Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tanner was walking along Ocean Lane when a car pulled up alongside him. The window buzzed down, and Sylvie looked over.
“Where the heck have you been? Faith and I have been trying to call you.”
“What? Why?”
“Get in. We need to hurry.”
Anxiety closed around his throat. Tanner jumped inside, and Sylvie sped off, just making the yellow light at the next intersection.
“Jon moved up the drop-off,” Sylvie said. “It’s happening today.”
Tanner put his hand over his eyes. “Is Faith alone?”
“Yes. I left work as quickly as I could.”
And Tanner had promised he’d be there. He’d made Faith agree to call him, and he hadn’t even left his fucking phone on.
Sylvie turned off Ocean Lane, heading toward her townhouse. “I saw Noah on my way out of the building. He said he couldn’t find you, either. Something went down with Kozinski?”
This was such a mess. Tanner was beyond ashamed. Kozinski had called him a head case, and the kid had been right.
All these months, no matter what was going on inside of him, Tanner had been able to do his job. But yelling in front of Mrs. Zhang? Leaving his own post to chase after Kozinski? Unforgivable. What the hell had he been thinking?
Not thinking. He’d been letting his emotions rule him. Why couldn’t he just get control? Why was this so fucking hard?
He dreaded what Noah would say. The explanations his captain would demand.
While he’d been walking around aimlessly for the last two hours, Faith had needed him. The shame only got worse. This mess in his brain was like the rip tide, pulling at his feet, trying to drag him under.
He had to get himself together before he saw Faith.
“Tanner?” Sylvie kept glancing at him with concern as she drove.
“Sorry. Yeah, some shit went down with Kozinski. Not important right now.” He took out his phone and powered it on. Texts and voicemails appeared.
Oh, god. She must’ve been panicking when she couldn’t reach him. If something had happened, he’d never forgive himself.
Tanner tried calling Faith, but she didn’t answer.
Sylvie’s car roared down the street and turned into her driveway. Faith’s bicycle leaned against the fence. She was definitely here.
They both dashed out. Sylvie jammed the keys into the lock. Turned.
The entryway was quiet, though lights were on. “Faith? Are you here?” Sylvie ran into the living room.
“Maybe we should check your cameras. See if Jon’s been here.
” Tanner was thankful some of his old training had surfaced, tamping down his fear.
When he’d used to go on missions as a SEAL, an eerie calm had always settled over him.
He didn’t know where that calm had been earlier at the jewelry store.
The inner garage door opened, and Faith stepped into the kitchen. “I’m here. We have to—”
Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed onto the tile floor.
Sylvie screamed, running toward her, arms outstretched.
Tanner took two steps forward. Saw the open cardboard box in the garage. The off-white powder inside. In that moment, too many things made sense.
When he spoke, he hardly recognized his own voice. “Don’t touch her.”
“Why? Oh my god. Faith!”
There was no time to explain. They had minutes at most. “Call 911. She’s overdosing. I need your first aid kit from work. Where is it?”
“My car. My car.” She held out her keys, hand shaking.
He sprinted outside. Popped the trunk.
Tanner raced back to the kitchen, already unzipping the small case.
Sylvie was talking into her phone, but he kept his attention on Faith.
As a SEAL, he’d trained as a medic, and those muscle memories came back to him instantly.
Tanner gently rolled her onto her back and checked her airways, her pulse.
She wasn’t breathing. Her pupils had nearly disappeared.
Tanner pulled the Narcan from its packaging. Cradling Faith’s head and tilting it back, he fit the device into her left nostril. Pressed the plunger to activate the spray. He turned her onto her side, still holding her. She was so limp in his arms. Faith’s hair was tangled beneath her in a halo.
“Come on,” he heard himself say. “Come on. Stay with me.” Please don’t leave me. Please.
The bloody hole in Scotty’s neck flashed through Tanner’s mind. No, no, no. He forced his thoughts to the present.
Sylvie knelt beside him. “The ambulance is coming. Faith, wake up. You have to wake up.”
“Go outside, Sylvie. This whole area could be contaminated.” He grabbed a second package of Narcan from the first aid kit, keeping it ready. Come on, Faith. Please.
Tanner didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Faith took one of her own. “She’s breathing.”
Sylvie started to sob. She hadn’t listened to Tanner’s warning, but he couldn’t blame her.
He set aside the Narcan and performed CPR. Faith seemed too small, too fragile beneath his hands. He couldn’t let his conscious mind think too much about what was happening. How he still could lose her. The same words kept running through his mind.
Stay with me. Stay with me.
Time passed in a blur, though it also seemed to be standing still. Suddenly, the paramedics were here. Tanner didn’t want to let her go, but he had to.
“What’s she taken?” someone asked. The medic wore gloves and a respirator.
“She didn’t take it,” Tanner choked out. “Accidental. I think it’s fentanyl.”
He watched them load Faith onto a stretcher and take her through the front door. Tanner was still on his knees on the kitchen floor. Sylvie’s hand rested on his shoulder. “Take my car and head to the hospital. I’ll stay here to deal with the police.”
He was in a daze. “I don’t want to leave you alone.” Like I did Faith. I left her alone when she needed me.
“Ethan and Nic are both on their way.”
Tanner got up and they went outside. The wail of the sirens faded into the distance.
“But I would just love for Jon and his drug dealer friends to show their faces here.” Sylvie’s voice was tight with rage. “They’re going to pay for this.”
All of the shock and panic of the last few minutes crystallized within him, hardening in his chest. “I’m going to make sure of it.”