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

by Margaret Daley

Ethan and the doctor came into the cubicle. She glanced back at them. “She’s awake.”

  “Good,” the ER doctor said and crossed to the bed to check Lexie out. “Did you take any medication today?”

  “No.”

  “What did you have at lunch?”

  “Nothing. Not—hungry.” Lexie closed her eyes for a few seconds.

  “Anything to drink?”

  “Coke.” Lexie pressed her mouth together. “Water. Thirsty.”

  The doctor nodded.

  As Beth poured a cup and helped Lexie to take a sip, she asked the man, “What’s going on?”

  “Let’s have a word out in the hall,” the doctor said in a solemn voice.

  “Mom, can you help Lexie with the water?”

  “Sure.” Her mother took the cup from Beth.

  She strode out into the corridor with Ethan right behind her. “Is she going to be all right?”

  “Yes, with time. In fact, we won’t keep her overnight.”

  “But you don’t know what caused this.”

  The doctor frowned. “Mrs. Alexander, I got the tox screen back. Your daughter took a large dose of tranquilizers.”

  That evening Ethan answered his sister’s front door to find Sadie standing on her porch with Lexie’s backpack. “I could have come and gotten it. I know you’ve had your hands full with Steven.”

  “Mom came over so I could see how Lexie is. When I called the hospital and they said she had been discharged, I figured it was a good sign. How is she?”

  He opened the door wider for her to enter the house. “She’s sleeping now.”

  “What happened? I was so worried.”

  “Come in. Beth’s upstairs sitting with her while our mother went home to get a nightgown and change of clothes. She’s going to stay here tonight to help Beth.” He dragged his fingers through his hair, rolling his head around to loosen his taut neck muscles. “It’s been a long day.”

  “I can imagine. Do they know what’s wrong?”

  “Yes, she took too many tranquilizers.”

  “She’s on medication?”

  “No, and she doesn’t have any idea how she took them. The only things she had since breakfast were the water in her bottle she carries and a Coke at lunch.”

  “Do you believe her?” Sadie sank down on the couch.

  Her question ignited the anger simmering in his gut. “A few days ago I would have said yes without any hesitation, but since she didn’t tell me what really happened with Kelly until much later, I don’t know for sure.” He sat next to her. “I know what drugs can do to people. It changes them.”

  She took his hand on the couch between them. “It’s hard when you begin to doubt someone you thought you knew.”

  “I figured you would understand.” The touch of her palm against his skin sent warmth up his arm. A light vanilla fragrance surrounded him and unraveled some knots in his stomach.

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t see Lexie taking a bunch of tranquilizers.”

  “Not even after what went on at school today? She said most of the students ostracized her because she told on Kelly. There were a lot of nasty comments left on Lexie’s Facebook page.”

  Her forehead crinkled, her eyebrows dipping down. “After school I heard some kids saying they weren’t surprised she turned on her friend, since her uncle was a Texas Ranger. A couple of students stood up for Lexie. When I stopped to ask what was going on, they all hurried away.” Sadie angled around to face him squarely. “No, I still think Lexie wouldn’t do it. She was too concerned with what Kelly did on Saturday night. She was worried her best friend was in trouble.”

  “Let’s agree that Lexie didn’t take tranquilizers knowingly. That leaves taking them unknowingly.”

  Sadie’s eyes widened. “You mean someone slipped them in something like her Coke or water bottle.”

  “It had to be at school because she crashed in your class after lunch. It wouldn’t take long for those tranquilizers to take effect with the amount in her system, especially if she hadn’t eaten anything.”

  “Come to think about it when she walked into my classroom, she was moving slow. She looked tired. Since I was aware of what had been going on with her and Kelly, I chalked it up to not sleeping last night. It’s not easy to break a promise to a friend and not fret over it. At least for Lexie.”

  “She should never have promised her in the first place.”

  “I agree, but we’re talking about kids. They don’t always make wise decisions.”

  “We do? I’ve made my share of mistakes.”

  “Me, too.”

  His gaze locked with hers, and in that moment a connection sprang up between them he couldn’t deny, no matter how vulnerable he felt laying his emotions on the line. “Have you heard from Harris lately?”

  She crossed her arms and rubbed her hands up and down them. “No, but then I’m not surprised.”

  “Does he know what Steven did the other night?”

  She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t know. It’s not my place to inform him. He lost that right when he walked out. I know I should forgive him, but I can’t. All I can remember was how hard it was to raise Ashley and Steven alone, holding down a job and going to school.”

  “You should have come back to Summerton. Your mother and brother would have helped.”

  “Cord probably would, but Mom wouldn’t have. At first she was so angry with me like Dad still is. She came around eventually because of the kids.”

  The sound of the front door opening and closing brought Ethan to his feet. “Mom?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’re staying tonight at Beth’s,” he said as his mother appeared in the entrance to the living room.

  “It’s nice to see you, Sadie. I heard what happened to Steven. You would think there’s something in the water making these kids do crazy things.”

  “Or someone,” Ethan said under his breath.

  His mother’s eyes popped wide open. “Like a drug ring?”

  “Usually where drugs are involved, there are pushers and suppliers also. Money is to be had with the sale of prescription drugs. Millions of dollars. Even though they aren’t what people think of as illegal ones like heroin or cocaine, they can do as much damage and become addictive.”

  Sadie frowned. “Look at what happened to Jared.”

  His mother’s face blanched. “And my poor darling, Lexie. If she’d taken just a little more, the doctor said she would have died. Someone tried to kill her.”

  “So you don’t think she took them?” Sadie asked.

  “No way. She doesn’t even like taking an aspirin for a headache.”

  “You’re right, Mom. I’d forgotten about that.”

  “Well, I’m going upstairs to relieve Beth. She needs some rest.”

  Sadie drew in a deep breath and let it go slowly. “Who would spike Lexie’s drink?”

  “Someone who wants to make a point. Someone who wants to keep her quiet.” Or dead.

  “Discrediting her is a good way to make what she told you unreliable.”

  “I’m talking with Kelly again tomorrow. I intend to find out what contact she had with Lexie today, then I’ll check with my niece to see if the stories match.”

  “So you’re thinking this is Kelly’s doing?”

  “I don’t know, but the way Kelly has been acting it could be.” Ethan remembered Kelly’s interview yesterday and her declaring Lexie lied. “I want the drugs fully out of her system and my niece alert. Right now she is still groggy and not herself. I want to lay a trap for Kelly. The more lies she tells the easier it will be to catch her.”

  Sadie shook her head. “They have been friends for years. Close like sisters.”

  “That obviously doesn’t mean anything to Kelly.”

  “What’s this about Kelly?” Beth asked as she came into the room, her eyes red and puffy.

  Ethan hadn’t had a chance to talk to Beth yet about Lexie’s Faceboo
k page, but she needed to know. She would find out anyway, but he hated telling her right now. “There are students at school who think Lexie is lying about Sunday morning with Kelly because Kelly said it when I interviewed her Thursday morning.”

  Beth curled her hands into fists. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? Now people are going to say that’s the reason Lexie took the tranquilizers. I don’t have any here at the house. How could Lexie get hold of them?”

  “It’s a strong possibility students at school are selling prescription drugs, especially in light of all that has been happening. Sadie and I have been talking about someone putting it in her drink today.”

  “Kelly?” Beth covered the distance between them and sat in the chair across from the couch.

  “Maybe. There was a group of kids at the pill party where Jared died. Anyone of them might have done it. It’s not just Kelly who is involved.”

  Sadie cocked her head to the side. “The kids leave their water bottles unattended all the time. They might bring their stuff into the room and put it in their chair then go back out to talk to friends or use the restroom. And with me being in the hallway between classes, I won’t see anything.”

  “I need to find out what classes Lexie has with the clique. I’ll ask her tomorrow.” Ethan swung his attention to his sister. “Leave the questions to me.”

  Beth nodded, her eyes drooping with exhaustion.

  “I brought her backpack, but I didn’t see her water bottle.” Sadie rose, went to where she’d placed it on the floor, and rummaged in the bag. When she looked up, her forehead creased. “It’s not here.”

  Beth sat up straight. “Someone took it.”

  “I guess, but I’ll look around my classroom to make sure.”

  The hairs on his nape tingled. “Can you do it tomorrow?”

  “Sure. The building is open on Saturday morning for various student activities. What’s it look like?”

  “It’s the one the school sells in the school colors. She wrote her name on the side of it, and I washed it last night so any fingerprints would be from today.”

  “Good, since half the kids use that type of water bottle.” Sadie grabbed her purse. “I’ll call you tomorrow after I go to my classroom. With being gone part of this week, I could use time in my room doing some work for next week. I’m determined to get my classes back on track.”

  Ethan walked with Sadie to the front door, opened it and stepped out onto the porch with her. “Thank you for making a special trip to the school. If you find the bottle, call me. I’ll come pick it up to have the container tested and dusted for latent prints. It could be a great way to shake some kids up and maybe someone will talk.”

  “I’ll do anything I can to help Lexie. She’s a good student.”

  He moved closer, his hands tingling from wanting to hold her. He stared at her full lips with a hint of pink lipstick still on them. What would it be like to kiss them? Her chest rose and fell with a deep inhalation. Her eyes glinted in the glow from the security light nearby.

  He shortened the distance between them even more and took both of her hands in his, tugging her the remaining foot. He dipped his head toward hers and murmured close to her, “If you need help with Steven, I’m here.”

  Her mouth curved into a smile that penetrated through his heart, warning him this lady would never settle for casual. He should back away. But for the life of him his feet wouldn’t move. Instead, he bent further toward her until his lips settled over hers, and he tasted her sweetness.

  He framed her face, deepening the kiss that felt so right. As her arms wound around him, she pressed herself against him, meeting his passion with her own. He didn’t know if he would have pulled back if the front door hadn’t opened, the wash of light from the house encircling them.

  He stepped away as he stared at his sister in the entrance who was trembling. She started to say something, then snapped her mouth closed.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked Beth.

  “I got a call from the assistant principal at the high school. Mr. Howard wants me to come to his office with Lexie first thing Monday morning to discuss her suspension for using drugs at school.”

  9

  I wondered if Mr. Maxwell would pursue a suspension for Lexie,” Sadie said and turned to Beth. “I can speak on her behalf to Mr. Howard. That might help.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Ethan touched Sadie’s hand briefly, then headed toward his sister. “I need to talk to him in light of what I’m finding out.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I might find the water bottle tomorrow. That could support that Lexie was drugged by someone else.”

  Beth twisted her hands together. “Even if you found some tranquilizers in the water, they could claim Lexie put them there.”

  “Maybe, but it could put some doubt in Mr. Howard’s mind. Lexie has a great record and hasn’t been in trouble.” Sadie noticed the time and realized she’d been longer than she had intended. “I have to go, but Ethan, I’ll call you tomorrow one way or another about the water bottle.”

  As she drove into her driveway ten minutes later, she spied two cars parked in front—her mother and her father’s. Her stomach plummeted. Dad must really be angry if he’d gone inside. When he came to pick up the kids, he stayed on the porch. Somehow, it would be her fault Steven drank the cough syrup, and he’d tie it back to her marrying Harris.

  Sadie trudged into her home, trying to prepare for the confrontation. She could remember a time when she could do no wrong in his eyes. She’d been his little princess who was going to conquer the world.

  Voices came from the living room, and she headed that way, pausing before she entered. Her heart thumped against her chest. Boom—boom sounded in her ears.

  “Sadie, is that you?”

  “Yes, Mom.” She stepped into the room, relieved to see her daughter sitting there. Her dad probably wouldn’t say much with Ashley present.

  “How’s Lexie?” her mother asked, grasping her father’s hand on the couch next to her.

  Although she couldn’t tell, she imagined her mom squeezing his fingers tightly to remind him to behave. “She’s better.”

  “First that Jared kid, then my grandson, and now Lexie, a student in your class. What’s happening in Summerton?” Her father’s gruff voice filled the whole room, reminding her of her booming heartbeats.

  “I don’t know. That’s what Ethan and Cord are trying to figure out.” Too on edge to take a seat, Sadie leaned into the back of the chair where Ashley sat. “It’s nice to see you here, Dad.”

  “I came to have a talk with my grandson.”

  “How did that go?”

  “Not well. He acted like he was listening to me, but I don’t know how much he really heard. He remained silent almost the whole time except a few one-word answers to questions. I have a mind to cancel our hunting trip coming up in a couple of weeks.”

  “Dad, don’t do that. It’ll be good for him to be with you. You know, male bonding.”

  “If you had listened to me and married someone—” Her father winced and pulled his hand from her mother’s grasp.

  She rolled to her feet. “Now that Sadie is home, it’s time for us to go. Honey, if you need help this weekend, give me a call.”

  “Will you come over tomorrow morning for a few hours while I go to school to catch up on some work?”

  “Of course. I can be here at nine.”

  Her father slowly rose, his gaze penetratingly intense. “Why don’t you just bring your work home instead of doing it at school?”

  “Normally I do, but . . .” She couldn’t tell her father she would be searching for Lexie’s water bottle. He wouldn’t want her to get involved, but she had to do something. “I have work I can only do there.”

  He harrumphed. “You should be here getting through your son’s head what a stupid thing he did.”

  “I’m doing the best I can.”

  This time he snorted. “If only you had listened to me.”


  Sadie came around the chair and glanced at her daughter. Ashley clutched the arms of the chair, her lips flattened as she stared at a spot in the carpet. She placed a hand on Ashley’s shoulder. “I hope you’ll come again, Dad.”

  “Let’s go, Ruth. It’s getting late.”

  As they headed toward the foyer, the doorbell echoed through the house. Now who? Cord? Sadie hurried to open the door, not even sure she wanted to talk to her brother after the day she’d had.

  In the entrance stood Harris, and it took all her willpower to swallow her moan. If he had to come to the house, why couldn’t he wait five minutes until her parents left? “This isn’t a good time.”

  Her father stopped next to Sadie, his body so tense she could feel the anger pouring off him. “What are you doing here?” He drew himself up as tall as possible, as though he would fight Harris if he came inside.

  “I want to see my son. I just got Ashley’s message about what happened yesterday. I’ve been out of town the past two days.”

  Why didn’t you stay gone? was on the tip of Sadie’s tongue, but instead she clamped her teeth together until pain streaked down her neck.

  Her father moved in front of Sadie. “You’re thirteen years too late.”

  Harris’s look shifted from her dad to her. “Ashley asked me to come.”

  She needed to set some ground rules with her daughter. No inviting people over without talking it over with her. It had never been a problem until now. “Dad, I’ll take care of this. Thank you for coming.” She gave him a quick peck on his cheek, much to his surprise and hers.

  Her mom took his arm and dragged him out of the house. Harris sidestepped to allow the pair by. As her father left, he glared at Harris.

  Harris snorted. “I see his opinion of me hasn’t changed any.”

  “Do you blame him?”

  He peered at her for a long moment. “No, I don’t. I was wrong.”

  “Dad, I’m glad you came,” Ashley said behind Sadie. “Come in.”

  “No.” Sadie blocked him from entering. “It’s been a long, tiring day, and we all need to get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Don’t force me to hire a lawyer. I don’t want to do that. We’re two adults and can come up with a compromise.”