Promise You Won't Tell? (16 page)

“By all means,” I say.

“Have you ever seen the collections of internet photos that appear to show things you know are impossible? Like a lady on the beach holding the moon between her hands? Or the little girl with her mouth open, and it appears a jet is about to fly into it? Or the guy who appears to be diving head first into a giant glass bottle? These are examples of perspective.”

“Call me optimistic,” I say, “but I think your average judge can differentiate between photos that show a guy diving into a bottle and Ethan diving into a girl’s muff.”

“You’re quite optimistic, if a bit crude. I like that about you.”

“You tipped your hand just now,” I say.

“How so?”

“You said you’ve had the photos studied and analyzed by professionals. And yet they’ve only been online a few hours. Could it be possible you saw the photos on the boys’ cell phones prior to them being published on the internet?”

“Whether I did or didn’t doesn’t matter, from a legal standpoint. I’m part of their legal team, and have been retained to represent them.”

“You don’t have an obligation to report a crime?”

“You and I share the same obligation, Dani. Why haven’t
you
reported a crime? Answer: because you’ve had no conclusive evidence a crime was committed.”

“Until now. The pictures show a crime.”

“If that’s the case, I’m obligated to make any evidence in my possession available to opposing counsel during the discovery process.”

I say, “You’re right I was never retained to help Riley. But I’m obviously on her side.”

“Of course. However, I hope to—if not persuade you—at least get you to look at the case in a more objective manner.”

“Fat chance.”

“I understand,” he says.

“Does that mean we’re done here?”

“I hope not. Ideally, I’d like us to have a short discussion, tell you where I see this case going, maybe get your opinion about some possible alternative solutions to Riley’s predicament.”

“
Her
predicament?”

“The boys are juveniles, Dani. If they were a year older, she’d have their nuts in a vice, and it would serve them right.”

“I can get a vice. Bring the boys back when they’re eighteen and we’ll try it out. I’m sure Riley will be glad to participate.”

“Well, as I say, it would serve them right. But I also pointed out they’re juveniles. As bad as this is, as disgusting as their behavior has been, you and I both know they’re going to wind up with a sealed record, probation, and possible community service.”

“I don’t know that at all,” I say.

“Well, I could be wrong. On the other hand, this isn’t my first rodeo.”

I pause a minute. Then say, “Do you have any daughters?”

He shakes his head. “No. And you might not believe this, but my heart goes out to Riley. I can’t imagine how a young girl like that would have the strength to cope. I can tell you these boys are remorseful. But I’ll also be the first to say they have no conception of what they’ve done. They’re upset, of course. They’ve learned a lesson. But are they more upset over being caught than about what they did?”

He waves his hand. Then says, “I honestly can’t say.”

He sighs. “This whole incident has devastated me. You raise your children, you think you’ve done everything right, and then something like this happens.”

“Gavin,” I say. “Can you cut to the chase? What did you come here to say?”

“This case is going to receive national media attention, and locally the boys will be talked about for a while. But neither the victim, nor the accused, will be publicly named. The boys won’t do any jail or prison time, nor will Riley be awarded monetary damages.”

“That’s outrageous. Surely the courts will make an exception. Her photos are all over the internet. They’re all over the school. She’s lost her privacy. Her dignity. She’s been forced to drop out of school. You’re saying the boys will never be
named
?”

“If that’s true, I’ll make it my life’s work to see that justice is done.”

Gavin shrugs. “If she were my daughter I’d be just as upset. But the law’s the law, and the legal system is what it is. And if I may, I know you’re quite upset about what happened, and your passion for the victim is admirable. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t caution you about making statements like the one you just made, regarding your personal desire to see justice done. That kind of comment, and any actions that support it, could be considered harassment. We’ve already got one victim. Let’s not make a bad situation worse.”

I feel my face getting flushed, but they know better than to smirk.

I silently curse the legal system, until it dawns on me if he’s so fucking smart, and so convinced Ethan’s got nothing to worry about, why bother talking to me in the first place? There must be more. I will myself to calm down. Then ask, “What else have you got to say?”

“Have you spoken to Parker Page?”

“About what?”

“Her role in all of this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t misunderstand,” Gavin Clark says. I’m not trying to create a diversion, or shift the blame...”

He adds, “The boys are guilty.”

“They’re going to plead guilty?”

“Of course. How can they not?”

“I don’t understand.”

“We expect them to be charged with voyeurism.”

“Try sexual assault, counselor.”

“There was no penetration, Dani.”

“What about oral penetration?”

“The photos don’t support that charge from a legal standpoint. At most they’ll be charged with sexual abuse. But we’ll fight hard to prevent that, based on the quality of the photos, the issues with perspective, and so forth.”

“So why are you here?”

“Despite the way I’m coming across to you at the moment, I feel sick about what happened to Riley. These boys have ruined her junior year of high school, made it impossible for her to return to Carson for her senior year. She’ll probably have to complete high school out of state, and the effects of this could follow her for years. You of all people understand this.”

“Your point?”

“I want to help.”

“How?”

“How’s your relationship with Riley?”

“We’re cordial.”

“Does she trust you?”

“As far as I know. Why?”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to approach Riley at this point.”

“I agree.”

He starts to say something, then says, “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but as an attorney I have natural trust issues. Can we step into the hall so I can ask you a question?”

“How long will it take? I don’t want these guys snooping around my office.”

“Twelve seconds. Guys?” he says to Ethan and Ronnie, “Stay exactly where you are till I get back.”

“Hang on a sec,” I say. “I have trust issues of my own.”

I walk to the front door, open it, look around. Then say, “Let’s go.”

“Uh…your purse?”

“I’m not leaving my handbag in a room with your son.”

“Might I at least verify there’s no recording device in it?”

I open my handbag, remove the gun, and watch everyone’s eyes grow big. It strikes me I’m enjoying their reaction a bit too much. Maybe this is what the gun ownership experience is about for the wrong people. Gives them a feeling of power. Control. By simply pointing this gun at Ethan, for instance, I could humiliate him a thousand different ways.

I think about a few of them.

No doubt about it.

I shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun.

I let Gavin look through my handbag. Then I drop my gun in it, hang it on my shoulder, and follow him into the hall.

After closing the door, he says, “I wonder if you’d consider approaching Riley. Informally, of course.”

“On your behalf?”

He purses his lips. “I’d ask you to approach her in a general way, as if you’d spoken to me about the case, and it doesn’t appear the boys are going to receive much of a punishment.”

“Riley plans to major in criminal justice. She’s a gifted student, an excellent researcher. In other words, she already has a good handle on the limitations of her case. But she’s not out for revenge, like I would be. At least, that doesn’t seem to be her focus. At this point she just wants her life back.”

“What if she thought you could get her a private settlement?”

“In return for what?”

“Not pressing the D.A. to charge the boys with sexual assault. Allow them to plead guilty to a criminal charge of voyeurism.”

And their sentence?”

“We’d let the judge decide.”

“What’s the worst they could get?”

“A felony charge for the voyeurism, five years’ probation. They’d have to undergo counseling and sex offender treatment, and perform a hundred hours of community service tied to the crime, somehow.”

“Such as?”

“If it were up to me, I’d have them clean toilets at the women’s prison.”

“Can we photograph them doing that and put it on the internet?”

“Sadly, no. But I wish we could.”

“What else?”

“They’d be under the supervision of the juvenile justice department.”

“Which means what, exactly?”

“They’d have to report regularly, and stay out of trouble.”

“Doesn’t sound like much.”

“It’s not, unless they fuck up. If they fuck up in the slightest, the world would come crashing down on their shoulders.”

“And after five years?”

“If they remain clean and learn their lesson? The criminal offense would be dropped to a misdemeanor, and the record would be expunged.”

“That’s it? That’s the worst?”

“Doesn’t seem right, does it?”

I frown. “No.”

“A million dollars might make her feel better about things.”

I give him a look. “Must be nice being able to toss a million dollars at an inconvenience.”

“It wouldn’t be
my
money, Dani. It would come directly from Ethan’s trust fund. He needs to make restitution. It will help him realize poor choices have consequences.”

“Like tampering with evidence?”

“What do you mean?”

“I have reason to suspect you removed the photos from Ethan and Ronnie’s cell phones.”

“You probably suspect that because someone removed their cell phones from their lockers yesterday morning.”

“Surely not! Wouldn’t that violate the upper school’s honor code?”

He smiles. “Was it just a coincidence I saw you in the hallway wearing a wig and ball cap?”

“Me? You must be mistaken, counselor.”

“I’d say that too. But minutes after I saw you, Ethan was surprised to find Ronnie’s phone in his locker.”

I frown. “Where was Ethan’s phone?”

“In Ronnie’s locker. You must have been moving so quickly you got them mixed up. By the way, Ethan and Ronnie never sent nude photos to the others, though apparently they sent a photo of Riley lying on the bed, fully clothed.”

“Who put the photos on the website?”

“I don’t want to accuse anyone. But I have a damn good idea.”

“Tell me.”

“I’ll let the boys tell you when we’re through here.”

I realize we’ve been in the hall more than twelve seconds. I open the door to make sure the boys are where they should be.

They are.

I close the door again and say, “Is the million dollars a sincere offer? If she says yes, you’ll find a way to make it happen before this goes any further?”

“Yes. But it needs to happen before the boys are formally charged.”

“How long do they have?”

“Almost certainly one day. Possibly two. What do you say? Will you talk to her?”

“What else can you offer?”

“What do you suggest?”

“Take away Ethan’s car. Put him on foot for a year.”

He smiles. “Done. What else?”

“I want him castrated.”

He frowns. “Will you approach Riley with the offer?”

“Yes. But I want to hear what Ethan and Ronnie have to say.”

“Then let’s do,” he says.

“Tell Ms. Ripper what you told me,” Gavin says to his son. “And if you lied to me about a single detail, fix it now.”

Ethan has lost his swagger.

Maybe it’s an act, but if so, it’s a good one. He seems humbled. His father is clearly furious with him, and disappointed, and that’s got to be uncomfortable.