Chapter 71

On Thanksgiving,Abe stays at the dorms because he's working at that student health clinic again on Black Friday. His family isn't loaded like mine, so he's always trying to pick up extra shifts—presumably to support his very expensive relationship with Heather. He's not home yet when I go to bed for the night on Thanksgiving Day, but when I wake up suddenly at three in the morning (which has been happening more and more lately), he's lying in his own bed, snoring softly.

I feel confident that Abe is safe from Dr. Conlon. He earns decent but not spectacular grades and hasn't done a whole lot to call attention to himself. Moreover, he's huge, so even a completely able-bodied and athletic Dr. Conlon probably wouldn't be able to overpower him. No, Dr. Conlon would never target Abe in a million years.

Abe shifts in his sleep, mumbling a few words I can't make out. I watch his broad chest rise and fall with each breath. I've known Abe for several months now, and one thing I know for sure is that he's a good guy. A really good guy. He's kind, he's honest, and he'd never do anything unethical. He's exactly the sort of person I need on my side.

That's when I make up my mind: in the morning, I'm going to tell him everything. He'll keep my secret safe, and then, if something happens to me, he'll be able to go to the authorities. I can trust Abe—I'm sure of it.

The next morning,when I wake up, Abe has already left for the clinic. My heart sinks when I notice that his bed is empty. I had wanted to talk to him before he left. Now, I'll have to wait until tonight, and he often gets home very late from the clinic.

Just as I'm stumbling into the common room to see what there is to eat in our mini fridge, there's a knock on the door. I can't even begin to imagine who would be coming to visit us on the morning after Thanksgiving. I'm certainly not expecting anyone.

I throw open the door, and a classmate of mine named Victor is standing in front of me. He's a tall, skinny guy who always looks like he's had a bit too much coffee to drink. He raises a hand in greeting.

"Hey, Mason," he says.

"Hey."

He shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie sweatshirt. "Uh, is Abe around?"

I didn't know Victor and Abe were friends. I don't even know if I've ever seen the two of them talking to each other. "No…"

"Aw, seriously?" His face falls. "Well, will he be back soon?"

"Probably not. He's working at the student clinic."

Victor's eyes light up. "Oh, it's open today?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"Awesome, awesome." He nods to himself. "I'll get it there, then."

With those words, he disappears down the hallway, a new skip in his step.

What the hell was that about? Why was Victor so desperate to find Abe? And what does he think he's going to get at the clinic that he's so excited about?

Oh. Oh shit.

I don't know how I didn't see it sooner. The student health clinic is a perfect place for med students to get drugs illegally. And Conlon even has it advertised prominently on the bulletin board outside the anatomy lab. That's how he must be spreading drugs to the students at DeWitt.

And Abe works there.

I can't believe I almost confided in him. I don't know exactly how much he is aware of or if he is just part of the totem pole of distribution, but it's clear Abe can't be trusted. Which means there's nobody out there that I can trust.

I can only trust myself.