Wrecked(66)

“What is that?” Richard can’t help asking as he slides into the booth.

Jasper’s cheeks bulge as he chews.

His buddy Henry answers for him. “Chicken tenders, bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and jalape?os,” he says. “With a little lettuce and tomato.”

“Heart--healthy,” Richard observes. Jasper belches. Richard catches a whiff of bacon.

“You know it,” Jasper says.

“So, what can I do you for?” Richard asks. He’d like to make this quick.

“We know you’re not supposed to talk about this rape case,” Joe begins. “But the fact is, everybody is talking about it. And there are a lot of rumors.”

Richard looks around the table. “Such as?”

“Such as Jordan roofied that girl. Such as he wasn’t the one who raped her. Such as she wasn’t roofied but the punch was drugged. It’s wild, man. Nobody knows what’s real.”

“Which is the point of the investigation,” Richard says. “You don’t need to worry about it. It’s the investigator’s problem.”

“Not if it involves us,” Joe says.

This is unexpected. Richard leans forward. “How does it involve you?”

“Shit,” Jasper exclaims. The back of the wrap has split and a huge gob of the innards has landed in his lap.

“That thing is disgusting,” Henry comments. “Even your dog wouldn’t eat it.”

“Oscar would love this,” Jasper says. He attempts mopping his jeans with a fistful of paper napkins.

“Listen, Richard,” Joe continues, ignoring Jasper and his wrap. He looks serious. “When you wouldn’t talk to me the other night, I did some asking around. And now I’m pretty sure the girl I was wondering about is the one who’s accusing Bockus. Anyway, there’s something I didn’t tell you: I brought her up to my room that night.”

Richard’s surprise feels cold. What the hell?

“I was worried about her,” Joe explains. “She was hammered. She told me she didn’t feel good, so I took her to my room to lie down—where, by the way, she threw up while I went to find her friends. I come back, my room smells like vomit, and she’s gone. It was the last I saw of her all night.”

The muscles in Richard’s jaw relax. “So if that’s the truth, what’s the problem? Just tell that to the investigator.”

“She was in my room,” Joe repeats.

“Our room,” Jasper corrects. “I live there, too.”

“What if she decides to accuse me?” Joe continues. “I have no idea what she’s saying. We aren’t allowed to read her statement. My lawyer is really frustrated. He says I’m walking in there blind.”

“You have a lawyer?” Richard asks. All three of them nod. He’s stunned. “Why?”

“C’mon, Richard,” Henry says. “Half the people at that party were freshman girls. And we were handing them Skippy. You bet my parents hired a lawyer. Think I want to get thrown out for serving minors?”

Richard looks at Jasper. “Why do you have a lawyer?”

Jasper belches again. “She was in my room.”

Richard looks at them in amazement. “First of all,” he says, “I think you’re all overreacting. I get why Bockus is lawyered up, but trust me, no one is coming after you guys. Second, I don’t get why you’re telling me this.”

“We were sort of hoping you might have some idea what she’s saying,” Joe says.

Richard throws up his hands. “I haven’t read her statement, either. I’m in the dark, just like you.”

“Yeah, but you date her roommate,” Jasper says.

Richard is so surprised, he doesn’t know what to say.

“Actually, I wish that was true,” he finally manages. Even if it were, he’d still wonder where these three had heard about it. “Where are you guys getting your information?”

“People talk,” Joe says. “But mostly The Board.”

“It’s lit up about this,” Henry agrees.

“Haley and I are on The Board?” Richard says. Instantly sorry he spoke her name.

“Everyone’s on The Board,” Jasper says, wiping his mouth. He’s abandoned the sodden remains of his wrap on a paper plate.

“You post on The Board?” Richard continues. “Dude, not cool. Delete that shit from your phone.”

“I don’t post. But I do read. Can’t help it. It’s addictive.” Joe looks ruefully at the other two guys.

Richard leans forward a bit more. He wants to get in their faces. “Want to know what’s going to screw you up?” he says. “The Board. They are going after whoever’s been bullying that girl. If you know anything about it, or if you’ve had anything to do with it, I suggest you talk to your lawyers about that. And if you know who’s responsible, tell them to knock it off.”

“Dr. Feelgood,” Jasper says.

“What?” Richard says. Random.

“He’s the big poster,” Jasper explains. “Ten, twenty a day. He’s the one who started the Lying Bitch thread.”

“It’s a made--up name,” Henry explains.

“I know that,” Richard says impatiently. Dr. Feelgood. Where else has he heard that?