Now and Forever by Danielle Steel Read Free Book Online Page B

unnatural acts. That's where the second and third counts of rape come in, and the one charge of assault. Though I assume they'll drop the assault--there's no medical proof of it." Somehow Philip sounded horrifyingly matter-of-fact about the details, and Jessica was beginning to feel sick. She felt as though she were swimming in molasses, as though everything around her was slow and thick and unreal. She wanted to scrape the words off her skin with a knife. "Unnatural acts." What unnatural acts?
    "For Chrissake, Philip, what do you mean by 'unnatural'? Ian is perfectly normal in bed." Philip blushed. Jessie didn't. This was no time to be prim.
    "Oral copulation, and sodomy. They are felonies, you know." Jessica pursed her lips and looked fierce. Oral copulation hardly seemed unnatural.
    "There was no clear evidence of the sodomy, but I don't think they'll drop it. Again, it's her word against his, and they're listening, and unfortunately, before I got down there, Ian admitted to the inspector on the case that he had had intercourse with the woman. He didn't confess to the oral copulation or the sodomy, but he shouldn't have admitted to intercourse at all. Damn shame that he did."
    "Will it hurt the case?"
    "Probably not. We can, have the tape withheld in court on the grounds that he was distraught at the time. Martin will take care of it."
    Jessica sat with her eyes closed for a moment, not believing the weight of it all.
    "Why is she doing this to us, Philip? What can she possibly want from him? Money? Hell, if that's what she wants, I'll give it to her, whatever she wants. I just can't believe this is really happening." She opened her eyes and looked at him again, feeling the now familiar wave of confusion and unreality sweep over her again.
    "I know this is very hard on you, Jessica. But you have an excellent attorney now. Put your faith in him; he'll do a good job for you. One thing you absolutely must not do though, under any circumstances, is offer this woman money. The police won't drop the case now, even if she does, and you'll be compounding a felony and God knows what else if you try to bribe her. And I'm serious--the police seem to be taking a special interest in this. It isn't often that they get their hands on a Pacific Heights rape case, and I get the feeling that some of them think it's about time the upper class got theirs. Sergeant Houghton, the inspector on this case, made some very nasty cracks about 'certain kinds of people who think they can get away with anything they want at the expense of certain other people of lesser means.' It isn't a pretty inference, but if that's how he's thinking, he ought to be treated with kid gloves. I got the feeling that he doesn't like how Ian looks, or what he saw of you. I almost wonder if he doesn't think you're a couple of sickoes doing whatever amuses you for kicks. Who knows what he thinks--I'm just giving you my impression--but I want you to be very careful, Jessica. And whatever you do, don't pay this woman off. You'll be hurting Ian, and yourself, if you try to do that. If she wants money, if she calls you ... let her talk. You can testify to it later. But don't give her a dime!" He was emphatic on the last point, and then ran a hand through his hair.
    "I hate to have to tell you all this, Jessica. Ian was sick about it. But obviously you have to know what went on. It isn't very pretty, though, and I must say you're taking it remarkably well."
    But the tears welled up again at that, and she wanted to beg him not to be nice to her, not to congratulate her on how well she was taking it. She could handle the rough stuff, but she knew that if anyone put his arms around her, sympathized, cared ... or if Ian should walk in the door just then ... she would sob until she died.
    "Thank you, Philip." He thought her voice sounded oddly cold, as though she were warding him off. "At least it's obviously not rape, and that's bound to be made clear in court. If Martin Schwartz is