“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 arm. “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.”
With growing anxiety, Jade watched Donna Dee’s expression gradually change. When she had first come into the 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 deliberately fed that suspicion by giving what had happened 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.
“Donna 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.”
“Neal has admitted that, too. Were they being abusive? Hostile? Threatening in any way?”
Donna Dee nervously licked her lips. “No. They were 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.”
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 hours. At 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.”
“That’s right. I told you that, remember?”
“Would you say she was struggling to get out?” the 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 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 gnawing on his lower lip. He glanced up at Ivan. “Then they did take her by force.”
“Yes!” Jade cried.
“I didn’t say that.”
Following Jade’s exultant exclamation, Donna Dee’s words echoed dully.
“What?” Jade focused on Donna Dee with dismay.
“There was a struggle inside the car,” the other girl hastened to say, “but the boys were just jacking around, you know? They were teasing with Jade the same way they were teasing me by leaving me behind.”
Jade came out of her chair. “What are you saying, Donna Dee?”
“Sit down, Jade.”
“Give it up, will you?” Neal remarked with a bored inflection.
“Jade, you’re not behaving rationally,” said Velta.
“She’s not telling the truth and she knows it!” Jade, beside herself with distress, aimed an accusing finger at Donna Dee.