Page 97 of Them Bones

Nick watched as all the blood drained out of Jerry’s face. He stood silently for over a minute, before putting his hand over the receiver and looking at Nick.

“Did Linette take any of that shit home with her?”

“I assume so,” Nick said, “she took enough to re-sell for a pretty penny, but if it were me I’d have held back my own personal supply…”

Jerry turned a sickly greenish colour and removed his hand from the phone, speaking into it urgently. “We’re leaving now. We’ll be there in forty minutes, give or take. And Dustin?” Jerry paused, looking panicked. “Call Cary.” Then he hung up.

“What’s going on?” Nick asked, feeling uneasy.

“Shane!” Jerry yelled, tearing around the room. “Where are my keys! Where are my keys…” Shane appeared in the doorway, a menacing look on his face as he glanced at Nick, but it gave way to confusion at Jerry’s frantic panic.

“What’s going on, Jerry?” Shane asked.

“I need my keys, RIGHT NOW!” he yelled. “Help me look!”

“Jerry,” Nick said, alarm creeping into his voice, “I hit a RIDE program on the way here, and you're bombed. You can’t drive. What the fuck is going on?”

“Laney,” Jerry choked out, coming to a halt in the middle of the room. “Laney…”

“What about Laney?” both Nick and Shane asked at the same time.

“She’s on her way to the hospital. They think she overdosed…” Jerry covered his face with his hands, breathing heavily.

Nick looked at Shane, hatred bubbling up in Nick's gut, but the guy looked like he was going to sink right through the floor and die.

Later,Nick thought.He and I can do this part later.

“I’ll drive,” Nick said, looking Shane in the eye.

Shane nodded once, and they all piled into his Sunfire, Jerry’s face still in his hands, his shoulders shaking like he might be crying, and Shane burning a hole in the glass, his eyes on fire.

Nick drove thirty kilometres over the limit the whole way to the hospital.

They didn’t hit a single RIDE program.

The Interview

DOI: 25 DECEMBER 1999

[TRANSCRIPT - CONT'D]

[Marr]

Okay, let’s circle back for a minute. Kim and Susan were in the hall?

[Ruta]

Yes.

[Marr]

Were you aware that possible suspects were in the bedroom when you entered?

[Ruta]

Yes. That’s why I raised my weapon.

[Marr]

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