CHAPTER 18
“Something is wrong with Riley,” Lucas’s mother told him. “She’s acting drunk.”
Lucas had just come back into the reception hall after helping some of Carson’s friends decorate his Range Rover and fill it with balloons. He glanced around the dimly lit room, trying to locate Riley. “She can’t be drunk. She doesn’t touch alcohol.”
His mother leaned toward him with a confidential, quiet tone. “Well, I know she didn’t used to, but she’s certainly acting the part now. Ten minutes ago, she made the rounds telling everyone that Mexico knows how to do sunsets. She’s laughing for no reason. She’s also told several people that Carson is desecrating The Riverside Inn, and she’ll be passing around the hat later to take up funds to stop him.”
Lucas shut his eyes. What in the world was Riley doing?
His mother clasped her hands together, disapproval tinging her concern. “Does she have any medical issues that you know of? Is she on any kind of medication? I would have Olivia talk to her, but I don’t want anything to disrupt her big day. Perhaps you could do something?”
Lucas’s gaze kept sweeping the room, trying to locate her. “I’ll talk to her.” He spotted Riley out on the dance floor with one of Carson’s football friends, Buck Thompson. Even though the song wasn’t a slow dance, her arms wrapped around his neck, and she looked like she might fall over.
That was not the way Riley usually danced. Something was definitely wrong. Had someone drugged her so they could take advantage of her?
The idea raised all sorts of hackles inside Lucas, and his police training instantly kicked in. Riley wasn’t going to step foot out of this room with anyone, and he would find out exactly what she’d drunk and who had given it to her. If it was Buck, Lucas would take him down right here, right now, Carson’s big day notwithstanding.
He stormed over to Buck and Riley. “Hey, I need to speak to Riley for a minute.” He was doing his best not to sound accusing but hadn’t been successful.
“That’s my boss,” Riley said in a loud whisper, her arms still draped over Buck’s shoulders. “It’s his job to make sure I don’t have any fun. He’s really good at it.” She turned to Lucas. “I’m off the clock until midnight when I turn into a pumpkin.” Her head tilted, and she scrunched her nose. “Wait, is it a pumpkin? That doesn’t seem right.”
Buck stopped dancing to address Lucas. “She’s a little tipsy.”
You think? “Did you give her something?” His voice came out crisp and harsh.
Buck raised his hands, which looked odd since Riley still draped her arms over him. “Nah, man. She just came up to me and said she wanted to dance, so I obliged the lady.”
Riley smiled at him dreamily. “I told him he had magic feet. Probably all football players do. Or maybe just the ones that, you know, run through the other guys. I forget what they’re called.”
“Running backs,” Buck said.
“Running right back to you,” Riley said with a laugh.
Lucas pried her hands off Buck so that she had to look at him. “Riley, listen to me. This is important. Who gave you something to drink?”
She looked at him without any recognition of what he was asking. “Nobody. I only had two glasses of juice, and I got those for myself.” She giggled. “Well, actually I got one for Olivia’s dad, but then I drank both because I was choking.” She nodded and added, “Broccoli,” as though it explained something.
“You drank Mr. Travers’s drink?” Now they were getting somewhere.
She nodded. “He wasn’t happy about it, so I got him some more Mexico juice. But you shouldn’t drink it. It tastes funny. I think I might have gotten a rotten pineapple.” Another giggle. “Or a sunburn in my throat. Have you noticed how sparkly the lights are now?”
Buck shook his head. “Wow, she’s really far gone.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Lucas said.
Riley had ingested something from Mr. Travers’s drink. Had he spiked it for himself, or had something more sinister happened?
Lucas scanned the room but didn’t see the man. He put his hand around Riley’s waist and towed her off the dance floor. His mother could look after her for a few minutes while Lucas interrogated Mr. Travers.
As Lucas led Riley off the floor, she tilted her head at him. “Wait, did you just cut in on my dance? Are we dancing now?”
“Yes,” Lucas said. “Let’s go.”
Riley’s head lolled, but she managed to look at him. “You used to be a better dancer. Plus, I don’t think I should dance with my ex. Sends the wrong message.”
“Keep moving,” Lucas said. “We’re almost there.”
Riley began singing along to the song, but she kept walking.