“Very. In fact, if left by himself, he could very well have died of respiratory failure.”

“What was in his system?” Spencer asked.

She listed several illegal substances, including lethal levels of crack and heroin.

“All that was in his system?”

“Yes. He either injected himself, or someone did it for him.”

“He was using with a woman from his building, a Ms. Alana Stone. She swears she did not administer drugs to him.”

“I requested the tox report on Ms. Stone’s blood work done at the hospital,” Dr. McIntyre said. “They were using similar substances. Unless Ms. Stone is a very strong woman, I doubt she strung Walker up. He would have been deadweight.”

“Does this change your ruling on his death?” Spencer asked.

“I’m now classifying it as a homicide.”

Alana Stone had vanished after he spoke to her. However, Stone was likely a creature of habit and would return to her apartment next to Walker’s. He would keep checking back until they connected. “Thanks, Doc. Will be in touch.”

“One more thing, Ranger Spencer. Tox reports on Jane Doe #1 and Tammy Fox came back. They both had heroin in their systems at the time of their deaths.”

“A common drug.”

“Maybe just a coincidence.”

That damn word made the back of his head itch. “Thanks again, Doc.”

“Good news?” Captain Lee asked.

Spencer slid the phone in his breast pocket and gave Captain Lee the rundown.

“Stay on top of it,” Captain Lee said.

“Will do. And keep me posted on Detective Poe’s progress.”

Captain Lee regarded him. “Sure.”

Avery’s car jolted to a stop. “We’re home.”

Jordan released her grip on the door handle. She was always nervous during the rare times she let Avery drive. At least before she’d been able to see the trouble coming. Now she was at her younger sister’s mercy, with only her ears to alert her of trouble. God only knew how many yellow lights they had run.

“You’re alive,” Avery said. “Stop deconstructing the drive.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You were, and like it or not, you’re going to have to get used to it. You won’t be driving for some time.”

The words some time held out the hope that she might one day, and she appreciated it. She was hanging on by a thread and would take any positive sign from the universe.

“I’ll come around,” Avery said. “Let me help you inside.”

“I should be able to walk into my own house,” Jordan said. Even if she could not really see, she had walked the stone path thousands of times. She opened the door and stepped out, her foot grinding against gravel. Rising, she shifted her body in the direction of where she thought the house was. “Where is my car?”

“The police have it.”