Looking for Trouble (Jackson: Girls' Night Out 1)

“Yeah, you look like shit. Not the relaxing night you were hoping for?”

He shot his brother a narrow look.

“That bad, huh?”

“It was pretty damn bad.”

“Well, at least you’re on your way out of town.”

“Yeah, at least,” Alex muttered. “How’s Merry?”

“Better. She bounces back pretty quickly. We’ll pick her up on the way to the restaurant.”

“I can’t believe that place is still open.”

“And still the best breakfast in the state.”

Alex shot a look toward the hallway. “I’m going to head over and start in on some corned-beef hash by myself if she doesn’t hurry up.”

“Give her another minute. She’s moving slow lately.”

“Good thing, or yesterday she might have jumped right over those chairs and pounced on Sophie’s back.”

Shane smiled. “She was pretty riled up. Hey, at least she taught us to follow our passions in life.”

Alex snorted and shook his head, then started down the hall. “Let’s get this circus going. Mom?” He tapped lightly, not wanting to intrude. “Are you ready?”

She didn’t answer, so he knocked harder. “How long has she been in there?”

“Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen.”

Alex frowned, suddenly picturing an open window and curtains flapping in the breeze. What if she’d decided to bother Sophie again?

The door was locked, so he pulled a pocketknife from his jacket and turned the locking switch. “Mom, I’m coming in. Stop me now if you’re not decent.”

She didn’t stop him. She didn’t say a word, and Alex felt real worry as he slowly opened the door. The worry exploded into alarm when he saw her slumped on the floor between the toilet and the bathtub, her head tipped back and mouth open.

“Shane!” he yelled, rushing in to touch a hand to her neck. Her pulse was steady, but seemed slow to him. He heard his brother curse from the doorway. “Call an ambulance!”

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s passed out. I’ve got a pulse.” He looked around for a pill bottle or some other hint of trouble, but saw nothing but hair spray and deodorant and other normal bathroom items. “She’s cool. No fever.”

He stroked a hand over his mother’s hair as Shane began talking to 911. “Mom.” She lay limp against the wall. “Mom,” he said again, patting her cheek this time. Her eyes fluttered a little, but when she mumbled something, the words were incoherent.

Shane came back, the phone still near his ear. “They’re on their way.”

“She’s coming around a little. Mom, are you hurt anywhere?”

She breathed something about a car, then shook her head. Shane handed Alex a blanket. He draped it over her, then scrunched it up on the edge of the tub and eased her head down toward it.

“Has anything like this happened before?” Alex asked. Shane shook his head. “Could she be doing drugs?”

His brother raised a doubtful eyebrow. “Aside from what her doctor has prescribed, I can’t imagine.”

“Maybe you should find her prescription. The hospital will probably want to know.”

Shane disappeared for what felt like an eternity, before returning with empty hands. “There aren’t any down here. Did you check the drawers?”