Why did he do it?’
‘I don’t know, Wanda. Do you?’
She sat very still, as though struggling to come up with an answer. ‘He hasn’t been…right. For almost a week.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’s been out of control, angry at everyone. Cursing and slamming doors. I thought it was because of the divorce. He’s had such a hard time of it…’
Claire was reluctant to bring up the next subject, but it had to be addressed. ‘What about drugs, Wanda? That could change a child’s personality. Do you think he’s been experimenting with anything?’
Wanda hesitated. ‘No.’
‘You don’t sound sure.’
‘It’s just that…’ She swallowed, tears flashing in her eyes. ‘I feel like I hardly know him anymore. He’s my son, and I don’t even recognize him.’
‘Have you seen any warning signs?’
‘He’s always been a little difficult. That’s why Dr Pomeroy thought he might have attention deficit disorder. Lately, it seems he’s gotten worse. Especially since he started hanging out with those awful boys.’
‘Which boys?’
‘They live up the road from us. J.D. and Eddie Reid. And then there’s that Scotty Braxton. All four of them got into trouble with the police back in March. Last week, I told Taylor he had to stay away from the Reid brothers. That’s when we got into our first really big fight. That’s when he slapped me.’
‘Taylor did?’
Wanda’s head drooped, the victim ashamed she’d been abused. ‘We’ve hardly spoken to each other since then. And when we do talk, it’s so obvious that…’ Her voice slid to a whisper. ‘That we hate each other.’
Gently Claire touched Wanda’s arm. ‘Believe it or not, disliking your own teenager isn’t all that abnormal.’
‘But I’m also afraid of him! That’s what makes it even worse. I dislike him and I’m scared of him. When he hit me, it was like having his father back in the house.’ She touched her fingers to her mouth, as though remembering some long-faded bruise. ‘Paul and I are still in a custody fight. Two of us battling over a boy who doesn’t like either of us.’
Claire’s beeper went off. She glanced at the digital readout and saw the lab was paging her. ‘Excuse me,’ she said, and left the chapel to make the call from the hospital lobby.
Anthony, the lab supervisor, answered the phone. ‘The Bangor lab just called with more of Taylor’s results, Dr Elliot.’
‘Did anything turn up positive on the specific screens?’
‘I’m afraid not. There’s no alcohol, cannabis, opioids, or amphetamines in his blood. That’s a negative for every drug you wanted screened.’
‘I was so sure,’ she said in bewilderment. ‘I don’t know what else could cause this behavior. There must be some drug I’ve forgotten to test for.’
‘There may be something. I ran his blood through our hospital gas chromatography machine, and an abnormal peak showed up at one minute, ten seconds’ retention time.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It doesn’t pinpoint any particular drug. But there is a peak, which indicates something out of the ordinary is circulating in his blood. It could be completely innocuous – an herbal supplement, for instance.’
‘How do we find out what it is?’
‘We’d need more extensive analysis. The Bangor lab isn’t equipped to do that. We have to draw more blood and send it to our reference lab in Boston. They can simultaneously screen for hundreds of different drugs.’
‘Then let’s do it.’
‘Well, here’s the problem. It’s the other reason I paged you. I just got an order to cancel any and all remaining drug tests. It’s signed by Dr DelRay.’
‘What?’ She shook her head in disbelief. ‘I’m Taylor’s doctor.’
‘But DelRay’s writing orders, and his are contradictory to yours. So I’m not sure what to do.’
‘Look, let me talk to the mother and I’ll clear this up right now.’ She hung up and returned to the chapel.
Even before she opened the door, she could hear a man’s voice, raised in anger.
‘…never exerted any control! Completely useless, that’s what you are. No wonder he’s so screwed up!’
Claire pushed into the chapel. ‘Is there a problem here, Wanda?’
The man turned to her. ‘I’m Taylor’s father.’
Personal crises bring out the worst in people, but Paul Darnell was probably not likable even at his best. A partner in the largest accounting firm in Two Hills, he was far more stylishly garbed than his wife, who seemed to shrink to inconsequential size in her ill-fitting suit. The brief interaction Claire had witnessed between these two ex-spouses told her what this marriage must have been like: Paul the aggressor, full of demands and complaints. Wanda always appeasing, retreating.
‘What is this about my son taking illegal drugs?’ he asked.
‘I’m trying to find a reason for what happened today, Mr Darnell. I was just asking your wife –’
‘Taylor hasn’t been taking any drugs. Not since you stopped the Ritalin.’ He paused. ‘And he was fine on the Ritalin. I never understood why you took him off it.’
‘It’s been two months since I discontinued it. This personality change is more recent.’
‘Two months ago, he was fine.’
‘No he wasn’t. He was tired and listless. And that diagnosis of ADD was never really established. It’s not the same as diagnosing hypertension, where there are definite parameters to go by.’
‘Dr Pomeroy was certain of the diagnosis.’
‘ADD has turned into a catchall for all childhood misbehavior. When a student’s failing in class, or he gets into mischief, parents want to find a reason. I didn’t agree with Pomeroy’s diagnosis. When in doubt, I prefer not to push pills on children.’
‘And look what’s happened. He’s out of control. He’s been out of control for weeks.’
‘How would you know, Paul?’ said Wanda. ‘How long has it been since you actually spent time with your own son?’
Paul turned to his ex-wife with such a look of hatred, Wanda shrank back. ‘You’re the one who’s supposed to be in charge,’ he said. ‘I knew you couldn’t handle him. You screwed it up as usual, and now our son’s going to end up in jail!’
‘At
