Laura Ray (Ray Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

each other until their sobs subsided.
    “He raped me, Mary, he raped me.”
    “Who raped you, Laura? Was it Mr. Hudson?”
    Laura nodded and the tears gushed out of her eyes again.
    Mary brought a kitchen chair in so she could sit beside Laura and talk to her.
    “I should have known better.” Laura berated herself. “I saw the signs that he could be that way but I thought he had changed.”
    “What do you mean, you saw signs?” Mary asked.
    “Back before school was out last year, he used to brush up against me in the wrong way. Or he would accidentally touch me where he shouldn’t. Once he even massaged my shoulders in such a way that he kept pushing his fingers down touchi ng the tops of my breasts.” Laura stopped feeling the anger boil up within her. “That’s when I told him if he ever touched me again, I would quit and never walk in the door again.”
    She shook her head and began to cry again, “Today, he-he just came unglued, so to speak.”
    She rubbed her neck where the awful bruises were, “He was like a mad man, determined. No matter how much I yelled or fought.”
    Mary looked at Laura’s fingernails. They were torn and she could see where in places they had been bent backwards.
    “I don’t want Danny to see me this way. Could you have him stay with Aaron a few days?” she begged.
    Mary wiped tears from her eyes, “Sure Danny can stay with us as long as need be.” She hung her head, “I’m sorry.” Mary smoothed the hair away from Laura’s brow, “It’s too late. Danny is the one who called me and told me you were hurt. I sent him to stay with Aaron until I decided what to do.”
    “Oh,” Laura leaned her head back on the big chair. “I should have called you when I first got home. I couldn’t think about anything but washing.”
    “Sure,” Mary said in a soothing voice, “I understand. Danny will be just fine. I agree that maybe he shouldn’t have seen you, but he also needs to understand some of why you are sick. This is hard to get well from--not only physically but emotionally.
    Mary tried to get Laura to eat some soup but she was too nauseated so she tucked her in bed. Mary went to the kitchen phone to call Harold. She explained what had happened.
    Harold took care of the boys and sent them to bed. Danny was really worried about his mom but Harold assured him that Mary was taking care of her and she would be okay.”
    After Harold knew that the boys were asleep he called Mary’s brother, Arthur. “Could you come over? I have a job to do and I hope you’re with me in it.”
    Thirty minutes later, two men arrived at Ralph Hudson’s house. Ralph’s wife had already gone to bed early. She saw all the scratches on Ralph’s face. He always made some vague excuse when he came home like this. She never believed him, but didn’t dare to say anything. She went to take her sleeping pills and sink into oblivion. That’s where she found the most peace.
    When Ralph went to the door to answer the knock, the two men asked him to step outside. He couldn’t see them well. Their hats shaded their faces; something about this didn’t feel right. He hesitated about stepping outside. Feeling uneasy, he stepped back to shut the door. That’s when both men reached out to grab an arm and propel him outside. He had no choice but to go with them.
    A policeman patrolling the streets drove by the Hudson Accounting Office and noticed the front door wide open. He called for backup and asked the dispatcher to call the Hudson residence about the door of their Accounting Office being open. Another patrol car drove up about the same time that the dispatcher called back to say that there was no answer at the Hudson home.
    “Okay,” the first police officer answered, “We’re going in.”
    The two officers approached the open door cautiously with guns drawn. The receptionist office appeared clear. They saw the office door open also. Carefully they approached it. Then they saw the blood on the couch