Free Perfect Intentions: Sometimes justice is above the law by Leona Turner Page A

to.
    Putting his behaviour down to lack of food and rest, he turned and made his way to the lifts.

Chapter 10
    Clare woke up feeling terrible; she knew she’d thrown up at some point, as she still had an acrid taste in her mouth. In the dim light she stared around her, nothing was familiar. Sitting bolt upright in the bed she felt something moving next to her and grabbing the duvet she pulled it back to reveal a half-naked Hannah
    “Hannah, wake up.” Clare’s voice was hushed, but the urgency in it roused Hannah.
    “What the hell?” Hannah was stirring, and her mind was clearly going through the same questions Clare’s had not minutes before.
    “What happened last night?”
    “I’m not sure; we were at the pub with those guys, we went round to Adam’s flat… I don’t know, it all goes hazy after the pub.”
    “Oh God, Hannah, where are we? Where are they? Why can’t I remember anything?”
    “I don’t know—let’s just get dressed and go.”
    “We can’t leave yet; I need to know what happened.”
    Hannah swung around to face her friend.
    “Clare, we are half-naked in a bed, in a place we don’t know, not able to remember anything. What do you think went on?”
    Clare’s face was confused and then the confusion was replaced with horror.
    Don’t say anything, Clare. Please, let’s just go.”
    “Go where? The police?”
    “The police? Are you kidding?”
    “Hannah, we’ve been drugged and assaulted—we have to report it.”
    “Why, do you really want everyone knowing about this? Even if by some miracle it went to court, what then? Nearly all rape cases get thrown out.”
    “We have to do something.”
    “We will.”
    “What?”
    “Go home and never speak of this again.”
    Hannah finished dressing herself and made for the bedroom door.
    “Wait for me.” Clare was hurriedly putting her shoes on.
    Both girls were silent the entire walk back to Clare’s apartment.
    Once they were inside Clare’s flat, something seemed to snap in Hannah.
    “I don’t want to think or speak of this ever again. I’m going to make us a cup of tea.”
    Clare sat down. She’d never felt so low before. She started thinking back to all the times in her life when she’d believed things couldn’t possibly have been worse None came even remotely close to how she was feeling now. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach, and all she wanted to do was fill the bath with bleach and submerge herself in it until she felt clean again. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, but she held them back.
    Hannah returned to the living room with two cups of tea.
    Clare took one from her.
    “Do you want something to eat?’
    “No thanks.”
    The two sat in silence, both in their own hells, both wishing there was some way they could turn back the clock.
     
     

Chapter 11
    Henson bowled up to Holt’s desk.
    “How’d it go with Loretta the other evening, then?”
    “ Dr. Armstrong had some insightful thoughts on the case, actually, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t announce it to the whole station, thanks.”
    “Ok, ok, sorry. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”
    Holt looked up briefly, eyebrows raised.
    “Was there anything else?”
    “Well, I was wondering if you were going to share any of these glimmering insights with me?”
    “Of course, but not now, I’m meeting someone for lunch.” Gathering up his papers, he shoved them unceremoniously into his briefcase.
    “Oh yes? Anyone I know?” Henson ventured.
    “I doubt it. Now, while I’m out, I want you to find out everything there is to know about Matt Reynolds, family, friends, ex-girlfriends—anything. Somebody must know something.”
     
    Holt strode up the corridor in the direction of Loretta’s apartment. Damn that bloody idiot Henson; he was such a cocky little sod. He seemed to be constantly surrounded by reporters and didn’t seem to have learnt the standard police reply for such situations: ‘No comment.’
    He was thriving on his