Page 151 of Rear View
“However,” Castillo said, “it’s important to note that, prior to Xavier’s impact, Mr. Barlowe’s vehicle left no marks whatsoever, showing he made unequivocally no effort to stop.”
A vein in Maynard’s forehead popped, his face turning a pissed-off shade of red.
“Coupled with Mr. Barlowe’s history of stalking, his threats against Miss Nolan and the evidence gathered in regard to his vehicle’s momentum and lack of braking, any reasonable person could andshouldconclude that he intended to kill himself and Miss Nolan last night. And while Xavier Bosch was instructed to stop by lawenforcement, I contend he had every reason not to trust that request.”
My brow dropped low, my body going still. What the hell?
Castillo fixed his coat’s lapels. “In the two years the EPD was assigned to Miss Nolan’s file, she placed no less than twenty-six calls to nine-one-one and forwarded over one hundred and thirty-two emails to them, in which she supplied evidence of threatening calls, messages, surreptitiously taken photos and voicemails.” Pulling a device from his pocket, he brought it to the mic. “Voicemails like these:”
He clicked play.
“I warned you, Ryah Jane,”the recording of Barlowe’s digital voice said before it cycled to the next.“Fuck with me again, Ryah Jane, and next time it’ll be worse.”Then,“Did I say you could leave, Ryah Jane? DID I SAY YOU COULD FUCKING LEAVE?”
Someone in the crowd gasped, eyes everywhere going wide.
My jaw clenched and I stretched my neck, locking my fists so tight, my bones ached, wantin’ to end Barlowe all over again.
Castillo lowered the device. “Of Miss Nolan’s emails, the EPD responded to exactly none, and otherwise, made no meaningful effort to investigate her complaints.”
The glare Maynard lobbed Juan’s way was ten shades of rage.
“On March 22 of last year, Miss Nolan was brutally beaten and hospitalized by her stalker. Had the EPD contacted the businesses just one block from the assault, they would have acquired footage from a convenience store there that showed Charles Barlowe entering his platedand traceable vehiclethreeminutes after the attack on Miss Nolan was reported.”
I fought my mouth from peeling back to bare my teeth. One block? Maynard hadn’t even searchedone goddamn block? The prick was lucky I was chained, ’cause I’d have come for him too.
Maynard went pale and scratched the back of his neck before he turned and left, vanishing from the screen.
“Miss Nolan begged the system for help again and again,” Castillo said. “She did everything right. But that systemnevercame.
“By now, I’m certain we’ve all seen the footage of Xavier’s father, Peter Bosch, and his accusations of being imprisoned by his son. What he neglected to include was the overwhelming evidence found to convict him of said crimes. And why a sixteen-year-old boy might feel compelled to go to such a length.”
Raising the device, Juan stared into that crowd and hit play again.
“Nine-one-one, what’s the address of your emergency?”
“Can you help me?”a little voice said. My voice. Younger, somewhere around six.
“I’ll do my best,”the dispatcher said.“What’s your name?”
“Xavier Bosch.”
“And where do you live, Xavier?”
“I live at 49 Summerfield Street.”
“Good. That’s really good. Now, we need to know who to send to you, Xavier,”she said, keys clicking in the background.“Can you tell me what’s happening?”
“Daddy’s hurting Mommy.”
“Hurting her, how?”
“He’s hitting her.”
Ma’s scream and a crash filled the void.
“Xavier, is your mommy okay?”
Younger me sniffed, words shaking when he said,“She’s bleeding.”There was a shuffling.“Daddy, stop!”
