-Nelly.
Rachael came back home with a bruised knee. Her lips had a fresh cut that was obvious even with the heavy makeup she had on. The moment she got in, she slumped to the floor, her fragile palm shaking. I've never seen her like this.
"Would you like a glass of water?" I asked as her rapid breathing heightened. She shakes her head and shut her eyes.
" He did this to me." she said, gnawing her underlip. She's scared but how does she expect me to know the 'he'? In the next minute, she's holding my hands and crying into them.
" I can't help you if I don't know who the he is."
" Dennis Tope Ogden."
" What?" I throw her hands away from mine. Maybe she's hallucinating. Or delusional. Dennis would never touch a woman. The whole net assumes him to be gay. I stare at her in utter disbelief as she kept crying. Cussing at the man that did this to her. I don't even know what he did to her outside the injuries.
" Where can I find him?"
She cleans her face with the hem of her dress, her hands still folded around it.
" Malcolm's Inn."
I scoff, " Malcolm's Inn? What the fuck were you doing there?"
" Work. I was working. The same fucking work that brings food on our table."
" I thought you had a better work."
" Are you going to kill him or no? "
" just because you have a bruised lips doesn't give me enough reason to kill a reputable man. I could get into trouble for it."
" He raped me."
" You enjoyed it."
" Nelly!"
" Rachael please. I'll go and look for him now, not because you urged me to but because I'm curious as fuck. I've heard tales of him being gay. I just don't think he'll do something like this to you."
" If you can not appreciate the little I do for you with my body. You might as well just leave him to roam around the street like a free man." She stood up effortlessly and stormed into her room, slamming the door hard. Can someone remind me how she limped into the house a few minutes ago.
★★
By the time I got to the Inn, I was drenched in the rain, almost freezing. For all I know, my sister was just looking for the perfect person to pin the blame on. This is not the first time. The last one she did almost got us killed. I sigh, kicking at a pebble. Did I climb up that sloppy Hill just to stand and look at the beautiful sign?
" Mr Ogden would like you to leave the rain." An elderly man says. He should be in his early 40's. He stretches his hand and hands me an umbrella and a jacket.
" Thank you." is all I could say as I followed him back into the Inn, my hands wrapped around the jacket. The cold seems to be seeping in. He takes me through a different route, looking back consecutively to know if I was following. I'm sure this is a VIP route.
We got to a door and he stopped, signalling me to go in. That was his stop. I nodded my head and walked in very carefully. Once the door was shut I turned to see him.
" Pull those clothes." he ordered.