Page 95 of Hard Rock Deceit

When I arrived, the front door was unlocked. One of the windows framing it was smashed in. I stepped through the door, avoiding the crunch of glassunderfoot.

I called out August's name. Noanswer.

My ear caught a small scuffling sound at the far end of the vast foyer. An open entrance under an arched ceiling led to alivingroom.

August sat huddled on the sofa. His shivering form was wrapped in a beige knitted blanket. He held it tight around his body with shaky hands, clutching the corners to his chest. Stringy, sweat-dampened hair fell over his pale face. His eyes weresqueezedshut.

I approached slowly, not wanting tostartlehim.

"I'm here, August," I saidsoftly.

He didn't reply, just took in a shudderingbreath.

I perched carefully next to him on the sofa. I brushed loose strands of hair away from his jaw, tucking them behind his ear, like he always didtome.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I askedneedlessly.

I knew exactly what was going on. My heart ached, wondering how long August had been going through withdrawalalone.

"You came." The words were strained, scarcelyaudible.

"Of courseIcame."

He made a sound in the back of his throat, a wounded noise. I laid my head on his shoulder and took one of his shaky handsinmine.

"What can I dotohelp?"

With trembling fingers, he pointed to something on the coffeetable.

"Throwthatout."

It was a pill bottle, the kind that came with a prescription. There was nolabel.

"Arethese…?"

"You need to get rid of them. Throw them away, flush them down the toilet." August let out a sick, thready laugh. "I can't make myself do it. I tried. Ican't."

"Okay," I said softly. I took the pill bottle and shoved it far down in the depths of my purse. "I'll get rid of them. Ipromise."

He let out a slow breath, as if a weight had been taken off hisshoulders.

"How long have you been like this?" Iasked.

"Dunno," he said, voice hollow. "What dayisit?"

"Saturday."

"Oh. Almost aweek,then."

"A week?" I asked, astonished. "Why didn't you tellsomeone?"

"Thought I could do it myself. I didn't want anyone toworry."

"We were alreadyworried."

"I didn't think it would be this bad," he whispered. He doubled over on himself with achokedgasp.

"What's wrong?" I asked, panicked. "What canIdo?"