Page 30 of Maggie’s Match

“I’m recording this!” Becca screamed, gaining the two officer’s attention. “I’ve got it all on camera.” She held out her phone.

“Call my uncles,” Rick groaned. “Maggie?” He glanced up at her through a very swollen eye. His lip and nose were bleeding. Blood dripped down his face and covered his shirt.

“Rick?” Maggie asked when the officers yanked him to his feet and carried him out of the room.

“Maggie?” Becca turned to her.

“Go, follow them. Make sure they don’t hurt him,” she said with a groan. She felt sick to her stomach for the first time. “I’m okay.”

“I love you,” Becca said, kissing her forehead. “You scared me.”

“Later,” she said, nudging her cousin. “Go.”

When she was alone in the small room, she glanced around and realized her clothes were sitting in a bin next to the bed. There were tubes sticking out of her arm and when she moved to stand up, her legs refused to work and her stomach lurched. She threw up all over the blanket and then hit the call button. When a nurse came in, she asked her to get her purse as the woman went to get her a clean sheet and gown.

She pulled out her cell phone and called Rick’s parents, knowing they would rally the troops and get Rick the help that he needed.

“Hello?” Lauren Graham groaned into the phone.

“Lauren, it’s Maggie. Rick needs you all right now,” she said quickly.

“Maggie? What’s up?” Lauren asked and she heard the phone shuffle. “Chase is here.”

“Long story. I was drugged tonight. Rick saved me, from what I can remember, at any rate. But the police are here, and they hauled him away. I don’t know what’s going on.” She closed her eyes as the room spun slightly.

“We’ll be there in a couple hours,” Chase said. “Are you safe?”

Maggie looked around the room as best as she could. “Yeah. I’ll call my aunt and uncle to come get me. Becca recorded the police beating Rick up.”

“Where is she?” Lauren asked.

“She followed the cops outside.” Just then Becca reappeared. “She’s here,” she corrected, reaching for Becca’s hand. Her cousin rushed over and hugged her.

“They put him in the police cruiser and took him away,” Becca said.

“We’ll be there in a few hours. Keep Maggie safe,” Lauren said, and then they hung up.

Maggie hugged her cousin as tears soaked the hospital gown.

“What happened?” Maggie asked a few moments later after she’d been cleaned up and changed into a new gown. Her head and stomach hurt, and she was still feeling off.

“You were drugged. We’re waiting for the blood results. They pumped your stomach,” Becca said. “How are you feeling?”

Maggie assessed herself. “Like I ate bad clams and drank a bottle of Nyquil,” she admitted.

“Rick and I were looking for you. Royce… he took you outside and…” Becca stopped when her voice hitched.

Maggie closed her eyes. “He assaulted me,” she said, looking down at her own body as more tears flowed.

Becca squeezed her hand. “I’m here.” She hugged her again. “I’m right here.” She leaned back and took a deep breath. “My ex-boyfriend… the week after I broke up with him, he broke into my apartment and raped me,” she said, shocking Maggie. “It’s why I moved back home. Why I’m taking things slow with Colton again.”

“I’m so sorry,” Maggie said as tears continued to slide down her face.

Becca smiled. “I survived. It totally sucks, and there’s nothing anyone can say to make you feel different than you do right now, but just know I’m here.” She hugged her again.

“He… I don’t think he got that far. I remember seeing Rick…” Maggie tried to remember.

“He stopped it. He pummeled Royce into a bloody pile. He’s down the hall getting patched up. Which is why they arrested Rick.” Becca took a deep breath. “I swear I didn’t know this, but Royce is the mayor’s son. He’s a Tillerson.” She shook her head. “He didn’t go to school here. Actually, no one in town really talks about him. I guess he’s like the black sheep of the family.”