This is the worst Christmas ever. I haven’t answered any phone calls or returned any texts yet. It’s close to noon now. I spent the entire night crying. I’m exhausted—my face is dry, as well as my throat. My phone rings again; it’s Jamal for the fifth time.
What’s going on? Maybe I should answer this time since he keeps calling.
“Hello?”
“Oh my God,” he screams in my ear.
“What happened?” I ask in alarm.
“You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Turn to Channel Four.”
I slowly reach over to my nightstand to pick up the remote. I turn on the TV, switching the channel to the station Jamal indicated. A female reporter is speaking.
“… video you are about to see is disturbing,” says the female reporter.
“What am I looking at?” I ask Jamal.
“Shh, just watch,” he tells me.
The video that’s shown is very short and unclear since the images are blurred. The reporters continue their story.
“Just horrific, Diane,” says a male reporter.
“John Carter has been accused of sexual assault against multiple women,” reports Diane.
“Oh my God,” I breathe.
“This shit is crazy!” exclaims Jamal.
“The local news station anonymously received a flash drive with over a dozen videos of John Carter’s various sexual acts with victims as young as twelve years old,” continues Diane.
“Where are these acts taking place, Diane?” asks the male reporter.
“Steve, my source tells me that John Carter has some type of sex dungeon in his home.”
Steve is silent for a moment as he listens to the information being conveyed to him through his earpiece.
“John Carter has just been apprehended by police at Beckley Raleigh County Memorial Airport while attempting to flee the country.”
“This is insane,” I tell Jamal, feeling sick to my stomach.
I turn the TV off.
“This will be the talk of the town for years. Mr. Holier-Than-Thou is nothing but a sex-crazed maniac.”
Something tells me that Maverick planned this, the ultimate revenge. I want to comfort him, be a shoulder for him to lean on, but I won’t. He has Dee and Nix for that. Maverick and I are done. I don’t want to be drawn into that emotional rollercoaster with him. It’s better this way.
Today has been a hell of a ride. John took money from his safe and left with nothing but the clothes on his back, his driver’s license, and passport, but he didn’t get far. An hour after the story broke police were swarming the entire house. Detectives were in John’s sex dungeon for several hours collecting evidence. The ambulance was called to treat my ear. I declined further medical assistance and refused to be transported to the hospital.
Only Dee and Nix know I’m the one who mailed the flash drive with the videos to the news station. That’s something I’ll take to my grave, and so will my friends. I trust them with my life. I was going to let Cocoa in on my plans, but I allowed Victoria to fill my head with that bullshit. Several hours after police arrived, detectives tried to coerce me into going to the police station to answer questions, but I refused. I know my rights. They can’t detain me unless I’m being charged with a crime.
I pack a few things then drive to Dee’s house.
“Are you okay, Mav?” Nix asks when I join them in the kitchen.
