Casting Doubt Read online

Jenna and Cole follow us back into the studio.

  “Can you put the closed sign out and shut the door?”

  “Sure.” Cole goes back to the gallery.

  What if someone believes her? I’ll lose my job. Oh my God! The people at Baxter will probably wipe any reference to me being connected to them from every record. A lot of those kids at that school are messed up because of what Larry just accused me of.

  I’m going to be sick.

  I look up at Jenna, my eyes pleading with her. “None of what she said was true. I swear.”

  “I believe you,” she says gently. “Calm down.”

  How the hell am I supposed to calm down? What if Larry tells those same lies to her parents? I’ll be arrested. I’ll lose Cam.

  My throat and chest are getting tighter and tighter, and I’m not sure I can breathe.

  “How did I not know she was fucked up?” I studied psychology and work at Baxter so how the hell was so blindsided?

  “She hid it well,” Jenna says.

  “I should have caught on. She’s been acting weird, but she’s a sixteen-year-old girl.” I look from Jenna to Deirdre. “No offense, but teenage girls can be strange sometimes.”

  Jenna and Deirdre both smile. At least I didn’t piss them off.

  “Do you have a first-aid kit?”

  I point to the shelf above the sink and Deidre grabs it.

  She starts cleaning my hand and I try not to wince when she uses tweezers and pulls splinters of glass out.

  “I don’t have a temper. Ever.” I need to assure her that I’m not a violent guy. I abhor violence. Not that she’ll believe me now. “I’ve never struck anyone or anything in my life. I rarely even yell.”

  “I believe you,” she says calmly. “I probably would’ve hit something too.”

  She turns my hand and presses towels against the bleeding. “You should have this stitched.”

  “I don’t have time and I can’t leave Cam.”

  “Did you look at this cut?” She tilts my hand so I can see it.

  There’s a long gash, but it doesn’t look too deep to me. “Just tape it up. There’s butterfly tape in there somewhere.”

  She shakes her head but starts rummaging in the box.

  Kian comes in from the front. His face is a stony mask. My gut tightens again.

  “I talked to Larry, or Laurentia, and she insists the two of you have been intimate.”

  I rear off the seat. “I’ve never touched her. She works in the front and babysits my son. I barely looked at her.” He’s got to believe me.

  Kian holds up his hands as if to trying to calm me. “I believe you, but that isn’t what matters right now.”

  I sit back on the stool and let Deidre tape my hand.

  “I’m a police officer. Jenna works at Baxter, Cole’s a firefighter. Each one of us is under an obligation to report her accusations.”

  I look at each of them individually. Cole and Jenna nod, but I can tell by the looks on their faces that they are not happy about it at all.

  “Social Services has to be called in to talk to the girl, and her parents need to be told.”

  This is not happening. It’s a fucking nightmare, and I’m going to wake up. It has to be. This cannot be happening.

  “Don’t hyperventilate.” Deirdre puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get through this. They may have to report it, but I don’t think there’s a person in this room who believes her.”

  I look at them individually again. With a nod and slight smile, they let me know that they believe me, but they’re stuck, with no choice but to report. I get that. If I were in their shoes, I’d have to report it too.

  “She claims you were intimate last night so a female officer will meet her and her parents at the hospital for an exam,” Kian continues to explain.

  “Rape kit?” I push my fingers through my hair. I need to wake up. I’m a good guy. I don’t hurt kids. This isn’t happening.

  A cry comes from upstairs. How could I forget I left Cam up there alone? After I fed him I put him in the playpen with his toys. It was only going to be gone for a second, while I helped the guys bring in the paintings because I saw them from the upstairs window. He’s been up there this entire time.

  “I’ll get him,” Jenna says and heads for the stairs.

  I hope Cam doesn’t make a bigger fuss because she’s a stranger, but I’m in no shape to help my son right now. Physically, emotionally, or mentally.

  “You should probably call your parents to take your son,” Kian suggests.

  “They’re in Florida right now.”

  “Do you have any family near?” Kian asks.

  “No.” My panic stars again. “You can’t turn him over to family services. Who knows where he’ll end up?”

  “With no family, we have no choice.”

  “I’ll take care of him.”

  I turn and meet Deirdre’s eyes. She would do that?

  “I’ll stay here and watch after Cam until you can get all this straightened out.”

  At least I know he’ll be cared for. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  Twelve

  Cam’s been fussy since Jesse left. I can’t really blame him. I’m a bit fussy myself.

  I can’t believe that Larry is about to destroy his life. Does that girl have any idea of the damage she just caused?

  Kian took Jesse away hours ago. As much as he hated to do it, he had no choice. And, Kian wanted to do it himself, even though it’s his day off, instead of another officer. Jenna and Cole left a little bit after them to talk to the school administrators. They need a heads up about what happened and what we believe is the truth, so they can be prepared if Jesse’s name comes out in the news and he’s linked back to Baxter.

  Cam’s asleep and all I can do is stare out at the square. This is where Larry stood last night, watching us. Was she planning her lies then? Would she have even said anything if Jesse hadn’t taken me to dinner? Was it jealousy that set her off?

  Guilt eats at me that somehow I’m the cause, even though I know it’s not true. Any female threatening what Larry perceived as her territory would have set her off. I just happened to be the one who came along.

  How long are they going to keep Jesse? Are they charging him? Has he been thrown in jail? I just wish someone would call.

  As if on cue, my phone dings with a text message. It’s Kian. “At the back door. Let us in.”

  I blow out a sigh of relief. Jesse and Kian are back. He won’t have to spend the night in jail.

  I hurry down the stairs, unlock and open the door. But it isn’t Jesse and Kian.

  The metallic taste of blood stings my lips and slides down my throat just as another fist crashes into my jaw. “You like teenage girls?”

  Another fist slams into my gut, taking the wind from lungs.

  “Perv!”

  I can’t remain standing and fall to me knees. My bones hit the hard concrete floor and pain shoots up my legs. One of my eyes is swollen shut and I’m pretty sure my hand is broken from trying to defend myself when these two guys attacked me the minute the guards were gone. My hand was barely taped closed as it was, but now the tape is gone and blood is everywhere. I’m not sure how much is from my hand or my face, or anywhere else, but I’m pretty sure most of it’s mine.

  They aren’t supposed to know what I was arrested for, but they found out. Now I’m paying and if they don’t let up, they’ll kill me.

  One of them grabs my right hand.

  “You’re a fucking artist?”

  He jerks my arm out, slams my hand on the floor and then stomps on it.

  I’m not sure if my screams are louder than the bones being crushed in my hand or not.

  I pull my arm in and roll into the fetal position, protecting my body the best that I can. I can’t fight anymore. Every inch of my body hurts and all my strength is gone.

  But they won’t let up and keep kicking me over and over. God, I just want to
black out. Block out the pain.

  Please let this nightmare end.

  “Hey!” someone shouts. “Open the holding cell. Now!”

  The door clinks but I can’t even raises my head to look. I can feel people rush in but darkness invades. “Cam!”

  Thirteen

  I look past Kian and Alexia. “Where’s Jesse?”

  Kian looks grim, his mouth tight. Alexia is pale and her eyes are rimmed in red, like she’s been crying.

  “What happened?” I demand.

  “Let us in.”

  I stand back and close the door after him.

  “Jesse was arrested and taken to a holding cell. He was going to be processed out.”

  “He didn’t do anything,” I remind them.

  “Larry insisted, even when the pelvic exam revealed that she’s most likely a virgin, that she an Jesse are in a relationship.”

  Relieved I sink down into a chair. I didn’t believe her story for a second, but her being a virgin certainly helps Jesse’s case. It has to.

  “She claimed they were waiting until she was eighteen, but they did other things.”

  Shit! Penetration of the vagina isn’t exactly necessary for statutory rape. At least I don’t think so. “Did she fucking specify?” If she is going to completely ruin Jesse’s life she had better come up with something better than other things.

  “A psychiatrist is going to meet with her tomorrow, and get the details for the police report.”

  “Then why the hell is he even in jail?”

  “Her parents insisted,” Kian explains. “Her father’s a sergeant with the Sheriff’s Department, and a dick, by the way. They believe their daughter and had no idea their sweet little girl was being taken advantage of. They pressed charges and our hands are tied.”

  “So, he’s got to sit in jail all night?”

  “Not exactly,” Kian hedges.

  Right, this is Friday night. The courts won’t be in session until Monday. I meet my brother’s eyes. “Jesse has to sit in jail until Monday morning. That’s bullshit!”

  “He’s not in jail,” Alexia says quietly. Tears fill her eyes.

  I take a step back, my heart nearly stopping. “Why? Where is he?”

  “He was beat up pretty bad and was taken to the hospital.”

  “Okay,” I say slowly. I know there’s more. I can tell by the looks on their faces.

  “He’s in surgery. He’s got some broken bones, probably a concussion, and possible internal bleeding.

  I bring a fist to my mouth to keep from crying out. “Is anyone with him?”

  “No,” Alexia answers.

  “Did anyone call his parents? They need to know.”

  “I did,” Kian assures me. “I explained everything to them. They’re catching the first flight they can get on.”

  My stomach is in knots. “Is he going to be okay?” I know I don’t know Jesse that well because we haven’t been able to spend that much time together. I was hoping to this week. But there’s been something there each time we’ve talked, and now I feel like I’m about to lose something very special. It’s crazy, I know, but I can’t help it. I know that I need him and at one point in my life he was going to be very important to me. Now some stupid sixteen-year-old girl may have just ruined several lives.

  “The doctors think he’ll pull through,” Alexia assures me.

  “Think?” This is much worse than I thought. “I need to see him.”

  “You can’t until tomorrow.”

  I glance up the stairs. I can’t really leave Cam anyway. He’s Jesse’s main priority. If I can’t help him there, I’ll help him here.

  “We’ll stay with you. The hospital will call me if there’s any change.”

  I nod and numbly walk up the stairs.

  The beeping of the cardio meter is both obnoxious and comforting. As long as it’s driving me bonkers, I know Jesse’s heart is still beating. It’s been two days since he was beaten and had surgery and he’s barely been conscious a few times. His spleen was removed and his kidneys are bruised. He has two fractured ribs, a crushed hand, a concussion, and looks like he was run over by a tractor. And I still think he’s the most handsome guy I’ve ever met. All of this will heal. But, I can’t stop worrying about his future.

  The teachers from Baxter started coming by. They’re on break and after hearing what had happened, they wanted to check on Jesse, not knowing until they got here how bad of shape he’s in. Most went home, but a few are in the family waiting room.

  “Hey!”

  I glance up to find Alexia standing in the doorway. Only two people can be in his room in the ICU at a time. I’ve been taking turns with Jesse’s parents, and we take turns watching Cam, who’s become quite comfortable hanging out in the waiting room and flirting with the nurses. He hasn’t seen his dad yet. We’re afraid seeing Jesse like this will scare him.

  “Come with me.”

  I’m not sure I want to leave Jesse alone. He hasn’t been alone since I got here when his parents got back into town. They went straight to the hospital and I brought Cam to them, after loading his diaper bag with everything I could think of. I babysat a lot when I was in high school, but I never needed to take a baby out of the house. I crammed so much into the thing I could barely carry it. Then had to figure out how to secure the car seat. My admiration for parents spiked one hundred percent. Getting ready to leave the house with an infant should be an Olympic event.

  “Trust me,” Alexia says.

  Reluctantly I stand and bend over Jesse to whisper in his ear. “I’ll be right back, or send your parents in.” I have no clue if he can hear me or not, but it’s important, at least to me, that he knows that he isn’t just being left alone if there is any type of consciousness behind those bruised and closed eyes.

  Alexia takes me down the hall into a small conference room. There are video screens set up and they’re focused on Jesse and his room. “Have they been here the entire time?” I’m not sure how I feel about being watched.

  There’s an officer and two detectives I recognize from talking to Kian earlier, and another guy running the equipment.

  “They went in this morning. There’s audio too.”

  “Why are you showing me this?”

  “Just wait,” Alexia says.

  Jesse’s parents slip into the conference room behind. Cam is asleep in his grandpa’s arms. We watch as Kian enters Jesse’s room. He’s followed by a middle aged couple, and older woman and then Larry. Anger shoots through me. “What the hell is she doing in there?”

  “There are holes in her story, but she’s not floundering on intimacy and loving Jesse,” Alexia explains. “The couple is her parents, the other women is the psychiatrist. She’s the one who suggested that Larry see what her lies have caused.”

  “So, the psychiatrist doesn’t believe her?”

  “No. Only her parents.”

  “What happened to him?” Larry cries, running to the bed.

  “That’s what happens in jail to adults who molest kids,” Kian answers.

  Larry whips around and pierces Kian with a glare. “He didn’t molest any children.”

  “You’re sixteen. He’s twenty-four. Call it what you want, but it doesn’t go well for guys in prison who take advantage of young girls.”

  Her back straightens. “I am not a young girl.”

  “You’re only sixteen,” Kian points out. “By law, you aren’t an adult either.”

  Her eyes fill with tears and she glances back down at Jesse, then looks at the monitors, IV lines, and everything that is hooked up to him. “Is he going to die?” She glances back at Kian. Tears are trailing down her cheeks.

  Kian just shrugs.

  “But he can’t. What about Cam? What about me?”

  “You won’t see him again,” Larry’s father insists. His hands are fisted and he’s glaring at Jesse. I get the feeling Sergeant Baily would kill Jesse if he thought he could get away with it. Of course, he believes his dau
ghter and if I had a kid and thought the same thing happened, I would want the guy hurting as well.

  “Please, sir,” the psychiatrist warns.

  “If Mr. Tinley dies, Cam will be raised by his grandparents and if they can’t, then he’ll go into foster care,” the psychiatrist answers in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “I’ll take care of him.”

  “You’re too young,” the psychiatrist reminds her.

  “But he’s mine.”

  “No, dear,” her mother says. “He’s not, even though you care for him like a mother.”

  The psychiatrist pulls the parents aside. “You are in here because you promised to be silent. If you continue, I’ll need to ask you to leave.”

  They nod solemnly and step back against the wall.

  “The State of New York is not going to give a minor to another minor to raise.”

  Larry turns back to Jesse and grabs his hand. “You’ve got to get better. How can we be together if you don’t get better?”

  “Laurentia,” Kian says. “If and when he recovers, Jesse will probably go to prison.” Since he’s in his deputy uniform, his words probably carry more weight than if he were in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

  She whips around again. “No.”

  “It’s the law, and even if he doesn’t serve time, he can’t teach again,” the psychiatrist advises her.

  “Why?”

  “Because he’ll have to register as a sex offender.”

  I really like this woman. She isn’t being mean, just stating the facts. Not coldly but in a way that Larry will get that her accusations have horrible consequences. At least her parents are keeping quiet now. I’m sure if they could speak, they’d try to comfort the girl. She’s the last person that needs comfort or sympathy.

  “But it’s what I wanted. What we wanted.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Your ages do,” the psychiatrist reminds her. “He’s lost his job at Baxter and he can’t be a sculptor anymore either.”

  “What do you mean?” Larry’s blinking and looking from the psychiatrist, to Kian, her parents, back to Jesse and over again as if she can’t grasp what is going on.