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m a little weak from the accident still. ”
    “ That ’ s why I ’ m here. I need to speak to you about what happened that night. Are you up to it? ”
    Max didn ’ t know exactly what to say. He ’ d have to be vague since he had limited knowledge. “ Well, I can promise you I wasn ’ t high at all. ”
    “ Yes, we got your blood test back, everyone ’ s actually, and it ’ s all good. Also, the tests performed at the accident site proved no one was driving at excessive speeds.  We ’ re eager to figure out what exactly happened and , we ’ re hoping you can fill in the blanks. ” Mr. McKay sat down next to Max in a stiff plastic chair and opened the file he ’ d brought in with him.
    “ I ’ m sorry, sir. I just don ’ t remember anything, ” Max offered weakly.
    “ Do you remember if there was something in the road? ” Max shook his head. “ What ’ s the last thing you recall? ” Mr. McKay asked.
    “ I remember looking through my locker for something after school that day. I don ’ t even remember what it was, ” Max admitted. He should have asked JD what he was looking for, but he was too busy kissing Emma. Guilt washed over him. Why didn ’ t he offer to help JD?
    “ That ’ s it? ”
    “ Yes, sir. I ’ m sorry. Really , I am. ”
    “ Hello, Officer McKay . ” In sauntered Mel with a pink water pitcher. “ The nurse is going to be in with your pain pills in a minute, ” she said to Max. “ So , is my baby guilty of something? ” She glowered at Emma ’ s dad , square in the eye. A look he ’ d seen his own mother do a hundred times when she had felt the need to protect him . Max called it her mother bear look.
    “ We ’ re still investigating. Interviewing JD is our final step. M y report should be ready first of next week . ” Mr. McKay closed his folder, stood and shook Max ’ s hand. “ JD, sometimes accidents just happen and no one is to blame, ” he said gently as he handed Max a small business card. “ If you remember something, no matter how unimportant it may seem to you, please call me. Take care of yourself. ” He turned for the door and over his shoulder said, “ And Emma is going to be fine. Don ’ t you worry. ” Max ’ s heart leapt as Emma ’ s dad walked out the door. He needed to see her himself, just to be sure.
    “ So what do you remember? ” Mel asked cautiously. Max looked at her. She suspected her son was responsible, he could see it in her tightly pinched features as she straightened his bedding .
    “ Nothing, absolutely nothing, ” he assured her as best he could. “ One minute I ’ m in the car, the next I ’ m in a strange room covered with a sheet. ” H e left out the part about accidentally dying and taking over her son ’ s body.
    The nurse came in with a little white cup in her hand. “ Here are your pain meds, Jayden. ” She held the cup out to him.
    “ I ’ ve changed m y mind. I ’ ll suck up the pain. ” He ’ d never been a big fan of pain meds. He wanted a clear head when he went to see Em.
    “ If it becomes too much, let me know. ” She tucked the cup into the pocket of her pink scrub top. “ I spoke with your doctor. He said if you tolerate dinner well, he ’ ll consider upgrading you to real food in the morning, ” she said as she left.
    Max pulled the tray back over to give the Jell-O another shot. “ Maybe they ’ ll let me go home tomorrow. What do you think? ” He slurped a chunk of the gelatinous mess. Disgusting.
    “ Tomorrow? Oh , dear. ” Mel sank into the chair vacated by Emma ’ s dad. “ I have to work a twelve hour shift tomorrow and can ’ t afford to take another day off. I wonder if they ’ ll let me pick you up after ni ne. It will have to be in a cab , since we no longer have the car. ”
    “ I can take a cab home in the morning. I ’ m really hoping to be home early enough to go to school. ” It was the safest place to see Emma. If JD suddenly appeared on her doorstep , she ’ d