Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(188)

“I don’t know, she’s out, she’s in my car and she’s out, Dad. Passed out. I’ve been drivin’ around, tryin’ to get her to wake up, talk to me. I can’t take her back to Mr. and Mrs. Callahan like this. They’ll freak. But it’s way passed her curfew and they’re gonna freak anyway. I don’t know what to do.”

“Break it down for me, Bud,” Layne demanded, his phone between ear and shoulder, he tugged up his jeans, the light came on, Rocky was out of bed.

“We went to a party. Dad… shit, okay… shit,” Jas hissed and stopped speaking.

“Jasper, listen to me, boy, you need to give me information right now. Do not worry about getting in trouble. Focus.”

There was a pause then, “Okay, well, there was beer and we had some.”

Layne pulled a tee out of his bag and yanked it on, keeping his phone to his ear as best he could as Rocky disappeared into the walk-in closet.

“Right,” he prompted when Jasper said no more.

“It wasn’t that much, Dad, swear. Swear. I had one or two because I was drivin’. Keira didn’t have much more. I swear, Dad. No way she should be passed out, not like this.”

“Keep talking,” Layne had grabbed his boots and Rocky was out of the closet wearing unzipped jeans and carrying a sweater.

“She was fine one second, not drunk or anything, and then the next she started stumbling around, acting funny, totally out of it. It didn’t take long, minutes, just minutes, Dad, and she passed out. I carried her to the car and started drivin’ around. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Has she been sick?”

“No, no way. She wasn’t that drunk.”

“She breathin’ okay?”

“Yeah, totally fine. Sometimes she mumbles, moves around. She’s just passed out.”

“How long ago was this?”

“We were gettin’ ready to leave. Her curfew is midnight. So, an hour and a half at most.”

Layne was sitting on the bed, his socks on, he was pulling on his boots.

“She ever out of your sight?” he asked.

“What?”

“Keira, at the party, was she ever out of your sight?”

“Yes,” Jasper answered. “Once. She went to the bathroom right before she started acting funny.”

“The beer, was it bottles, cans, keg?”

“Keg,” Jasper replied.

“You get her beers or did someone else?”

“Uh… me, mostly, I think. I don’t know.”

“It’s important, Bud, did anyone give her a drink?”

Jasper was silent. Then he bit out, “Shit!”

“Someone got her a drink?” Layne pushed.

“No, I don’t know, maybe. Some people were doin’ shots, Dad, but Keirry and me weren’t, at least she wasn’t when she was with me. But now I get it, she’s not passed out, someone gave her a drink and they slipped her something.”

“That’s what I’m thinkin’,” Layne said, he was up and moving toward the door, Rocky right with him. “Where are you?”

“In the parking lot of Shanghai Salon, in the back.”

“Roc and me’ll be there in ten. Hang tight and do not leave her.”

“Gotcha,” Jasper muttered and disconnected.

Layne flipped his phone shut as he moved down the stairs.

“Keira’s been slipped something?” Rocky asked his back.

He made it to the bottom and went to his coat on the armchair, nabbing it, he shrugged it on.

“Yeah, they were at a party, drinkin’ beer,” Layne answered as he turned to see she was at the bar, grabbing the coat she’d thrown on a stool in front of it. “He says she’s totally out.”

Rocky’s eyes came to him, she was pulling on her coat. “Vi and Cal are gonna freak,” she noted softly.

Vi and Cal had been through enough. They were gonna freak, absolutely.

Layne walked to the bar and tagged his keys. “On your phone, sweetcheeks, they’re probably worried. Tell them Keira’s safe, she was slipped something at a party, Jasper’s been takin’ care of her and we’ll get her home within half an hour.”

Rocky nodded, grabbed her purse and dug for her cell as they walked out, Layne locked up and they both hoofed it to the Suburban.

Rocky called Vi and Cal in the car and, listening to her, he knew she got Cal and further he knew she got an unhappy Cal. Layne drove to Shanghai Salon then around it, finding the Charger parked in the dimly lit back. He parked close and got out as Jasper and Rocky got out, Rocky going directly to the passenger seat of the Charger, Layne leaving her to it and going to his boy.

“We’re gonna take her home,” Layne said to his son without preamble. “You’re drivin’ Keira, I got your back. You own up to the beer and take what Cal dishes out.” Jasper nodded and Layne asked, “You know who would do this to her?” Jasper shook his head. “You know anyone who does this shit?” Jasper shook his head again. “Anyone at the party actin’ funny, watchful?”

“Nope,” Jasper replied then went on honestly. “But I wouldn’t really know, Dad. We were havin’ fun. I wasn’t payin’ much attention.”