The Girl Most Likely To ... - Part 12
by Barbara Lynn Terry

(Author's note: I won't go into the questioning of every girl, because that will come out in the trial.)

Chapter 1 - The officers question the girls.

The girls finished their lunch and the dish brigade began clearing the tables. The left overs they put in sealed containers, and then started washing the dishes. By the time the officers came back, the dishes were washed, but not put away.

The one officer who has done most of the talking, was young with not a blemish on his face. He was maybe, five foot, ten inches tall, and slim, with light brown hair. You could tell he worked out with weights. His partner was six foot, even, and had the same type of build, except he had blonde hair.

The officers walked straight to the office, and Jan came out and called Rachel in first, since she was the last one that Dr. Poole had groped. Rachel went in the office and sat down.

"Hi Rachel, I'm Trooper James O'Donnell. Now all I want you to do, is tell us exactly in your own words, what happened this morning."

"Well, it's like I said. I went there to go through testing and a physical. He didn't do any of the tests, because when I first went in his office, he looked in a folder, and said my name then he said 'formerly known as...' and I interrupted him and told him we don't talk about that person, because I kicked that person in the rump and sent him flying. The next thing Dr. Poole did, was have me go in this room, and put on a hospital gown, as he called it. Then he listened to my lungs, heart, took my pulse, shined a light in my eyes and tapped my knees with a rubber hatchet-looking hammer. Then he said that he needed to check me for hernias, and all of a sudden he asked if I felt excited down there, where he was touching.

"I got angry at him and told him to look at my eyes, and when he did, I told him wasn't only the nutty professor as the girls called him, but he was also a pervert. He said yes he was, but don't tell anybody because it will be our little secret. I told him I was going to tell everybody what he did. Then he just told me to get dressed, and left the room. The next person I saw was Jan, here, who came to walk me back to the house, because I don't know my way around yet. I told her what happened, and when we got back here, she told daddy and he hit the roof."

"I'm curious. You call your house father, daddy, but you call your house mother, Jan. Why is that?"

"Because we reserve 'mom' for Madelline who is our second shift house mother. Not that Jan isn't a good mother to us, because she is, but she has even told us to call her Jan."

"Well, I have no further questions for you. Thank you, for your cooperation."

Rachel left the office and Jan called Sharon in. The officer introduced himself.

"Will you tell us, in your own words, what Dr. Poole did to you?"

"Jan!" Sharon screamed. "Jan, I'm scared."

"Honey, these officer only want to help you and the others. They want Dr. Poole in prison just as bad you all do. Please talk to them."

"But...they're...they're men. I...I feel...embar..."

"You feel embarrassed?"

"Yes."

"Officer, is it alright if she tells me, or writes it down?"

"We have to see her write it, so we know personally, that she wrote it." Sharon's bottom lip started to quiver.

"OMG child, you're shaking. Sharon, you have always been the one to take charge of things here. You are the lioness, the hunter."

"I'm...scared," Sharon said, through her tears. Trooper O'Donnell stooped in front of Sharon.

"Sharon, I take it this isn't just a simple case of touching. Is it?" Sharon shook her head. "This is one statement we will need, Jan. Sharon, if I can get a female trooper to come here, would you tell her?" Sharon nodded. Trooper O'Donnell went over by the office window, and took out his hand held radio. "Squad 356."

"Squad 356, go."

"Female officer requested at Pine Meadows, for minor female interview."

"All of our troopers are out, 356. There is a deputy sheriff here from Forest City. Would you mind if I sent her?"

"356. Please send her."

"Ten-four 356. Deputy sheriff Naomi Petersen is her name, and she is on the way."

"Ten-four. 356, Out. Sharon, when deputy Petersen gets here, we will all step outside, except for Jan. Will that be alright?" Sharon nodded. "Good. She will be here momentarily."

Trooper O'Donnell no sooner said that than they heard a siren wail. In a matter of almost seconds, Naomi was in the office. Sharon saw Naomi and jumped in to her arms.

"Oh, Naomi, I'm scared, really scared."

"Naomi, we're going to step outside. If she writes her statement, will you sign it with Jan, as a witness, that this young lady wrote the statement?"

"Yes, Jim. Sharon is my little sister."

"Sharon, what's happened? Honey, you don't have to be scared, because I'll beat up any bogey man who tries to hurt you or any of the other girls. Will you write down what has happened?"

"Yes. But," Sharon shivered, involuntarily, "I feel so, so, dirty. I...I'm...I should have been..."

"Sharon, if I hold on to you, will you sit at the desk and write what happened?"

Sharon looked at Naomi, with fear in her eyes.

"You promise, really promise, that you won't let go?"

"I will not only promise, little sister, but we will even pinky swear on it."

"Alright." Naomi helped Sharon over to the office desk, and Sharon sat down.

Jan got her a sheet of writing paper, and Naomi stood by Sharon's side holding on to her. Just then there was knock on the office door. When Jan opened the door, she saw Eve standing there.

"Evie! Evie, will you hold on to me, please? Please!" Eve Reinhardt gave Sharon a big hug and said she would hold on to her for as long as she needed her to.

Sharon, feeling safe on both sides, wrote out her statement. It took her five ninutes and three sheets of paper. Naomi signed it with her rank and position, and Jan also signed it. As Naomi still held on to Sharon, she read what Sharon wrote.

"Where is that bastard?!? He's lucky I didn't get to him first, or I would have pulled his worthless balls out through his throat. Jan would you tell Jim and Steve they can come back in, now." When the troopers came back in the office, Naomi gave Jim O'Donnell Sharon's statement.

"Why that child...he's lucky I enforce the law, or I would have killed him. I still might. God this asshole is sick."

Jan went to get Rachel, so she could help Sharon back to the living room. Eve looked at Jim O'Donnell.

"Jim, what has happened, here?" Even though he wasn't supposed to, he let Eve read Sharon's statement. "Oh, No! Somebody get me a rusty knife, I want to cut that bastard's balls off." Jim had known Eve in high school, before he joined the Marines, and the state patrol.

Steve was the last to read the statement. "Murder is still illegal. Right?"

"Yes, Steve," Naomi answered him."

"Damn!" Was all Steve could say.

There was a lynch mob in this house that consisted of twenty one girls and five adults. They all wanted to do something horrible to the doctor, and then spit on him as lay dying.

"Where is he, right now?" Naomi asked.

Jim answered her. "In the jail, in town. He will have his arraignment tomorrow in front of judge Granger."

"Good! Jan, may I spend the night? I want to be there for this child molesting bastard's arraignment."

"Yes, Naomi, you are welcome here, anytime."

"Thank you, Jan. Will you put my utility belt in the safe, please?"

"No problem."

The questioning went on all afternoon, and the troopers were exhausted. Jan told them they were staying for a cup of tea, and some cookies. When they tried to say no thank you, Jan put up her hand. That was when they said, oh okay.

"Girls," Jan said, with a conniving smile, "let's be gracious hostesses, and join these nice officers for a cup of tea and some cookies. Eve, you're staying. Aren't you? I think you all deserve a break." They all agreed with Jan, and the cooking squad went to get the tea and cookies.

"Boy, oh, boy," Jim said, shaking his head. "In all my born day, I have never once been invited for tea at any institution I have taken a prisoner to or picked one up from. Then, we come here on official business, and when that business is concluded, we're invited for tea. What is going on here?"

"Trooper Jim," Janice Peyton started, "we are not prisoners. We are free to come and go as we please. The only reason we don't run away, is because we know we need help, and the best help we can get is from each other. We all came here as strangers and ended up being sisters. See, this may be officially an institution, but to us it is a home. A loving, caring home. That is something we have never had at our own houses. Here, we can pretty much do as we please, as long as it is legal. Now that that child molester is in jail, we will all sleep better tonight. And Naomi, she is now our new, honorary sister."

"You're making me a sister?"

"Yes, Naomi. Rachel and Sharon have both told us what you have done for them, and how much you have shown that you really care. So, sister Naomi, welcome to the Pine Meadows family."

"I...don't...know...what..."

"Oh no," Janice said, giggling. "She's going to cry, again. Somebody get her a box of tissues."