Fucking Jeff. What I told Banner was the truth—I always figured he’d end up OD’ing on whatever the fuck he poisoned himself with. If I had to guess now, I’d say meth.
I’m finally finishing up the last touches on the engine of the Mustang, thankfully with the help of both Jock and Rick today, because my head is not where it needs to be.
Rick turns down the music. “We got company.” He jerks his chin toward the service door as one Officer Cody Reeves walks inside.
“You got a minute, Logan? I need to get a statement from you.”
I’ve called the hospital twice to check on Jeff, and he’s still hanging on, so I know Cody isn’t here to notify me of his passing.
I pull my rag from my back pocket and tell Jock, “Finish this up, and then wipe it all down and make it goddamn shine.”
“No problem, boss.”
I head for the waiting room, and Cody follows me. There’s still some coffee hanging out in the last pot that I brewed, so I pour us each a cup.
“It tastes like tar, but it can’t be much different from what you’re used to.”
“Much appreciated.” He takes the cup from my hand and grabs three packets of sugar out of the coffee can that holds all our extra shit for waiting customers.
“You here about Jeff?”
He nods. “Sure am.”
“I don’t have a lot to tell you.”
“How about you start at the beginning.”
“I pulled into the parking lot at Brews and saw his car. He looked like he was passed out in the driver’s seat, and something about it struck me as off.”
“What were you doing at Brews at eight o’clock this morning?”
The rest of the town probably already knew by now, and I was over worrying about gossip concerning me and Banner. “Bringing a woman back to her car.”
“Banner Regent?”
I shoot him a hard look. “Why are you asking me questions you already know the answers to? Isn’t this a waste of both our time?”
“It’s procedure.”
I look down at my coffee and take a breath. My patience is for shit today. “Yeah, Banner Regent. She spent last night at my house after we left Brews. I brought her back to get her car this morning so I could get to the shop early, but that didn’t end up happening because my ex-stepbrother was in the process of OD’ing in the parking lot, and I had to give his rotted-ass meth mouth CPR so he didn’t die.” I meet Cody’s gaze and see the sympathy there.
“How do you know he was OD’ing?”
“Educated guess.”
“When’s the last time you saw Jeff before this morning?”
Tipping my head back, I focus on a water spot on the ceiling tile above me. Absently, I remind myself to replace it because it looks like shit.
“The last time I saw him? Probably a few months ago in passing. I’ve seen his car around, but not him.”
“What about the last time you talked to him?”
I look up at the ceiling again and think back. “A while.”
“Exactly how long? And did you argue?”
I jerk my gaze back to Cody’s. “Really? Is this important?”