Outfoxed

CHAPTER 14

Later that night three short knocks brought Cody to the front door of her small house. She opened the door.

“Hi, Sis.” Jennifer leaned against the doorjamb, the hall light framing her hair like a halo.

“Jen, get in here.” Cody clamped her hand around Jennifer’s wrist, pulling her inside and shutting the door behind her. “You asshole.”

Jennifer, unperturbed, unsteadily walked for the couch and dropped onto it. “Shut up.”

“What’d you take?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t jam me.” Cody bent over Jennifer to check out her pupils.

“Couldn’t go home.”

Cody picked up the phone. “Hi, Mom. Jen’s with me. She’s going to spend the night.”

“What about her clothes for school?” Betty asked.

“She can wear mine. She needs help writing her history report.”

“Well . . .” Betty’s voice faded. Then she said, “All right.”

Cody hung up the phone. “Don’t do this.”

“You do.”

She bent over Jennifer. It was like looking into her own face. “Because I’m weak. I don’t want to do it. I don’t even want to drink a beer. Something happens and I just do.”

“Yeah, well, me, too.”

“No one’s got a gun to your head. Stay off the stuff. I’ve wasted the last five years and I’ll never get them back and I’m trying to get straight. Hear?”

Jennifer nodded. “Everything is so fast.”

Cody sat next to her sister, patting her knee. “Yeah. And everything is so clear. Cocaine. I’m a genius on coke until I come off.”

“Black.” Jennifer rocked a bit.

“Heading down?”

“Yeah. There’s got to be something to cut that, I mean cut the down. I heard speedballs do it.” She mentioned a potent cocktail of cocaine and heroin.

“That’ll kill you if you get the mix wrong,” Cody replied.

“Got anything?”

“No.”

“You wouldn’t give it to me if you had,” Jennifer flared.

“If it would soften the drop, I would. I’ve been on that ride, little sis.”

“What am I gonna do?” Jennifer cried.

“Feel like shit. There’s nothing I can do.”

Desperation contorted Jennifer’s beautiful features. “You gotta help me.”

“I am. I’m letting you stay here.” Cody sighed. This would be a long night. “Where’d you get the stuff?”

“Easy to get.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Jennifer laughed. “Why the hell do you care? You get it where you can get it. I can buy it at school—lots of places.”

“Jen, you’re gonna stop if I have to lock you up and throw away the key. I’m not gonna let you screw around and fuck up like I have.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jennifer just wanted her racing heart to slow down and the black clouds to disperse.