Read Online The Right Time by Susan X Meagher - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan X Meagher
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Hennessy sat next to her and arranged her sandwich, then took a big bite. “Mmm…delicious.”
“Out with it, Chief. What’d I do this time?”
Either she had pretty severe memory loss, or she thought Hennessy was half blind. “Even though I didn’t conduct a strip search—and maybe I should have, I don’t remember seeing that mark on your neck before. I’d like to know who gave it to you.”
Townsend’s memory seemed to come back in a flash. Along with her constant friend—rage. “Why? So you can get one for yourself?”
“No, thanks. I don’t have to prove that someone finds me desirable enough to kiss.” She winced, knowing that was too harsh, but sometimes she couldn’t stop herself. Townsend was a master at getting under her skin.
But Hennessy’s smart remark received only a shrug. That seemed to be the rule. Comments that would render most girls indignant rolled right off her back. Like she was inured to most insults. “I don’t have to tell you who I’m fooling around with. I read that ridiculous list of rules, and it doesn’t say a damned thing about that.”
“No, but it does say a camper is prohibited from harassing or abusing another camper in any way. I want to make sure you’re not forcing one of the other girls to do something she’s not ready for.”
That got in. “Are you accusing me of molesting one of these little creeps?” She leapt to her feet, her lunch hitting the floor as she did. “Go fuck yourself, Hennessy. I don’t have to force anyone to do me!”
She ran to her room and slammed the door. But Hennessy was right on her heels; she sat down on the end of the bed, and reached out to gently touch her leg. Townsend yanked it away, then kicked out hard with it, knocking Hennessy to the floor. “Get out of my room, or I’ll tell them you did it!”
Hennessy sat on the floor for a few minutes, stunned as well as stumped. She didn’t want to upset her any more than she already had, but she had to find out who Townsend had been with—particularly if it was a younger girl. She started to get up, but her hand came in contact with a cool, glass bottle. Pulling it from under the bed, she shook her head when she saw the label. “This is the cheapest gin known to man. My mother wouldn’t even drink this.” She paused, then told the truth, “Well, she would, but no one with an intact stomach lining would. Why on earth would you stoop to drinking something like this?” She stood up, and all at once it hit her. A calm settled over her, letting her words come out sure and slow. “Take off your shirt.”
“What?”
“Take off your shirt.” Hennessy was all business now, determined and focused. Slowly, Townsend did so, holding the shirt to her breasts. “Let me see your chest.”
As she lowered the shirt, Hennessy took a quick look. Angry red marks surrounded a bruised nipple. If the wound had been an accident, it would have turned her stomach. Realizing the marks came from a bite filled her with images of finding the animal who’d done it and destroying him. Her voice shook with rage, but she controlled the volume, even though she wanted to shout, to scream. To wake this kid from her self-destructive nightmare. “Who did this to you?”
“Nobody you know,” Townsend said quietly.
“Did he rape you?”
A little of her haughty spark came back. “How do you know it was a guy? Lots of girls like to play rough.”
“The skin around your nipple is broken. None of the girls here did that to you. Please tell me.” She reached out and touched her shoulder, gripping it lightly. “Please.”
Townsend’s body shook. Something about this incident had gotten inside. “One of the guys who delivers laundry.”
“Did he rape you?” Hennessy’s gaze was unflinching, penetrating.
“No. He…he said he’d buy me a fifth every week if I’d…you know.”
Images of all sorts of violent, humiliating acts flooded her brain. If a girl let a stranger fist her for no
“Out with it, Chief. What’d I do this time?”
Either she had pretty severe memory loss, or she thought Hennessy was half blind. “Even though I didn’t conduct a strip search—and maybe I should have, I don’t remember seeing that mark on your neck before. I’d like to know who gave it to you.”
Townsend’s memory seemed to come back in a flash. Along with her constant friend—rage. “Why? So you can get one for yourself?”
“No, thanks. I don’t have to prove that someone finds me desirable enough to kiss.” She winced, knowing that was too harsh, but sometimes she couldn’t stop herself. Townsend was a master at getting under her skin.
But Hennessy’s smart remark received only a shrug. That seemed to be the rule. Comments that would render most girls indignant rolled right off her back. Like she was inured to most insults. “I don’t have to tell you who I’m fooling around with. I read that ridiculous list of rules, and it doesn’t say a damned thing about that.”
“No, but it does say a camper is prohibited from harassing or abusing another camper in any way. I want to make sure you’re not forcing one of the other girls to do something she’s not ready for.”
That got in. “Are you accusing me of molesting one of these little creeps?” She leapt to her feet, her lunch hitting the floor as she did. “Go fuck yourself, Hennessy. I don’t have to force anyone to do me!”
She ran to her room and slammed the door. But Hennessy was right on her heels; she sat down on the end of the bed, and reached out to gently touch her leg. Townsend yanked it away, then kicked out hard with it, knocking Hennessy to the floor. “Get out of my room, or I’ll tell them you did it!”
Hennessy sat on the floor for a few minutes, stunned as well as stumped. She didn’t want to upset her any more than she already had, but she had to find out who Townsend had been with—particularly if it was a younger girl. She started to get up, but her hand came in contact with a cool, glass bottle. Pulling it from under the bed, she shook her head when she saw the label. “This is the cheapest gin known to man. My mother wouldn’t even drink this.” She paused, then told the truth, “Well, she would, but no one with an intact stomach lining would. Why on earth would you stoop to drinking something like this?” She stood up, and all at once it hit her. A calm settled over her, letting her words come out sure and slow. “Take off your shirt.”
“What?”
“Take off your shirt.” Hennessy was all business now, determined and focused. Slowly, Townsend did so, holding the shirt to her breasts. “Let me see your chest.”
As she lowered the shirt, Hennessy took a quick look. Angry red marks surrounded a bruised nipple. If the wound had been an accident, it would have turned her stomach. Realizing the marks came from a bite filled her with images of finding the animal who’d done it and destroying him. Her voice shook with rage, but she controlled the volume, even though she wanted to shout, to scream. To wake this kid from her self-destructive nightmare. “Who did this to you?”
“Nobody you know,” Townsend said quietly.
“Did he rape you?”
A little of her haughty spark came back. “How do you know it was a guy? Lots of girls like to play rough.”
“The skin around your nipple is broken. None of the girls here did that to you. Please tell me.” She reached out and touched her shoulder, gripping it lightly. “Please.”
Townsend’s body shook. Something about this incident had gotten inside. “One of the guys who delivers laundry.”
“Did he rape you?” Hennessy’s gaze was unflinching, penetrating.
“No. He…he said he’d buy me a fifth every week if I’d…you know.”
Images of all sorts of violent, humiliating acts flooded her brain. If a girl let a stranger fist her for no
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