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“HOW ARE YOU FEELING?” JOE asked Rose as he walked swiftly into the room with Faith at his side.
“Joe, what’s happened?” Agnes asked.
“We need to get to the police station.” Peering down at Rose in the bed he said, “Are you strong enough to make it?”
“You’ve got to go, Rose.” Faith was at the bed. She held Rose’s hand. “We got a call.”
“What call?” Agnes asked. “Rose is too weak to go anywhere.”
“I saw the doctor in the cafeteria. He says Rose is strong and he plans to release her tomorrow.”
“No, Joe. It’s too—,” started Agnes. Joe cut her off.
“Justice, Agnes.” He went to Agnes. Put a hand on each of her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “Justice.”
Agnes nodded her head in quiet agreement. She went to the closet and retrieved Rose’s clothes.
********************
“HOW MAY BECKY HELP you?”
A young woman stood in front of Becky’s desk. She had long, flowing, blonde hair and sapphire eyes. Although thin, she was busty. “I was raped,” she said quietly. Her eyes averted to the desk.
“Becky will get an officer out to see you.” Becky gestured a hand toward the benches against the wall. “Have a seat.” She picked up the phone and began to punch in numbers.
“I’d like to report a rape.”
Becky looked up from the phone. Then she thought, Didn’t I just tell her to take a seat? She glanced over toward the benches. The first young woman was sitting. Becky gestured a hand toward the benches against the wall again. “Have a seat. Becky will get an officer over to take your statement.” Again, she picked up the phone and began to punch in numbers.
“Am I in the correct place to report a rape?”
Becky’s mouth was agape. Another blonde beauty with blue eyes. She threw up a hand. “Hold on.” She punched in numbers on the phone “Chief, Becky needs you out here. 911.”
The Chief, Copeland, and Romero were hustling down the corridor towards the front of the station. They stopped abruptly as Jonas and Abby walked in. Abby’s shirt was torn. Black tracks lined her cheeks. Her chin and mouth were smeared with blood. Her lips were puffy.
“I was assaulted,” Abby said in a whisper.
Becky stared at Abby and inadvertently let a nervous chuckle slip. “Becky’s sorry, thought you were going to say you were raped.”
“He tried.”
Becky’s eyes went wide. As if the angels were listening and knew Becky needed help, Romero walked up followed by the chief. Romero stared at Abby. “It’s you,” he said not believing his eyes.
“Huh?” Abby didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“Romero,” the chief called and shook his head. Not here, not now he was telling Romero. Romero slouched at the side of Becky’s chair, a hand on the chair back and a hand on the desk. “What’s going on Becky?” Romero asked.
“These girls,” she circled her head to encompass them, “they say they were raped,” she said quietly.
Rose, Faith, Agnes, and Joe walked in. Rose went to the desk and said in a small voice, “I was raped in Pennsylvania.”
Becky said, “You have to file it with Pennsyl—”
“It’s okay, Becky,” the chief said. We’re working together.” To Romero, he said, “I want you to take care of what we discussed earlier.”
Just then two policemen, one on each side of Terrence, were dragging him through the doors. He was struggling and resisting every step. The police station went still. All eyes were on the coach.
“Hey, Coach,” Officer Thorn said low to Terrence, “take a look around.”
Terrence scanned the room. They were here. The jury of his victims. Then he saw Linsey and Jake amble through the door. “I want my lawyer,” he demanded.
The two officers half dragged and half walked Terrence. They were passing Romero. He stopped their ascent by standing in front of Terrence and palming his chest. Romero’s lips quirked up into a grin. “Do you hear it Coach? The clang of the jail cell locking in the evil.”