“I’m sure they’ll say all kinds of things, but you know the truth. You were drugged and unable to resist them. That much was obvious in the video.”

“You saw it too?”

“I did.”

“God, what you must think of me. You must hate me for this.”

“I could never, ever hate you, and what I saw was a young girl being victimized by boys who were probably drunk and high and out of control.”

“They were nice guys,” Brooke said in a whisper. “All of them were nice guys. I thought they were anyway.”

“Maybe they were until they got the wrong combination of drugs and booze into their systems in a house with no adults present. Things got out of hand.”

“It was a pretty wild party. Hugo had gotten all that stuff from his brother, and he was going sick. When I realized how crazy it was getting, I told Hoda we probably ought to leave, but she said there was no way she was leaving. She was my ride. Plus, Todd was there, and I wanted to see him.” She looked up at Sam with big, blue heartbroken eyes. “How he could let his friends take turns with me?”

“I don’t know, honey, but he was aware enough to have sex with another girl after you. They were killed in the middle of it.”

Brooke shook her head at that news. “Todd is really dead. Hugo and Michael, too.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“It’s so hard to believe.”

“If you can think of anyone else who was at the party, it would really help us. Other than you, Hoda and Brody, we haven’t found anyone else who was there and got out alive. And we can’t find Hoda.”

“You don’t think she’s dead, too, do you?”

“No, I think it’s more likely she’s hiding out until the dust settles.”

“Her mom lets her do whatever she wants.”

“I’ve figured that out.”

“I always thought she was lucky because her mom left her alone, but now...”

“Now you see why your mom is on you like white on rice all the time.”

“Yes,” she said softly. “It’s because she didn’t want something like this to happen to me.” A sob hiccupped through her tightly clenched lips. “My life is ruined.”

“No, it isn’t, Brooke. You’ve had an awful, horrible thing happen to you, and it’ll probably stay with you for the rest of your life. But what you make of yourself going forward is completely up to you. We’ll support you all the way, and we’ll get you through this. I promise we will.”

Brooke held on tight to Sam’s hand. “I’m so ashamed.”

Sam leaned over the bed to hug the girl as she cried.

That’s where Tracy found them when she returned.

Sam pulled back to let Tracy take over.