“… and you weren’t alone,” she says. “That was when I realized you both were guilty, snooping around.”
“You framed Keith?”
“It was the police. Thankfully, they found evidence of his crimes. I bet it makes you feel better to know he’s locked up, and your son is safe. I simply wouldn’t be able to sleep if I thought my son was in danger.”
I set my empty lemonade glass on the table as a wave of dizziness surges through me.
I didn’t drink the tea, yet she did something. Blinking, I look over at Serena’s blurry figure. “Shit, whatdid youdo?” My speech is jumbled.
“GHB doesn’t have to be ingested. It can be absorbed through the skin.” She tilts her head. “There was some in your lemonade, too. I had to be sure it would affect you.”
I look down at my hand, the one that had been holding Serena’s glass. “Youbitch. Youdrugged mee.”
Her words are garbled as if they’re coming from an old staticky radio. “I want you to know you were right about most of your research. It’s a good way to die, knowing you were right.”
Die.
After all of this, I’m going to die.
I can’t let that happen.
Her voice is singsong. “What are your last thoughts?”
Ellis.
Ellis is my thought.
If I die, who will save him?
I can’t let her get away with this.
The police.
I need to open the door.
As I begin to stand, the balcony wobbles, and I reach out for the railing. Missing my target, I fall to my knees. “Don’t hurtellis.”
Chapter
Forty-Five
“Jill. Jill, are you waking?” Liam’s voice brings me to consciousness.
Gasping for breath with my heart racing, I peer around the room, my gaze landing on my friend. Concern shows in his eyes. “Where am I?” It’s not a private room, but a small space like you see in an emergency room.
“UCLA Medical Center. An ambulance brought you.”
Serena.
I sit up, inspecting my body. “Did she hurt me?”
Liam shakes his head. “Drugged you, but nothing else. The police arrived before I did. They got there in time, Jill. Your clue was perfect. Good enough for one of our shows.”
Our shows.
I’m tired of real-life research. Exhaling, I lay back against the pillow. “Where is she?” I ask. “Please tell me she was caught.”
“The police have her in custody.”
