Delia's Gift (Delia 3)

“I did not take this drug. I don’t know why the hospital said so.”

“Uh-huh. So, you don’t know how your cousin got this drug tonight?”

I hadn’t seen Fani give her anything in the bathroom, so I didn’t want to accuse her. She could have gotten it from someone else, perhaps at the wild party.

“No, I did not see anyone give her the drug.”

“Okay. For now, we’re going to let you return to this address you’ve given us,

Delia. If you intend to leave it, you must call to let us know. Here’s my card with the phone number to call,” Detective Boyton said. He handed it to me. “We’re going to investigate everything you’ve told us. If you’re leaving something out or not telling us the truth, this is the time to speak up. Once we leave you and begin this investigation, you won’t have another chance.”

“I did nothing wrong,” I said, now growing more angry than afraid. “I tried to help her. If I hadn’t gotten her here, she would have died.”

“Okay. You can return to the hospital or to this address. We’ll possibly be stopping by to see you tomorrow or calling you to come to us. Why you kids fool around with this stuff is a mystery to me,” Lieutenant Danbury said. “It’s like rolling dice with death.”

“I do not fool around with drugs. I am telling you the truth,” I said.

“Okay, you can go.”

I reached for the door handle, and he added, “You know, your legal status here might come into question. Your own aunt is suggesting that.”

I didn’t respond.

“There’ll be no question about it if you’re involved with drugs, Delia,” Detective Boyton emphasized.

I was trembling so hard now that I didn’t think I had the strength to open the door. Once I was deported, my hope of ever seeing my baby again would probably die. I fumbled with the handle. Lieutenant Danbury got out and opened the door from the outside for me.

“Remember, Delia,” he said as I started back toward the emergency room, “if you leave that address, you had better call us.”

I nodded and continued walking, even though I couldn’t feel my legs under me. It was as if I were floating now, drifting along in a body that had turned into air. Maybe I’m dead, I thought, but when I looked up, my heart began to beat again. Edward was standing in the emergency-room doorway, waiting for me. I rushed to him, and he embraced me.

In a hysterical flood of words, I told him as much as I could about the evening and what his mother and the police believed.

“Easy,” he said. “Take it easy. We’ll get it all straightened out.”

He led me to his car in the parking lot. When I was inside, I calmed down enough to ask him about Sophia.

“She’ll live,” he said dryly. “She was close to being in serious trouble, however. My mother should be kissing your feet and not sending the police after you. You really don’t know how she got the drugs, then?”

“When I was in the ladies’ room, I heard her ask Fani for it, but I didn’t see Fani give it to her.”

“Well, we need to have a little talk with Fani. She never came here?”

“No. I don’t even know if she knows I’m here. She didn’t see us leave that party.”

“Let’s try her cell phone,” he said, and called. He was directed to her answering service. He thought a moment and then said he would take me to where he was rooming. “It’s not much, but you need some sleep.”

“I have to tell the police if I don’t go back to Fani’s.”

I showed him the detective’s card. He took it and called to explain who he was and where I would be for now.

“Don’t you want to go back to see about Sophia?”

“No. We’ll check on her later. It’s going to be a while before she’s talking, anyway.”

We drove to a small hotel where he had a room. He insisted that I take the bed and he would sleep in the cushioned chair. I didn’t have the strength to argue about anything. Minutes after my head touched the pillow, I was asleep. When I woke up, I was alone. I saw that it was a little after one o’clock. I went to the bathroom and washed my face, and then I heard him come in. He had gone for some coffee and sweet cakes for me.

“Did you call the hospital?”