Page 117 of Wild Escape

I helped her stand and escorted her out of the house to a patrol car and put her into the back. A deputy drove her to the station, and I followed in the Porsche. She wasn’t technically under arrest yet.

I continued my chat with her in the interrogation room.

Lauren finally admitted to bashing Rachel in the head with the lamp. From what Daniels had told me, Rachel had a subdural hematoma and brain swelling. They had put her into a medically induced coma. It wasn't looking good.

"I think it's finally time you told me what happened to Cheyenne," I said.

Lauren’s face twisted with torment. She was not cut out for prison. The girl would be spending a long time behind bars if Rachel didn't make it, and I told her as much.

Fear filled her eyes, and the tears continued. The walls of the tiny space closed in around her.

"I'm trying to look out for you,” I said. “Trust me, you want to help the prosecution in this case. Any kind of deal you can get is better than nothing.”

Lauren hesitated for a long moment. "I didn't know Cheyenne couldn’t swim. None of us did. We didn't take her out that far. A couple of hundred yards. It was Rachel's idea. It was just something she thought was funny to do to pledges. Strip them down, make them swim ashore, prove their loyalty. I mean, nothing bad ever happened before." Regret twisted her face. "We'd all been drinking. When Cheyenne was in the water, she just sank. It happened so fast. Rachel wouldn’t go in after her. Nobody would.” Tears streamed. “I feel terrible that I didn't do anything. I should have tried to save her, but she was gone. Just like that. We all freaked out. We didn't know what to do. We just went back to the sorority house and acted like nothing happened. It wasn't that we didn’t like Cheyenne." Her voice quivered, and the tears still streaked her cheeks. "She was a really cool girl. She would have made a great Theta."

It was a heartbreaking story. But it wasn't over yet. She had more dirt to dish.

“If I tell you everything that goes on at the sorority, can I get some kind of immunity for all this?”

59

After the sheriff had talked to the prosecuting attorney, I stepped back into the interrogation room and told Lauren the deal. "The state’s attorney is willing to drop the hazing charge from a 3rd degree felony to a misdemeanor—60 days in jail."

Lauren's eyes rounded.

"Trust me. That’s light. There is also the manslaughter charge, reckless endangerment, and the list goes on. You're also looking at an aggravated assault and battery charge against Rachel. That's if it doesn't turn into something worse."

Her face stiffened, and she swallowed hard. "What do you mean, something worse?" She knew.

"If she dies, you're going to catch another manslaughter charge. Maybe even 2nd degree murder."

"Oh God," she said, hanging her head.

"Right now, I think you need to be as cooperative as possible.”

"I swear to God, I didn't mean to hurt her that bad."

"What's done is done.”

Lauren frowned. After a pause, she said, "I can tell you everything, but I can't go to jail."

"Start talking, and I'll see what I can do."

Her lips tightened. After a hesitation, she said, "Rachel and Jenna forced the potential new members to do things."

"What kind of things?"

"It's part of their initiation. At least, that's what she tells them. Rachel and Jenna offer the girls to powerful men about town. It's not just limited to that. They fly in from all over the world."

"They’re trafficking the pledges?" I said.

Lauren nodded.

“The girls are told to do what the men want. Everything is filmed, and Rachel and Jenna keep archives of everything. Then they use those videos to not only blackmail the men, but the girls as well. It haunts them for the rest of their lives. They have to do whatever Jenna and Rachel tell them to do. Why do you think the sorority never gets disciplined? Sure, Dean Montgomery will investigate, but nothing ever comes of it. You want to know why? Because Jenna has plenty of sex tapes with Dean Montgomery, having his way with pledges. He doesn’t want that getting out. Plus, he’s having fun. Have you seen that guy? He’s a troll.” Her face soured like she smelled rotten eggs. “I don't think you realize how far this blackmail goes. I'm talking politicians, CEOs of corporations, you name it. Jenna then uses the leverage to get insider information, pursue political agendas, whatever. Once the girls graduate and get married to rich and powerful men, the blackmail continues.”

I'm not often stunned, but this was a shocking revelation. “Where are all these videos?"

"Jenna has them on a hard drive, and Rachel has them on her laptop. Why do you think the sorority has so much money? It's not just the dues. Have you seen the house Jenna lives in? It's insane. She drives a Bentley. Her wardrobe is crazy. She walks around with $35,000 handbags. So does Rachel. Those girls are living it up."