Page 131 of Tear Me Apart

“I’ll find out. You fill these out now. And get that dog out of here.” She gives another curt nod and disappears down the hall.

He stares helplessly after her, then glances at the forms in his lap. There is nothing more for him to do.

He obviously can’t fill out the forms, so he calls Parks again.

“Where do we stand?”

“You’re right about the DNA. Juliet’s second in command, Dr. Ford, just confirmed it to Woody. Apparently, he told Juliet, and she asked him to wait for an hour. Which he did. I get the sense he’s in hot water. And Juliet’s been suspended. Did you know?”

“No. Why?”

“They didn’t tell, and I didn’t ask.”

“Damn it, what was she thinking? What about Lauren? I left her under the supervision of a very young reporter who’s clearly getting the scoop of his career right about now.”

“I don’t know. Vail police have been called to take Lauren in. We’re coming up from Denver, should be there quick, they’re using a chopper. What the hell happened to Juliet?”

Zack relays the scene, fighting to keep his composure. “It sure looks like Lauren wasn’t there, arrived moments after I did, and she was a total wreck, crying and freaking out, but I’m telling you, something is wrong about that woman. I’ve felt it since I met her. Like there’s a cold core inside of her, and all her actions are fake.”

“You think she tried to kill her sister?”

“I think the odds of Juliet Ryder calling me to tell me Lauren’s DNA was at my house, then committing suicide, are next to nil. So yeah. I think Lauren thought Juliet ran the tests and hadn’t told anyone, and she could shut her up.”

“That’s a serious charge.”

“The woman may have killed my wife! Who knows what she’s capable of?”

“I hear you. Don’t go anywhere near her, do you understand? Let the police handle this. Just stay where you are, don’t talk to anyone. You’re a monk on a fucking mountaintop until I get there, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

He hangs up the phone and starts to pace. Damn it, he doesn’t want to wait here quietly. He wants to find Lauren and make her tell him the truth, by force, if necessary. He wants to rush down the hall and see if Juliet is going to live. He wants to hurry upstairs and hug his daughter.

Jasper isn’t on his radar. But when he comes down the hall, walking quickly, his hiking boots squeaking on the linoleum floors, Zack has to stop himself from punching the man in the jaw.

“What the hell is going on?” Jasper demands. “Where is Lauren? Isn’t she with you?”

“I have no idea where she is. I’m waiting to hear if Juliet is going to live or not.”

“Lauren said she overdosed.”

“Did Lauren also tell you—” he cuts himself off. Monk. Mountain. He tries again. “What did she say happened? I heard her call you when I was giving Juliet CPR.”

“She was that bad?”

Zack sags back against the wall. “I’ll be surprised if she makes it.”

“Christ.” Jasper runs his hand across his face. “Mindy will be devastated. She thinks Juliet walks on water. Lauren said she found her on the floor in the dining room. That she may have taken something and overdosed.”

“Do you honestly think Juliet would commit suicide? Come on, Jasper.”

His brows furrow. “What else could have happened? What are you saying?”

But Zack is saved by the nurse, who gestures for him to come with her. He doesn’t look back, marches away with Kat by his side.

“I told you to get rid of that dog.”

“She’s a service animal.” He pulls out the badge.