Page 31 of Alistair

“Come on up.”

“How nice of you,” smiled Garr. The large elevator accommodated the group, although there was very little breathing room. The team made sure the two bodyguards were in the center of the elevator, surrounded by them.

As the doors opened into the apartment, they could hear the voice of the young woman.

“Did you get rid of them?” she called.

“No. They didn’t get rid of us,” said Alistair, walking into the living room.

Dove was seated with her friend, both wearing a designer tracksuit and more gold than any person should possess. They stood, wobbling on their feet, staring at the men.

“Hey, we met you,” said Dove.

“That’s right. You met us the night you left your friend to die. Helluva friend you are,” said Garr.

“We were scared. That’s all. We didn’t kill her. You heard the news. It was a drug overdose.”

“It was an overdose of drugs that you’re using as well,” said Sor, walking toward the bottles lined up on the table. The bodyguards rolled their eyes at the girls for their stupidity. “You’re taking a drug that stops your appetite but also contains an addictive opioid. That’s why you want it more and more and why you’re fading away to nothing.”

“I’m exactly the right size,” she said with a superior tone.

“No, you’re not,” said Rett. “You’re pathetically thin and dying from lack of proper nutrition. I’m going to guess that you’re both wearing wigs because your hair didn’t look that way when they saw you last. Your nails are brittle. Your skin is yellow and dry. You’re not okay.”

“What do you want? Money?”

“Nope. Don’t need your money or anyone else’s,” said Alistair.

“You want to fuck us?” asked the other girl.

“Not in this lifetime,” growled Sor. “Besides, you got yours last night in West Virginia, didn’t you?” Both girls stared at them, shaking their heads.

“I knew that asshole would say something,” said Dove.

“Who is he?” asked Alistair.

“He’s just some drug dealer I met a few months back when I was in L.A. He said he knew a producer who could help me, but I would need to lose at least forty pounds. He actually called me obese. I weighed one-forty-one.”

“And now?” asked East.

“I’m about ninety-eight.”

“Eighty-nine,” frowned the bodyguard. She glared at him, and he just shrugged. “Sorry, Dove. I’ve tried to tell you that this shit is killing you. You’re unhealthy now, and when you step out on that stage looking like that, other young girls are going to think that it’s okay to be dying, just to be thin.”

“I’m not dying,” she whispered.

“Yes, you are,” said Matt. “You’re dying every time you take one of those pills. It ensures that you don’t have a desire to eat and that you’ll take another one when you crave it. They’ve created these drugs to make sure they are successful for weight loss but also addictive. You’re going to die.”

She slowly sat down on the sofa, folding her hands over her knees.

“All I’ve ever wanted to be is a successful singer, a famous pop star. Since I was eleven years old,” she said. “Social media allowed me to put my music out there, but I could hide behind the microphone and not show the world what I looked like.”

“I’ve seen your pictures from before all this,” said Matt. “You were a nice-looking girl. Beautiful figure, beautiful face, and a voice to match. Don’t let them do this to you.”

“I can’t help it. We can’t help it. We’re addicted to this. I want another pill now, and I just took one.”

“We know someone who can help,” said Gator. “Pack a bag and let us get you to them.”

“I can’t. Not now. I’m supposed to be on the stage in Central Park tomorrow night. People will lose their money. I just have to get through this.”

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