He'd have to remember that she liked that and pick some up on his next grocery run.
“Those last few things were more nuisance than harmful. Though the guys going after her could have turned out a lot worse.”
“And she thinks these things were set in motion by her ex?”
“That’s her theory. And I agree that it could have been someone in his family, friends of his, or even some cellmates who owed him a favor. The thing is, there’s no proof.” Jase smacked his hand on the thick folder in front of him. “Complaint after complaint and I have nothing. She asks for my help and I can’t find anything that will make this stop.” Jase hung hishead. “Even worse. She’s been drugged two other times. Once at a different bar. She woke up in her car in her driveway with no clue how she got there. Receipts from the bar showed she’d had a single drink, so she wasn’t drunk.”
“Was she there with Desiree that time, too?”
“Technically. She’d taken her whole crew out for drinks after work. Desiree was there on a date. A couple of the ladies said that Desiree and her date had an argument and he left. Lucky went over to console her friend, then the ladies all left and Desiree said she left before Lucky, who stayed behind to pay the tab.”
“So someone still in the bar could have connected with Lucky and drugged her.”
“Maybe. There were no cameras in the bar, so all I could go on was what people reported to me.”
“And of course, no one copped to drugging her or seeing anything.”
“People were there to have a good time. They were drinking themselves.” Jase shrugged.
“Fuck. I’m as frustrated as you now.” It made no sense. Why do all these things to her and not confront her head on? Just to torment and torture her?
“Here’s what’s even weirder. The last time she was drugged—before you found her in the ravine—she hadn’t been drinking. She’d cooked some beef stroganoff with some dehydrated mushrooms she’d bought at the store. It was a large bag and she’d used half in another meal.”
“So the bag was previously open.”
“You got it. And about ten minutes after she ate, she started tripping and called 911.”
Hawk’s anger skyrocketed. “Someone dosed her with magic mushrooms.”
“Yep. Because I doubt the manufacturer made that kind of mistake. Not where there are so many kinds of mushrooms that are poisonous.”
“Lucky is nice. Kind. Caring. Quiet. She’d never hurt someone on purpose. So why is someone fucking with her like this? It doesn’t feel like the work of an ex who loved her so much he killed for her. After doing something like that out of misguided love, why start actively making her life a living hell? Because he got caught? Because she was angry that he killed her little brother? It seems like he’d understand why that would upset her. Hell, he’d know before he did it that she’d be furious and hurt. It makes no sense.”
“Exactly. I spoke to Neil. He knows what happened to her. Want to know what he said to me?”
“What?”
“He said, ‘You need to stop the person doing this to her.’ ”
Hawk leaned forward, his forearms on his knees. “Did he sound sincere?”
“Very.”
“Was he talking about you stopping him, or someone else?”
“He didn’t say and I couldn’t tell. The guy spent years in prison and he’s not the same kid who went in. He’s hardened. Careful. He doesn’t want to go back, but he’s also not willing to jeopardize his freedom either.”
“I get that. But we need answers. Because Lucky believes he was there the night she was drugged.”
“Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn’t. She could just be putting this all on the guy who wrecked her world.”
Hawk shook his head. “I don’t think so. She talks in her sleep. Over and over again she wants to know why he’s there. And she doesn’t see him as he was years ago. She says he’s older now. Different.”
“I can’t arrest the guy because of a dream.”
“I know. But we can’t rule him out either. And if he was there, but isn’t the one who hurt her, then maybe he knows something he’s not telling you.”
“I’ve spoken to him twice now. His story is the same every time I ask about that night. He sticks to the same details.”
