Close: A New Adult Thriller Read Online Free PDF

Laura, I’m Drew Stanner from the police department.”
    Laura nodded, her eyes puffy and red from crying. She had long chestnut brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes with delicate features and pale, porcelain skin. My heart broke for her as I knelt down next to her.
    “Okay, Laura, first of all, I want to say how brave I think you are for coming to us. It takes more guts to do what you did walking in that door than anything else I see on the job.”
    Laura nodded, head down, eyes on the floor.
    “So, Becky and I are going to take you over to Cottage Hospital to get you checked out. Then, after that, if you feel like you have the energy, I’m going to take a statement.”
    Becky broke in. “If you’re too tired, or you need a break, then it can wait.”
    Laura’s head was still down. “I took a shower this morning,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
    That wasn’t the best news, but I didn’t want Laura to know that.
    “Don’t worry about any of that. What you did, what you didn’t do,” I said. “There is only one thing I want you to do for me, Laura. Do not beat yourself up about any of the choices you’ve made, before or since this happened to you. None of this is your fault.”
    Laura’s head rose a little and she looked at me, like she was seeing me for the first time. Becky put an arm around her as she rose tentatively to her feet. “I’ll bring my car around back. Meet me out there,” I said, walking out of the room.
    I waited in the corridor for the medical and forensic examination to take place. Becky had gone inside with Laura, a nurse, and a doctor. They were all female, and all trained and experienced in dealing with victims of sexual assault. It was another ordeal, but one that nowadays was at least cushioned a little.
    I would wait to see how Laura looked after the exam before making a decision on whether to do the primary victim interview now, or wait until morning. Usually the closer to the event the better, while memories were still fresh, but she looked pretty wiped out. It was already past ten in the evening and the interview could take two or three hours. It was the most sensitive, difficult and crucial part of the investigation. But if went well, the good stuff came afterwards taking the asshole into custody. His interview with me wouldn’t be nearly as delicate attorney present, or not.
    Almost a full hour later, the door of the exam room opened, and Laura emerged with Becky from the Crisis Centre. Dark half moons of fatigue shaded under her eyes. I knew straight away that the interview would have to wait until morning. She had already made mention of a drug to Becky, which meant her memory would be fragmented at best. As rape cases went, a drugged victim made things tougher. That was why assholes like Bentley did it in the first place. However, it also meant that it then became a crime which had been pre-meditated, and judges tended to be a lot harsher in their sentencing when someone had sat down and thought it through like that. As every minute passed, the stakes were rising.

 
    Nine: Laura
     
    I was still in shock. Going in to have the physical examination hadn’t been as bad I thought it would be. That might have been because I’d told myself to expect the worst. I’d imagined all kinds of fresh invasions of my body, all sorts of horrors. But it had been okay, uncomfortable, but bearable. The lady from the Crisis Centre, Becky, had been really kind. She’d reminded me a little of my mom.
    The thought of my mom hit me like a train. How was I going to tell her? I couldn’t even imagine where I’d begin, or what the words would be, never mind what order I’d put them in. She’d been so worried about me going away to college, and I’d hated leaving her on her own. I could feel my throat start to tighten just thinking about her.
    She’d find a way to blame herself. She always did when stuff went wrong. She could never see that sometimes the