Читать книгу Bone of My Bones - Cynthia Gaw - Страница 12

But you shall do nothing to the young woman; there is in the young woman no sin deserving of death, for just as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter . . . The young woman cried out, but there was no one to save her.

—Deuteronomy 22:26–27

All four girls from Gorman 924 had sushi together in Privette on Friday around six o’clock. They invited Lauren, their roommate from Asheville, to go the frat party with them. But she was a flutist and had her first college performance that evening. Reaching River Street after dinner, Holly, Jill, and Megan crossed, heading for the Raley parking lot. Lauren went left toward the Troyhill Music Center.

In less than five minutes the three were off campus, through the restaurant parking lot, up the fifty feet of trail through some dense trees, and knocking on the front door of a large brick house on Orchard Street. The frat house had a well-used look, but was in decent repair and very tidy. Kevin Parsons answered the door, and when the girls were shown in, all red flags were lowered. Some good bluegrass was playing at a modest decibel. They could see into the living room where a group of seven student-types, with their backs to the newcomers and facing a large TV, were playing Scene It? Kevin said, “I’ll introduce you in a few minutes when they finish this game. Would you like some punch?” He was already drinking some.

A large cut-glass punch bowl and matching cups were on the dining table, along with a bowl of hummus and a basket of pita chips. Megan recognized the punch bowl as one just like her grandmother’s, surprisingly old fashioned for a bunch of young guys—but certainly cheap in a thrift store. Jill was impressed by the presentation, she couldn’t imagine her brother, Trevor, making things look this nice. Lemon slices were floating in the bowl of carbonated punch, probably some soda and orange juice, thought Holly.

Kevin served Holly first, and she took a sip. Jill and Megan watched for any sign from Holly of its being spiked. They all planned on drinking modestly after they were 21, but they didn’t want to get in trouble for underage drinking now. Holly simply smiled reassuringly, and they all had some. As Holly was taking her second sip, she had a fleeting remembrance of a warning given at orientation. Kevin began passing around some high quality darts, and invited them to throw at the big, pub-style board on the dining room wall. After a few minutes of this activity, Jill felt like sitting on the old sofa that was also in the dining room. Holly and Megan joined her . . .