Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 91862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“That, and because you needed to get away.”
I don’t reply.
“This isn’t your fault, Skye.”
“She asked me to have dinner with her and Garrett tonight. I said no, because you and I had plans. I knew we were going to… And I was looking forward to it. I wanted it so badly.”
“Why didn’t you call me? I would have understood.”
“I know. But I didn’t want to break our date. I wanted… Damn! How selfish am I?”
“It’s not selfish to refuse to break a previous commitment, Skye. You and I both know that. Tessa is a grown-up. She’s responsible for her own actions.”
He’s right. Of course, I know he’s right. But after Tessa and I just made up, I should have been there for her. I should have put her first.
Instead I put Braden first. I put myself first.
I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself.
…
A few hours later, a young doctor comes to the waiting room and approaches the Logans. “I’m Dr. Mary Hedstrom. I have good news. Tessa is going to be fine.”
The anvil slides from my shoulders. My guilt doesn’t subside, but at least Tessa is okay. That’s the main thing.
“Could I speak to you two in private?” Dr. Hedstrom says.
“It’s okay,” Dan replies. “Skye is Tessa’s best friend, and Mr. Black is Skye’s…gentleman friend. They’ve both been very helpful. You may speak freely.”
“All right. Tessa had an allergic reaction based on an interaction of two different substances that she ingested.”
Drugs. She did drugs again. What was she thinking?
“What substances?” Dan asks.
“Alcohol and ketamine.”
Braden lifts his eyebrows. “Ketamine?”
“What’s ketamine?” Carlotta asks.
Good. I want to know as well, but I don’t have the energy to ask.
“Technically it’s an anesthetic,” Dr. Hedstrom says, “but it’s also used sometimes to treat pain or depression.”
Finally, I find my voice. “Tessa’s not depressed.”
“Skye’s right,” Carlotta says. “Tessa has never been prone to anxiety or depression.”
Though she did take the breakup with Garrett hard, which is so unlike her. And tonight…she got so upset because he wouldn’t spend the night. Again, unlike her.
Dr. Hedstrom clears her throat. “Ketamine in a smaller dose can make a person docile. It can also cause dizziness and diminished reflexes. Sometimes eye movements can seem uncoordinated.”
“Her eyes were weird,” I say. “Before she passed out, I mean.”
“I’m not surprised. Mr. and Mrs. Logan, I checked Tessa’s name in our database. I don’t show her ever being prescribed ketamine. That doesn’t mean she wasn’t. If her provider isn’t a part of our network, we wouldn’t have the records. But most providers in Boston are part of this network.”
“If no one prescribed it, then how did she get it?” Carlotta asks.
The doctor takes a deep breath before continuing. “Unfortunately, ketamine is a nightclub drug. Men sometimes use it to drug women. It’s known as one of the date rape drugs.”
Carlotta gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Of all the…” Dan shakes his head.
“No,” I say. “Tessa wasn’t at a club tonight. She and Garrett went to dinner, and then they went to her place, and—”
“Do you know that for sure?” Dr. Hedstrom asks.
“I wasn’t there, if that’s what you mean. But that’s what she told me. But…”
“What, Skye?” Braden nudges me.
“Tessa wasn’t herself tonight. She was so upset over something that normally wouldn’t upset her. Just like the last time.”
“The last time?” Carlotta says.
Crap. I didn’t mean to say that. I can’t rat to Carlotta about Tessa taking ecstasy. I continue, “Either she’s really in love with this guy, or…”
“Or he drugged her,” Braden says matter-of-factly.
My blood runs cold. Garrett? No. He wouldn’t drug her. He wouldn’t. But if he would, then would Peter, his best friend, do the same?
“Mr. Black, if you know something, you need to tell us,” Dan says.
“Call me Braden. If Tessa wasn’t at a club tonight, how else would she have gotten ketamine?”
I have to say something. I don’t want to, but I have to. For Tessa’s own good.
“Tessa doesn’t normally do drugs,” I say, “but a couple weeks ago, when she and Garrett broke up, she took ecstasy.”
Carlotta nearly loses her footing, but Dan and Braden both steady her.
“It’s off brand for her,” I say. “I was surprised as all of you are. But I felt I should say something. If she took ecstasy, it’s possible she took ketamine.”
The doctor talks to Dan and Carlotta, and soon their voices are only a buzzing between my ears.
Because none of this makes sense.
Images appear in my mind. That night I went clubbing with Tessa, Betsy, Garrett, and Peter. Tessa was on Garrett’s lap within a minute, and by the end of the evening, Betsy was cuddled up with Peter…whom she’d just met.
They were lovey-dovey all the way, and I didn’t think anything of it.
Except now?
Neither of them were acting like themselves.
Is Braden right?
Did Garrett give the ketamine to Tessa?
And did Peter give it to Betsy?