Tall, Dark & Lonely (Pyte/Sentinel #1)(37)

Ephraim watched the boys intensely as he continued. “Mr. Mason, unless you are planning on staying on behalf of Chris who is the minor in the room I have to ask you to leave.”

“I’ll stay.” Mr. Mason moved to stand next to Madison.

“Miss. Soloman, I’m assuming you’re staying for Chris as well?”

“She doesn’t need to, I’ll handle this,” Mason said. Of course he would want her out of the room. She was the only one there to protect Chris.

“She stays,” Chris said firmly.

“I agree.” Ephraim nodded.

“Mike, your parents can leave. You are of age and I do not need them to question you. However, if you feel you need your lawyer then he can stay.”

“He stays,” Mike said firmly.

“Fine.”

Mike’s parents left without a protest. They trusted Mason and the lawyer to keep him out of trouble.

Ephraim casually made his way back to Madison’s chair. He sat down and watched the boys for several long moments. Chris looked pissed and kept staring at Mike like he wanted to attack the boy. Mike looked cocky and carefree. His friends looked a little anxious, but seemed to think that this was a joke.

“Miss. Soloman, would you please see if the officer in the hallway has some papers for me?” Ephraim asked. His eyes never left the boys.

“Sure.” She stepped out into the hall and returned a minute later holding a file. She brought the file to him.

“Thank you,” he murmured as he took the file. His fingers ran over hers, sending heat up her arm before he pulled the file away. She went back to the wall, but not before he opened the file on the desk. It held several blank pieces of paper, but no one would see that unless they were standing in front of the desk.

He made a show of looking down and nodding at the papers. “Good. They signed,” he said quietly.

“Who signed what?” Chris asked.

“Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin signed the release form for a rape exam,” Ephraim said, focusing his eyes on Mike. Mike fidgeted, twice. The girl was underage so he really didn't need her parent’s permission, but if it helped this to move along he would play it up.

“What?” one of the football players asked stunned.

Ephraim nodded. “Let’s cut the shit, gentlemen. I already know what we’re going to find. She confided in her mother that this was not just an assault, but a rape. In one hour I will have her on a table and examined and an hour after that I will have a warrant with all of your names on it.”

“You will be brought to the emergency room under custody where your mouths will be swabbed for DNA.” He paused to run his eyes over the boys. “In twenty four hours I will have a match. I will also have several accessories if my hunch is correct.”

“What do you mean?” another football player asked. He looked like he was about to cry.

“Exactly what I said. If it turns out that it was Chris he will be headed off to Juvenile hall where he’ll probably stay for a year. Not too bad. If it’s Mike, well since you are all over eighteen you are looking at prison.”

“That’s enough of that,” the lawyer snapped.

Ephraim’s calm façade didn’t change. “Your client is of age. I am explaining the possibility to him and his friends. The boys were involved in her attack this morning. I won’t have a hard time joining the rape charge to the assault if it turns out that Mike was the culprit.”

“She hasn’t talked and won’t talk so you have nothing,” Mike said.

Ephraim chuckled. “Is that what you think?”

“Yes.”

“She doesn’t have to talk. She’s fifteen years old. She isn’t old enough to consent to sex. If any se**n is found, the owner of that deposit will face rape charges.”

The boys looked back at Mike. He shook his head. Oh, the boy was a liar. Ephraim knew the boy raped her.

“How about it, gentlemen? Care to tell me anything or would you like to do a little time in prison.” He looked over the boys’ neat haircuts and fresh handsome faces and smiled. “You boys will brighten up the place. I bet you have five guys each the first day offering you protection…for a price of course.” He winked.

“You said she had sex with you! You didn’t say anything about rape,” one of the boys said, jumping to his feet. The threat of a gang rape was usually enough to scare young men into doing the right thing.

“Shut up, ass**le,” Mike hissed.

“No.” The boy stood up. “No, I’m not going to jail because you’re a prick.” He looked at Ephraim. “He hit her this morning. I can give you that much at least.”

“Go into the hall and give the officer a statement and thank you.” The boy nodded and rushed out. The rest of the boys got to their feet and followed, leaving Mike and Chris.

“Madison, I want you to take Chris and go into the hall.” He stood up and walked around the desk as he pulled out his cuffs. His eyes never left Mike.

“No, I’m staying. I want to see. That bastard has this coming.” Chris pulled away when Madison reached for him.

Enough was enough. He wanted Madison out of here. He looked at Chris, hoping a stern look would be enough. “Chris, I want you to-“

“Chris!” Madison screamed.