Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(82)

Andi shifted her gaze back to her eyes. They stared back, dull, unblinking. What had she become?

A junkie.

She blinked, and the reflection blinked.

No. She couldn’t be. Other people became addicted. Not her. She was only taking what the doctor prescribed. Andi read the label on the empty bottle. One to two tablets every six hours as needed for pain. She did the math in her head. Eight tablets maximum.

She was pretty sure she hadn’t taken more than that and turned on the hot water tap, then groped for her hairbrush on the counter, dropping it. Her hands shook as she picked it up and then brushed through her hair.

When the water warmed, she wet a cloth and bathed her face before brushing her teeth. Making herself presentable would make her okay again. Except the quivering inside her begged for a pink tablet.

Andi stumbled to her bed and reached for the ibuprofen bottle in her purse. Just one. To get her through the day. Then no more. Wait, those were gone. She searched for the prescription bottle she’d switched to.

She shook the bottle, and two pills spilled out, scattering on the floor. Her cell phone dinged as she dropped to her hands and knees and corralled the pills. There had to be more than two. The phone dinged again.

Something’s happened to Dad. She snatched the phone, and after she read the text, she sagged against the bed. Only her mom texting she’d found Jillian’s address. Where in the world was Doskie, Tennessee?

Andi examined the two pills in her hand. How many had she taken yesterday? She’d have to think back to how many pills she’d started with, and her brain couldn’t do the math.

Treece’s warning about addiction flashed in her mind, and she brushed it aside. She was not addicted. She thought back over the last three months. In the beginning, she’d only taken two a day. So how had she gotten to this point—taking who knew how many a day? And what was she going to do about it?

She wasn’t even sure she knew where to start. Or if she could. She needed help. Her phone rang, and she looked at the ID. “Morning, Mom,” she croaked.

“You sound terrible. What’s wrong?”

“Didn’t get a lot of sleep.”

“I’m sorry, honey. Did you get my text with Jillian’s latest address? I can’t believe how that girl moves around.”

“I got it. How’s Dad?”

“Doing great. I’m here at the hospital with him. But . . .” Hesitation crept into her mother’s voice. “They want to run a few tests before they send him home.”

“What kind of tests?” Cold chills ran over Andi’s body, and she didn’t know if it was from her mother’s words or the pills her body craved.

“His heart rhythm is a little out of whack.”

“Mom, that’s not a medical term. What did the doctor call it?”

“A-something. I can’t remember the exact name.”

“Atrial fibrillation?”

“I think that’s what he said.”

Andi wiped sweat from her forehead. She needed to check on her dad. She searched her closet for something to change into. “I’ll be there as soon as I can get dressed.”

“There’s no need to come this morning. It’s nothing serious. Go see Jillian like you planned. Or stay at home and get some rest. You looked terrible last night. I’m worried about you. You’re much too skinny.”

“After I get through working on this story, I’ll let you fatten me up,” she said. So much to do today . . . But she couldn’t go anywhere until she showered.

Andi shuffled into the bathroom and pulled back the shower curtain to run the water. And froze. Blood drained from her face, leaving it as cold as the message on the white tile in her shower.

Last warning. Give me what I want.

“I’ll call you back, Mom.” Black dots swam before Andi’s eyes. She grabbed for the shower curtain as her knees buckled.

She came to on the cold tile floor, unsure of how long she’d been out. Will. She needed Will. With shaking hands, she dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.

“I’m sorry I didn’t answer last night.”

“I . . .” She swallowed. She hadn’t thought this through. If she told him about the message, she’d have to tell him about leaving her apartment last night . . . and that she’d been stoned. “Uh . . . Dad wants to see you.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“He wants to apologize.” She’d never been so thirsty in her life. Andi rose to her knees, then stood. Nothing seemed to be broken, and the dizziness had passed. Don’t look at the message.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just tired and worried. Go see him. Please.”

“Maybe later. Someone broke in to the studio last night,” he said.

“What?” Even though Andi heard what he said the first time, she couldn’t process it. She believed she’d die if she didn’t get a cold glass of water.

“I wanted to go over the studio again before I went to Nashville, so I went by there, and someone had broken the lock. Brad is waiting for the crime scene unit now. Are you and Maggie still going to see Jillian?”

She rounded the corner to the living room and gasped.

“What’s wrong?”