Chapter 6
Casey stood in the doorway, frozen stiff like a statue. Lizzie and Edwin looked at her, spotted Derek's limp body, and then looked at her again, wide eyed. They rushed towards her bombarding her with all kinds of questions:
"Is he dead?"
"What happened?"
"Did he get hit by a car?"
"Did someone attack him on the street?"
"Did he get in a fight?"
" How did you get him up here to the room?"
Casey groaned in annoyance. Her sister and step- brother were soon going to gain the titles of Mr. and Miss nosey.
"No, he's not dead. He's drunk. He passed out in the cab coming over here. As to how I got up here, the bell boy helped me through the door and I used something known as an elevator." Lizzie and Edwin got quiet and helped Casey get Derek to the bed. She usually reserved her sarcasm for Derek.
"She must be upset" Lizzie murmured to Edwin.
"Okay, you two won't tell anyone, will you? Not mom and dad and definitely don't let it slip into conversation around Marti."
"Okay" Edwin said, "but how did he get drunk? I mean I know how he did but he was with you right? You wouldn't have let him touch that stuff."
"I was talking to some friends I had made, and Derek was talking to some people he had met and someone spiked his drink."
"Oh, that makes sense,"
"Yeah, now Lizzie, get the trash can over here. If he wakes up to throw up in the middle of the night he won't have to go to the bathroom. There is no way he can miss. Edwin, get a cold towel. I'm going to wash his face off a little bit. Casey sat on the edge of the bed looking down at her step-brother. She brushed his hair away from his eyes. Edwin handed her the towel and she washed off his face a little bit. He stirred, but didn't wake up. It was still a good sign that he wasn't completely unaware of his surroundings.
"Thanks Liz, Ed. You don't have to worry about him now. He'll feel better in a couple days." Said Casey. They went to the restroom to put up the rag and probably start talking about another sleuthing opportunity. She gently stroked Derek's hair. She chuckled to herself.
"Oh Derek," she said, " the trouble you get into. You're lucky tomorrow's Saturday." With that, she got up from the bed and got changed into pajamas after shooing Lizzie and Edwin out of the bathroom. When she came out, Derek had curled into a ball. She smiled subconsciously as she covered him with a blanket lying on a nearby chair.
"Get ready for the morning," she whispered, "it's going to be rough."
