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“If she doesn’t answer the door, we can’t enter without probable cause.”
Lex looked shocked. “We can’t get in there?”
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sp; “Not unless we have probable cause.”
Closing her eyes, Lex took a deep breath and reeled herself in. “Okay. Let’s see if I can get her to open up the door.” She looked around the parking lot, scanning the cars. “Donnie’s truck is still here, too.”
Great. There was still the unknown number that had me on edge.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Hey, Teagan, it’s Alexa. I wanted to see if we could talk now.”
She listened for any sound. We waited. But there was nothing.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Teagan, open up.”
Still, there was no answer. Again, Lex called out to Teagan. And again. But there was nothing.
Roy was about done. “I’ll keep an eye out for her, Alexa.”
She shook her head and muttered something under her breath. Roy turned to speak to Dad, and Lex narrowed her eyes at the door. I recognized the look of determination on her face. Silently, she turned the knob.
“Oh, look. The door opened.”
Roy spun around, his eyes flying open in surprise. “What?”
“I think I heard someone call my name to come in.”
A foul smell wafted out the open door. I took a step forward and extended my arm. “Roy, do you want to go in first?”
“Yes.” Walking inside, he called, “Teagan, this is Sheriff Bolton with the police department. Did you open the door?”
Roy knew damn well the door hadn’t been opened by someone on the inside, but I guess he had to cover all possibilities. After Roy entered, we followed him. There was an overpowering smell about the place. Trash was everywhere. A box with a half-eaten pizza with bugs crawling in it sat at our feet. How can anyone live like this?
Hollis stayed with us while Dad and Hayden followed Roy further into the apartment.
“I was here just twelve days ago. It’s like I’ve walked into another world,” Alexa said.
From the back of the apartment, Roy called out, “Dr. Fritz, Alexa, we need you in the left bedroom.”
Hollis hurried back with Lex following behind him. Lex slipped into professional mode, and suddenly she was all business. When we crossed over the threshold of the bedroom, I wasn’t prepared for what we’d find.
Donnie was lying on the bed in a pool of vomit. Teagan lay unmoving on the bed, her arm flung out to the side with a needle still in it.
Hollis immediately sprang into action. “Check his pulse.”
