by Stone, M. T.
“Tommy told me about him. He’s a pain management specialist!” she yells back before turning away and walking to the other side of the bed.
Trey stands silent for a moment before he calmly begins to talk. “You told me that Tyler has been acting weird and erratic for the past month. Coincidentally, he’s been going to a pain management specialist that Dr. Novacek says is a major prescription drug dealer. Jesus, Vanessa! Are you fucking stupid?”
“Is there a problem?” a voice asks behind us. I turn to see Dr. Potaturri standing in the doorway with a hesitant expression on his face.
Trey spins on his heel and blasts him immediately. “Yes, there is a major problem. You have been messing up my brother for over a month and now you want to continue your work here?” he asks, moving toward the doctor. “I’ll bet you were the source of the pentobarbital too.” He moves squarely in front of the doctor’s face.
“Whoa, where did all of this come from? We just spoke a few minutes ago downstairs.” He takes a step back with an astonished look.
“Right from the start I’ve thought that Dad’s death and this whole thing with Tyler were related,” he says, taking another step toward him. “It seems to me that you and Tommy are right in the center of it. Vanessa might be involved too.” He turns his glare toward her.
“What the hell are you saying?” Vanessa comes storming across the room. “That I was part of a conspiracy to kill off your family? Why the hell would I do that?” she demands, pushing in between Trey and the doctor.
“You made the introduction, so whether you planned it or not.” Trey cuts his sentence short and turns back toward the doctor. “Just so we’re clear… you are no longer Tyler’s doctor. I’m going to have Dr. Novacek run blood tests to see what you have been using to keep him sedated.”
“Are you accusing me of intentionally hurting your brother? I should call security… they would kick your ass out of here!” he steams. “I know Thelma, the head nurse, has instructions to make sure you aren’t even left alone with him.”
Trey shakes his head and glares directly at the doctor. His face is flushed and I can see his pulse pounding in his neck. “That was before we found out that you and Tommy are connected. By the way, who was that blond guy you were talking to out front?”
“Just a friend of mine. Why?” Dr. Potaturri looks completely annoyed by the question.
“Because he about shit his pants when he saw Trey,” I chime in, tired of holding my tongue.
“He kept backing away the whole time I was talking to you,” Trey adds.
“I have no idea what you two are talking about, but if you don’t think I can help your brother I will be happy to walk away,” the doctor says, shrugging his shoulders and turning back toward the hallway.
“Good,” Trey replies, turning back to Vanessa. “He will be better off with Dr. Novacek. They need to do a blood draw and see what he is on.”
“You also need to call the cops and fill them in on all of this,” I tell him bluntly. “That way they will start pursuing the real culprits instead of trying to figure out how to build a totally circumstantial case against you.”
“There is no way that Tommy is involved in this!” Vanessa’s eyes ignite once again. “Tommy was only trying to help, because I had told him how frustrated I was with Tyler’s pain and addiction.”
“Well, Tommy has somehow become CEO of Addison Media and with that he gained control over the majority of the voting rights,” Trey informs her. “The only way that could have occurred is by Dad dying and the board approving his hire as CEO. Of all the people associated with the situation, Tommy has gained the most, so far.”
Vanessa shakes her head in frustration and scurries out of the room. “I think you’ve struck a nerve,” I say, raising an eyebrow and giving him a satisfied smirk.
“I’m going to rattle cages until I find out what the hell is going on!” He steps up to his brother’s bed and lays a hand on him. “Don’t worry, bud. I’m not leaving town again until we have this whole mess figured out.”
I step out into the hallway to give Trey a little privacy and to see if Dr. Novacek is still in his office. As I turn the corner, I hear Vanessa angrily talking with someone on her phone. I stop out of her line of sight, to see if I can hear her side of the conversation. She is visibly upset and there is no doubt in my mind as to who is on the other end of the line.
“They are going to do a blood test to see if he has been drugging him!” I hear very distinctly, before her voice gets quiet again. She looks as if she could burst into tears at any moment. I stand still for another minute until she lowers the phone and clicks the button.
“Is everything okay?” I ask as I resume my path toward Dr. Novacek’s office.
“Is everything okay?” Her mouth literally drops open. “What kind of a question is that? Of course everything is not okay!”
“I’m sorry, I’m just passing through,” I tell her, not knowing what else to say. I move hastily in the direction of the doctor’s office. I can’t help wondering if she’s mad at Tommy for recommending a drug-pushing doctor or if she is upset that Trey accused her of being involved. She’s probably upset about both items.
Chapter 15
6:00 am - Monday Morning
Trey
My eyes are burning from the lack of sleep as Thelma, the head nurse, walks into Tyler’s room with news about the blood tests that had been ordered by Dr. Novacek.
“The doctor will be in this afternoon to answer any questions, but he gave me a detailed breakdown of what we know at this time,” she informs me before beginning the overview. “Basically, what it boils down to is that the combination of sedative drugs he has been using, along with the brain trauma caused by the pentobarbital overdose are a bad combination,” she says, confirming my suspicions from the previous night. “There is a really good chance that he will suffer short term memory loss and there may even be consequences for his long term memory. We’ll just have to wait and see.” Thelma gives me a somber look before asking whether or not I have any questions.
“What about the coma?” I inquire since he hasn’t been conscious for several days.
“We are hoping that he will come around today, since he is no longer being given lorazepam and propofol,” she explains. “The high concentration of these that came back in the blood tests is the most suspicious aspect according to Dr. Novacek.”
“Does he have any idea what Dr. Potaturri had him on for the month prior to the overdose?” I ask with growing curiosity.
“Not yet.” She shakes her head with raised eyebrows. “But the prescription label on the bottle we found in his pocket indicated that the pills contained 5mg of hydrocodone and 325mg of acetaminophen. So the pills should have been stamped with a M365 inscription. These pills had no inscription at all, indicating they were either from a compound pharmacy or the street,” she elaborates with a heavy sigh.
“So Dr. Pot was living up to his reputation?” I ask, thinking that everything was coming together in a neat little package.
“That would be the conclusion most people would jump to right away, but it’s not that simple,” she replies, deflating my hopes just a bit. “Tyler could have burned through his pills and bought more from a dealer and put them in the prescription bottle. We see that all the time, especially with pain killers.”
“So where do we go from here?” I ask, disappointed by the lack of a clear-cut resolution.
“The pills have been sent to the FBI crime lab to be analyzed,” she says, with a venomous look in her eyes. “Once those come back, toxicology will take a look at everything Dr. Potaturri has administered to see if there appears to be criminal intent. After that, things might get interesting very quickly.” She stands silent for a few seconds before closing Tyler’s chart and moving toward the door.
“So we wait?” I shrug my shoulders feeling helpless.
“Yes. And depending on the results either Detective Kelley or an FBI agent will stop by this
afternoon to consult with Dr. Novacek as well.” Her look suddenly softens. “By the way, I’m sorry for how you were treated the other day. There were so many rumors swirling around, nobody wanted to take any chances.”
“Thanks, but I’ve been getting it from all sides so don’t feel too bad.” I give her a weary smile. “I just want to get this all figured out before anyone else gets hurt.”
“I hear you.” She smiles back. “We’ll do everything we can.”
After she leaves the room, I walk over to Tyler’s bed and look down upon him. I begin to think that maybe a weird drug combination could be to blame for his recent behavior. Maybe he’s not completely to blame, just as it wasn’t all Dads’ fault for how things turned out. Even though my brain is foggy with exhaustion, I can’t help thinking about something I heard in a college psychology class. Your life is merely the result of your perception. I’m beginning to see that there may be a lot of truth to that statement.
My father raised us and took us around the world in spite of the fact that he had found out there was a fifty-fifty chance that we weren’t even his kids. My heart sinks at the thought of him wanting me to carry-on the family legacy and my overwhelming reluctance to even discuss the topic. Realizing that it’s too late for any type of reconciliation with Dad, I vow to not make the same mistake with my brother.
“What did you find out?” Mandy asks sleepily after waking from a short nap in the family room.
“They think the drug combination has wiped out his short term memory and his long term might even be effected,” I tell her, still struggling with a heavy heart.
“Are you okay?” She moves closer and slips her arms around me.
“No, not really,” I admit, squeezing her tight. “I need to make some phone calls and get to the bottom of what is really going on. Dad is gone, Tyler is out of commission and Mom isn’t much better.”
“Oh really?” Mom’s irritated voice completely disrupts the moment. “Who has been here night and day while you have been flying off to Monaco and Kentucky,” she retorts with irritation in her voice. I love how she keeps saying the wrong state. She knows damn well Ray lives in Tennessee.
“Mom, I’m sorry. It just seems like you have been kind of out of it ever since I’ve been back,” I try to explain. “You’re drinking and smoking…”
“Yes, that’s true,” she seethes. “My ex-husband got his head almost completely blown off, then my youngest son went off the deep end and ended up in a drug induced coma. Meanwhile my other son gallivants around like he’s above it all.” She glares at me intently, waiting for my response.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left for Monaco, I just couldn’t stand all the tension,” I try to explain. “But I’m not sorry I went to Tennessee. Mandy needed me,” I tell her while giving Mandy another squeeze.
“Of course she did.” Mom turns her to her, suddenly changing her demeanor. “I’m so sorry about Maggie and I’m also sorry for the way you had to find out about your father and me,” she says, giving her a hug. “And you wonder why I’m drinking and smoking!” She glares at me once again as if she’s in disbelief.
“I’m sorry.” I laugh out loud. “I do understand, Mom. Mandy and I were both plastered by noon the day that Ray confessed that we might be siblings.”
“It shouldn’t have come to that,” Mom says, shaking her head. “I should’ve gone behind Victor’s back years ago and had a paternity test. I don’t know why I hesitated.”
“Because you were afraid of getting the wrong result,” I speculate, reaching out and putting my hand on her shoulder.
“You’re right.” She sighs and lowers her head. “I’m actually kind of surprised that your DNA test turned out the way it did,” she adds. “Victor hadn’t been around much.”
“Okay, I’m going to get some coffee,” Mandy blurts out. “TMI.”
As Mandy excuses herself, I hang back in order to have a word in private with Mom.
“I’m sorry I have a habit of running away whenever I feel stressed.” I look her directly in the eyes. “I’m here for the duration. I’m not going anywhere until Tyler is back on his feet and whoever is behind this is behind bars.”
“Thank you, Trey,” Mom says with tears flooding her eyes. “We all need you right now and that includes Vanessa. She called me last night and had a complete meltdown over the phone. Did you accuse her of being part of this?”
I pause and think back to what I had said the previous night. “I might have said something off the cuff,” I admit. “It was because she admitted to setting him up with that doctor. Did you know Tommy was the one who referred him?” I feel my temperature begin to rise immediately just at the thought of it.
“I understand that she shouldn’t have trusted Tommy, but she thought she was doing the right thing,” Mom explains. “You owe her an apology.”
“But she has been acting just as strange as Tyler ever since I’ve been back,” I reply in my defense. “Sometimes it seems as if she doesn’t even care about Tyler.”
“Bite your tongue,” Mom snaps, looking back at Tyler. “Do you realize her parents have been staying at their home in South Africa this whole time?” she asks with a bewildered look on her face. “She found out she’s pregnant. Tyler has been in a death spiral and her father-in-law who has been their neighbor for almost twenty years is gunned down. And they don’t even bother coming home?” She throws her hands up in the air. “What kind of people would do that?”
“I guess I hadn’t thought about it,” I reply, suddenly feeling remorseful.
“You, Tyler and me were her support system growing up,” she says stirring up old memories. “Do you remember how little her parents were around?”
“Now that you say it, yes, I do.” I shift my feet and begin to feel guilty for how I have been treating her. She was calling and texting because she needed me, and I was only concerned with making sure Mandy didn’t become jealous of her.
“Tyler floundered, I’ve been an emotional wreck and she has been on an island all through this shit storm, as you like to call it,” Mom continues. “I apologized to her last night for being so self-absorbed. I think you need to do the same.”
“I will,” I assure her. “I am going to be here for all of you.”
Mandy
As the conversation between Trey and Silvia comes to an end, I continue down the hall toward the coffee machine. I honestly have been feeling jealous each time Vanessa reached out to Trey. I hadn’t been thinking about the fact that she might just need his support, focusing only on the possibility that she had more devious intentions.
Speak of the devil, I think to myself when Vanessa steps off the elevator. I pause in the middle of the hallway, thinking about what I should say to her.
“Did you spend the night?” Vanessa asks, seeming surprised to see me.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to leave Trey here alone,” I tell her. “I slept a little bit on the couch in the family room.”
“I’ve spent several nights there myself,” she says with an understanding smile. “Thank you for relieving Silvia and I last night. We were both severely sleep deprived.”
“Oh, you’re welcome,” I lean forward and throw my arms around her. “Trey just told her that he is here for the duration. He’s determined to figure out what is going on.”
“That’s good,” she says hesitantly. “I still can’t believe he would think I had anything to do with it,” she adds, shaking her head and widening her eyes. “That’s just as crazy as Tyler accusing him of killing Victor.”
“I’m sorry, Vanessa,” Trey says, walking up to us. “I was just reacting to everything that was going on. I wasn’t thinking.” He reaches out to give her a hug.
“You were always my rock, Trey,” she says gazing up at him through watery eyes. “If there was ever a time I needed someone to talk to, it’s now.”
“I know. We have all been overtired, over sensitive and under attack, so you aren’t the only one feeling that
way,” he explains, still holding her in his arms.
“Yeah, I know you have endured the relentless media scrutiny.” She sighs and drops her arms to her sides. “I can’t blame you for wanting to get away.”
“I just told Mom that I’m not going anywhere until everything is resolved,” he tells her with a very sincere expression on his face. “Things can’t keep spinning out of control the way they have been.”
“Thank you,” she replies giving both of us a look of relief. “Now you two go get some rest. Silvia or I will call you if there is any change.”
“Okay, I would like to talk to Dr. Novacek this afternoon too, so I’ll be back,” he tells her as we turn and head for the elevator.
“Oh, by the way, I think I will give this to you instead of Silvia,” she says as an afterthought, pulling the New York Times from her bag. “I don’t think she will appreciate the front page article today.”
“Why?” I ask, immediately answering my own question by unfolding it and reading the headline: Addison Documents Reveal Scandalous Affair. “Oh fuck! Mom is going to kill me.” I cringe, unable to even fathom how pissed she is going to be.
“They actually included pictures of the letters?” Mandy gasps with an expression of horror instantly taking hold. “If Silvia doesn’t kill us, Dad will for sure. Is this what you and Perry talked about yesterday?”
“No.” I think back to our conversation. “Although, I guess I did tell him he could use it however he saw fit. Fuck. I can’t believe he gave them pictures of the actual letters.”
“They could have at least blurred them a little,” Mandy adds as she examines one of the pictures. “You can actually read what Dad wrote in this one.” She looks up with terror-filled eyes. “He’s going to absolutely kill us!”
“Why can’t anything just go smoothly?” I grab her hand and turn toward the elevator. “Please keep this to yourself for now, Vanessa.”