Page 35 of Deadly Forever

“Did you black out?” Mandy asked. She hated grilling the girl about her ordeal, but she needed a clear picture painted if she expected to understand everything.

Darcy nodded. “I thought I was dreaming at first, but I knew I wasn’t because of the pain,” she said. “I was a … um, virgin … before that night.”

Mandy risked a glance at James and saw the grim set of his jaw. The admission only served to infuriate him further.

“I saw Dakota on top of me and I begged him to stop because it hurt,” Darcy said. “I could hear voices and know that at least four people were in the room. I cried and begged them to stop, but they didn’t. Er, well, they didn’t until they all had their fun with me.”

“And you don’t know who was with him?” Grady asked. He looked as if he was on the verge of tears.

“I just remember Dakota,” Darcy replied. “That’s probably because I had a crush on him.”

“Probably,” Mandy said. “When did you wake up?”

“Not until they were dumping me out of the car and into the ditch in front of my house,” Darcy answered. “I don’t remember much of that either. I was all banged up and bruised when I got home.

“My parents asked me what happened the next morning and they were angry because they thought I got drunk,” she continued. “I told them everything I remembered, though, and they took me straight to the hospital.”

“Did they do a rape kit?” Mandy asked.

Darcy nodded. “They collected samples and stuff. I know the police have the samples because they wanted to run them against possible suspects. They needed warrants to do that, though, and there was a lot of arguing about how they were going to get them. They showed up at the hospital that morning for a statement and I told them what happened. I wanted Dakota and the others to pay until … .”

“Until what?” Mandy prodded.

“Until the story got out at school and everyone called me a slut,” Darcy replied. “They called me a slut … and a liar … and they said that I was jealous. They thought that was my way of getting attention because I wanted to be in with the popular kids.”

“That sounds terrible,” Mandy said, licking her lips. “I … don’t know what to say to that at all.”

“I do,” James said. “You make a list and I’ll beat up every single one of those kids … er, well, as long as they’re over eighteen. We’ll have to wait for the rest of them to become adults.”

“I’ll help,” Grady offered.

“If there are girls, don’t worry about that,” James said. “I have a scrappy wife and a mean sister. They’ll take care of it.”

Mandy made an exaggerated face. “Ignore them,” she said, grabbing Darcy’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “When they get uncomfortable they say stupid things.”

Darcy flashed a smile that didn’t make it all the way up to her eyes. “It’s okay. They’ve been nicer than anyone else who’s heard the story. At least they’re not calling me names and accusing me of lying.”

“They would never do that,” Mandy said. “They’re good boys … for the most part. Is that why you recanted your accusation, though? Did everyone going after you at school make you want to run and hide?”

“You would think that, but no,” Darcy said. “I was going to pursue it until the end because I wanted them to pay but … my parents had other ideas.”

Mandy scratched her neck, confused. “Your parents?”

“The Landers family offered my parents a million bucks to have me take it back,” Darcy explained. “My parents have money, but they don’t have that kind of money. My father said that I would be able to go to any college of my choice now and it would be easier on everyone if I told the police I imagined it.”

Mandy felt sick to her stomach. What kind of parent sells out his or her own child for a profit? “Did you try and talk them out of it?”

“I refused the first two times they brought it up, but my father said I didn’t have a choice,” Darcy said. “He said they wouldn’t stand with me if I testified and that everyone at school would think I was a slut before it was all said and done if I didn’t agree. They said people at college would find out and think I was a skank, too.

“I thought about it and I couldn’t imagine doing it myself and I didn’t want people to hate me so … I took it back,” she continued. “I called the police and told them I was confused. The sheriff’s deputy who interviewed me was a woman and I think she knew I was lying when I said I made it up. She gave me her business card and told me she would be there if I should ever need her. She’s the only one in this entire thing who doesn’t make me sick to my stomach.”

“Oh, Darcy, that’s terrible,” Mandy said, stroking the back of the girl’s hair as Darcy leaned forward and sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”

James and Grady watched Mandy soothe the tortured teenager, exchanging the occasional furious looks as they silently allowed Mandy to make things better. Or, well, make things tolerable, at least.

After a few minutes of sobbing, Darcy pulled herself together. “I want to know why the boys were in the mall as much as you do,” she said. “I want to know if it had something to do with me. I want to know why that had to happen to me and why they went into the mall with guns that day.”

“We’re going to figure it out,” Mandy said, forcing a smile. “I promise.”

Darcy looked hopeful. “How can you be sure?”

“Because my husband has never let me down yet,” Mandy answered. “He’s not going to start now. He won’t let you down either. I have complete and total faith in him.”

Despite the serious nature of the conversation, James puffed out his chest. “My wife makes me out to be something of a hero sometimes, but she’s not wrong. We are going to figure this out. I promise you that.”