Chapter Twenty-Seven

The doors had barely opened when she bolted from the lift and sprinted down the hallway. Mindless of the time of night, she pounded on the door as loudly as her knuckles would allow. Seconds later, it opened.

“Thank God—”

“Where is she?” Joanna said as she charged past the woman who had answered the door.

“In the bedroom,” Luce said, pointing across the lounge. “Through those doors.”

Joanna rushed across the room and into the bedroom, her heart dropping when she saw Addison passed out on the bed. Hearing a noise behind her, she said, “Did you manage to get her to drink any coffee?”

“No, I tried, but she kept spitting it out. Said she wanted to sleep.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Joanna said, jumping to her feet. “Where’s the loo?”

“What?”

“The loo! Where’s the bloody loo?”

“Oh, it’s right in there,” Luce said, watching as Joanna hurried into the bathroom. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing?” Joanna said as she ran back to the bed with the small bathroom bin in hand.

Luce tilted her head to the side, and a moment later, she blanched. “Oh my God, you’re not…oh shit, you are,” Luce said, closing her eyes an instant before the sound of heaving filled the room.

***

Joanna stood in front of the bathroom mirror, slowly washing her hands as she tried to get her heart rate to slow. An hour earlier, she had received a call on her mobile from Addison, but when Joanna answered, she found herself talking to a stranger out of her mind with worry. Joanna didn’t know who the woman was, but she did now, and while they had yet to exchange names, more than a few names had already occurred to Joanna. Tossing the hand towel aside, she walked into the bedroom, barely glimpsing at Addison before heading to the lounge.

“How is she?” Luce said, placing the coffee carafe back on the serving cart.

“She passed out as soon as she stopped heaving,” Joanna said. “Do you have any idea how many pills she took?”

Luce shook her head. “All I know is that last night there were three left in the bottle, and now it’s empty.”

“Last night?” Joanna said, crossing her arms across her chest. “So, you were here last night, too?”

If Luce had been closer to the door, she would have already been on the other side, but it was a dozen steps away, and Joanna was in her path. With no escape, Luce let out a long breath. “This just got really awkward, really quickly.”

“It’s awkward for you? Imagine how I feel.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to call, and since I know Addison trusts you, when I saw your name come up in her contact list...well, I figured if she trusts you, so could I.”