Page 99 of Broken Rock

Tate tears open the envelope that came with the box, the dread already taking hold. He’s not surprised to find the card is blank. Instead there are two neatly folded pieces of paper inside. His heart hammers in his chest as he unfolds the first one and frowns at the picture on the page. He reads the words underneath, then looks back at the carefully packaged gift.

∞

Chloe turns on the bedside light as her phone vibrates across the wooden surface. She squints at the display on the clock. It’s a little after midnight. Tate wouldn’t be ringing her so late.

‘Hello.’

‘Hey, Chloe. It’s Gregg. Don’t suppose Tate is with you, is he?’

‘Tate? No. He went home a few hours ago. Why?’

‘It’s probably nothing but he had arranged to meet Ellen after he got back from London and he didn’t show which isn’t like him. Did he mention meeting her? I mean he might have forgotten with all the excitement.’

‘He left the dinner with his parents early so he could meet her. He dropped me home first then went back to his.’ Chloe sits up and brushes her hair out of her face. ‘Gregg, should I be worried?’

The line goes quiet for a moment. ‘I don’t know. I’m at my parents’ place so I’ll pop by and pick you up. How about you try ringing him. He might just be ghosting me.’

Gregg cuts the call and Chloe quickly taps Tate’s contact. No answer. She tries again and again, but the call goes to voicemail both times. When Gregg arrives at her door she has her bag and coat in her hands.

‘We need to go.’

Gregg makes a face. ‘Fuck. I was hoping he was pissed with me about something and that’s why he wasn’t answering.’ He doesn’t wait for her to fasten her seatbelt before he drives off. ‘Did anything weird happen today?’

She shakes her head. ‘Nothing. We got back from London, went to the dinner then home. He was in great form. We had a brilliant weekend and he was happy. Genuinely happy. It was busy though. Maybe he just fell asleep and has his phone on silent?’

‘Yeah. Maybe. Listen, don’t freak out but I gave Eddie a shout. He was Tate’s go-to guy for drugs.’

Chloe swallows before speaking. ‘And?’

‘It’s all good. He swears he hasn’t heard a peep from Tate since he went into rehab.’

‘And you believe him?’

Gregg nods. ‘He’s a fucking asshole, but he’s got no reason to lie.’

Chloe nods but doesn’t feel comforted. There’s nothing to say Tate hasn’t found someone else to supply him.

They eventually pull up to his gate and Gregg takes out the spare remote. The relief at finding his truck parked in the drive is quashed when they unlock the door and step into the living room. Tate is sprawled face down on the couch, one arm draped over the edge.

Chloe’s feet refuse to move past the kitchen. Frozen to the spot, her heart hammers in her chest as Gregg hurries over to Tate and checks for a pulse.

‘He’s still with us. Tate? Hey, wake up. C’mon Sleeping Beauty.’ Gregg slaps him on the cheek and Chloe’s feet unlock from the floor when he lifts his hand and covers his head.

When Gregg gets no further reaction from Tate, he shakes him roughly, trying to wake him. Tate groans and swats Gregg’s hand away while muttering a curt. ‘Fuck off.’

Chloe holds up an empty rum bottle and Gregg blows out a long breath. ‘That explains it. The stuff always knocks him out. You’re a fucking idiot, Tate.’

Chloe slowly lowers onto the coffee table and looks at Tate. So much for being happy after London. Why would he come back here and drink like this? Gregg checks both of Tate’s arms, narrowly avoiding a fist to his face when Tate objects.

‘Calm down, Tate.’ He feels in Tate’s pockets and around the cushions.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Just making sure he hasn’t taken anything. Looks like he’s just smashed but...’ He doesn’t finish the sentence, instead gets down on his hands and knees and peers under the couch.

Chloe watches Gregg in a bit of a daze. Tate had been honest with her about what he’d done but seeing even a small part of it for herself is terrifying.

Gregg eventually gives up the search and drops onto the armchair facing the couch. He scrubs a hand over his jaw then rests his head in his hands as he glowers over at Tate. ‘I’m sorry, Chloe. If I’d known he was like this I would never have brought you here.’

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