Page 34 of Rip Ryder's Second Chance

After exchanging numbers and saying their goodbyes, Noelle sat Ollie in his high chair for a snack while she opened the envelope.

“Ma, look…” Ollie proudly held up a piece of fruit to show her.

“I see.” She laughed at his playfulness.

She turned the envelope upside down and photos dropped out. Picking up one to get a closer look, her breath caught. It was a photo of her from graduation night. She was standing with friends. The next one was of her walking alone in the woods. The last picture showed her standing near someone…a man. Because the quality was so grainy she couldn’t make out who it was.

The photos slammed her back into the past. The night that she was drugged and assaulted.

She searched the envelope again, looking for any evidence of who sent them. Then she investigated the photos again, every detail, and that’s when she saw the writing on the back of one.

“Leave town before it’s too late.”

She tossed the photo down, shock coursing through her.

“Ma…” Ollie looked at her as if he understood something was wrong.

“It’s okay, buddy.” She hugged him, gathering her composure. She didn’t want her son to see her sad, or see the demons she’d carried with her for fifteen years.

Vague, fuzzy memories were the only thing left from that night. Mainly waking up with the knowledge that someone had taken advantage of her.

Years had passed and she’d tried to link that night with a face. But it never worked. The person who assaulted her could have very well been a ghost.

At eighteen, she’d been weighed with shame. How could she let something like that happen to her? How could she have allowed someone to find the opportunity to put something into her drink?

The more mature woman that she was now knew there was no shame in what happened to her. Much stronger and determined, she wouldn’t allow a mystery perpetrator to shame her ever again.

Tuck had been the only one she talked about that night with. He’d picked her up and she’d blurted everything to him. She’d sobbed on his shoulder for almost an hour before she managed to stop the tears. He’d said they needed to go to the emergency room and she’d agreed. After a few hours of tests, Sheriff Mellough came to take her statement. While she recounted everything about the night, every detail that she could remember, he’d handed her a tissue and communicated how sorry he was that it happened. He seemed sincere as he held her hand. Then, calmly, said, “You are a strong young woman and will get past this. It’s your decision if you choose to overcome this quietly, or make it public. It’s my job to tell you honestly that without any evidence, without any witnesses, we won’t find the bastard who did this. People will say you asked for it. That you were partying and willingly took the drug.”

As she sat there listening to him, she’d realized he didn’t believe her. His words had sunk in and haunted her for years—been an invisible prison of guilt and shame. The teen girl didn’t want townspeople staring at her, gossiping, calling her a liar. Because truthfully, she had no recollection who had drugged her and taken advantage of her. Everyone in town became an enemy. She realized she’d always be looking over her shoulder. Wondering who had done her wrong. She couldn’t bear to tell Rip. Couldn’t imagine seeing the guilt she knew he’d have because he'd been late getting to the party.

Now, fifteen years later, she wanted retribution. She wanted the same peace she instilled in her clients who had been similarly hurt and degraded.

Whomever had sent the photos couldn’t harm her, or scare her. She had to show that person, and herself, that she wouldn’t run.

By the time Bea came home, Noelle had made her mind up. She asked her aunt to watch Ollie and Noelle left with the envelope of photos.

Chapter 12

“Hey, kiddo. I heard you were back in town.” Sheriff Bend Ryder rounded his desk and gave Noelle a hug. He’d been like an older brother to her and she knew she could trust him. He wasn’t Jackson Mellough.

She’d always loved and cared for the Ryder men. They’d always treated her like family. She was glad to see that Bend didn’t hold any grudges against her for breaking up with Rip.

“It’s good to see you, Bend.”

He sat down on the corner of the desk and motioned for her to take the chair. “I was a bit surprised when I got your call. You said you needed to speak with me and it sounded urgent.” He’d aged but was still handsome, almost regal. He had an authority that both comforted and motivated her.

Once she was seated, she took a breath and exhaled slowly, preparing herself for the truth. She clasped her hands in her lap to hide the shaking. “Thank you for meeting with me. I know it’s late, but I couldn’t wait to speak to you.”

“That’s okay. What can I do for you?” Concern etched lines around his eyes.

She took out the envelope out of her purse, paused for a moment to make sure she truly wanted to show him as her son’s innocent face flashed in her mind. She had to tell someone. “Look at these and then I’ll explain.”

As Bend looked at each photo, showing no signs of emotion either way, she told him everything—as much as she could remember—from that night. It wasn’t a long story because unfortunately, her memory of that night consisted of blurred and fuzzy bits and pieces.

For a long moment, Bend didn’t say anything. He just stared at the envelope—his jaw tight.

Then when he brought his chin up, his expression was one of sincere compassion, unlike the one she’d received from Mellough. “Damn, Noelle. You carried this around with you all these years without telling anyone? I’m sorry that you weren’t encouraged to come forward. You did nothing wrong and deserve to have justice.”

---