Page 86 of A Whim and a Prayer

“I’m guessing he gave her more chloral hydrate at that point—”

Gabe punched her palm with her fist. “Oh, I’d like to get my hands on that no-good—"

Alex’s smile was sad. “You won’t have to, Gabe, because I’m pretty sure Mitch will want to handle that himself.”

“Along with the police,” Gabe said with a thrust of her chin.

Alex gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “No police, Gabe. Winnie doesn’t want it and frankly, without firm evidence, she doesn’t have a case to press charges. It would be her word against his.” Expelling a quiet sigh, he continued. “The dose she was given was apparently heavy enough to knock her out for a good long while, but not to damage her in any way, thank God. She says she remembers being chilled and Brayden getting into the bed with her to try and warm her up—”

Beck and Gabe grunted in unison, the contempt in their voices more than evident.

“—and then kissing her, but she says everything after that is a blank until just a while ago.”

“What did the doctor say?” Beck asked quietly, the sympathetic look in Alex’s eyes confirming what Beck really wanted to know—what they all wanted to know …

Alex gave a slow nod. “Dr. Randall examined her thoroughly of course”—he paused as he rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace, and Beck literally held his breath.

“—and although he didn’t find any evidence she’d been violated, he said it’s a difficult thing to know for sure, especially since Winnie doesn’t remember anything.”

The air siphoned from Beck’s lungs in one long painful exhale. His eyelids slowly shuttered closed, the thought of Winnie—and all of them, really—having to wait for nature to take its course not the scenario they’d wanted.

“How are her spirits?” Gabe asked quietly, all of her energy apparently drained from the solemnity of the situation.

“Not good, I’m afraid.” Alex glanced back at the double doors where they’d taken Winnie. “She’s pretty down, which is understandable, and really embarrassed, so all she wants to do is go home and sleep.”

Staring at the floor, Beck nodded. “I can sure understand that.” He glanced up. “When can she leave?”

Alex shrugged. “Anytime she wants, and she seems pretty eager to get home, so I think she wants to get out of here as soon as possible.”

“Good.” Beck snatched his keys from his pocket. “I’ll pull my car up to the door, so send her out whenever she’s ready.” He started to go and Alex stopped him with a touch to his arm.

“Sorry, Beck. Like I said, she’s really embarrassed, so she doesn’t want to see anyone right now except for Gabe and me and her parents.”

Beck blinked, his awareness colliding with his disappointment. He gave a quick nod. “Sure … sure, I guess that makes sense. I can always see her tomorrow.”

Alex cleared his throat, empathy lacing his tone. “Sorry, Beck, but she specifically requested that you stay away for a while.” He scratched the back of his neck, clearly awkward over the message he had to relay. “She’s mortified that you found her the way that you did and feels a deep sense of shame, with you in particular.”

“But that’s crazy!” He gouged the back of his head, frustration swarming like a horde of fire ants. “For crying out loud, I’m her best friend!”

Alex cuffed him on the shoulder. “I know, but you’re also the one who found her, Beck, the one who saw her at her worst, in the flesh, so to speak, both physically and emotionally, and she can’t handle the shame and guilt right now, you know?”

Beck gave a curt nod. “Yeah, sure.” His Adam’s apple ducked hard. “Well, tell her I love her, then, and that I’ll call her mom to check on her, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks, Alex, Gabe.” Head down, he started for the door.

“Beck.” Alex’s voice halted him halfway.

He turned, shoulders in a sag.

“She still needs you as her best friend, you know, and in far more powerful ways than a call or a visit. She needs your understanding and your patience, but especially your prayers right now—as many as she can get. Can you do that?”

Staring, Beck gave a dull nod. “Yeah, I can do that,” he said, “gladly.” Without another word, he headed out the door with a prayer on his lips and an ache in his heart because he couldn’t help but wonder.

But who would do that for him?

Chapter Fifty-Nine