front of me. The next thing I know, there’s a bag over my head and someone is yanking me backwards over that railing.” My back still hurt from where I’d scraped over the wooden railing. “You know, before it got broken. Anyway, I was struggling against someone, and I could hear them hitting Ian. Then someone knocked the guy away from me, and I hit the ground pretty hard.”
Probably going to bruise from that impact, too. That just added a fresh log to the anger burning away in my gut.
“Um, I got the bag off my head, and there were fights everywhere—there were a lot of guys piling onto Ian. Coop and Jake were trying to help get them off. Then Sharon—she tried to hit me, ran at me from out of nowhere. I ended up hitting her with my cast, broke her nose.” I almost smirked, but I swallowed it back.
Rachel didn’t bother. “Damn good hit.”
Yeah, I wasn’t sure that was the help I needed at the moment, but I spared her a faint smile, and she grinned.
“She deserved it.”
Hell yes, she had. “Anyway…then Archie was there trying to pull me out of it, ‘cause another guy was running at me.”
“Jimmy Trainer,” Rachel supplied. “He didn’t make it ‘cause I pepper sprayed his happy ass and put him down. The last thing she needs is to get hit again.” Pride resonated in her voice.
“Yeah you did.” We shared another grin, then looked at Talbot who, while not smiling, did manage to look a bit amused. “Then the cops showed up and started arresting everyone, including Ian and Jake. They were the ones being assaulted and shouldn’t have been arrested.”
Raising his hands, Talbot said, “I understand that, but there was a lot of property damage and injuries. We’re going to sort this all out. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“You mean like the fact that Mitch already assaulted her once, and you assholes haven’t actually charged him with anything?” Rachel demanded. “He drugged her, broke her wrist, tried to rape her…”
“Rachel,” I said, and she frowned, fiercely, but went quiet.
“That’s an ongoing investigation, Ms. Manning,” Talbot told her, but he gave me an apologetic look. “Did you feel threatened tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Did he touch you in any way?”
“Tonight?” I shook my head. “Ian didn’t let him get anywhere near me.” I actually had no idea who dragged me off the porch. I was pretty sure he was one of the unconscious guys they’d loaded onto stretchers. No regrets there. I hope he hurt a lot when he woke up.
Asshole.
“Okay, but did you feel threatened by him?”
“He showed up and said he’d been looking for me and Ian specifically, and he was pissed. So yeah, I felt threatened.” What a stupid question.
Talbot didn’t comment on my sarcasm, he just made a few more notes, then said, “Do you feel you may have antagonized him in any way?”
Was he serious right now? “I haven’t seen him since Homecoming.” My gut churned. “But then again, I didn’t antagonize him that night either.”
He gave me a small smile. “I have to ask these questions, Ms. Curtis. I understand they’re uncomfortable.”
“Do you?” Rachel demanded, and I nudged her lightly with my elbow. I appreciated her defense, but I really didn’t want this to take any longer than it already had.
“Actually, I do. Now it’s my understanding you have a restraining order in place for Mr. Hooper.” Hooper? Was that Mitch’s last name? A part of me felt like I should know that, but I honestly didn’t know him beyond the fact that he was on the football team with Ian and Jake.
“Um…probably? Mr. Wittaker was taking care of a lot of things for me.” It sounded like something he would do.
“Can you give me his information?” Talbot’s tone had changed to something far more solicitous. “If the restraining order is in place, then Mr. Hooper violated it tonight.”
Well, whoop-de-doo. “Does that mean you’ll do something about him?”
He sighed. “Ms. Curtis—can I call you Frankie?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Thank you, I’m Rick.” He waited a beat, so I nodded to acknowledge what he’d said, and he continued, “I understand how difficult it is to think we’re sitting on our hands and not doing anything. I wish investigations in real life were as fast as they are on television, but there’s a process. We’re going through the process. You’ve done everything right. You made your statements. You released your medical findings. You told us you wanted to press charges.