Severed Trust: The Men of the Texas Rangers | Book 4

by Margaret Daley

  She gave up trying to eat, stood, and shoved her chair back. After gathering her food, she headed for the large trashcans near the double doors. She rounded the corner and ran into Kelly, Lexie’s drink splashing onto both her and Kelly. Her paper cup flew out of her hand.

  Lexie didn’t care that she was wet or her Coke was all over the floor. Her attention riveted on Kelly, who she’d tried to find all morning ever since she heard the first rumor about the warehouse.

  “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble,” Lexie blurted out before Kelly’s surprised expression changed to anger.

  Eyes wide, her friend glanced down at her drenched blouse then at Lexie’s equally wet shirt and burst out laughing. “You’d think we had been outside standing in the rain.”

  “You aren’t mad?”

  “You mean about being dragged down to the police station yesterday morning?”

  Lexie nodded, waiting for her anger to erupt. “I didn’t lie to my uncle about what happened.”

  Kelly pulled her away from some teens. “I know. I had to say that. My mother made me. She was scared I’d get into trouble.”

  “How did people find out about your interview?”

  Kelly shrugged. “My mom loves to talk. She went to get her hair cut yesterday. I’m sure she said something about it. She was furious about me being treated like a criminal. I’m sorry about all the talk. If they see we’re still friends, people will quit saying things.” She started for the food line. “Get some paper towels while I get both of us a drink and we’ll talk.”

  Confused, Lexie watched Kelly walk away. Did she hear the conversation right? Kelly wasn’t mad at her. They had been through a lot together. Maybe that counted for something. She hurried to the restroom to get some paper towels to help dry them off.

  As she returned to the hallway, Kelly was there waiting. She handed her a Coke then pulled her toward a set of stairs at the far end of the corridor away from the crowd of teens.

  “Tell me about the science test. I haven’t studied like I should. I think I’m gonna flunk it. How can any of us concentrate with all that has been going on this week?” Kelly took a seat on the second step.

  Lexie glanced up toward the top of the stairs and spied several kids talking, but otherwise it was quiet. Much better than the lunchroom, especially with her best friend speaking to her. She’d called and texted Kelly last night, but she hadn’t acknowledged them. Lexie knew how intense her uncle could be when working on a case.

  She dug into her backpack and pulled out her notes. “I can tell you what will be covered on the test. That might help.”

  Kelly smiled. “Oh, good. I thought you’d be mad at me because of the rumor. Your uncle didn’t believe me, so at least you won’t be in trouble.” She raised her drink. “Here’s to friendship.”

  She’d started to ask Kelly why she didn’t return her calls last night but decided it wasn’t important. She was talking to her now at last, and people were seeing there were no hard feelings between them. Relieved that something was going right at last today, Lexie clicked her Coke against Kelly’s. “We’ve both made mistakes, but that can’t stand in the way of us being friends.”

  “No, I like knowing who my friends are.”

  As Lexie took a long swig of her drink, laughter from the group above filled the stairwell. She looked up to find Missy had joined them. The teen glared at Lexie. “Maybe we should go somewhere else.”

  “No, don’t let them bother you. Let me see what I need to look over next hour.” Kelly took a drink from her cup.

  With another sip, Lexie opened her notes. “You’ll need to know the periodic table forward and backwards.”

  Kelly groaned and bent over the page.

  Since the past week, Sadie made sure she was outside her room as the students passed to their next class. Although exhausted from the ordeal with Steven Wednesday night and Thursday, she still dragged herself out into the hall, vigilant. She wasn’t going to let her son go down the path Jared, a good kid, took. Nor was she going to let these students if she could do anything about it.

  Through the throng of teens, pressing their way through the crowd, she watched for any signs something wasn’t right. She’d been reading about prescription drug abuse, and it made her sick how prevalent it was. She should have been more aware. She’d become complacent, and now she had a son who thought he could take cough syrup anytime things weren’t going the way he wanted, believing that drugs would make things all better.

  If they only knew, it made the situation much worse.

  Lexie passed her to go into the room. She appeared the way Sadie felt, tired, going through the motions of the day with as little effort as she could get away with. Lexie didn’t even say hi as she usually did when she saw her. It had been a hard week for her, too, and today she’d heard rumors flying through the student body about how Lexie had lied to the police concerning Kelly.

  As time neared the start of class, the hallway began to thin out. Sadie made a final visual sweep. Her gaze fell on a student in a black hoodie at the end of the corridor bump into another teen, slid his hand out of his pocket and pass something to the boy who gave him something, too. Their gazes connected for a brief moment, then both hurried away—one rounding a corner, leaving the corridor. The other in the hoodie went into a classroom at the far end of the hallway. She spied the face of the boy rounding the corner. It was one of her students: Kalvin Majors. Normally she wouldn’t have thought much of it, but now she couldn’t shake her doubt. What if it was drugs? Wasn’t Kalvin part of Jared’s group?

  The bell rang, and she headed into her class. She hated this. Seeing every action as a possible drug deal going down. Kalvin was from a good family. Why would he need money selling drugs, even prescription ones? She was overreacting to what happened to Jared.

  After taking roll, Sadie started her presentation about the new novel her students would be studying. Twenty minutes later, she finished with her PowerPoint on the Smart Board and turned around to take in the whole class. “I want you to research the culture of China at the time The Good Earth was written. Let me know on Monday what aspect of the culture you want to write a three-page paper on. The assignment is due next Friday.” Her gaze swept over the five rows of students to assure herself they had heard. Come Monday she would have some declare they hadn’t known anything about the assignment.

  Her glance landed on Lexie with her head down on the desk, eyes closed. As she walked toward the teen, she said, “You can have thirty minutes on the Internet to start researching China in the early twentieth century for use as possible topics for your paper. Sign out the computer you’re going to use.”

  At Lexie’s desk, Sadie shook the girl’s shoulder, trying to wake her up. Nothing. She jostled her more and raised her voice loud enough to be heard over the noisy students. “Lexie, wake up.”

  Still no response.

  Sadie glanced at her student aide. “Oliver, go next door and get Mrs. Baker.”

  Everyone in class swiveled around and stared.

  “Lexie, wake up,” Sadie yelled near Lexie and tried lifting her up, but she was dead weight.

  Her heartbeat galloping like a runaway horse, Sadie straightened and started for the phone as Mrs. Baker came in. “Can you take my students to your class?” She gestured toward Lexie, still out cold.

  Mrs. Baker hustled the kids out of the room while Sadie called for the nurse. Then she went back and felt for a pulse, nearly wilting with relief when she found one. She tried again to stir Lexie and met with no response. If she hadn’t felt the girl’s life forces beating beneath her fingertips, Sadie would think Lexie was dead. Which could still happen. The thought sent Sadie’s pulse racing even more through her body, and perspiration covered her forehead.

  Robin David, her friend down the hall, came in to help, but nothing she did roused Lexie either. Sadie kept looking at the clock. It had only been a few minutes since she’d called Cynthia, but it seemed an eternity until the nurs
e hurried into the classroom.

  “I can’t get her up. We’ve,” Sadie indicated herself and Robin, “tried everything.”

  Cynthia checked Lexie’s pulse, frowned then examined her further. “Call 911.”

  8

  Friday afternoon, Ethan stuck his head into Cord’s office on his way to see his grandma at the nursing home. “The latent prints on the locket match Kelly’s, and I found a picture of Kelly on Facebook wearing the same locket with Jared’s arm around her. I’m going to call Mary Lou to bring her back in. I’m on my way to meet up with Mom at the nursing home. She’s upset about something. I’ll be back to speak with Kelly.”

  “I’ll let them stew in the interview room until you’re back.”

  “Good. It might accomplish something. You should see the comments left on Kelly’s Facebook about how lucky she is not to be friends with Lexie anymore. They’re even saying my niece was a traitor. My blood boiled as I read them. When I went to Lexie’s Facebook page, I nearly tossed the computer against the wall. This all in the past twenty-four hours.”

  “I’ll take a look. Cyber-bullying can be bad news. How did everyone find out about what Lexie told you?”

  “It wasn’t us, so that leaves Mary Lou and/or Kelly. Something is going down, and my niece is caught in the middle. I don’t have a good feeling about this. I’ll need to go see her this evening.”

  Cord rose from behind his desk. “I’ll take care of Mary Lou bringing Kelly in. Family is one of the reasons you came back home.”

  “And one of the reasons you stay. It seems we’ve both had a lot of family obligations lately.”

  “Yeah, I’m paying Steven a visit again later. Last night he wasn’t communicating to anyone. All he did was sit in his room and basically pout. Something is festering in him.”

  Ethan leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb. “Could it have to do with his father showing up?”

  Cord released a slow breath. “Possibly. Or something going on at school. Thirteen can be a difficult year in a kid’s life.”

  “Is that coming from experience?” Ethan’s mouth tilted up in a grin.

  “What do you think? We went through it together,” Cord said with a laugh. “I still remember some of the trouble we got into. That’s why Sadie asked me to try and talk to Steven.”

  “A good male role model is what Steven needs.” He knew firsthand. His father died when he was ten. If it hadn’t been for Cord’s dad, he wouldn’t have had one. At home, there had only been females—his older sister, Mom, and his grandmother. He shivered when he remembered all the estrogen flowing around the house when he was a teen. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciated your dad helping me and listening when I needed a male’s perspective.”

  “I keep hoping Dad will come see Steven at the house. I’ve never seen him hold onto his anger so long against Sadie. He does things with Steven but hasn’t stepped foot in Sadie’s home.”

  “Have you talked with him about it?”

  “Tried to. He cut me off and left the room. He can be one stubborn ole coot.”

  Ethan chuckled. Some of the tension from reading the scathing comments about Lexie dissolved. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”

  “Are you kidding—no way.”

  Ethan’s cell phone played “The Eyes of Texas.” He glanced at it. Beth. He wasn’t surprised to hear from her. She kept an eye on Lexie’s Facebook page, and no doubt she’d seen it. “What’s up?”

  “She’s been taken to the hospital,” his sister said, sobs wrapped up in each word.

  “Who? Lexie?”

  “Yes. The school just called. I’m heading to the emergency room now. Please meet me there.”

  “Yes.” Before he could say he would come pick her up, his sister disconnected. He looked at his friend. “Hold off bringing Kelly in. Lexie has been taken to the hospital from school.” Ethan started to turn away.

  “I can take care of Kelly and question her.”

  Ethan froze and clutched the doorframe. “No. I want to be there when she’s interviewed again. I have a bad feeling about this.”

  Cord nodded. “I understand. Please let me know what’s going on. Tell your sister if she needs me, I’ll be there.”

  Ethan left Cord’s office. One of the main reasons he’d come back to Summerton was to be closer for his family, especially as his mother got older and Nana had to be put into a nursing home. But when you care about another, you become vulnerable. You no longer have control over your own emotions. First, Sadie with her son, and now Beth, with his niece. Tightness in his chest made each breath labored. He’d worked so hard to close himself off from others in order to do his job. But at the moment, he felt gutted.

  Lord, what’s going on? What do I do?

  The second Beth saw Ethan come into the ER waiting room, tears welled to the surface and flowed down her cheeks. She hurried to him and clasped him, needing to feel his arms around her. She felt so alone.

  “She was unresponsive. She could die,” Beth cried against her brother’s chest.

  Ethan rubbed his hand up and down Beth’s back. “What happened?”

  His calm voice filtered through the frantic sensations—heart hammering, pulse racing, breath panting—bombarding Beth from every side. She closed her eyes and tried to visualize her sweet baby when she’d left for school that morning. She couldn’t. All she could see was her lying in the cubicle in the emergency room, out cold while the doctor and nurse worked on her.

  Trying to save her life.

  What if they didn’t?

  “Beth? What happened to Lexie?”

  Focus on Ethan. Answer his question. Don’t think about what ifs.

  The advice came out of nowhere, but she latched onto it. “She was in Sadie’s class when it happened. Sadie found Lexie with her head on her desk. Totally out. They couldn’t wake her. The paramedics couldn’t. What if she doesn’t ever wake up?”

  Ethan’s arms tensed around her, but his voice held the same soothing tone as he said, “She will. She’s where she needs to be with the doctors working on her. I called Mom, and she’s on her way here. Cord will be here soon, too.”

  “I ran out of the nursing home and didn’t even think to tell Mom. Nana is being difficult today. Agitated. We may have to up her tranquilizer. I had a call into the doctor about it. This is the third day she’s been like this.”

  “C’mon. Let’s sit down.” He tugged her toward a corner with several chairs. “Tell me how Lexie was before leaving for school. Upset? Sad?”

  “Both. This thing with Kelly has really gotten to her. She tried to call Kelly several times yesterday, but she couldn’t reach her. She’s sure Kelly is mad at her. I told her she should be mad at Kelly for putting her in a situation where she had to lie to us. When I grounded Lexie and took her car away, she didn’t even protest it like she usually does.”

  “This can be hard on everyone. There are a lot of questions and few answers.”

  The ER doctor appeared in the entrance of the waiting room. His brows were drawn, and his lips pressed in a thin line. Her heart sank. She gripped Ethan’s hand while the doctor made his way to her.

  “We’ve done all we can. She’s stabilized but is still unresponsive.”

  “What happened to cause this?”

  “Don’t know. Any history of seizures, allergic reactions—anything like this before?”

  “No. Lexie has always been very healthy.”

  “I’ve drawn blood, and we’re running some tests. Is she on any medication?”

  “No, what do you suspect?” Beth stiffened, her fingernails digging into Ethan’s skin. He winced, and she loosened her grasp but needed the physical connection with her brother. She wished Cord were here, too.

  I’m not alone. I’m not alone.

  “An overdose. I should get the results back on a tox screen soon. I’ve asked the lab to rush it. I’ll let you know when I hear something.”

  “Can I stay with her?”

&n
bsp; “Yes.”

  Beth stood, her legs so weak she swayed into Ethan. He clasped his arm around her.

  He helped her to the room, then paused at the bed, taking Lexie’s hand in his. “Lex, I’ll get to the bottom of this whole mess. That’s a promise. Don’t you worry. Just wake up.” His voice roughened, thick with emotions her brother usually kept locked away.

  Beth touched his arm. “I’m so glad you’re here in Summerton.”

  Without looking at her, he headed toward the hallway. “I’m going outside to wait for Mom, so she’ll know what’s happening. She should be here soon.” At the entrance, he glanced back at Beth, his eyes watery.

  “Thanks. I appreciate that. She’s probably freaking out with all that has gone on.”

  “I’ll calm her down before I bring her in here.”

  When Ethan left, Beth sagged against the back of the padded chair. Her hands trembling, she fit them together as though she was praying. But no words came to her mind. No matter how much she told herself she wasn’t alone, a deep sense of isolation and loneliness blanketed her.

  Even when Ethan returned with their mother, and she had her family around her as they waited, she watched her daughter lie in the bed hooked up to an IV and felt her life spiraling out of control.

  Tox screen? Overdose? Not Lexie.

  Lexie’s eyes fluttered open. Beth jumped to her feet and hurried to the side of the bed. “Get the doctor. Baby, I’m here.”

  Ethan hurried from the room while Beth’s mother stood next to her. Lexie licked her lips and tilted her head slightly toward Beth.

  Lexie’s eyelids slid closed halfway. “Mom—where—am I?” she asked in a groggy voice.

  “The hospital. Ms. Thompson couldn’t wake you up at school.” Beth held her daughter’s hand. “You’re gonna be all right, baby.”

  “What happen . . .” Her daughter ran her tongue over her lips again.

  “I was hoping you’d tell us.”