Half-sister

Her eyes were wide open and brimming with tears. Lying next to her, just getting up, was a man who had to be in his forties. He was pulling up his trousers. The pleased and sated look on his face morphed into annoyance when he saw a group of strangers barging in. ‘Who the hell are you?’ Officer Murphy yanked on the guy’s collar. ‘What are you doing?’ The man scowled. ‘I was just sleeping with my wife.’ ‘I’m not his wife!’ The girl sobbed, hysterical. Officer Murphy dragged the man out of bed. I covered the girl with a blanket. Her bony shoulders shook as she leaned on mine. ‘I’m not his wife! He raped me!’ Officer Murphy and Kieran hauled the man, kicking and yelling, out of the room. ‘It’s okay, it’s okay. He can’t hurt you anymore.’ I used my gentlest voice and tried to think of the right thing to say. Her tears drenched my coat. I patted her back with one hand and gathered her clothes, torn and scattered over the bed, with the other. She got dressed in a daze and clutched the front