Karma (29 page)

Sam must’ve known it too.

Suddenly his friend pulled him out of the way. “I called in for backup. You’re off duty. Go with her.”

Dare managed a nod, watching in horror as the paramedics slipped an oxygen mask over Tess’s nose and mouth and talked to each other, words Dare had heard before but couldn’t manage to process.

“Let’s get her into the bus and run an IV.” Dare recognized Christopher’s voice. “The more we hydrate her, the better off she’ll be.”

They shifted her small body onto a stretcher and began to move.

“Dare,” Sam said before he could follow. “I just spoke to Michelle. Tess wasn’t drinking to get drunk. She was just nursing a beer to look like she was going along. She went to the bathroom and came back, picked up her drink, and a little while later, she passed out. Sounds like maybe someone slipped something into her drink. Got it?”

Dare nodded. He knew what to tell the doctors. “Thanks.”

“Alexa is on call. She’ll meet you at the hospital. Now go!” Sam slapped him on the back.

Next thing Dare knew, he’d taken an endless ambulance ride to the ER, where Tess was taken away. Dare paced the corridor and waited for the rest of the family to arrive.

Over an hour had passed since Liza arrived with Nash, joining the rest of the Barrons while they waited for news. Cara arrived a short time later. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, she was obviously off duty and had come for moral support. She spoke to each of the brothers, then settled into chairs in a corner to wait along with the rest of them. Occasionally
she stepped into the hall to call Sam and check in, but she had no solid news either.

Meanwhile, Nash and Kelly huddled together, Ethan’s arm around his wife as they comforted each other. Nash held Kelly’s hand at the other end of the couch while Dare sat on a chair staring straight ahead. Liza had a seat beside him. He knew she was there, had lifted his gaze to meet hers, but he wasn’t speaking. Not touching her, holding her, or turning to her for comfort.

Though this vigil was for Tess, and Liza was sick with worry for the teen, standing among this tight-knit family, Liza felt very much alone.

She propped her shoulder against the wall and waited, watching the clock on the wall instead of Dare. She’d tried to get through to him, to put her hand on his shoulder and call his attention, but it was as if he weren’t here.

Finally, Alexa stepped into the room and everyone came alive, surrounding her and asking questions.

Dressed in hospital green, she held up a hand. “Here’s what I know. Tess will be okay. That’s the most important thing.”

Liza released the breath she’d been holding.

“Will be?” Ethan asked.

Faith placed a hand on his shoulder.

Alexa nodded. “She’s okay now, just weak. The labs and urine showed she wasn’t legally drunk, which is probably what saved her. We suspect she was drugged with Rohypnol—”

“The date rape drug?” Dare asked, stunned, his brown eyes large and so dark they were almost black.

Liza discreetly slid her hand into his for support. To her relief, he didn’t push her away, merely curled his fingers around hers and held on tight.

Alexa shot him a sympathetic glance. “I need you to stay calm and let me finish. Yes, based on her symptoms, we think she was slipped the date rape drug. The turnaround on the test takes time. But she wasn’t raped.”

“Oh, thank God,” Kelly said, and Nash wrapped an arm around her waist before she could collapse.

Dare squeezed her hand so hard Liza nearly lost the circulation in her fingers, but she didn’t care. Dare was leaning on her and that’s all that mattered.

Alexa spoke with the clinical detachment required of a doctor, but her eyes were kind. “If Tess had been drunk when she’d been slipped the drug, it would have hit her system harder. Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine. In other words, it’s a central nervous system depressant like Valium, only ten times more potent. Overused or mixed with alcohol, it can also suppress the respiratory system. Since Tess had had some of the drink, her breathing became shallow and she probably fainted.”

“How do you know…I mean, are you sure she wasn’t raped?” Faith asked in a shaking voice.

“We did an exam while she was still out of it and ran tests,” the doctor explained. “There’s no evidence of sexual intercourse. And from what the police on the scene discovered by talking to the few kids who stuck around, Tess’s friend never left her side.”

“Good girl, Michelle,” Kelly whispered.

“Is she awake?” Dare asked, clearly needing to see her.

Alexa shook her head. “She’s in and out. We didn’t have to pump her stomach because the paramedics were smart enough to hook her up to an IV before they brought her in. Flushing her system saved her from that. When she comes to, she’s going to feel awful, hung over with a headache, among other things, thanks to the effects of the drug. She may or may not remember much either. But she’s alive and that’s what matters.” She smiled at them. “I’ll let you know when you can see her, okay?”

“Thanks,” Dare said, his gaze meeting hers.

“I’d say it’s my job, but in this case it’s much more. I’ll get you in soon,” she promised, before heading back inside.

Nash pulled Kelly into a hug. Ethan did the same with Faith. Which left Dare staring at Liza.

“Good news,” she said softly. “As good as you could hope for given the circumstances.”

He nodded.

“Thanks for being here,” he said gruffly.

“You’d do the same for me.” She shook her head. “What am I talking about? You already have.” There wasn’t anywhere she’d rather be, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Excuse me.”

They turned toward the door where Alexa stood. “You can see her now. Family only. Two at a time and for just a few minutes. She needs rest.”

“I want to sleep in her room,” Kelly said.

Alexa nodded. “She’s still in the ER, but once they get her settled, if she’s in a private room, we can arrange that.”

“I’ll take care of the room,” Ethan said.

“Okay, then. Who’s first?” Alexa asked.

“Since I’m staying over, Nash and I can go last,” Kelly said.

“And I want to make sure that if a private room’s available, Tess gets it, so Faith and I will handle that now.” Ethan inclined his head at Dare. “You go on in first.”

Liza marveled at how this family, who’d been estranged not one short year ago, pulled together for one teenage girl. The lump that had been in her throat since Nash took the call grew larger. “I hope Tess knows how lucky she is to have all of you,” Liza said, her voice catching.

“If she doesn’t, I’ll make sure she does.” Nash slipped his hand into Kelly’s.

Ethan walked up to Dare and met his gaze. “You were right about her not going to the party. We should have listened.”

“You weren’t all wrong about trusting her, either. She didn’t do anything wrong. She was a victim here.”

Liza studied Dare’s strong profile, amazed at his generosity given the circumstances. Amazed at Ethan’s ability to admit he was wrong too. These Barron men were strong and complex. She never knew what one of them would do or say next, but she admired them as much as she envied this family’s closeness. She didn’t know what it was like to be a part of such a strong unit, but with everything in her, Liza was grateful Tess did.

The brothers clapped each other on the shoulder and Ethan turned, leaving with Faith to go over to the administration offices and arrange payment for Tess’s room.

Dare started toward the door leading inside the ER and paused. “Are you coming?” he asked Liza.

“Alexa said family only.” And Liza wasn’t family.

Dare stared at her for a few seconds. Liza held her breath, wondering what he was thinking, knowing she’d go with him if he asked.

He didn’t.

She wasn’t surprised, but she was oddly deflated as she settled into a seat to wait for his return. Nobody bothered her as she stared at the bare walls, twisting her hands together, sick to her stomach. Her thoughts ran the gamut from gratitude that Tess would be okay to the reality of owing some loan shark fifty thousand dollars, to her missing brother who’d caused it all.

“How’s the wrist?” Nash asked, surprising her by walking over and joining her.

Liza turned her hand over and glanced down. “It’s sore and it’s bruising. But I’ll be fine. I appreciate the concern, but you should focus on Tess.”

Nash placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The sweet gesture took her by surprise and she laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

She glanced up at him.

The lighter brother in coloring, he didn’t resemble Dare or Ethan, but he was definitely good-looking. He just wasn’t
Dare. “I was thinking before that you Barron brothers constantly take me by surprise. Then you walk over here, concerned about
me
when your sister’s lying in a hospital bed.”

Nash lowered himself into the seat beside her. “Just because Tess had a rough night doesn’t mean you didn’t. It also doesn’t mean you don’t matter.”

Liza shook her head hard. She didn’t want to break down and sob because his caring voice was crowding her, the events of the day overwhelming her.

“I’m fine,” she said, knowing he was just being nice. Decent to her because she’d had a scare too.

“You need to tell Dare what happened today,” Nash said, staring into her eyes, as if he could see straight through to her innermost thoughts.

The Barron siblings had that in common too, the ability to make a person spill their soul. She blinked, not wanting him to know how hard her heart beat for his brother.

She swallowed hard. “I will. When he’s not so upset about Tess.”

“That’s not going to happen anytime soon. We’re all upset about Tess. But like I said, that doesn’t make what’s happening with you less important.”

He was wrong, but it was nice of him to try and convince her otherwise. “Don’t you have a wife who needs you?” she asked lightly, hoping to distract him.

“She’s the one who sent me over to check on you.” Nash smiled at that.

“She’s special,” Liza said of Kelly. She rubbed her hands against her slacks. She was feeling edgy and uncomfortable and just wanted this long, awful day to be over.

“I happen to agree.” Nash paused. “I also think you should have gone in with Dare. He would have liked the support.”

“Then he should have asked.” Instead of letting her get away with the “I’m not family” excuse. Liza bit the inside of her cheek, knowing she should have kept the words inside but unable to hold them back.

“Yeah, well, we Barron brothers don’t fall easily, but when we do, we fall hard. Cut him some slack. He’ll come around.” Nash rose to his feet.

Liza smiled. “Thanks, Nash.”

“Anytime.” He winked and walked away.

Drained, Liza laid her head back and shut her eyes, closing out the fluorescent lights and ugly beige walls and the pain surrounding her.

Dare walked down the hall to Tess’s cubicle, his heart in his throat. He passed rows of closed curtains, whispering families, and beeping machines. As a cop he’d been here before, had brought victims in, dealt with the doctors. Having family here was different.

Tess being here was different.

He came to the last closed curtain and knew it had to be hers. A nurse was just stepping out as he reached for the drape.

“Is this Tess Moss?” he asked.

The kind-looking older woman nodded. “She’s sleeping.”

“I’m her brother. I won’t wake her. I just need to see she’s okay.”

The nurse nodded. “Go on in.”

Dare stepped inside. Tess lay propped up, her light brown hair spread over the white pillow. The makeup she’d probably painstakingly applied ran down her face, giving her black-looking eyes, her face streaked from tears.

She wouldn’t be a happy camper when she woke up and took a long look. But at least she’d wake up.

He didn’t know how he’d come to love this kid so much in such a short time, but she was as much a part of him as his brothers. He felt as responsible for her as he did for his siblings and even their wives. Even Ethan, as much as Dare wouldn’t have believed that a year ago.

He pulled up a chair and eased over to the edge of the bed, taking her hand. She didn’t stir.

“Hey, squirt.” He knew she was sleeping, but he needed to talk to her, and he kept his voice low. “What were you doing drinking beer? Even nursing one?” he asked, not expecting an answer. “You’re too good for parties like that. And heaven knows you don’t need to be anything like Ethan or me at your age.”

Dare’s throat felt dry and raw. “I know you heard a lot about what happened when I was younger. How I was there when Stuart Rossman died and didn’t call the police. How I ran away instead.” His head pounded with the memory.

Eyes closed, he leaned his head against their joined hands. “Tonight, when we got the call to respond to the house, I knew you were there. And when I saw you on that bed”—pain and nausea swept through him—“suddenly I was back there again…” Seeing Rossman on the floor, the guy lying in his own blood, an eerie parallel to Tess unconscious on a stranger’s mattress. Helplessness had flooded him again, along with stark fear.

He kissed the top of her hand. It still chilled him, knowing how close she’d come to dying. “I didn’t help Rossman and I was paralyzed thinking I was too late to help you.” Even though the paramedics ran in and took over, in Dare’s mind, all he’d heard was Brian McKnight yelling at everyone to clean up the evidence or get the hell out.

Brian, who’d punched another drunk kid and watched him fall down, then went into self-protection mode instead of calling 911. And Dare hadn’t been any better.

“Just be okay,” he whispered to his sister, damn near close to shattered and completely numb.

“Hey.” Faith placed a hand on his shoulder.

Dare glanced up into his sister-in-law’s worried gaze. “Here, sit down.”

Faith shook her head. “No, I don’t want to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know that Ethan was able to get her a private room, so she won’t be alone tonight. Kelly can stay with her.”

Dare exhaled hard. “That’s good.” He rose to his feet. “You should sit with her for a while. I need some air.”