Sharon tapped the glass vial against the marble countertop of her expansive bathroom, allowing a small mountain of white powder to accumulate before tilting it upright and replacing the cap. She replaced the vial in her hand with a Platinum Mastercard and began separating the heap into several lines, her nose already seeming to run and a phantom drip manifesting at the back of her throat in anticipation.

It hadn't even been that long—a few hours maybe—since Sharon had last taken a bump but it was a small one on the road to meet Liz and it had only whetted her appetite for the main course. Driving back with an...