“Jeffrey Whistler. He’s a junior.”
“Swanny.” Jackson pointed to the bracelet on the kid’s wrist. He was diabetic. He turned to the aunt, indicating the bracelet. “I see he has diabetes. Type 1?”
She nodded, pressing a clenched fist against her lips. “Since he was seven.”
“What has he ingested recently?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. He had a turkey burger with a baked potato and a salad for lunch. Diet soda.”
“Is he due for an insulin injection?”
“He has a pump installed.”
Jackson nodded and checked the kid’s pulse again. “His pulse is stronger. Just to be safe, let’s check his blood sugar.”
Swanny handed him a swab and the kit. Jackson pricked his finger and squeezed out some blood. “Blood sugar’s good.”
Probably because of the pump.
Swanny administered the Narcan, a quick-acting drug to counteract the effects of an overdose. Then he went to the stretcher and wheeled it over.
“Let’s get him on the stretcher and load him,” Swanny said.
Jackson glanced at the young face again. Dylan’s age. His chest ached, and he lifted a hand to rub it, then dropped it. This isn’t Dylan. He’s fine. Then shame filled him. Dylan or not, this was still a young man whose life hung by a thread.
Swanny and Jackson took hold of the sheet under the boy, then Jackson nodded at Swanny. “On my count. One, two, lift.” They used the sheet to lift the boy onto the stretcher, then placed an oxygen mask over his face.
Officer Mark Ortiz arrived, and a second officer moved in behind him.
Jackson nodded at Mark. “We have a probable overdose.”
“My baby wouldn’t do drugs!”
Mark motioned for Swanny and Jackson to leave. “Ma’am, in a case like this, we have to search for drugs. The quicker we find what’s behind your nephew’s condition, the quicker I can get that to the doctors who will treat him.”
After arriving at Renegade Mercy General, Swanny swiftly transferred the patient to the hospital staff. The trauma nurse led the gurney into the ER. Nurses and technicians swarmed in, and Jackson and Swanny started to back out of the bay.
“Wait! Do you know what drug he took?” Dr. Kira Yassan lifted Jeffrey’s eyelids and shone a light in them to check his pupils.
Jackson glanced down at the kid’s pale face. “No. The police are on scene trying to find something. But the aunt denied he’d overdosed, and we didn’t find any needle marks.”
“So he either ingested or inhaled it.” The doctor looked up his nose. “And there it is. His nasal passages are inflamed and there’s a sore. Definitely snorted it. ”
Doctor Yassan looked around. “Get an IV ready. I see he has an insulin pump, so we won’t do a drip. Hook him up to the monitors. We need to keep a close eye on his vitals.”
Jackson’s phone rang. It was Mark. “Hold on, doctor. This might help us.”
He answered his phone. “Hey, Mark. Whatcha got?”
Next to him, Swanny tensed.
“Not good, Jackson. I just stepped out of the kid’s bedroom. I’m outside talking. I found a stash of Neurosync and some OxyContin hidden.”
Jackson turned to the doctor. “Neurosync and oxy.”
She nodded. “Let’s move it, people.”
She barked orders. Jackson stepped against the wall to avoid getting crushed. The elevator door dinged. Two nurses exited, chatting calmly.