Page 112 of False Evidence

Russ was seized from the other man’s grasp by a uniformed police officer, who then cuffed and searched him.

Brent had stopped on his way to the bar and stood staring, open-mouthed. Kendall raced to his side. She wanted to approach Alex, but she was being questioned by police.

Suddenly, Alex let out a screech and said, “You put fuckinggamma-Hydroxybutyric acid in mydrink? So you could drag me to your hotel room andRAPE ME?”

And then her best friend kneed Russ Spaulding in the crotch.

She turned to Brent. “He drugged her drink? So he could rape her?”

“What? No. That’s insane. Talon must be setting him up. He hates Russ because Drake promoted him. The minute Drake left the party, Talon set him up.”

She glanced around, searching for the older engineer, but Brent was right, Edward Drake wasn’t here.

Regardless of what Brent believed, her best friend needed her. She ran to Alex, who glared at Brent. “Did you know about this?”

“No! Of course not!”

She faced Kendall. “You spent two weeks hounding me to be his date.”

“I had no idea! I swear.”

Did she believe her? But how could she think Kendall would have any part in this?

Alex’s attention returned to Brent. “You’re not welcome in our apartment ever again.”

Kendall was going to be sick. “No!” The word burst from her.

“It’s him or me, Kendall.”

Alex gave a few more instructions, then turned away.

With no other choice, Kendall left the party with Brent, the man she was in love with, who Alex had just banned from their apartment.

ChapterForty-Three

Kendall paced the living room, waiting for Alex to leave. She needed to call Brent, but she didn’t dare while Alex was home.

Police officers had beenhere.Alex had let them searchher room. Because Brent and Russ had been here when she wasn’t. Russ had assaulted Alex.

It was crazy. Impossible.

But that wasn’t the reason she was ready to lose her mind. What had her freaked out was when she checked the nightstand, the vial of X wasn’t there.

Worse, she’d looked it up online and learned that X—MDMA—was a pill, not a liquid. GHB—the drug Russ Spaulding had on him the night of the party—was usually available as a clear liquid. Just like the vial Brent gave her before the party.

Was it the same vial? How did Russ get it? Why did Brent get GHB not X? Both drugs could be dangerous, but GHB was more so. GHB was used as a date rape drug because when mixed with alcohol, it could cause blackouts, leaving sexual assault victims with no memories of their attacker. Also when mixed with alcohol, even small doses could be fatal.

Had Russ really brought GHB to the party with the intention of drugging Alex? Or had the drugs been planted on him as he and Brent claimed, a ploy to get him fired?

Brent feared very much Russ would be fired. If that happened, Kendall could kiss her dream of a job at Talon & Drake goodbye. But that was a selfish thought considering her best friend could have been raped.

Or killed.

If Alex had died, it would’ve been Kendall’s fault. She’d begged Alex to double date with them to the party.All because she’d wanted to impress Russ enough to get an internship and have a night alone with Brent.

She was the worst sort of best friend.

But she had a hard time believing Brent was involved.

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