Her father echoed her thoughts. “There’s no reason to over speculate on this until we get the facts. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding or something. I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Not soon enough, as far as she was concerned.
At the station, Karin stayed close to her father as he showed his credentials and seemed to get instant respect from everyone they came into contact with.
Then a tall man with dreadlocks met them halfway. Bulging eyes gazed at Karin, before turning to her father.
“You must be Greer Blanch?” He spoke with a gravelly voice that made it clear the question was rhetorical. He looked at Karin again. “And you’re the young lady Reese has been talking about. Karin, right?”
She nodded nervously. “Yes.”
“Are you Reese’s father?” Greer asked him, standing man to man.
“Yeah. Albert McKenzie.” He stuck out his hand and they shook. “Sorry we had to meet for the first time under these circumstances.”
“So am I,” Greer said.
“They haven’t told me anything, man,” Albert complained.
“I’ll see if I can find out exactly what’s going on,” Karin’s father said.
That was also something Karin wanted to know more than anything, as butterflies swirled around in her stomach at the prospect of Reese being charged with a sexual assault.
* * *
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, honey,” Karin’s father began, “but the person accusing Reese of sexual assault is Lesley.”
“What—? You can’t be serious!” Karin’s gaze locked on her father’s impassive face, disbelief and shock shooting through her like a bolt of lightning.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to believe it either,” he muttered.
The thought had never occurred to Karin that her best friend would be the one to file a criminal complaint against her boyfriend. But then, why would it?
“Who’s Lesley?” Reese’s father asked.
Greer considered the question. “Lesley Rochester,” he said. “She’s, uh, a neighbor of ours.”
Albert McKenzie’s brow furrowed. “Well, your neighbor is lying about my boy. Reese would never do such a thing!”
“I’m sure you believe that, and I want to believe it, too,” Karin’s father stressed. “But until we get all the facts and hear Reese’s side of the story, we’ll just have to wait.”
Karin’s head was in a fog of disbelief as she tried to make sense of the accusation. When would this sexual assault have occurred, if it did at all? At Jayne’s party? The last Karin knew Lesley had been hot and heavy with Marcus. Had something happened afterward between Lesley and Reese?
Was that why she hadn’t seen or heard from Lesley all day? Karin wondered. Because of what had happened and the awkward position it put Lesley in.
Then there was Reese, who had also been strangely silent since they parted last night before his call to say he was about to be arrested. Did he really have no knowledge beforehand about the accusation as he indicated over the phone?
Could Reese have actually raped Lesley? Karin asked herself with dread. Or was he being accused of another form of sexual misconduct, which was no less disgusting and unforgivable?
Karin couldn’t even begin to consider the implications for the three of them whether this was true or not, but knew she would have to face the two people she cared for and try to get to the bottom of it.
* * *
Reese was released without being formally charged, pending further investigation. He was warned by detectives in no uncertain terms to stay away from Lesley, until the issuance of a temporary restraining order.
Outside the station, Karin was given a few minutes alone with Reese while their fathers talked. She barely knew where to begin, but decided a good starting point was where they last saw each other.
“What happened between you and Lesley last night?” Karin asked pointblank, figuring that it had to have occurred at the party.
Reese, looking flustered and bewildered, responded flatly, “Absolutely nothing. All I did was give her a ride home and that was it.”
Karin cocked a brow. “Ride? We drove to the party in Lesley’s car.”
“Yeah, I know. But she had too much to drink and didn’t want to get behind the wheel, so I offered to give her a lift.”
Karin knew that Lesley had been drunk before and could imagine a repeat performance at Jayne’s party, especially in the company of Marcus, who had his own drinking problem. Could she have only imagined being attacked by Reese?
Karin met his steady eyes. “What went on in your car with Lesley?” She recalled when she and Reese had steamed up the windows with kisses. What if he’d tried the same thing with Lesley, who would not have been as willing?
“I told you—nothing,” he maintained. “All we did was talk.”
Karin glanced at their fathers, carrying on their own conversation, and back to Reese. She gave him a wary stare. “Then why would she accuse you of sexually assaulting her, if it never happened?”
“Beats me.” Reese shrugged. “I never touched her, I swear.”
Karin wanted to believe him. But she had trouble doing so. Maybe because it was her best friend making the accusation. Someone she’d known a lot longer and whom she trusted. Then there was the fact that Karin recalled being pressured by Reese to have sex last night. Since she didn’t succumb, could he have been so desperate that he forced himself on someone else—like an intoxicated Lesley?
I have to hear what she has to say about it from her own mouth.
Karin promised to reserve judgment until then.
That didn’t stop her from wanting some answers from Reese. Now. Even while remembering from her attorney father that everyone was innocent until proven guilty. She just hoped it wouldn’t get that far.
Karin looked Reese straight in the eye, trying to still her nerves. “I know you were upset last night,” she came out with it. “Did you do something to Lesley to get back at me?”
His lips pursed. “How can you ask me that?”
“How can I not?” Karin countered, even if she found it difficult to practically accuse him herself. “I’m just trying to make sense of why you were taken into custody based on a complaint by my best friend that you sexually assaulted her?”
“I’m at as much of a loss as you are,” Reese said dejectedly. “Maybe you should ask Lesley why she’s making this false accusation against me.”
“Believe me, I will. But right now, I’m asking you.”
His nostrils flared. “Look, Karin, I’m sorry about how things ended with us last night. I messed up with you and wish I could take it back. But you’ve got to believe me when I tell you that I would never try to force anything to happen with Lesley or anyone else. I’m not stupid enough to put my whole life and future on the line for sex with someone who doesn’t feel the same way as I do.”
He locked eyes with Karin and she thought about his words. Before she could respond, their fathers joined them, each looking tense and tired.
“We’re going home now,” Greer told her firmly.
She didn’t want to. Not until she could talk more with Reese about this. But, looking into her father’s eyes, Karin knew that wouldn’t happen. Not today and maybe never.
“I’ll see you, Reese,” she said meekly.
“Yeah,” he muttered to her. To her father, he said, “Thanks for coming, Mr. Blanch. I really appreciate it.”
Greer flashed him a deadpan look. “I did it for my daughter. I just hope you don’t make me regret it.”
“I won’t,” Reese promised.
Greer peered at him. “In the meantime, I think you should take the advice of the detectives and not go anywhere near Lesley Rochester until this is settled. Is that clear?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“I’ll make sure of that,” added Reese’s father. “He doesn’t need any more trouble.”
“Good.” Greer sighed. “I’ll be in touch
.”
Karin looked over her shoulder as Reese and his father went in the opposite direction. It was almost as if they were seeing each other for the last time. The mere thought made Karin want to cry. But she didn’t, knowing that her tears might be better served for her best friend who needed her even more right now.
* * *
As soon as they got home, Karin immediately went over to Lesley’s house alone, hoping to get some answers. Karin’s father, citing a possible conflict of interest, did not attempt to talk to Lesley at this time. It was better this way, Karin told herself. If he came with her, it would just make things uncomfortable for everyone. Especially Lesley.
Edgar opened the door before Karin stepped onto the porch. He had a grim look on his face.
Karin tried to disregard it. “Hi, Edgar. I need to see Lesley.”
“Not sure she’s up to having company right now,” he responded tonelessly.
“I’m not company. I’m her best friend!” Karin sputtered. And I won’t simply fade away. Not after Lesley had made this her problem, too.
“Yeah, I guess you are. Where’s that boyfriend of yours?”
“He’s not here,” she responded nervously.
“Too bad,” Edgar snorted. “If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll never show his face around here again.”
“Are you threatening Reese?” Karin glanced over at her house, hoping her father had decided to hang around after all. But there was no sign of him. She forced herself to turn back to Edgar.
He was peering at her. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try and hurt your boyfriend. That won’t help Lesley, Shelly, or me, for that matter. But I won’t allow that boy to intimidate Lesley. We’ll leave it to the authorities to deal with him.”
Karin gritted her teeth, thinking of how unfair it was for him to pass judgment on Reese prematurely, especially when he didn’t even know him. Right now she just wanted to have a face to face with Lesley.
She sighed. “Will you please tell Lesley I’m here and I don’t plan to leave until we talk?”
Edgar continued to gaze at her before scratching his chin, and saying, “Wait here.”
Momentarily Shelly came to the door. “Hi, Karin. Listen, I know you want to talk to Lesley, but I just can’t allow it today.”
Karin batted her lashes. “Why not? I want to help.”
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea right now. Your boyfriend assaulted my daughter and...well, that puts us all in a difficult situation, doesn’t it?”
“Reese denies doing anything to Lesley.” Karin defended him.
“He would, wouldn’t he?” Shelly argued. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
“I want to hear it from Lesley,” Karin persisted. I need to.
“That’s not going to happen tonight,” Shelly said adamantly. “She’s been traumatized enough for one day and needs to rest. But I’ll tell her you stopped by. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”
Karin realized that she was not going to get anywhere with Lesley’s mother or boyfriend, who Karin could see hovering in the background. So she left, feeling frustrated and sad. She hadn’t expected to be rebuffed in her attempt to be with her best friend in her time of need. Did they think she couldn’t be loyal and sympathetic in this situation? Even if the accused was someone Karin found just as hard to abandon at this point.
After she got down to the sidewalk, Karin looked up and saw Lesley peeking through the blinds of her bedroom window. When Lesley became aware that she saw her, she quickly moved away. This left Karin even more confused and in need of some answers.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The following morning, Josephine drove Karin to school, since Shelly had informed them that Lesley would not be going today. Karin wondered if she would ever get to talk to her friend again, as Lesley wasn’t responding to texts or taking her phone calls. Had the allegation against Reese in and of itself permanently damaged their friendship?
Can Reese and I ever get past this, should the accusation prove to be false?
“I want you to stay away from Reese till this is cleared up,” her mother ordered, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel while they waited for the light to turn green.
“So I’m not supposed to talk with Reese or Lesley?” Karin’s eyes widened incredulously. “It’s not fair.”
“None of this is fair, Karin. But that doesn’t change the fact that Lesley has made a very serious charge against Reese. And we have to take it seriously.”
“I do,” she stressed. “I just don’t want to convict Reese in my mind before I know all there is to know.”
Josephine glanced at her. “You can’t remain loyal to both of them, Karin. I know you don’t want to believe that Reese could do such a thing, but sometimes when boys don’t get what they want from girls, they try to take it, and often succeed.”
Would Reese have really taken out his frustrations with her on her best friend? Karin wondered. And in the form of forced sexual contact? Or was this all just some horrible mistake or misunderstanding?
“Did Reese try anything with you?” her mother asked suspiciously.
Karin shuddered at the thought, knowing that he had and she had turned him down. But did that make him a sex offender? To admit to anything sexual that happened between them would make Reese seem even guiltier.
“No, Momma,” she lied with a straight face. In fact, she felt there was some truth to it, as Reese had not tried to force himself on her once she said no. Did that mean he couldn’t have gone elsewhere for sex? Like to Lesley?
“Maybe Lesley has some issues of her own and isn’t telling the truth,” Josephine speculated.
“Such as?”
“Well, you’d probably know better than me since you girls hang out together so much.” She faced Karin. “Has Lesley talked to you about anything that might cause her to accuse Reese, or anyone else, of a sexual assault?”
Karin stared at the question and came up with no real answer. “Not that I know of. She just has the typical teen issues: stressing over money, school, her body, boyfriend, and wanting her Mom to be happy, but not necessarily with Edgar.”
“Oh? I thought she liked Edgar?”
“She does, well sometimes. Basically, I think Lesley’s still dealing with her Dad’s death and finding it hard to see him replaced in her Mom’s life.”
“Hmm...” Josephine uttered. “And that’s it?”
“Yeah, I think.”
“What about sex?”
“What about it?” Karin gulped.
“Are Lesley and Marcus sexually active?”
Karin’s eyes widened. “Momma—!”
“Look, I don’t mean to embarrass you, honey,” her mother said. “I’m just trying to figure out if Lesley might be fabricating her claim of being assaulted by Reese to protect someone else.”
Karin didn’t know how far Lesley had gone with Marcus. She hoped they hadn’t gone all the way, but couldn’t say for sure. It still didn’t make sense for her to falsely accuse Reese.
“But why would she do that?” Karin asked her mother skeptically.
“Could be any number of reasons. It doesn’t even have to make sense to anyone, but her.” Josephine drew a breath. “Usually, though, girls don’t make up stories of sexual assault, unless something really happened.”
And that’s what she needed to get to the bottom of, Karin mused. What was this something that really happened? And exactly who was involved?
Her mother pulled up in front of the school.
“I’ll pick you up after—”
“Don’t, Momma,” Karin cut in.
Josephine’s eyes squinted. “Why not? I can get off work early and—”
“Because it’s bad enough having to deal with what’s probably all over the school by now. And I’d rather not add to my misery by being driven to and from school by my Momma like I’m some little girl who needs her Momma to hold her hand.”
“Oh, for heaven�
�s sake, Karin. You’re being overly melodramatic.”
“Well I don’t think so,” she huffed.
“So how do you propose getting home, now that Lesley’s a no-show at school?”
“I’ll get one of my other friends to drive me,” Karin replied confidently.
Her mother’s forehead wrinkled. “All right. Just as long as it isn’t Reese. Understand?”
Karin got the message loud and clear. She was not to associate with Reese as long as he was a suspect in a sexual assault. Never mind that her father was representing him and Reese had yet to be convicted of anything. Or even formally charged.
She watched her mother drive off, before heading up the walkway towards the school. Karin was feeling somewhat shaken as to what awaited her inside.
* * *
She didn’t have to wait very long to find out. Not too surprisingly, the news that Lesley had accused Reese of sexual assault had spread through the school like wildfire. And Karin was caught squarely in the middle of it.
“Why did he do it?” One girl asked, her mind clearly made up that Reese was guilty.
“I don’t know that he did,” Karin answered meekly.
Another snorted, “What was Reese thinking? It’s so totally not cool and like really stupid.”
Reese had his supporters as well.
One boy on the varsity basketball team said, “It’s obvious this is a setup. Reese can have just about any girl in school he wants. Why would he need to sexually assault anyone?”
Karin asked herself the same question. She knew that sexual predators didn’t need a reason, other than power tripping and thinking they could get away with it. But did Reese fit into that category? She didn’t want to believe he was that type of person. Not without a lot more to go on than gossip and innuendo.
After her first class, Karin was given a start when Reese came up beside her as she walked down the hall.
“Hey,” he said casually, as if all was well with the world.
Without looking at him, Karin said, “I’m not supposed to be talking to you.”
“Why not?”
“I think you know why not.”
A group of girls passed by, each giving Reese the evil eye. One commented, “You’re sick, you know that? I hope you get what you deserve.”
Her Teen Dream Page 13
