Summer's End (Wildflowers #5) - Jill Sanders Page 0,57
gurney. At this point, her father was almost completely unresponsive.
When the medics and Bridgett had left the room, Dr. Williams turned to Aubrey. “There’s still enough in here to test.”
“Take these too.” Aiden held up the two glasses he’d poured. “There’s probably more in these than what was spilled.” He motioned to the floor.
Aiden walked forward and carefully poured the liquid back into the decanter.
The doctor said, “Something tells me you knew there was something in here all along.”
Aiden sighed. “I gambled.” He shrugged. “Tell me she won’t get away with this.”
“Will my father be alright?” Aubrey asked, worry filling her.
“Alprazolam can cause drowsiness and problems with vision and memory, but my main concern is that it can cause muscle weakness. I hope Harold’s heart can withstand the amount he was given. Any idea how much he drank?”
“Since we got here around three, two glasses then at least one more glass at dinner. But he was acting a little funny then. Who knows how much he’d had beforehand,” Aubrey answered.
“Thanks. Can I offer you a ride to the hospital?” Dr. Williams asked them.
“No, we’ll head back and change then meet you there.” Aubrey stepped forward and touched his arm. “Thank you for coming so quickly and for caring for my father for all these years.”
Dr. Williams chuckled. “He may not be my favorite patient, but he is my friend.” He tapped her hand before leaving.
“Well,” Aiden said suddenly, “that was fun. Kind of reminded me of Clue.” He changed his voice slightly. “After following the clues, I determined that it was Bridgett in the study with poison.”
She couldn’t believe it. At a time like this, with her father’s life hanging by a thread, and Aiden still had the ability to make her laugh.
Her laughter turned to tears as his arms wrapped around her. “Come on,” he said into her hair. “Let’s go back and change then head to the hospital.”
“I have to call—”
“You can call your sisters on the way back to our place.” He pulled her towards the doors.
As she stepped outside, they were surrounded by some of the guests who hadn’t left yet.
“Is Harold alright?” several of them asked.
“Yes, Dr. Williams just wants him to get checked out,” Aiden answered for her as he continued towards the door.
“Martha, please make sure all of the guests make it home,” she said to the woman as they walked by.
“Please keep us posted about your father’s condition,” Martha asked her.
“I will,” she agreed and let Aiden slip on her coat.
When they stepped outside, the limo driver was waiting for them. “I heard about your father,” the older man said. “Do you need a ride to the hospital?”
“If you don’t mind, Carl, take us back to our place first so we can change. Then we’ll head to the hospital.”
“Sure thing, Miss Smith.” The man opened the limo door for them.
When the car started moving, she pulled out her phone.
“Hey,” Zoey answered. “We’re all here,” she called out. “Drinking and bitching about men. Well, they are drinking. I’m having milk,” Zoey corrected.
“Taking the night off I see. When I’m away you guys play?” She smiled. “What did Dylan do now?” she asked.
“Nothing, it’s not my husband that’s the issue,” Zoey supplied. “He’s perfect.”
Aubrey heard several of her friends groan or sigh in the background.
“Who then?” Aubrey asked. She needed normal for a moment before she sprung the evening’s crazy on her friends.
“Brett,” Elle supplied.
“Brett?” Aubrey sat up slightly.
Aiden glanced over at her. “What’s wrong with Brett?”
“Our Brett? What did he do to piss you all off?” she asked the group as she turned her phone onto speaker so Aiden could hear.
“He kissed me,” someone said loudly.
Aiden looked at her with question.
“Was that…” She frowned down at her phone.
“Dr. Lea Val is filling in for you tonight since you’re off in the city dealing with crazy Bridgett,” Hannah added with a giggle. “We didn’t know that the good doctor would drink us all under the table. I mean, what do you weigh? Eighty pounds?” Her friend’s voice was slightly slurred, indicating that the entire group, except for Zoey, were already hammered.
Lea could be heard laughing. “I went to medical school. Where do you think I learned how to drink? I never knew I could have a thing for a man in uniform.”
“Speaking of the police…” Aubrey said.
Aubrey heard the phone shift off speaker.
Then Zoey asked, “How are things going up there?”
Chapter 18
As they headed back to change clothes, he listened to Aubrey fill Zoey