Open Wounds (Harbour Bay #2)(56)
“Just go away please. Let me deal with this on my own.”
Amelia stared into Kellie’s watery eyes and saw bleakness. She nodded, telling Kellie silently that she was fulfilling her wish and turned toward the door just as it opened and an older gentleman, dressed in an inexpensive suit, stood just in the entrance.
“Kellie Munroe?” he asked, his smoker’s voice filling the room. “I’m Detective Ed Graham and I’ve been assigned to your case.”
Amelia’s eyebrow rose. Usually people in their neighbourhood avoided the cops like the plague, and she’d not known any that had willingly helped anyone whose address was in Coleani’s territory.
“I didn’t realise a girl like me would rank high enough to warrant a detective,” she told the cop acidly. Kellie’s sharp tongue hadn’t diminished in the last few hours.
He moved into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He brought out his notebook from his pocket and allowed it to tap against his thigh as he approached the bed.
“I don’t care about your address or where you come from or what you do. I only care about the crime committed and the person left behind. I’m going to do everything in my power to find the man who did this to you,” Detective Graham promised.
Kellie nodded, her hand trembling as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. Amelia had to admit he sounded sincere, like he meant every word. Time would only tell if he was a man of his word, and God only knew how few of those there were.
She refused to budge when he asked her to leave. He scowled before relenting, probably deciding it wasn’t worth arguing the case or maybe sensing it might be best to keep her in the room. Kellie wasn’t exactly stable and could crumble if left alone with an unknown man. She watched as Detective Graham surveyed Kellie on the bed. His gaze analysed her bandaged head and the few bruises that showed above her blanket. He raised his notepad and pen in preparation to write.
“Can you tell me what happened?” he asked.
“Haven’t you people already taken enough from me? My clothes, swabs, photos. I’ve been poked and prodded and now all I want to do is forget this ever happened.” A tear spilled over onto Kellie’s cheek, rolling down to be absorbed by the white pillow under her head. Her hands shook slightly as she swallowed convulsively.
“I know this is hard for you, Miss Munroe, but the best bet I have in finding the scum that did this to you is with your cooperation. I need you to tell me everything.”
Kellie turned her head away, her entire body shaking beneath the blanket.
Amelia frowned and stepped forward, closer to her friend. “Must you do this now?” Amelia asked Detective Graham.
Kellie could only take so much, and Amelia was concerned with her state of mind.
“It would be easier to get the questions over with now, while the unfortunate event is still fresh in her mind.” He turned back to Kellie. “I wish I wasn’t the one to say this, Miss Munroe, but I don’t believe you will ever fully forget what happened last night.”
Amelia itched to lay her hand on Kellie’s, but she sensed it would be of no help at the moment and would only hurt the situation. She crossed her arms over her chest to keep herself from temptation as Detective Graham continued.
“There is nothing to be ashamed or feel humiliated about, Miss Munroe. You are not to blame for anything.”
Kellie turned her head slowly, her eyes red and weeping. “You’ve never been raped have you, Detective?” she asked as her chin wobbled. “Never had someone claim your body without your permission. Never had someone you’d never met before put his disgusting hands all over you, to rip and tear your clothes while he took away the only thing you had control over in life.”
Kellie exhaled, shaking, as her hands linked together so tightly her skin paled. “Yes, I feel ashamed. Ashamed that I couldn’t stop him, prevent him from hurting me. To save myself and fight back. Humiliated that he could so easily take from me what he wanted without so much as a proper fight, that he used my body, desecrating it, making me feel dirty, like a whore. Yes, I know, it wasn’t my fault. But I should’ve known better. After all, it was Coleani’s neighbourhood, and I knew what might be there, so I should’ve been more cautious.”
Detective Graham moved closer and looked down at her in compassion, like a man who was thinking of his own daughter and imagining her in the same position.
“It wasn’t your fault, and while you may not see that now, one day you will. Instead of sitting there wallowing in self-pity—”
“Hey,” Amelia said, interrupting him. “You’re out of line.”
“You should help me catch the son-of-a-bitch so that we can hang him up by his balls,” Ed continued, as if Amelia hadn’t spoken.
Kellie cracked a wry smile. “What is it you want to know, Detective?”
He nodded and Amelia could see the glint of admiration in his eyes as he took in Kellie’s small form and fierce personality. “What can you remember about the man? What did he look like? Feel like? Anything you can tell me will help me. There are no wrong answers or stupid insights. Just tell me everything.”
Kellie nodded and Amelia could feel the effort she used to stay calm and in control. She bit down on her lip, hard enough to draw blood. After what seemed like an eternity, she spoke with a quaking voice.