Deadly Dose

by Margaret Daley

  “I’ll be right back.” Emma left her office.

  “I’ll be in the car. I think it’ll be better if you talk to her by yourself, but I’m anxious to hear what she has to say,” Kira said.

  “You’re probably right, but I’m glad you came. This isn’t exactly following school rules, and your presence helped make the point that this is extremely important.”

  “Possibly life or death.” Kira hurried from the room.

  When Jessie’s cell phone rang, she jumped. She quickly answered when she saw it was Josh.

  “Aaron called me twenty minutes ago. I might not be home when you get off work. I don’t know how long this will take.” Josh went on to tell her what Aaron wanted and where he was. “Nat is with me. I’ll be fine, but we might have to search for Aaron’s mom. The kid was really scared on the phone.”

  “Be careful.”

  “I will. What are you doing? Are you at work yet?”

  “I’m going to talk with Lily. Then Robert will take me to work.”

  “Now it’s my turn to tell you to be careful. Lily could be involved. She was treated for an overdose last October.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m in the school library in Emma’s office. No one should see Lily and me talking. Robert is outside in the parking lot.” Jessie walked to the window that faced the east side of the high school. “In fact, I can see him standing by the car from here.”

  After Josh ended the call, Jessie remained where she was but off to the side so it was hard to see her. Not far away was the football stadium and athletic facilities. A police car was parked between the buildings. The only officer she trusted was Scott. Just after he’d paid the chief a visit when he realized the pharmacy was a dead end for pertinent information, Bill Shaffer turned the case over to Captain Doyle. The police chief had been quiet, which had surprised both Josh and her because the man could be prideful and full of himself.

  The door opened behind Jessie, and she turned. Wide-eyed, Lily stared at her.

  “Ms. Sutherland said you needed to talk to me. She sounded serious.”

  Jessie gestured toward the round table. “Have a seat. I need your help.”

  “My help?” The teen’s forehead scrunched as she sank into the chair.

  Jessie sat next to Lily. “Yes. It’s about Heather’s death.”

  Her eyebrows shot up “I know nothing about it. I can’t help you.” Lily rose halfway.

  “Please hear me out. It’s very important and could save someone's life.”

  Lily glanced around as though making sure no one else was in the office then returned to her seat.

  “I understand both you and Heather were treated the same night in October for a drug overdose.”

  She jumped to her feet. “I don’t take illegal drugs. I’d never do that.”

  “I didn’t say you did. Give me a chance to explain. Please sit. You aren’t in trouble.” When Lily did sit again, Jessie continued, “I believe you took pain meds mixed with a powerful sleeping drug. All legal, if you have a prescription. Did you?”

  Lily lowered her head and murmured, “No.”

  “How did you end up taking them?”

  “I can’t tell you.” The teen hugged her arms to her chest as though she wanted to curl into a ball.

  Jessie realized she had to show Lily how important her information was to the case. “I’m going to share something with you that if known could cause me harm. I’m trying to figure out who killed my best friend, Mary Lou, Heather, and her aunt. I think their deaths are connected and have something to do with drugs being used illegally in Pinecrest. Your insight could make the difference in finding the killer. If you left here and told someone what I said to you, it might reach the wrong people, and they could come after me.”

  Lily lifted her head, tears shining in her eyes. “And if you tell the wrong person, I could end up like Heather.”

  “True, but I won’t.” She held the teen’s look for a long moment.

  Lily returned to her slumped shoulders and her attention focused on her lap. A long moment passed before she said in a trembling voice, “I went to a party with Heather. She was spending the night. We sneaked out of my house. I got into so much trouble with my parents.”

  “Where was the party?”

  “At Pinecrest Lake.”

  “Whose party was it?”

  “Don’t know. I think some kids decided to meet there and hang out.”

  “How did you get there?”

  “Heather had a crush on a football player who was a junior. He had a car and took us.”

  “Who?”

  “Connor Taylor. His older brother is a police officer. That was why I was surprised when he passed a plastic bag around. I didn’t know him, but Heather did. Each person put some drugs they brought from home into the bag. All I had was my medication for my ADD.”

  “You carry those pills with you?”

  “No, but I take them at school, and I’m trying to cut down. Every other day, I fake taking my dose and stuff it into my pocket instead.”

  “So did everybody at the party put something in?”

  “Yes, then the bag was passed around, and I took a pill out. I thought one prescription drug would be harmless. Besides, most of the kids at the party were the cool kids like Liam McDonel and older than me. Before I knew it, they were all taking another and some even took more. I wanted to leave, but I was scared to walk back to town in the dark by myself. Heather was having fun. The only thing I had after that was a drink Heather gave me. I don’t remember anything until I was at the ER, and they were pumping my stomach.”

  “Did you see Heather there, too?”

  “No, but later I found out she was also there. My parents took me home, grounded me until the end of the year, and forbade me to see Heather again. At school, she wouldn’t even talk to me, but I was fine with it. The whole evening was stupid. Scary.”

  “Was Heather’s friend, Kendra, there?”

  “Who?”

  “The one you told me about when I was here helping you research your paper.”

  “Oh, her. They really weren’t that close. She was way out of Heather’s league. She’s a senior. I saw her the other day. I asked someone her last name. It’s Miller.”

  “Would you make a list of the kids who were at the party?”

  Lily shook her head. “I’ve already said too much.” When she stood this time, she hurried to the door. “I have to get back to class.”

  The only other names Jessie had were Connor Taylor and Liam McDonel. Liam was the quarterback on the football team. Why was he jeopardizing a promising college career for a night of “fun”? She could imagine what Coach Mathis would say if he knew one of his best football players was taking drugs—not to mention Connor who was on the team, too.

  She’d heard about a pill party every once and a while on the news. Not knowing the drug you were taking and mixing more than one as Lily said was stupid and deadly. Had Heather attended another party like that and this time her luck had run out?

  Emma came into her office. “I saw Lily rushing out of here. What in the world did you two talk about? She was on the verge of crying.”

  “She gave me some information that might help us. Thank you, Emma, for doing this. I need to get to work.” Jessie left as fast as she could. She didn’t want to jeopardize Emma by telling her anything.

  As she walked out of the high school, she glanced over at the stadium. Maybe Josh should approach Coach Mathis about what they discovered. As she slid into the front seat, she glimpsed the parking lot by the football facilities. The police car was still there. What if Scott found out something, and he sent the police to see the coach about his players?

  As Robert started the vehicle, Jessie twisted around and asked Kira, “Did Scott call about any developments?”

  “No. Did you discover anything from the student?”

  “She was at a pill party with Heather right before she went to the ER.”

  “Othe
r communities are having an issue with them.”

  “I think Pinecrest is, too. I doubt it was the only one.”

  “Then I should be hearing more about it. I was preoccupied last fall and winter, but I should have heard a rumbling at the very least.”

  “Not if someone at the police department was involved in the drug ring and covering things up.”

  As Robert drove out of the parking lot, they passed the police car near the athletic facilities. Jessie turned and glanced back at the vehicle. “Stop.”

  Robert braked. “What’s wrong?”

  “Just a minute.” Jessie climbed from the car and strode a few yards, staring at the police vehicle. The numbers 10025 were written on the side near the back. She hurried back to the sedan, sat, and said, “Find a place to park nearby but not easily seen by a person leaving the athletic building by the stadium.”

  While Robert maneuvered the car into a parking spot a couple of rows away, Kira asked, “What have you seen?”

  Jessie told Kira about finding a piece of paper in Mary Lou’s leather jacket pocket. “When I couldn’t figure out what the numbers meant, I decided it was probably nothing. I don’t know if it has anything to do with Mary Lou’s murder or the drug ring, but I’m curious about who drives it.” With Connor Taylor involved in pill parties and drugs, could his brother be the driver of patrol car 10025?

  “You’re going to be late for your job, Jessie. I can find out the name of the officers who drive that car and let you know.”

  “Officers?”

  “There are at least two, sometimes three, assigned to one car.”

  “Then, Ms. Michaels, I’m going to suggest we leave.”

  “Robert, okay, let’s go.” But she would love to know which officer was visiting inside the facilities. Patience. They were getting closer. She could feel it.

  “Drop me off at the police station.” Kira picked up her purse. “I’ll find out the names and call you.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Robert escorted Jessie into the community center. He took up his place in a chair in the hallway outside her office as he did the night before. She didn’t want it to be so obvious he was guarding her, but he needed to be nearby. Jessie put her purse in her desk and locked the drawer.

  Quinn came into the room and put a file on her desk. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine. I’ll be glad when the police find the person who sabotaged my truck. I hate being without a vehicle to drive. I’m not used to being chauffeured around.”

  “I have the figures for the security equipment for the grant proposal. I’d like to send it off as soon as possible.”

  “I’ll finish it today.”

  As Quinn exited, her cell phone sounded. She waited until he left to answer the call. “What did you find out, Kira?”

  “Car 10025 is assigned to Officers Derek Taylor and Sam Forester.”

  “Okay. Thanks. We’ll talk tonight.” Her cell phone beeped. “I’ve got another call. Bye.” She switched over to Josh. “Are you at Aaron’s yet?”

  “Almost. Did you talk with Lily?”

  Jessie recounted her talk with the teenage girl then the news about police car 10025. “It makes sense that a police officer could be part of the drug ring.”

  “Maybe. We don’t know for sure what the significance of 10025 is, but we’ll figure it out. I’d better go. I think this is the cabin.”

  “Be careful.”

  “You, too.”

  As the line went dead, her stomach rumbled. What if Josh was walking into a trap? No. he’d be all right. A bodyguard was with him, and Nat would protect him.

  * * *

  Josh slowed before he reached the cabin, pulled off the road by overgrown bushes, stopped, and then looked at his bodyguard. “I need you to stay here in the brush. I left a message for Aaron to leave the cabin and hide until I came. Hopefully, he got it. I need to go to the place alone. I don’t want to spook him. He’s really scared. When Aaron and I go inside, then you can join us.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either, but Aaron’s the key to this case. I want these people arrested.”

  “Do you know how to shoot a handgun?”

  “Yes.”

  Nat removed the gun from his ankle holster and thrust it into Josh’s hand. “Take my backup.” Then he slipped out of the passenger seat into the evergreen cover.

  As Josh drove slowly toward the cabin, he scanned the surroundings for any sign of Aaron or anyone else. The place looked deserted. Maybe he had the wrong one. He parked in front and climbed from his car.

  Where was Aaron?

  The front door opened.

  Josh stuck his hand into the pocket with Nat’s gun.

  Aaron appeared in the entrance, his features carved in fear.

  “You didn’t get my message about hiding in the woods.”

  “I…I…”

  A burly man, with a gun pointed at Aaron, stepped into view in the cabin.

  Tears ran down Aaron’s face. “Before I could hide, they came with my mom. I couldn’t do anything.”

  They? Who else was in the cabin? Josh searched the dimness and glimpsed in the shadows another man sitting on a couch while Mrs. Coleman was gagged and tied up on an area rug near the guy’s feet.

  Burly Man came up behind Aaron, his weapon pointed at the teen’s head. “Come inside, or I’ll shoot him.”

  Josh approached slowly, trying to figure out what to do. He’d paid good money for self-defense lessons. Before Nat could act, he, Aaron, and Mrs. Coleman could be killed. As Josh crossed the threshold, he stumbled, falling into the boy and throwing the assailant off balance. As they all went down, Josh clutched the handgun in his pocket and slid it out at the same time his shoulder hit the hardwood floor.

  “Run, Aaron.”

  The kid scrambled for the door. Burly Man grasped his ankle as Josh brought the butt of his gun down hard on the assailant’s head. The guy collapsed. Josh clambered for cover, using Burly Man as a barrier between him and the one on the couch.

  “I’ll shoot her if you don’t drop your gun,” Derek Taylor said as he rose and his face came into the light.

  Josh remembered him from two crime scenes—Aaron’s and Heather’s, although at that time he hadn’t known that Heather had been on the floor, dead. Had Taylor been the one who’d fled the house? It would have been easy for him to answer the call.

  “If you shoot her, I’ll kill you. Let me tell you about my skills with a gun. In college, I was number one on my shooting team. I’ve won numerous competitions.” Josh wanted to give Nat time to get to the cabin. “I hate to brag, but I’m very good. I was recruited for the US Olympic team, but my father died, and I had to take over the business. But I have a shooting range at the estate, and I keep up my skills. Never know when I’ll need them. Just thought I’d warn you. You have a right to know who you’re up against.”

  Doubt flickered into the Pinecrest cop’s expression. He lifted his weapon and pointed it at Josh. “Then I’ll start with you.”

  Josh felt Burly Man move next to him. This needed to end before he regained consciousness. Josh rose, his gun aimed at Taylor’s chest. Josh practiced the breathing he used in competition to slow his fast beating heart. “Then I guess we’ll have an old-fashioned duel, because I’m not letting you get away.”

  Taylor blinked. He hadn’t expected Josh to stand up to him, but another thing Josh was very good at was negotiating. The cop’s gun wavered. He brought his other hand up to give him support.

  The waiting began.

  * * *

  Somehow Jessie managed to finish the grant application for the community center while thoughts of Josh kept creeping into her mind. Had he found Aaron and his mother? Were they okay? Was Josh? Restlessness attacked her nerves. She needed fresh air. All she required before she could mail the grant application was Quinn’s signature. A trip to the post office would give her a chance to leave for a while.

  She went to Qu
inn’s office, but it was empty.

  Glancing back at Robert, she asked, “Did you see where he went?”

  “Gym.”

  Jessie headed for it. The post office was only two blocks away. Instead of Robert driving her, she would walk.

  When she entered the gym, a group of boys were shooting baskets at the far end. From one room, she heard Emma talking to her class. She stuck her head into the room next to Emma’s. No one. She moved to the last one with the weight training equipment.

  Captain Doyle had Connor Taylor up against the wall. Had the police captain gotten a break in the case? Was he arresting the teen?

  She started to back out of the doorway and let him do his job. As she took a step, Doyle spun around and glared at her, still holding a fistful of Connor’s shirt.

  “What do you want?”

  “Quinn. I thought he might be in here. Is there a problem?”

  “I’m questioning him about a party he attended.”

  Had Kira told the captain what Lily had confessed to Jessie? Everything was suddenly moving too fast and falling apart.

  When her cell phone rang, she noticed it was Kira. “I need to take this.” Without waiting for the police captain to say anything, she whirled around and hastened out of the weight training room, answering the call as she did.

  “Coach Mathis was found dead in his office. There was a suicide note.”

  “Suicide? Why did he kill himself?”

  “He’s the leader of the drug ring. He heard Aaron was found. He said it was only a matter of time before he would be discovered as the head. We’re rounding up the football team to question them.”

  Jessie glanced back at the weight training room. So that was why the captain was here. Relief flooded her. It would be over soon. She hurried across the gym. “Good. I’ll let Josh know. It’ll be nice not to have a bodyguard. Bye.”

  In the corridor, she punched in Josh’s number. It went to voicemail. “Josh, the head of the drug ring was Coach Mathis. He committed suicide and left a note. It’ll be all right now for Aaron and his mother to come back to Pinecrest. See you soon.”

  After disconnecting, she made her way to her office, stopping to check if Quinn was back yet. He wasn’t.