“When, Jade?”
“In February of my senior year in high school. It was the day I learned that Gary and I had received full academic scholarships to the university.”
“Gary?” Hell, just when he thought he knew all the players in this drama, she introduced another one.
“Gary Parker,” she said. “We were high-school sweethearts, but much more than that. We were going to get married and, together, change the world.”
In a quiet, faraway voice, she told him about their relationship. “We had such great expectations for the future. I loved him very much.”
“Could he be Graham’s father?”
She looked toward the window, which was, by now, a square patch of lavender twilight. “No. I was a virgin when they raped me.”
“Christ. And the two of them got away with it?”
Her eyes came back to him. “Actually there were three. The third was Lamar Griffith. He was a shy, sensitive boy, but he went along to save face with Neal.”
“Does he still live in Palmetto?”
She told him about Lamar’s fate. After a lengthy pause, Dillon said, “I take it, it was Neal’s idea.”
“Oh yes,” she replied fiercely. “He was their ring leader. If it hadn’t been for him, it would never have happened. But Hutch and Lamar could have stopped it. Instead they raped me too, then left me there.”
“Left you?”
“Donna Dee was driving me out to Gary’s house so I could tell him about our scholarships. On the way there, we ran out of gas.”
Dillon listened as she recalled that dreary afternoon. She didn’t spare a single detail. Through the years, her recollections had remained crystal clear.
“When they first drove away with me, I was mad. I began to get afraid when Neal didn’t take the turnoff to Gary’s house. Instead, he drove to a channel where they had been fishing earlier. He ordered everybody out of the car. I argued, but he dragged me out.”
“And the other two went along like dumb sheep?”
“It’s hard to imagine how much control Neal had over them. They would do anything he said. He passed out cans of beer. I refused to drink any. When they were finished, I asked if we could go. Neal said, ‘Not yet.’ I asked him why. And he said…” She faltered. Her eyes dropped to her lap. “He said, ‘Because before we go, the three of us are going to fuck you.’ ”
Dillon folded his hands together and, propping his elbows on the back of the chair, covered his mouth with his double fist. He closed his eyes, wishing that he had never used that crudity with her, wishing with all his might that he had smashed Neal Patchett’s complacent mug when he had the chance.
“I didn’t doubt for an instant that he meant it.” Jade’s voice sounded hollow. Dillon knew she wasn’t there with him; she was back on that cold, rainy, February night.
“I turned and ran, but Neal reached out and grabbed a handful of my hair. It hurt. I cried out, and tears came to my eyes. I raised my hands to try to work his hand out of my hair, but I couldn’t. While my arms were raised, he put his other arm around my waist and pushed me to the ground. It was cold and wet.” She grimaced. “It smelled bad—like dead fish.
“Hutch shouted, ‘Neal, what the hell do you think you’re doing?’ And Neal replied, ‘Exactly what I told her we were going to do. Shut up and help me. Hold her arms.’
“I was screaming and crying and saying no, no. I couldn’t see anyone except Neal. I struck at him until Hutch dropped down behind my head and got hold of my wrists. He pinned them to the ground above my head. Neal was bending over me, telling me to shut up. He slapped me several times.
“Lamar said, ‘Jesus, Neal, have you gone nuts?’ Neal glanced over his shoulder and said, ‘Make yo
urself useful and stop acting like a pussy. We’re not going to hurt her.’ Lamar hung back. I couldn’t see him, but I heard him say, ‘She’s crying.’ Neal got really angry then. He said, ‘Do you want a piece of this or not? If not, get the fuck out of my sight.’
“Neal had been lying on top of me. He pushed my thighs apart and dug one knee into the muscle on the inside of my thigh. I screamed. He slapped me again. I tried to kick. That’s when Lamar took hold of my ankles. I couldn’t move. I began pleading with them not to do it.
“ ‘Shut her up,’ Neal said. ‘I can’t stand that whining, female bullshit.’ Hutch took both my wrists in one hand and covered my mouth with the other. I tilted my head back and tried to plead with Hutch for help with my eyes, but he wasn’t looking into my face. He was watching what Neal was doing.”
Dillon didn’t move a muscle. He said nothing. For a moment, Jade fiddled with the buckle on her wristwatch. It was so quiet in the room, he could hear it ticking.
“Neal ripped open my blouse. My bra fastened in the front. He unhooked it and laid it open. I remember… I remember being so embarrassed for being exposed that way. I squeezed my eyes shut. I bit my tongue until I tasted blood. He said, ‘Isn’t that a pretty sight? Jade Sperry’s tits.’ ”
She hiccupped a dry sob. “I thought I would die. I wanted to die. The mortification of it… Neal, whom I hated…” She cupped her mouth with her hand as though she were about to be sick, but she continued, her speech muffled by her hand. “He put his hands on me. He squeezed and pinched and pulled at me. It was awful and painful and debasing. Then he leaned over and sucked hard on my left nipple. So hard it hurt.”