The Passenger by Jacqueline Druga (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📗

told him. “Are you taking the wife out?”

“No. I have errands to run. That’s why I’m here. It’s hot out today, hotter than I’d like for June. I wanted to get one of the tea coolers you do. Large please, lemon lime.”

“Sure thing. We have Fiesta Turkey Wraps today.”

“No, I’m good, I …” Russ’ eyes caught the display. Two for a dollar cookies in a tiny bag. “Chip’s chips?” Russ asked.

“Oh, yeah, he was in here bright and early baking. He made other stuff, but those are melt in your mouth, the best cookies you have ever eaten. He’s in the back. Did you want to see him?”

“No. No. I’m good. Just impressed. Cookies, huh?”

“Since you’re the law.” She handed him one. “On me. Let me get that drink.”

“Is this a onetime thing?” Russ asked, opening the bag.

Marge worked on the beverage with her back to him, occasionally glancing over her shoulder, and speaking louder as the blender ran. “Pastor Rick only has it in his budget to have him work three days a week. And most of that is room and board. He’s only getting a few bucks there.”

Russ took a bite of the cookie. The moment he tasted it his mouth lit up with delight. “This is amazing.”

“Isn’t it? Quite a gift,” Marge said. “So, he’ll be here a couple days a week baking. He had to learn the bread, but he picked it up right away.”

“Well, tell him I think these are fantastic.”

“I will. I hope we can get him on more.” Marge returned with the drink. “It’s on me.”

“Thanks.”

“Keep an eye out for folks hiring in town, please. He likes the Pastor, but he wants to be able to get his own place. I was thinking of the Sanderson’s building, they have those cute places there.”

“Marge …”

“We’d have to take him furniture shopping, decorate it. But then again, you know people in this town. Always throwing good things out.  He won’t have to worry about food.”

“Marge, you do realize once he remembers who he is or learns, he might not stay here.”

All expression dropped from Marge’s face, then she caught herself and smiled. “Of course.”

Russ took the beverage. “But you never know. This is a great town, Marge, so … you never know. Thank you again.”

He grabbed a straw, poked it in and took a drink. It was by far the most refreshing beverage to have on a hot day.

When he stepped outside, he nearly ran over Doc Jenner.

“Look at you,” Doc Jenner said. “All spiffy.”

“Why is this the second time today I heard those exact same words?”

“Because you are.” Doc Jenner motioned his hand up and down. “Jeans, black tee shirt. No hat and, you combed your hair.”

“You’re out of uniform, too,” Russ said.

“I’m off today.”

“Oh, good. I was about to go get a burger and wings. New place, you want to join me?”

“That sounds great. Mind if I get one of those drinks first?’

“Sure. Meet you at my car.”

“New place, huh?”

“Yep.” Russ nodded. “A new place.”

Doc Jenner stopped walking the second they approached the place. Russ wondered if he even noticed, he hadn’t said anything when they pulled up.

Sure enough, he hesitated walking in.

“Thought you said it was a new place?” Doc Jenner shook his head. “The Rat-Tat-Tat. Are the burgers that good here or is there a reason you have to come out here?”

“A little birdie told me a certain guy has his lunch here every Friday.”

“Certain guy meaning the drug dropper?” Jenner asked.

“That’s the one.”

“This isn’t your jurisdiction, Russ. You’re not just out of your area, you’re way out of your area.”

“I just want to talk to the guy.”

“How will you know him?”

“The little birdie gave me a picture.” Russ pulled out his phone and showed Doc Jenner.

“Doesn’t look like the type to drop a drug in someone’s drink.”

Russ nodded, agreeing the clean cut guy, average built and looks didn’t fit the part. But then as the old saying went, a book can not be judged by the cover.

“This guy. We think he drugged Chip’s drink. If he did, he’s a piece of work and is not gonna say anything to you. You know that, right?”

“Jenner, you think I’m dumb?” Russ scoffed. “I know well enough this guy isn’t going to break easily.”

Doug Redding broke down and cried.

Almost instantly and with no prodding.

He was seated at a corner table alone when Russ approached him. He told him who he was and he wasn’t there in any legal capacity. He said he just wanted to ask Doug, “Did you know anything about that guitar player who was drugged.”

That was when the man lost it.

Russ had seen it a hundred times as a police officer. Someone holding on to guilt, just waiting for the moment they could let it go.

It took Doug a minute, hands over his face, muffled words of, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“You did it?” Russ asked. “You spiked the drink?”

Doug lowered his hands with a hard sniffle. “I did.”

Doc Jenner sat back. “Huh. Well, that was easy.”

Russ stayed calm. “What would make you do it?”

“The guys and I were talking. We were mad Lance got kicked out when it was the guitar player who was such a jerk.”

Russ nodded. “Still no reason.”

“I know.”

Doc Jenner asked. “I mean, you had to know what that drug would do. Didn’t it dawn on you he was driving?”

Doug shook his head. “No. No it didn’t. I thought the band all rode together. I knew they were from out of town. I felt bad about it, but thought he was okay. I didn’t know he was in an accident until Chelsey told me his father was in here. She said someone was coming to talk to me today. I’m not running. I admit it.”

“I appreciate you admitting it,” Russ said.

“Are you going to arrest me?”

“I can’t do that. I will turn this over to the state police and see what they want to do. It’s a federal offense what you did.