Free Ruin (Dirty Secrets #3) by Mercy Amare

Saturday, August 30
    The cops know everything.

    I wake up on an unfamiliar bed feeling dazed and confused.
    What happened? The last thing I remember is running into the woods with my friends. After that, everything gets blurry. Why can’t I remember? I didn’t have any alcohol, so I couldn’t have blacked out.
    When I sit up, I realize that I’m in a hospital bed.
    What the heck happened last night?
    “You’re awake.” Trey is sitting in a chair by my bed. Jace is standing beside him.
    “Why am I here?” I ask.
    “You were drugged,” Jace answers.
    “How? I didn’t drink any alcohol.” I look at Jace. “And I was with you the whole time. Nobody besides you—” my voice cuts off. “Oh my God. Carter got me a drink. But you don’t think he… I mean, he couldn’t have…”
    Carter is a nice, shy kid. He’s smart and I don’t think he would ever do something stupid like drugging me.
    “The police are questioning him now,” Jace answers.
    “So the cops know everything ?” I ask.
    “And so do I,” Trey says. “Why didn’t you tell me about the texts? God, you’re so lucky that Jace was with you last night. You just ran into the woods after a psycho killer.”
    “Killer?” I ask, feeling sick.
    “Kidnapper,” he corrects. “But possible killer.”
    “What happened in the woods?” I ask. “Did they find Daisy?”
    Nobody answers me. They both just avoid looking me in the eye. I don’t like the silence.
    “Seriously, guys. I need to know.”
    “Daisy was nowhere to be found,” Jace finally answers. “Also, Emma was taken. I’m sorry, Mads.”
    “No.” My chest hurts at his words.
    “The cops want to talk to you and get a statement,” Trey tells me. “They’ve already gone through your phone and gotten everything they need, so you just need to be honest with them. Also, the doctor said you could leave when you woke up.”
    Jace walks closer to the bed and wipes the tears away from under my eyes. “Hey, no crying. They are going to find Emma and Daisy.”
    “After you’re done here, it’s time for our annual camping trip,” Trey says, trying to cheer me up.
    “Are we seriously going camping after this?” I ask. “Where is Mom?”
    “Yes, we are going camping,” Trey answers. “You need to get your mind off all this crap. And Mom went home last night. She just came to sign papers so you could be treated and left. Since it’s not life threatening , she didn’t want to stay. I guess she had to work early this morning.”
    I roll my eyes. “How nice of her to come sign papers.”
    “Don’t let our bitchy mom get you down,” Trey says, then pats me on the back. “It will be okay, you know?”
    “It’s not just that. Two of my best friends are missing. It could have just as easily been me , and she can’t take time away from her stupid boyfriend to spend two seconds with me,” I says, frowning. “It’s just so ridiculous.”
    “I agree,” Trey says. “But I’m here. And Hailee has been here too. She’s asleep in the waiting room. And Jace is here. It’s not like we can force her to be a real mom suddenly.”
    “I know.”
    “I still can’t believe Emma is missing. I should’ve known something was up last night. She was acting so weird.”
    “Were you and Emma hooking up?” I ask Trey.
    “Just a couple of times. We aren’t dating or anything like that, but she’s hot. I think she just wanted rebound sex and I just wanted sex, so it worked out perfectly,” he says. “Emma is a freak in bed.”
    “I so don’t want to hear about you having sex with my best friend. It’s disgusting,” I say. “But seriously, do you think Emma and Daisy are okay?”
    “I don’t know,” Trey answers. “But I do know that we are going to do everything we can to get them back.”
    I know I should have gone to the police sooner. I should’ve called Detective Condie as soon as I left the library that night. But the damage is already done. All I can do now is talk to