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“What did you eat?” Wild asks, making Rue pause.
“What did we eat? Um, pancakes and bacon. Why?”
“I just like all the details.”
I look at him, knowing he’s asking that for a reason, but I don’t push for information. I give Rue a gentle squeeze, warning her to tread lightly.
“What about drinks? You have coffee?”
“No. We had juice. Well, kind of. I knocked Nathan’s over with my elbow when he went to the bathroom, so I gave him mine.”
That stops both of them.
“Did you tell him you gave him your drink?” Wild presses.
Rue makes a face as if she’s thinking back and shakes her head. “I don’t think so. I cleaned the mess up before he came back. I felt guilty about making a mess, and when he came back, he was talking, so it slipped my mind.”
“Did he drink it?”
“Not right away. I’d poured myself a fresh glass before he came back from the bathroom, but I didn’t get a chance to drink it. After we finished eating, he told me to curl up on the sofa and find a movie to watch, and he’d be in in a minute.”
“What movie did you watch?” Dean asks.
“We didn’t. When he sat down, he handed me my juice and started asking me about Valen. Things like what hours he worked, did he ever work late, how often was I left home alone. It made me uncomfortable, even though I kept telling myself that he’s my friend and a cop, so he was just being protective. I was vague and told him I didn’t feel like watching a movie and wanted to take a shower instead.
“He said that was fine and to finish my juice first. At that point, I just wanted out of the room, so I drank it and placed the glass on the table. He had maybe two mouthfuls of his before he stood up and took both glasses to the kitchen. I stood up to leave, to go take my shower, when he came back in…”
“What is it, Rue?” Dean questions.
“He was humming,” she whispers.
I tip her head up so she’s looking at me. If any woman deserved an Oscar, it’s mine. I kiss the tip of her nose.
“You need a minute?”
She shakes her head. “No. I’m okay. It’s just hard. I still can’t wrap my head around it. It was like he…” She turns back to Wild and Dean. “The tune he was humming triggered something. All my memories came rushing back, and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor with Nathan above me,” she chokes out.
“I know this is hard, Miss Anderson, but what was it about the song? Do you know?”
“It’s what he was humming when he dumped me in Highgrove Park.”
Both the cops look at each other before Wild steps forward. “Are you saying Detective Nathan Hask is the man who kidnapped you, drugged you, and left you in that grave?”
She burrows into me. “Yes. There must have been a look on my face because he got mad. Really mad. Some things are still hazy. I couldn’t focus on him when my memories were coming back.
“He had his gun. I don’t remember him going to get it. But I was screaming, and he was straddling my waist, and I couldn’t buck him off. He hit me with the gun.” She touches her cheek gently, wincing.
“I think I might have passed out because when I came to, my T-shirt was off, and the gun was pressed against my temple while he...” She covers her face with her hands.
I rub her back and kiss her temple. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. Nothing, and no one will ever hurt you again,” I tell her, playing my part.
“I’m sorry, Miss Anderson. Would you like some water before you continue?”
She nods and waits as Dean fills a little paper cup and hands it to her. Her hands are shaking so badly that I wrap mine around hers to steady them, bringing the cup to her lips. She takes a few sips before shaking her head.
I place the cup on the side table and wrap my arms back around her.
“He was inside me,” Rue’s whisper breaks the silence, along with Dean’s gasp. “I tried to fight him. I think I scratched his face, but he slid the safety off and told me he had no problems fucking my corpse if necessary.”
