Harm's Reach

54

Ren couldn’t tear her eyes away from Kristen Faule. She struggled to process the shift from Jesse Coombes to Derrick Charles. But Kristen was plowing on.

‘I’m worried that, because of Robert Prince’s donation, Kenneth’s campaign for Derrick’s release will work,’ said Kristen, ‘and that can’t happen.’

‘Why not?’ said Ren.

‘Can I tell you something without my husband finding out?’ said Kristen.

‘I can’t guarantee that,’ said Ren. ‘No.’

Kristen looked away. ‘This is all a mess,’ she said. ‘This campaign...’

‘The campaign?’ said Ren.

Kristen looked down. ‘No... not the campaign... well, yes... but...’

Who is this version of Kristen Faule I see before me?

‘Is there anywhere we can sit down?’ said Ren.

Kristen nodded. ‘Yes.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘The meditation room should be free.’

Please don’t make me sit on a mat... or one of those weird stools...

Kristen opened the door into a small room off reception. She nodded at the receptionist to let her know that’s where they were going. There were some regular chairs inside. Kristen took two out and set them opposite each other.

She held her head in her hands, then swept her fingers through her hair.

Hurry up! Jesus!

‘It’s just... it doesn’t matter...’ Tears welled in Kristen’s eyes.

Oh, no. I’m sorry. You can’t back out now.

This is something personal. Very personal.

‘Derrick Charles has met someone new while he’s been in prison.’ I lied. ‘She is twenty-six years old, she has two young girls, aged seven and four, so if there’s anything you know...’

Result.

Kristen swallowed hard. ‘All I can do is tell you my experience with Derrick Charles. First of all, what you don’t know about my husband is that he genuinely believes that he is not racist...’

What? Where is this going?

‘So,’ said Kristen, ‘he has African-American friends, African-American teens at the ranch, all that. However, what he is against is inter-racial relationships. Weird, right? I didn’t even realize until after we were married. I mean, he had all these African-American teammates, friends... we were already married when he made a comment one day about an inter-racial couple we saw out in a restaurant. Then I realized we were only friends with the players who had African-American wives.’

Annd...

‘Anyway, Kenneth was away... his father had taken ill. I was home, Derrick called over to see how everything was...’

Oh. Dear. God. You slept with Derrick Charles.

‘We had a few drinks, one thing led to another... I had always found Derrick attractive... We ended up in bed.’ She was staring down at her hands, gripped onto the steering wheel.

Silence.

‘He beat me black and blue.’ She turned to Ren.

‘Afterwards?’ said Ren.

‘During it, afterwards... I know that at first, at the very beginning, he was sweet, but it was all a game. Not even a game. He had already won. He destroyed me that night. He destroyed me. And how he looked at me when he was walking out the bedroom door. The smirk. It is seared into my brain. It was a smirk that said “I know you can’t tell your husband this, I know you can’t tell anyone this.”’

Why in God’s name are you telling me?

‘You seem like a strong woman,’ said Kristen. ‘You look like you don’t take any shit from anyone. I wish I was like you.’

Ren shook her head. ‘No. What happened to you could have happened to anyone. How were you to know? I’ve looked into Derrick Charles. He had no history. That’s why his appeal is progressing. He is saying that he never laid a finger on a woman.’

Kristen snorted. ‘A finger — no. He likes the full force of his fist. And I mean that in all kinds of ways. He is insane. And... he... bit me. It was a deep bite. Do you know what I had to do? I had to take a kitchen knife to my own shoulder. I had to cut out around the teeth marks and pretend to my husband that I had a skin cancer scare. I had to tell him that I had a biopsy while he was away.’

Oh my God, you poor woman.

‘Kenneth has been rubbing SPF 50 into me ever since,’ said Kristen. ‘And every time his hand goes over that hideous scar...’ She started to cry. ‘He’s so gentle...’

I have heard some grim things in my time...

‘I am so sorry,’ said Ren. ‘What a terrible thing to have to go through. And alone for all these years.’

‘Derrick Charles is an animal,’ said Kristen.

How can you let your husband campaign for his release?

‘Yet he managed to convince Kenneth to support him,’ said Kristen. ‘Can you imagine how sick that man’s mind is? How twisted he is? He gets off on every part of this. How does someone end up like that?’

He has definitely done this to other women.

‘How long before his wife and children were murdered did this happen?’ said Ren.

‘It was two years beforehand,’ said Kristen. She nodded. ‘I know — he has to have done this to other women in the meantime.’

And before that. And after that. And we will get him.

‘I can’t have children because of Derrick Charles,’ said Kristen. ‘So, I’m sorry if I come across to you like some defensive, lying... witch. Or that I don’t care about Laura Flynn. I absolutely do. I’m not that kind of person. I’m just... I’m fighting for the ranch. I’m fighting for the only baby I have...’

‘I’m so sorry,’ said Ren. ‘So terribly sorry for what you’ve gone through. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you.’

‘I just wanted you to understand,’ said Kristen.

‘I do,’ said Ren. ‘But you can’t bring your fight into my investigation. I understand why you did what you did. But it’s wrong to have withheld evidence. It was wrong for the ranch and for Laura Flynn’s memory and for Conor. I don’t mean to sound harsh. I will get you all the help you need. And I will do everything I can about Derrick Charles—’

‘I hope so,’ said Kristen.

‘But not without you going on the record,’ said Ren. ‘I’m sorry that there’s no other way.’

Kristen looked down. ‘Maybe, the time has come.’