Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Houston
NOW
I pick up Blaise at Jack’s and head for Providence, so Spurling can take Blaise’s sworn statement. “How’s it working out at Jack’s place?”
“It’s great. I love it.”
“He’s a good dude. Did he tell you what he does?”
“He did. It’s very interesting.”
“He’s won a ton of awards and other accolades, not that he’d ever tell you that.”
“I saw his work last night. It’s impressive.
“It really is. He does a little bit of everything, from kids’ books to cartoons to sci-fi. He’s incredibly talented.”
“I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler.”
“Me, either.” I chuckle as I glance over at her. “Are you feeling okay about this meeting?”
“I want to get it over with.”
“I understand. It’s traumatizing to relive it, especially several times in the same week.”
She keeps her gaze directed out the window. “It’s not my trauma. It was hers. I just happened to witness it.”
“Based on how you’ve described your reaction to it, I think it’s safe to say you were traumatized, too. Anyone would be, Blaise.”
“It’s nice of you to cut me a break, but I don’t deserve that.”
“Yes, you do. You were still a kid.”
“My mother said the same thing when I told her why I’m here, and don’t worry. She won’t tell anyone. She said I needed to give myself a break, but I’ve never wanted a break. I just wanted it to go away. I wanted to go back to that night and not defy my parents’ wishes by driving to LE. I wanted not to see things that could never be unseen. I wanted this not to have happened to her. I wanted to go back to my life as it had been earlier that day. I wanted that for her, too.”
“I wish there’d been someone you could’ve talked to about it.”
“I was so afraid anyone I told would force me to go public. I saw what they’d done to Denise. I couldn’t let that happen to me, too. I was spineless and weak, and I hated myself for that.”
“Again, you were seventeen. Old enough to know what you’d seen was terrible, but not old enough to see a way through it.”
“It makes me uncomfortable for people like you and my mother to give me a pass.”
“We’re not giving you a pass. We’re saying things happen, overwhelming things that are so big and unfathomable it’s impossible to see a way out. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. You aren’t the one who committed the unspeakable crime.”
“What I did was unspeakable in its own way, especially after she came forward and people trashed her in defense of him. Other than having to leave her alone and hurt in the woods, that was the worst part. It’s the only time in my life I’ve contemplated suicide.”
“God, Blaise…”
“Please don’t feel sorry for me, Houston. I screwed up royally. All I care about now is fixing it.”
“I do feel sorry for you. What you saw and how it affected you make you a victim in this as well.”
She shakes her head. “Denise was the victim. The only victim.”
I don’t agree with her, but I can tell there’s no point in arguing with her about it. Hopefully as this process unfolds, she’ll see that Denise wasn’t the only victim of Ryder’s crime.
We pass the remainder of the ride in silence.
In Providence, I lead the way to the AG’s conference room. I’ve only been there one other time since we don’t have a lot of cases in our town that rise to this level.
Josh Spurling greets us. He’s in his late thirties, with brown skin and dark eyes. He’s wearing a sharp navy-blue suit and a platinum wedding band on his left hand. He has a reputation for the successful prosecutions of some of the state’s highest-profile cases, which would certainly describe this one, as it involves a congressional candidate.
After I introduce him to Blaise, he offers coffee or water.
“I’d appreciate some water, please,” Blaise says.
“I’m all set. Thanks, Josh.”
We take seats at the far end of the conference room table.
After he pours a glass of water for Blaise from a pitcher, he places a camera and tripod on the table and turns it on, reciting the names of the people present and the purpose of the meeting.
“Please state your name and age for the record.”
“Blaise Merrick, age thirty-one.”
“Do you swear the testimony you’re about to give is truthful in this matter?”
“I do.”
“Would you please describe the events fourteen years ago on the evening of June twentieth?”
“That was the last day of school. We’d had a half day. That night, I drove from my home in Hope to Land’s End, against my parents’ rules, to sneak into a party that was being held at the Rafferty home.”
“Why did your parents tell you not to go?”
“They knew nothing about the party. I was forbidden to drive to Land’s End in general. I was still somewhat new to driving, and they didn’t want me over there. They said it was too far, too dark, too winding…”
“Did you usually do what they asked?”
“Always. I had a rebellious older sister who was constantly in trouble. The fighting was hard on me. I went out of my way to avoid anything that would upset them.”
“So you’d say it was a rare moment of rebellion?”
“My only moment of true rebellion.”
“Were you alone in this rebellion?”
“I’d prefer not to answer that. I’m speaking only for myself and what I experienced that night.”
“Our case would be stronger with multiple witnesses.”
“I understand. I’m speaking only for myself.”
“Take me through what happened from when you arrived at the party until you left the area.”
Listening to Blaise go through the details of what she saw is no less painful the third time. Her every word is laced with the agony of what she witnessed, what she failed to do and how the events of that evening have haunted her ever since.
“Weeks later, when the victim came forward to police, what happened then?”
“Everyone was talking about it. My brother, Arlo, who was one of Ryder’s closest friends, was irate over it. Arlo asked how anyone could accuse him of such a thing. I’d never seen him like that. The Facebook attacks on Neisy, as she was known then, were vicious. It made me sick as someone who knew she was telling the truth. He had raped her.”
Blaise pauses and looks down at her hands, which are tightly folded on the table. “I’m sure you must be wondering how I could sit on this information while another young woman went through such a terrible ordeal. I asked myself that question every day. I wanted to help her. I wanted to do the right thing. But all I could see and hear were the people closest to me defending him, talking about how we grew up with him, how she wasn’t one of us, but he was. It was a loud roar in my head that I couldn’t escape no matter what I did.
“I started taking Tylenol PM every night, so I’d have a prayer of sleeping. I could barely eat or function. My senior-year grades were the worst of my life. I stopped going out. I didn’t care about anything. I felt like shit all the time. And I thought of her… Of Neisy and what she was going through, and I was sick over it. When we went back to school, nothing had changed for Ryder. He was the same popular, successful student and athlete.”
“How did that make you feel?”
“Deeply, deeply angry. Especially because Neisy had to leave our school and go somewhere else for her senior year. I’ve thought of her every day, and I hoped…I hoped she’d managed to go on with her life. I was so happy to hear she’s married and has four kids.”
“Why come forward with this information now?”
“I heard Ryder is running for Congress. That news made me realize I don’t care anymore what happens to me. I couldn’t live with this for another second while he’s out there seeking a prestigious office based on his inherent popularity. After I told Houston my story… That was first time in fourteen years I slept through the night without medication.”
“And you’re willing to testify in open court?”
“I am.”
Josh leans forward to turn off the recording. “Thank you for your candor and for coming forward.”
“What happens now?”
“We’ll present the case to the statewide grand jury, which will decide whether it’s strong enough to pursue charges.”
“How soon will you know?”
“In the next seven to ten days.”
She nods. “Do you have a sense of which way it’ll go?”
“With your testimony and the victim’s decision to participate, I’ll be shocked if they don’t vote to indict.”
On the way home, I tell her I’m surprised Spurling said that. “They usually play these things much closer to the vest. It’s possible he wanted you to know how critical your testimony would be.” Before I leave her at Jack’s, I caution her not to get her hopes up. “Just because Spurling has faith in the case doesn’t mean the grand jury will vote to indict.”
“I’ve been far more concerned about my conscience than any hopes I might have for what happens next.”
“I hope your conscience is feeling lighter.”
“It is.”
“I need to share something with you.” I’ve had a raging debate with myself over this ever since I heard her story the first time.
“What’s that?”
“Over the years, I’ve been friendly with Ryder. Dallas and I play cards with him and Cam, your brother and some others. I wouldn’t say I’m in any way close to him, but I do consider him a friend.”
“And yet you’re still moving forward with the case.”
“I’m doing my job.”
“Your job may cost you several friends, not to mention your brother.”
“I’m aware.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Of course it does, but I believe you. It was shocking to hear what you’d seen, to realize your story matched Denise’s description of events almost exactly and to reconcile that information with the man I’ve known all these years. But that won’t stop me from doing what needs to be done to get justice for Denise, who was also my friend once upon a time.”
“I wasn’t aware of the personal stakes for you.”
“Don’t forget the incident took place at my party. It’s always been personal for me.”
“True.”
“Like you, I wish it’d never happened.”
She looks over at me, seeming tentative. “May I tell you something else that worries me?”
“Of course.”
“During the preliminary hearing, the defense introduced an affidavit on behalf of several of Ryder’s friends and teammates saying they’d slept with Denise. Do you remember that?”
“I do, and I thought it was bullshit at the time. All she talked about was her boyfriend Kane and how much she loved him. I didn’t believe them for a second.”
“Both our brothers signed that statement.”
“I know. I argued fiercely with Dallas about it at the time. He stuck to his story, but I knew it was a lie.” I don’t tell her how he eventually admitted as much to me.
“Will they get in trouble for that?”
“It’s hard to say. If they’re smart, they won’t let Ryder’s attorney use it as evidence this time around. Since most of them are married with families, they have a lot more to lose than they did then. But Denise mentioned that to me as something else she wanted addressed, and I passed it on to Josh.”
I’m sick with anxiety over the thought of my brother getting into trouble because of a chain of events that I started. However, it was his decision to sign on to a lie to protect his friend. If he has to live with those consequences, so be it.
“Thank you for everything you’re doing, even though it might cost you, too.”
“I wish I’d met you again under different circumstances.”
“Why’s that?” she asks, seeming confused.
“I might’ve asked if you wanted to grab dinner sometime.”
“Oh, well…”
“I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t. It’s nice of you to say that.”
“Maybe after all of this is over.”
“Maybe.”
“Are you planning to stick around until we hear from Spurling?”
“I think I might. My boss said it was okay for me to work from here for a while, so I might take a break from the city while I can.”
“I’ll be in touch when I hear anything.”
“Thanks again, Houston.”
“Sure thing.”