Noah called Jake as he paced the shop front downstairs. He’d come to see Lani because he owed her an apology and he’d wanted to get it over with because it wasn’t sitting comfortably. He wasn’t normally a spiteful person, but he’d been just plain mean when he’d spoken to her in the Hoot. Jealousy had nipped at his heels and forced those words out his mouth.
Jake pulled him from his thoughts by answering the phone.
“Jake, you need to come to the Howlery. Rear entrance. Mikey’s here and he’s not good. Apparently he’s smoked something. Lani found him and brought him here. I wouldn’t tell Branna just yet, bud.”
Jake said he’d be there soon. Noah pocketed his cellphone, then hauled in a deep, steadying breath as he walked back up the stairs. Lani was still on the bed holding Mikey in her arms, rocking him gently as if he was a baby, not a teenager.
What had Mikey smoked to put him into this state?
“Jake’s on his way.”
Mikey’s teeth were chattering hard now, so he didn’t respond. Tears leaked out of his eyes.
“Mikey, we were teenagers once, you know. Even smoked stuff in our time and puked our guts up.”
The boy clenched his eyes shut. Noah watched as Lani rested her head on Mikey’s. Surrounding him, letting him know she was there. He wondered who had been there for her in times of trouble.
What the hell was her story? Getting to the bottom of what made Lani Sullivan tick was becoming an obsession with Noah.
A large black cat appeared from beneath the covers and headed to the bottom of the bed to curl at Buddy’s side.
“Don’t tell me that is the cat you saved?”
“Bandit.”
“You know what happens when you name an animal, don’t you? It means you have to keep it.”
“Mrs. C named him.”
“But he lives with you,” Noah said, trying to put a smile on her face. It didn’t work.
“Jake’s here,” he said when they heard a knock on the door minutes later. “I’ll go let him in.”
“What’s he said?” were his friend’s first words. Worry lined his face.
“That he smoked something. Lani found him in the trails. He’d been puking, he’s shivering, and looks bad.”
“Well, hell.”
“The thing is, bud, he didn’t want us to call you. Was pretty upset when I said I would, and my money is on that being because he didn’t want you disappointed in him.”
Jake exhaled. “I have to say that was my first thought. I just never took him as someone who would do this kind of thing.”
“Think about that for a minute, will you? We did it, several times. Why the hell wouldn’t Mikey?”
“You’re right, I know you are. But he’s ours, you know? Me and Bran think of him as our boy, and I guess you don’t want to know they’re capable of doing wrong.”
“If he’d smoked normal weed, I doubt you’d have ever found out.”
“You think he’s smoked something laced?”
“My money’s on that.” Noah followed Jake back up the stairs. “It’s a hell of a reaction otherwise.”
“I’m hurting whoever gave him that shit.”
“Right behind you,” Noah added. “We probably need to tell Cubby.”
“I know we should, but this is Mikey and—”
