Page 62 of In the Air Tonight

“To tell me a witness has come forward who can back up my story about what happened that night.”

He stares at me, his expression conveying shock and anger. “A witness has come forwardnow? Where’ve they been all this time?”

“She had close ties to him. Apparently, she couldn’t live with it any longer after she heard he’s running for Congress.”

Kane blinks and looks as angry as I’ve seen him since that summer. “He’s running for Congress.”

“That was a surprise to me, too, but the witness told Houston there was no way she could let that happen.”

“But she had no problem watching you be savaged when this first happened? She didn’t have the decency to step forward when her testimony would’ve sent him to trial?”

“It was complicated for her.”

“Complicated forher?”

“Shhh, Kane. Keep your voice down.”

“I’m sorry, Dee, but I don’t want to hear how this was complicated for her. You went through hell, and she could’ve helped you but chose not to.”

“Houston said her brother was best friends withhim.” We never say his name in this house. “Her best friend was dating his brother. She wasn’t supposed to be there that night and would’ve gotten in big trouble at home. Not to mention she grew up with him and didn’t know me from Adam.”

“She saw you being attacked and assaulted and said nothing. I don’t care what reasons she thinks she had. There’s no excuse for sitting on something like this forfourteen fucking years. And thatson of a bitchis running for Congress?”

“Kane…”

“I’m sorry, but this is infuriating.”

“I know.”

He softens, puts his arms around me and holds me close. “Of course you do. What did you say to Houston?”

“I said I wasn’t interested in revisiting that time in my life.”

I wait for him to respond, but he doesn’t, so I pull back to look at his face, which is set in a stormy expression that’s so unlike his usual chill demeanor it’s unsettling. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I want you to nail that mother f’er to the wall. He’srunning for Congress? Fuck that shit, Dee. He doesn’t deserve that kind of job. He doesn’t deserveanythingafter what he did to you.”

“I don’t know if I can do it. The first time almost killed me.”

“It’d be different this time. You’d have someone backing up your story, and you’re not seventeen anymore, having to deal with other kids defending him.”

“The same people will still defend him, especially the ones who lied under oath to defend him the first time.”

“So what? They can’t touch you. You’ve got a whole life that has nothing to do with them.”

“I don’t want everyone in my new life to know about this. I don’t want to reopen that wound. I’m afraid it’ll change everything and undo all the hard work we’ve done to move on from it.”

“Those are reasonable concerns, but let me ask you this. What if it’s not just you he’s done this to? What if there’re others?”

“Don’t put that on me! I can’t be responsible for what he’s done to other people.”

“I’m not saying you’re responsible. I’m saying if you testify, maybe you can stop it from happening to someone else.”

I get up because I can’t bear to sit still. “I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“It’s your call.”

“Will you support me if I decide I can’t do it?”

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