Easy Innocence

Chapter 36

AN HOUR later, Jasmine was resting comfortably in a small room at Advocate Illinois Masonic. Red had sneaked them in through the employees' entrance and found an intern who agreed to treat the girl, no questions asked. He put a cast on her arm and bandaged the worst of the wounds. Her mouth had been treated with an antibiotic, and the intern promised that of all the wounds, the tongue would heal the fastest—probably within a day or two. Until then, he advised Jasmine to eat plenty of jello and ice cream. That prompted a giggle from the girl, which made Georgia realize how young she really was.

"I'll be back," Georgia said. "I'm going to tell Lauren you're okay." Lauren was in the waiting room.

"Thank you for everything," Jasmine said.

Georgia nodded and stepped into a corridor. Red was waiting for her. "So what happened?" Red asked quietly.

While she was grateful for Red's—and the doctor's—discretion, she didn't want to tell her what was going on. Still, Red had risked her job for them. She was entitled. She made it brief. "She was hooking and she got a bad trick."

Red winced. "How old is she?"

"Maybe sixteen."

Red blew out a breath. "How'd you get involved?"

"It's one of those long stories."

Red looked over. "I'd invite you over just to hear it, but I get the feeling you have things to do."

"You're right. But thank you for everything. You had no reason to help me, but you did. You could have been fired."

"All in a day's work."

"I owe you."

"Just my luck," Red smiled wryly. "To be owed by a straight woman. And a former cop."

It was Georgia's turn to smile. "How about dinner when this is over?"

"It's a date." Red slipped a hand into her bag and fished out a card. "Tell you what." Her smile widened. "You take my card this time."

Georgia slid it into her jacket pocket. She started to walk away, then retraced her steps and gave Red a quick hug. As she exited the corridor, she saw Red shaking her head.

***

Georgia drove Jasmine to her home in Niles, leaving the girl to explain to her parents what had happened. She was no longer responsible for her and didn't want to be involved further. She did get a description of the john, though. She would call O'Malley tomorrow. She wanted to nail the bastard.

Lauren Walcher, however, was a different story. She was sitting in the passenger seat as they headed north. Georgia checked her watch. Almost midnight, but Lauren's parents were probably used to her staying out late. She cut back east, taking side streets to avoid the lights.

Many of the houses were decked out for Halloween. As a kid, the holiday used to be Georgia's favorite: no gifts, no church, just costumes and bags of candy. She was a fairy princess one year, a fireman the next. One year her father, a battalion chief in District Three, brought her a real fire hat. Her mother stuffed tissues into it so it wouldn't fall off.

Now though, as she passed homes festooned with ghosts, ghouls, and monsters dripping blood, she was creeped out. Some of the decorations were more elaborate than Christmas, but they all looked bizarre and sinister, as if neighbors were competing for the most gruesome display on the block. How had people become so attracted to the grisly and the morbid? Whatever happened to smiling jack o'lanterns, candy corn, and friendly ghosts? If people knew what real darkness was, they'd flock back to Casper in a heartbeat.

She stole a glance at Lauren. The girl was leaning against the window. Who knows? Maybe it all contributed to a lawlessness, a rebellion against morality that allowed kids like Lauren to operate at the margins. She doubled back to Oakton and crossed over the Edens. When she looked over again, tears were rolling down Lauren's cheeks.

Georgia pulled to the side of the road. "What's the matter?"

Lauren shook her head and started to sob.

Georgia waited, watching the play of light and shadow on Lauren's face. The girl continued to cry, long wrenching sobs that tore her heart out. Georgia leaned across her, opened her glove compartment, and pulled out some tissues.

"What's going on, Lauren?" Georgia asked softly.

"You remember what you said about secrets?"

Georgia tipped her head. "You mean how sometimes you can be a better friend if you tell someone about them?"

Lauren nodded. "I—I can't do this anymore." She sobbed. "It's all coming apart."

"I know."

"No. You don't." She turned a tear-stained face to Georgia. "You don't know anything."

"Then tell me."

The girl swallowed a sob. Her face filled with fear. "I think whoever killed Sara wants to kill me next. And I don't know why."