Page 31 of Lies Beneath Secrets (Skeleton Crew #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Con

After I get Lauren tucked away in my truck, I look through her purse and find the water bottle she drank from. It’s labeled with the club’s logo. I open the cap and smell it. There isn’t any odor to it, but the way she passed out wasn’t from alcohol. She had to have been drugged.

I remember her saying her friend was inside, and goddamn it, I’m not an asshole. I know I can’t just leave her here, especially since Lauren just got roofied from the water the club is passing out.

I do my best to cover her up and lock the doors to my truck and walk back inside. The music hits me again, and I look through the throngs of people to find Piper. It doesn’t take me long at least. At the bar, I find her talking to none other than Eli. “Off duty tonight?” I ask when I step up to the pair.

“Well now, I should ask you the same thing,” Eli says with a grin. I pay him no mind and turn to Lauren’s friend.

“I have Lauren in my truck. She isn’t feeling good. Sent me in to get you.” At first, she seems confused until recognition falls on her face.

“You’re the neighbor guy,” she says and laughs.

“That would be me. Ready?” I ask, extending my hand for her to take. She doesn’t get that far before Eli interferes.

“What do you mean in your truck? She’s here with me.” The little prick gets closer to me and does his best to seem tall.

“I doubt that.” I put my arm around Piper’s shoulders and guide her toward the door. But Eli comes around to get in my way. “You really don’t want to today, man,” I warn and try to sidestep, him but the little bastard doesn’t listen. Instead, he tries to shove my arm from Piper, but it only makes her stumble. “Should have listened,” I sigh before pulling back and smashing his face with my fist. He sails backward through the crowd and lands on his ass, bumping everyone in his path. “Let’s fucking go,” I tell Piper and step past Eli. I don’t give him another look or thought as we walk out to the truck. When Piper opens the back door and sees Lauren passed out, she panics.

“What did you do to her!”

“I didn’t do shit.” I push Piper into the backseat with Lauren and pull out the bottle of water I spot in her back pocket.

“What the hell?”

“Calm down,” I mutter as I inspect the cap. Finding it still sealed, I squeeze the bottle. A very small stream of water squirts out from the top.

“What the hell?” she repeats, this time directed at the bottle.

“Yeah exactly. Lauren drank hers. That’s why she passed out. Someone tried to drug the two of you.” I shut the back door, then uncap the bottle and dump it out onto the ground.

Now I have even more unanswered questions.