He couldn’t get out and down without my help. I tried to call for help but they chopped my neck. I could only make croaking sounds. He did everything he could under the circumstances. He took their damn picture. We have a partial license plate. They were wearing jackets that said Weekend Warriors. That’s a motorcycle club with a thousand different chapters all across the country. It’s made up mostly of white-collar professionals.”
“Did you report the rape to the police?” Alexis asked.
Kathryn hung her head and mumbled, “No. No, I didn’t. The reason I didn’t was Alan. He had a seizure and I had to think of him. I crawled back to the truck, found my clothes and the key that was in my shirt pocket. I was like a zombie, okay? I shifted into neutral and got dressed and went inside to get help for Alan. The paramedics came and revived him. I was alive . I wasn’t sure about Alan. He was my primary concern. If you want to think that was stupid, go ahead and think it. There was no way in hell Alan could hold up to police questioning and a trial. Absolutely no way. Alan was never the same after that night. Neither was I, but I tried. Alan didn’t seem to have a choice. He kept having more and more seizures. Then he had his last paralyzing stroke. He lost his will to live. I know that. I tried to keep him alive as long as I could. I did everything. Everything. If only you had known him when he was young. If only you had known the Alan I fell in love with. If you had known him, you would understand. I survived and he didn’t. It’s that simple.
“Here’s my evidence,” Kathryn said tossing a packet on the table. “You people sitting here make me remember why I didn’t go to the police. They would have been just like you, questioning me, asking me questions like I was the one who did something wrong. I told you what happened. There’s my proof. The partial license plate number. The picture Alan took. There’s some definition to it. It needs to be enhanced. One of the bikers was named Lee. They belonged to the Weekend Warriors. I know what they looked like. I know how they smelled and I damn well know how they felt. Because of Alan, I waited too long. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t do anything different. If you people hadn’t come along when you did, I would have started on my own search. Just because the eyes of the law are closed doesn’t mean my eyes are closed. Alan’s gone now. I don’t care what happens to me.”
“You say that like you mean it,” Nikki said quietly.
“I do mean it,” Kathryn said coldly.
And what would be your revenge against the men who did this to you, Kathryn?” Myra asked quietly.
Kathryn didn’t blink or miss a beat. Head high, her shoulders back, the words shot out of her mouth like bullets. “I want to slice off their goddamn balls with a dull knife.”
Chapter Three
The silence in the room was deafening. Kathryn raised her eyes and stared around at the group of women. “You look shocked!” she said, wondering if it was what she’d said or the way she’d said it. “I’m serious here. It’s better than they deserve. You asked me a question and I gave you my answer. I didn’t need to think about my answer because I’ve thought about nothing else for the past seven years.” Bitterness rang in her voice as she let her gaze sweep from one woman to the other, finally coming to rest on Charles, who was staring at her intently, a look of compassion on his face.
“Obviously, none of you care for my answer. You know what, that’s just too damn bad. I think I want to know a little more about how this is all going to work or I’m outta here with my dog. I don’t have to prove anything to any of you. I came here because I thought you would help. You certainly led me to believe that was the case. I didn’t come here to be judged.”
“Of course you’ve thought about it. You would have to be inhuman not to have dwelled on it almost to the
“Did you report the rape to the police?” Alexis asked.
Kathryn hung her head and mumbled, “No. No, I didn’t. The reason I didn’t was Alan. He had a seizure and I had to think of him. I crawled back to the truck, found my clothes and the key that was in my shirt pocket. I was like a zombie, okay? I shifted into neutral and got dressed and went inside to get help for Alan. The paramedics came and revived him. I was alive . I wasn’t sure about Alan. He was my primary concern. If you want to think that was stupid, go ahead and think it. There was no way in hell Alan could hold up to police questioning and a trial. Absolutely no way. Alan was never the same after that night. Neither was I, but I tried. Alan didn’t seem to have a choice. He kept having more and more seizures. Then he had his last paralyzing stroke. He lost his will to live. I know that. I tried to keep him alive as long as I could. I did everything. Everything. If only you had known him when he was young. If only you had known the Alan I fell in love with. If you had known him, you would understand. I survived and he didn’t. It’s that simple.
“Here’s my evidence,” Kathryn said tossing a packet on the table. “You people sitting here make me remember why I didn’t go to the police. They would have been just like you, questioning me, asking me questions like I was the one who did something wrong. I told you what happened. There’s my proof. The partial license plate number. The picture Alan took. There’s some definition to it. It needs to be enhanced. One of the bikers was named Lee. They belonged to the Weekend Warriors. I know what they looked like. I know how they smelled and I damn well know how they felt. Because of Alan, I waited too long. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t do anything different. If you people hadn’t come along when you did, I would have started on my own search. Just because the eyes of the law are closed doesn’t mean my eyes are closed. Alan’s gone now. I don’t care what happens to me.”
“You say that like you mean it,” Nikki said quietly.
“I do mean it,” Kathryn said coldly.
And what would be your revenge against the men who did this to you, Kathryn?” Myra asked quietly.
Kathryn didn’t blink or miss a beat. Head high, her shoulders back, the words shot out of her mouth like bullets. “I want to slice off their goddamn balls with a dull knife.”
Chapter Three
The silence in the room was deafening. Kathryn raised her eyes and stared around at the group of women. “You look shocked!” she said, wondering if it was what she’d said or the way she’d said it. “I’m serious here. It’s better than they deserve. You asked me a question and I gave you my answer. I didn’t need to think about my answer because I’ve thought about nothing else for the past seven years.” Bitterness rang in her voice as she let her gaze sweep from one woman to the other, finally coming to rest on Charles, who was staring at her intently, a look of compassion on his face.
“Obviously, none of you care for my answer. You know what, that’s just too damn bad. I think I want to know a little more about how this is all going to work or I’m outta here with my dog. I don’t have to prove anything to any of you. I came here because I thought you would help. You certainly led me to believe that was the case. I didn’t come here to be judged.”
“Of course you’ve thought about it. You would have to be inhuman not to have dwelled on it almost to the
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