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But the woman herself stayed hidden behind the locked door in her own apartment on the grounds, leaving Ray alone night after night until Mr. Olander would swing by to pick up clean clothes before heading out on yet another breaking news flash.
According to Ray, life had gone on this way for the last few years. Independence had become important. The first time Jessica had watched the interaction with the woman who looked after the house, interested because of the sneers about her, she understood why Eva bolted herself away from Ray. She’d seen the cold taunts to the woman, the mocking message emotionless eyes sent with every hateful stare. Right then, she understood and prayed Ray would never act like that with her. She needed their friendship too much.
Jess knew Ray’s life’s circumstances had been instrumental in the hard-edged personality always revealed. The perfect term for the teen who looked like a modern singing idol with arm tattoos and eyebrow rings, yet often acted like a cynical, heartless monster. Other than her, and various other members in the group formed online, Ray had closed off the rest of the world.
Forced by his dad to attend school, and smart like a whip, there were seldom assignments or extra work. Not prepared for tests or exams, payments for someone to step in came easy to a kid with a lot of freedom and money. Drugs were used sparingly, admitting the need for control far exceeded the quick thrill from a pill or injection.
Ray had everything a kid could want. Yet, Jessica had never met anyone more unhappy or downright miserable to the point of being cold… except with her. With her, Ray showed enough tenderness from time to time that she became titled property. By making the effort of letting her know Ray would always take her side, Jess had become like a puppet, willing to dance to the tunes given her. Yank her string and for Ray, she’d dance.
Last night, she’d danced her way right into jail and had suffered from the disgusting, terrifying noises from her new cellmate, moaning from withdrawal throughout the dark hours. Difficult and depressing, Jess had tried to ignore the stink of sickness, and the stench of the hooker’s bowels releasing before she made it to the toilet.
Was this to be her new reality? Barely seventeen and facing how many years of this? Because she loved another who treated her kindly? Though she’d followed orders and shot up the classroom, it had been pointed out to her, she hadn’t tried to aim the gun at any of the kids. Sadly, some had gotten in her way. Jesus, she knew it. Knew she’d gone too far according to the police.
Did she care?
Not at all.
Was she scared?
Terrified.
Would she talk?
Not unless they tortured her, and in today’s world, according to Ray, they wouldn’t dare.
Chapter Ten
Lori hated hearing anyone referring to her as Loretta but when Beau Walker introduced her to Jessica as Agent Loretta Page, it gave her the opportunity to make the correction to the kid. “You can call me Lori if you’d rather. It’s the name I prefer.” She waited a beat and saw the girl hadn’t looked her way at all.
“Your name is Jessica Boland, right?” Still no acknowledgement. “How about I call you Jessi? Would that be okay?”
Again, nothing.
Lori wandered around the small interrogation room and leaned against the wall. “You want a coke? Food?”
The girl didn’t even raise her head. Not like she’d done when she’d first looked to see who’d entered after they’d left her there for over two hours, waiting. A ploy they often used on prisoners, especially kids, to bum them out, get them nervous about their prospects so they’d spill easier.
Had there been recognition in Jessica’s eyes before she’d lowered them and slouched further down in the chair, purposely like a male would do?
Yep. Pretty sure.
Lori opened the door and called to Walker who’d been waiting for her to do just that. “Can we have a couple of hamburgers and two cokes, please. It’s lunchtime, and I’m starved. Thanks.”
Before she closed the door, she turned to Jessica. “Anything you don’t like on your burger?”
After giving the kid a few moments, and getting no reply, she called out “with the works” and shut the door.
Then she moved to the opposite side of the table where they had Jess chained by one wrist to a ring welded there, and she pulled out the chair. She looked across at the kid. Leaning close, she stared rudely, noticing the faintest of twitches near Jess’s mouth. As if the girl was forcing her lips not to move.
“Do you want to know what happened to the kids you tried to kill?” Yep, there was a definite twitch.
Then she switched her rhythm, hoping it would have an effect.
“Except… we both know you weren’t trying to kill anyone, were you? If you’d wanted them to die, you’d have aimed into the group and not over their heads or beside them. Guess you weren’t thinking about bullets ricocheting, or the damage an AK-15 would do to the wall or ceiling.”
Lori edged into Jess’s personal space, her hands out as if she would take the other girls in hers if Jess so wanted. Leaving them there on purpose, she lowered her voice. “You’re no killer, Jess. I’ve seen the look in a killer’s eyes, and yours just show fear.” Lori now made her tone harsh. “Which holds a universe of difference to your friend. I’m talking about sociopaths, people who don’t care who they hurt because they’re born without that basic human gene structure.”
Lori waited to see if her captive listened and saw by her behavior that she heard everything, even if she didn’t want to.
