
"You think he was just unlucky? First timer, bad batch, dead."
"The doctor says it looks like he'd been at it for a while."
"OK. Anything else before we close it down?"
"Just this. It was in his wallet."
"What is it?"
"Looks like a pawn brokers ticket, see here."
"Sergio. Do we know him?"
"Runs a little place near the car plant. A few years ago we searched and found some stolen goods, he got off blaming an employee who we never did manage to track down. No reports since then."
"Segio got clever you mean."
"Uhuh."
"Okay, what've we got here? Gold bracelet 12'', cigarette lighter, Ladies clutch purse with powder compact, music box? what's that doing in this lot? Tortoiseshell opera glasses in leather case. Looks like Freddie had light fingers at the opera. You contacted The Colon yet?"
"No. They had a big premier last night."
"So?"
"No-one available yet today, they're cleaning up after yesterdays performance, a right old fiesta, we had to send extra officers down there to keep the crowds under control.It's in all the papers."
"Not the ones I read. What are you trying to say?"
"No-one's going to remember anything today. The cast and audience were out partying, making sure all the papers got their pictures for todays edition.They probably think they've just left these things in whatever bar or hotel they were drinking in."
"Have we confirmed Federico was working last night?"
"Not yet. It would have been easy for him in a big crowd, who notices an usher walking around with a tray of drinks?"
"Exactly. He collects a nice little haul, nips down to Sergio's, gets a tidy amount, buys a fix, but he can't take it home in case the landlady throws him out. So he buys a bed out the back where he over doses or the coke is bad, Good Evening St Peter. The dealers get everyone out, throw him on the street and set up shop somewhere new."
"Looks like it."
"His Mama isn't going to happy when you go knocking."
"Me? Can't we get the local boys to deal with it?"
"Sure."
"I'll get the doc's report in and notify the family."
"Good. I want this body out of here and up the rails back home ASAP."
"Yes Sir."

(For begining of this story see 'Madigan')