by Charly Cox
‘Good.’ Without taking her eyes from Rachel, she pointed behind her to the man who still stood in the doorway, an odd expression on his face. ‘This is my partner, Detective Cord Roberts. We’re both here to help you, to try to find out what happened, what you remember. But if it’s easier for you, my partner can step out of the room. Would that make you feel better? Don’t be afraid to tell the truth.’
Rachel opened her mouth to speak, though she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. Nick cupped her chin and turned her face so she was focused on him. ‘You’re safe. These two, along with a lot of other people, have been searching nonstop for you. They won’t hurt you. Neither of them.’
She trusted Nick. She didn’t trust the man. She tried to nod, to say the man could stay. But then the man’s mouth was moving, and she was sure he was speaking, but her mind couldn’t make sense of his words. And then he was outside, and just like that, her heart rate slowed, and things came back into focus. ‘Nick?’
‘I’m still here. I’ll be with you the entire time. I promise.’
Her brother was the calm in her storm, so she focused on his grip as she turned to the detective, who took three careful steps closer to the bed. Her voice was kind when she spoke.
‘Okay, Rachel, I know the questions I’m about to ask are going to be tough and personal, and I know you’ve suffered through a terrible ordeal, so if at any point you need to stop and take a break, you just say the word, all right?’
‘I’ll try.’ Her voice was scratchy, and she shifted towards Nick. ‘Water, please.’
Before he could release her grip, the detective handed him the cup. ‘Thank you,’ he said as he placed the straw at Rachel’s mouth. Mindful of her raw throat, she took several small sips before twisting her head to the side.
‘Enough?’
‘Yes.’ Her skin went clammy as she waited for the detective to ask her questions.
‘Rachel, why don’t you begin by telling me what you remember. Can you do that?’
‘Remember?’
‘Let’s start with when you went missing. You were at a frat party, right? Tell me about that night. Who did you go with? Did you leave with that person or someone else? Or no one?’
An image floated in Rachel’s mind, and her stomach clenched, a tangle of insects in her gut, but then it was gone. ‘I went with a friend. Anna. She was with a guy, and I tried to get her to leave, but then I fell asleep. And when I woke up… I don’t know where Anna is.’ Her heart galloped, and her blood pressure shot up so quickly, the alarms on her monitor blared, and within seconds, two nurses rushed in.
Rachel spent the next several minutes trying to keep track of Nick as a nurse with dishwater-blonde hair mumbled incoherently above her. It was only when the words ‘sedative’ and ‘calm her’ trickled down that she was able to speak again. ‘No. No drugs.’
At the same time, Nick stepped in front of the nurse, ‘My sister doesn’t want any drugs.’
Much to Rachel’s surprise, the nurse gave one curt nod of her head and then smiled down at her with gentle eyes. ‘The medicine can help, so if, at any time, you change your mind, you let one of us know. We can even start off with a half-dose, if you’d like.’
‘No drugs,’ Rachel repeated.
‘Okay, no drugs.’
It seemed forever before the medical staff left with a warning to the detective. And then she was back in Rachel’s line of vision. ‘Rachel, I know this is scary, and I wish I didn’t have to ask you to replay any of it. But it’s the only way we’re going to be able to catch all the people who are responsible for doing this to you.’
The detective was right; she didn’t want to replay this. But then Katelyn’s terrified face flashed in her mind, and she knew she had to. She spoke slowly, telling her nightmare, sobs shaking her as she told the detective about the men, the whips, the clips. The pain. The degradation. The desire to die. Losing the will to live. She turned away, embarrassed and ashamed that Nick had to hear of her humiliation, but she knew she couldn’t bear to have him leave her side, either. Tears trickled down the side of her face, splashing onto the fist that clutched the sheet tightly under her chin.
A smooth hand touched hers. ‘Rachel, I want to remind you that you’re in a safe place right now, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You need to remember that none of this is your fault. Nothing you did caused this.’ Rachel listened to Detective Wyatt’s kind voice, trying to believe her.
‘Rachel, can you look at me?’ Reluctantly, Rachel moved her gaze back to Alyssa, careful to avoid eye contact with her brother. ‘Are you ready to continue, or do you need a few minutes?’
Inside, she shouted, I just want it all to go away, to never have happened at all. ‘I can continue.’
‘Did you know Meghan Jessup?’ the detective asked.
‘Briefly. She disappeared shortly after I got there. Did you find her? Is she okay?’
When the detective flipped her phone around to show her a picture of a man, Rachel knew Meghan hadn’t survived, and her stomach spasmed.
‘Is this one of the men you saw at that house?’
Rachel studied the picture for several minutes, though it really wasn’t necessary. She’d never be able to get them out of her head. Finally, she shook her head. ‘No, I never saw him.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
She tapped on her screen and pulled up another image before turning her phone toward Rachel once more. ‘What about her? Do you recognize this woman?’
Staring back at her from the detective’s phone was the lady who’d dispassionately stood in the doorway after the very first time Rachel had been violated, the woman they’d all believed to be in charge because everyone obeyed her commands. The memory of the pain and degradation was so real, so intense that, before she knew what was happening, she was retching, barely conscious of her brother moving to hold her hair back as the detective placed a bucket beneath her mouth.
After her stomach was empty, dry heaves took over, and then finally, blessedly, it was over, and she allowed Nick to ease her back onto the pillow as she cried.
‘I’m so sorry, Rachel. I’m going to let you get some rest now, and I’ll be back later today, if that’s okay.’
Something was different in the detective’s voice, and Rachel turned her head toward her, surprised to see such pain in her face, the kind her own mother should have had.
‘None of us knew the woman’s name; no one ever spoke it out loud, at least not around us. But we always believed she was in charge because everyone followed her commands and deferred to her.’
The detective smiled and reached out one hand, allowing it to hover over Rachel’s, giving her the choice to accept it or not. Her right hand still encased in her brother’s grip, she lifted her fingers to allow the detective to take hold of her left.
‘Thank you. You’ve been very courageous, both in surviving this ordeal and for sharing it with me now. I know that wasn’t easy, and I promise we’re going to do everything we can to catch everyone involved.’ Then, speaking to both Nick and her, she said, ‘If the staff haven’t talked to you about it yet, you might want to mention having a victim advocate here. They can help.’
Rachel didn’t know what a victim advocate was, but she knew she didn’t want another stranger around that she had to divulge her secrets to.
Chapter Forty-Five
Sunday, May 26
In the waiting room, Holly sat next to Sophie, who sat next to her parents while Jersey’s mom was in the room with her. Her phone dinged, and she grabbed it off the seat and flipped it over so she could read the text. It was from Nick.
Your mom just left the room. How are you holding up?
Holly’s eyes flickered to the silver metal doors separating the waiting area from the patients’ rooms then to the television in the corner. The girls’ rescue had been on the news all day.
I’m holding up as well as can be expected, I guess. You?
As g
ood as can be expected, I guess.
Holly stared at the screen, her fingers poised above the keyboard as she bit her cheek, then she puffed the air out and typed.
How’s your sister? I mean, besides the obvious.
I don’t know how to answer that. How’s your friend?
I don’t know how to answer that.
She waited another minute, but when there was no reply, she set her phone aside, and studied Sophie’s profile. Her cheeks were splotchy, but not from tears, from anger. Holly tugged gently on her friend’s hand, pulling her up. ‘Come on. My mom and Cord are back there, so it’s probably going to be awhile yet. Let’s go grab some drinks and snacks.’
After only a brief hesitation, Sophie climbed to her feet, then swiveled around to check the same metal doors Holly had been searching only a moment ago. Pressing the heels of both hands against her eyes, she nodded, but before following Holly, she leaned down to kiss her mom and dad on the cheek. ‘Do you want us to bring you anything?’
Sophie’s mom smiled sadly up at her daughter. ‘Nothing for me, darling. Thank you.’
‘Are you sure? You need to eat something. When’s the last time you ate?’
Mrs. Quill tipped her head, a sad smile lifting up one corner of her mouth. ‘When’s the last time you did?’
Sophie merely stared, waiting. Her mom sighed. ‘I know, but right now I can’t. I’ll wait for Aunt Natalia to come out, and then we’ll go eat together. I promise. But you two go ahead. You were here until late last night and got here early this morning. You need a break.’
‘Daddy?’
‘No, thank you. I’ll go with Mom and Aunt Natalia, make sure they both get a warm bite inside when you and Holly return. But take your time.’ His gaze was on his daughter, but his words were directed at her best friend.
At the elevator, Sophie reached out and jabbed the down arrow several times, hard enough that Holly was a little afraid she’d actually break it. When the doors opened, the two girls stepped aside to allow a family of five to disembark before climbing in themselves, grateful that no one else had been waiting for the car.
Once the doors closed, Holly pressed the button for the cafeteria. Leaning her head back against the stainless steel of the elevator wall, she breathed deeply, a million thoughts racing through her mind, when Sophie spoke.
‘I know it’s her daughter, and she has every right to be in there with Jersey, but we’re worried, too. We should’ve been allowed to see her.’ She swallowed loudly before admitting what was really bothering her. ‘What if she doesn’t want to see us? What if she told her mom that, and Aunt Natalia just hasn’t found a way to tell us yet?’
Holly stepped closer to her best friend and draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in closer to her, and reaching up to draw Sophie’s head onto her shoulder. ‘That’s not what’s going on, Sophie. We’re going to see her, I promise. It’s hard, I know, but we need to be patient just a little longer.’ And though she knew she shouldn’t, she brought up Jersey’s dad. ‘I still can’t believe what he told my mom.’ When her mom had pulled Natalia aside last night to inform her of her soon-to-be ex-husband’s response to returning, Natalia had nearly disintegrated, and likely would’ve, if it hadn’t been for Sophie’s mom.
Sophie’s jaw tightened. ‘“Tell her I’ll see her when I get home in two weeks.” What a prick.’ Tears spilled over until she wiped them angrily away. ‘Whatever. He’s a bigger ass than we already knew he was.’
There was nothing left to say after that, so they remained quiet until the elevator doors opened on the main floor where the cafeteria was located. As they stepped out, they practically bumped into Beau Cambridge, and Sophie stumbled back. ‘What the actual hell are you doing here?’ she spat, heedless of the curious stares she received as people stopped and gawked.
Beau crossed his arms over his chest and sneered. ‘I heard they found Jersey, so I’m here to see my girlfriend.’ He tried to step into the elevator, but Sophie was faster, blocking his path.
‘Like hell.’
‘And you think you can stop me?’ He moved in closer to Sophie, towering over her much smaller frame in an effort to intimidate her, but she didn’t budge.
Eyes narrowed into slits, she spoke through her teeth. ‘Maybe I can’t physically bar you from trying, but if I start screaming, I bet I can get those security guards over there – the ones who are right now, as we speak, keeping a careful watch on this situation – to come over here, and I bet I can put on a very convincing act about how you’ve been abusive to me, and I’m so scared, and ask them to please just make you go.’
As she spoke, Sophie’s gaze flickered to the guards who were indeed studying the situation, and then, raising her voice, she said, ‘Please, Beau, you need to go. You’re scaring me.’
His nostrils flared, and the veins at his temples bulged as his face flamed crimson. Eyes blazing, he took a menacing step forward, forcing Sophie against the wall when a tanned hand stopped him. Automatically, his fist swung up and out, but the security guard blocked the punch. A brief scuffle later, the two security guards dragged Beau away.
Before he was escorted outside, he twisted his upper body around and shouted back. ‘You better watch your back, you stupid cow.’
Holly and Sophie watched him shrug off the two guards and stomp off. But before they could turn around and head into the cafeteria for some food, the automatic double doors opened again, and Leigh Ann rushed in, panting, her face red from exertion. Slightly out of breath, she hurried over as soon as she spotted them.
‘I heard it on the news. How is she? Is she awake? What happened? Was that Beau I just saw leaving?’
At the mention of Beau’s name, both Holly and Sophie tensed, and in Sophie’s case, her face fell into a careful mask. In a monotone voice, she said, ‘She’s stable, we don’t know, we don’t have all the answers yet, and yes.’
‘How about you? Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can get you, do for you?’
Sophie stared at Leigh Ann like she’d grown a second head. ‘Are you serious right now? What you can do for me is leave me the hell alone.’
Leigh Ann’s gaze flickered between Sophie and Holly. Her shoulders sagged. ‘I get it. You’re still mad because I waited to tell Holly’s mom about the frat party. I guess that’s why neither of you sent a text. How many times do I have to say I’m sorry before you forgive me?’
A twinge of guilt ate at Holly’s conscience because Leigh Ann was right, and now that she saw her friend’s face, she knew one of them should’ve been a big enough person to tell her Jersey had been rescued.
‘Um, has she said what happened exactly?’ Leigh Ann stared out the window as she asked the question.
‘We actually haven’t seen her yet.’ It was clear by the tone of her voice that Sophie hadn’t wanted to admit that.
Leigh Ann nodded. ‘Do you want me to leave?’
Sophie sighed. ‘Yes, but that’s what I want, not what Jersey might need. Even if she doesn’t want to see any of us, I know it’ll help her knowing we’re all here.’
‘Thank you,’ Leigh Ann whispered.
Half an hour later, the girls headed back after stopping to buy three hot chocolates, a bag of chips, and a peanut butter cookie – none of which they planned to touch. They rode the car up in silence, and as they climbed off the elevator, Holly ran into her mom and Cord.
Chapter Forty-Six
Sunday, May 26
After leaving Rachel’s room, Alyssa found Cord near a vending machine. ‘How are you holding up?’
Cord shifted his gaze from the window to his partner. ‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. I’m sure seeing Rachel reminded you of Shelley’s ordeal. So, I repeat: are you holding up okay?’ She watched as he shoved both hands into his front pockets, his head tilting toward the ceiling.
‘You’re right. All of this reminds me of her. But I’m not worried about me right now.’ He swallowed, then leveled a steady stare at her. ‘I
just don’t want any of those girls to end up feeling so hopeless that they do what Shelley did.’
Alyssa placed her palm on Cord’s arm. ‘We’ll do all that we can to ensure that doesn’t happen. Now, you ready to hear what I found out?’
‘I wish I didn’t have to be, but yes, I am.’
She shared what she’d learned, and then together, they went to visit Jersey. From her daughter’s friend, she learned much the same as she had from Rachel, except that Jersey gave her a very detailed description of one of the men who’d abused her, one who Jersey hadn’t seen at the scene when they were rescued. She didn’t recognize Yarmini, but she did recognize Tatiana Salazar, although she couldn’t tell them what her name was.
And then, in excruciating detail, stopping every few minutes to get her breathing back under control, she described the torture she’d gone through.
Jersey’s words and listening to her struggle as she mentally relived her torturous ordeal tore at Alyssa’s heartstrings. This was her daughter’s friend and someone who had slept over at her house. More than once, she had listened to Holly, Sophie, and Jersey giggle all night long over silly things. She’d watched them give each other pedicures and French-braid each other’s hair. She’d overheard them whisper about secret crushes and worry about whether or not a boy liked them back. And because of that, Alyssa found herself hiding her hands inside her jacket pockets so no one could witness the way they shook or how they clenched in anger at what had happened.
Jersey stared across the room at the blank screen of the television as she described what had happened just before she found herself in the cell. ‘The last thing I remember was leaving the duck pond, hearing footsteps, and then someone tackled me.’ A flicker passed over her face. ‘Whoever it was whispered “nighty-night,” and I thought I recognized the voice, but now I’m not so sure.’
