CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Rivky," said Olivia gently as she sat down opposite the scared girl. "We saw what was written in your notebook."

Rivky frowned. "What do you mean?"

"On the inside cover."

"I just wrote my name there. Everything else is notes."

Olivia looked at the photograph in her hand. "Devorah, do you think I could talk to Rivky alone?"

Devorah nodded and gave Rivky's hand a squeeze before leaving. Olivia moved closer to Rivky.

"Rivky, you know I'm here to help you, don't you?"

"Yes," said Rivky. "What's going on?"

"And you know I'm not here to judge?"

"Yes."

"Then I need you to tell me the absolute truth, okay?"

"Okay."

Olivia put the photograph down slowly in front of Rivky. Rivky's eyes got wide and she pulled it closer to herself, staring at it in shock. Then, slowly, a tear fell down her cheek.

"Do you have any idea who would write something like that?"

Rivky didn't answer, but she kept crying.

"Rivky, please, I want to find out who hurt you. Do you know who would say something like that?"

Rivky nodded and took a sharp gasp. "Can I just explain?"

"Sure."

"I had this boyfriend…Jason Harroway. He goes to a school a little while away from me. He's not Jewish and we weren't shomer, so I didn't tell anyone but Dev about him. But see…we did some things, and…"

Rivky trailed off. Olivia leaned forward.

"Rivky, did you have sex with Jason?"

"No! No, I didn't. But we were kissing one day, and I realized that I just didn't like him in that way. And…well, he got really angry with me and he stormed off and we were broken up."

"So maybe he wrote it?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Are you going to tell my father?"

"Rivky, your father is going to prison for what he did to you and your sisters. You don't have to worry about what he thinks anymore. And you wouldn't have to worry about whoever attacked you anymore if you'd just tell us who it was."

Rivky considered this. "You can promise that he won't get to me?"

"I swear to it. We can protect you."

"Okay."

"So who was it, Rivky?"

"It was Jason. It was Jason Harroway."