Red by Erica Spindler Read Free Book Online Page B

wouldn’t stop,” Becky Lynn repeated, reliving the horror of those minutes. “Buddy tried to talk them into leaving me alone, but Randy just stood there. My own brother—” She buried her face in Miss Opal’s shoulder.
    The hairdresser’s hand stilled for a moment, then she resumed her rhythmic stroking. “Becky Lynn,” she asked quietly, “did those boys…did they rape you?”
    She shook her head, sniffling, tears soaking the other woman’s blouse.
    â€œThank God for that.” Miss Opal took in a deep, thoughtful breath. “Did you tell your parents?”
    Becky Lynn eased away from Miss Opal and met hereyes, her own still swimming. “Daddy wouldn’t have…believed me, and even if he did, he wouldn’t have done anything about it. And Mama, well…she’s got enough troubles of her own.”
    Miss Opal’s lips tightened with disapproval, but she didn’t comment.
    â€œDid you tell one of your teachers, a school counselor, or—”
    She shook her head again. “I didn’t tell anybody.”
    â€œThen we must decide what we’re going to do.”
    â€œDo?” Becky Lynn repeated, stunned. “What do you mean?”
    â€œWell, we can either go to Ricky’s and Tommy’s parents or to the police—”
    â€œNo!” Becky shook her head again, this time with growing alarm. She could imagine what Tommy’s and Ricky’s parents would think of her accounting of events, could imagine how the police would react. Within hours, Bend would be buzzing with the story about how that trashy Becky Lynn Lee lied about the stars of the Bend High School football team. She couldn’t bear the thought of people talking about her that way. She couldn’t bear the speculation.
    Panicked, she clasped her hands together. “Don’t you see? Nobody will believe me. They’ll think I was the one…that I wanted attention. It would be awful, I couldn’t stand it.”
    â€œYou can’t let them get away with this,” Miss Opal said, her voice tight. “It isn’t right.”
    â€œYou didn’t believe me at first, why would anyone else?”
    The older woman sighed heavily. Becky Lynn could see her boss struggle to decide the best thing to do.
    â€œPlease, Miss Opal. Please don’t tell.” Becky Lynn caught the older woman’s hands, fear coiling around her, squeezing at her chest until she could hardly breathe. “I’m afraid of what will happen if you do. They might—”
    â€œWhat could they do, child? It’s keeping something like this secret that will hurt you. We must go to their parents or the authorities.”
    â€œNo, please…” Becky Lynn clutched Miss Opal’s hands. “Just promise me you won’t tell. Please.”
    The hairdresser made a soft sound, part affection, part reticence. “All right, Becky Lynn. I won’t tell. For now. But I don’t like it.”
    â€œThank you, Miss Opal. Thank you so much.”
    â€œBut you must promise me that if those boys do anything to you, anything at all, you’ll come to me at once.”
    Becky Lynn smiled. “I will. I promise.”
    The woman touched Becky Lynn’s cheek lightly. “I don’t want you to think you have no one to turn to. Never again.”

5
    B ecky Lynn promised, and as the days slipped into weeks, she was filled with a sense of well-being and security. Partly because Ricky, Tommy and their gang never bothered her and partly because Miss Opal had taken to watching over her like a mother hen.
    The older woman insisted on driving Becky Lynn home from work, insisted that when she did walk, she take the most traveled routes, and had even taken to sending Fayrene or Dixie for the pastries on Saturday morning. Fayrene had herself in a snit over it, but Miss Opal didn’t seem concerned in the least over the other