Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Eight
John poured himself a cup of coffee, a loud curse escaping his lips as the cup overflowed and hot coffee burned his hand. "Fuck!" He set his mug down and began to clean up his mess.
"Waya." Bobby stepped up behind John, sidestepping as John reacted out of instinct and lunged for him. "Go take a nap." He could tell that John was exhausted; the dark circles under his eyes and the way his skin tone had lightened were sure signs of that. "You're pushing yourself too hard."
John shrugged Bobby off, his attitude having gone sour over the last few weeks. "I'm fine." He started another cup of coffee before he stepped back into his office to finish up on something.
"Bethany's case… we need a little under the table help on this." Bobby leaned against John's door fame. "I know you stepped out of the case since you and she were a thing back in high school, but we need a hand."
"Bobby… Beth and I were a thing for survival. That's all." He typed something into his computer. "What do you need?"
"I know you don't like talking about this… but… was Beth ever into had drugs like you were?"
"She did Coke with me once, and she did Pot a few times. That's all though."
"So, she hasn't done anything since then that you know of?"
John shook his head, and continued to type. "No that I know of. Last time me and her did anything was before I turned sixteen." He thought for a moment, remembering the old friends he'd had back in Shermer around that time.
John smirked, and lifted a bottle of vodka to his lips. His head was in the clouds, and it was the best high he'd ever had. He hadn't been sober for over three days.
"Bender!" Rafe called, his shoulders squared as he looked at the youngest of the gang. "It's your girl."
John stumbled to his feet and took the phone from Rafe's hands. "Beth! What's happening sweet stuff?" His words were a mess of slurred sounds.
"You've been gone for four days! Where are you?" The girl on the other end asked, obviously in distress.
"I'm at the shack… I'll be home in a little bit."
"John!" The line went dead, and John's head instantly cleared.
"BETH?" He shouted into the phone. "BETH?"