It was five-thirty. The late afternoon sun was setting on the far side of the hotel, leaving the pool in the shade. It wasnt what anyone would call cool yet but there was a light breeze and it seemed more comfortable to Jake than the close confines of the cheap motel room. He shoved some money into the vending machine next to the stairwell and extracted three bottles of chilled water. He carried the plastic bottles back to the table and put them down. Clare unscrewed the cap on one of the bottles and swallowed some water. She hadnt said a word since they had left her room. All right, lets have it, he said to both women. I want the whole story. Clare sat back in her chair and raised her brows at Elizabeth. You started this. You tell him. Elizabeth put both hands on the table, making a triangle with her fingers around the base of her bottle of water. She faced Jake, earnest and determined. We all know that Valerie had a drinking problem, she said. And there were rumors that she had found a doctor who was pretty loose with the prescription meds. Jake nodded and drank some water.
