Breath of Scandal(26)

girl at ease - "There was some trouble last night - You might be able to straighten out a few facts for us."

-Me? What kind of trouble?" t of gas late yes"Something happened after you ran Ou



terday evening," he said. -I made it home okay." "But Jade didn't."

Donna Dee turned toward Jade. "What happened? You look terrible."

,11 was raped."

Donna Dee sucked in a sharp gasp. Her small eyes popped wide. "Raped? Oh my God, Jade, for real? RapeP-

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73

"So she says," Neal drawled.

Donna Dee's head snapped around toward him. "She was with you. How could she get raped?"

"He did it! He, Hutch, and Lamar raped me."

For the second time in the space of seconds, Donna Dee registered utter shock. "Hutch raped you?" she wheezed. "She's a liar," Neal said.

"Shut up!" Sheriff Jolly's voice cracked like a whip. "All of you. This is my department. I'm in charge here. I'm asking the questions." He paused to make certain that Jade and Neal were properly quelled before addressing Donna Dee, who was looking at Jade, rapidly blinking her eyes. I



Jade watched her friend's dark eyes move over her disarrayed hair, the scratches on her arms, her hospital scrubs. "Raped?" She mouthed the word, but didn't utter a



sound, either out of fear of the sheriff or profound disbelief. Emotion clogged Jade's throat. Forlornly, she nodded. "Donna Dee?" The sheriff waited until she had turned



her attention back to him. "Jade claims that the boys came along while y'all were stranded out there on the coastal highway. She said they talked her into Neal's car, then wouldn't let her out when it became obvious that they were going to leave you behind. Jade says she put up quite a fight to get out of the car. She said she was screaming and kicking against the rear window. Neal claims that it was all in fun. He says Jade was bound to know it was just a prank.

"Now, I know you can't testify to what took place after that, but I'd like to hear what you have to say about the mood everybody was in when the boys drove off with Jade in the car."

Ivan leaned across the table and placed his hand on Donna Dee's ann. "We're not denying that the boys had their fun with her, you understand." Donna Dee's gaze swung to Jade. She gave her a sharp, piercing look. "They all took a turn. Neal's admitted that. But now that Jade's had time to think about it, she's had a change of heart and is accusing these boys of taking her by force. Do you think that's fair?"

"Ivan," Fritz said sharply. "I'll take it from here."



74



Sandra Brown



With growing anxiety, Jade watched Donna Dee's expresWhen she had first come into the sion gradually change.

room, she had been startled and puzzled - Then, upon hearing that Jade had been assaulted, Donna Dee had looked at her with compassion. Now, however, Donna Dee was regarding her with something akin to suspicion. Ivan Patchett had



fed that suspicion by giving what had happened deliberately



a sexual complexion and mitigating the violence. He, like everyone else, knew how Donna Dee felt about Hutch and had successfully kindled a fire of jealousy within her.

111:)onna Dee, it wasn't my fault," Jade said earnestly, her voice cracking. "I didn't do anything to provoke them. I didn't even want to leave with them. You were there. You know that. They forced me."

"Donna Dee?"

She kept her eyes fastened on Jade's imploring face even as she turned her head toward the sheriff- Finally she looked at him. "They'd been drinking, I think." y being abusive? "Neal has admitted that, too- Were the



Hostile? Threatening in any wayT,

icked her lips. "No. They were Donna Dee nervously I



just being themselves. Acting smart-alecky. You know. Like always."

,,Tell them about after I got into the car," Jade prompted. -you saw me fighting them, Donna Dee. 11



She shot Jade an impatient look before saying, "She's right.

Jade slumped with relief. She closed her eyes and pulled in the first deep, calming breath she had drawn for hoursAt last, someone was taking her side and backing up her story -

"After Jade got into the car," Donna Dee said, "she started banging on the windows." 9"

,,That's right. I told you that, remember. 9" the "Would you say she was struggling to get out sheriff asked, ignoring Jade.

"Uh-huh. Lamar was holding her in the back. She was trying to reach between the seats and grab the door handle



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75



or the gear shift. Neal was swatting at her hands. I think Hutch grabbed hold of her wrists."

"He did. Look. " Jade thrust out her wrists, each of which had a ring of dark bruises around it.

When he saw her wrists, Sheriff Jolly frowned. He stared at the floor tiles between his boots while mercilessly gnawer lip. He glanced up at Ivan. "Then they ing on his low



did take her by force. "Yes!" Jade cried. "I didn't say that."