“I’ll warn you before I do anything. I know that my making that kind of allegation against Price could be disastrous for you. To be honest, I’m trying to figure out the right thing to do.”
“Well, don’t worry about me.” He looked almost offended. “If what you’re saying is true, Ridgedale University isn’t going to want to defend him. And even if they do, I’ll support you, Molly, whatever you decide.”
RIDGEDALE READER
ONLINE EDITION
March 19, 2015, 8:27 a.m.
At Ridgedale Community Meeting Police Announce DNA Testing BY MOLLY SANDERSON
Police officials held a public meeting last night at the Ridgedale University Athletic Center to discuss the ongoing investigation into the death of the infant found near the Essex Bridge. Chief of Police Steve Carlson answered questions for over an hour. The baby’s cause of death has not yet been determined, and she remains unidentified.
In an effort to assist in identification, the Ridgedale Police Department is to begin voluntary, community-wide DNA testing. It will take place at the Ridgedale Police Department over the next three days. Hours of testing, as well as a detailed explanation of procedures are available online at www.ridgedalenj.org. David Simpson, Esq., a criminal defense attorney and Ridgedale resident, has invited anyone concerned about the legal implications of DNA testing to contact him for a free consultation.
COMMENTS:
Marney B
2 hours ago
DNA testing??? Are they insane?
Gail
1 hour ago
Seconded. This can’t be legal.
Stephanie
57 min ago
They are definitely trying to scare whoever is responsible out of the closet. It’s probably not even really the girl’s fault. Who knows what her life is like? Maybe her mom has to work three jobs or something. Bad parents aren’t born, you know, they’re made.
Mom22
52 min ago
I don’t have a teenager, but if I did there is no way I would let them give a “sample.” What is this? 1984?
LifeIsLiving
47 min ago
I would have my children give a blood sample if it would help find out who did that to their baby. Someone needs to send a message to these kids who apparently aren’t too young to have sex, but think they’re too young to be held accountable.
SaranB
45 min ago
Are you telling me you think that this was just some teenager who couldn’t be bothered to put her child up for adoption? Do you really think people are that cruel?
246Barry
42 min ago
SHUT UP. AND FIND HIM. BEFORE HE FINDS YOU.
Carrollandthepups 37 min ago
Ugh, not this jerk again. 246Barry, no one wants you here.
Samuel L.
25 min ago
Just called you in to the police 246Barry. How you like that? Turns out they already know about you. It’s all fun and games until you get arrested for harassment and your name is plastered all over the place. Because then it won’t matter if the police don’t do anything about you, because the rest of us will.
JENNA
JUNE 11, 1994
The Captain is coming at 8 p.m.! He said he’s totally up for meeting my parents, too. I just hope they don’t mess it up for me by acting like they think I’m a total nut bag. At least my dress is so cute. It’s red and has this deep V that totally shows off everything. My mom didn’t even give me crap about it.
It’s because she knows who the Captain’s family is. I think she hopes I’ll snag him for good. Then maybe she’ll stop spending all her free time praying for my mortal soul.
And I’m just not going to think about Tex being at the party. Because he will be. And he’s totally going to try to kill my buzz. Telling me to be careful and whatnot. Like THAT’s the real point and not that he wants me putting out for him instead of the Captain. But I’m not going to let him make me feel bad for getting the guy I always wanted. The kind nobody, not even my own parents, thinks I’m good enough for.
It would be a lot easier if I just hated Tex, though. If I didn’t kind of also like that he cares about me. Then I could tell him to get the hell away from me forever. But it’s not that simple. Nothing ever is.
Sandy
Sandy sat in a sticky booth at the back of Pat’s Pancakes, waiting for Molly. The place was practically empty, unlike on weekends, when a line snaked out the door. A half dozen mostly old people were in the booths, eating their omelets and pancakes so slowly it was like they were being paid by the minute.
“What can I get you, hon?” The waitress snapped open her pad. She was pretty, or used to be. Now she had a fuzzy ponytail and a super-wrinkled face, but didn’t seem that old. That was what Jenna would look like eventually. If she got the chance. Someday, Sandy thought, I’ll probably look like that, too.
“Can I have coffee?” Sandy asked.
“Just coffee?” The waitress wasn’t trying to be a bitch, Sandy knew. She was just trying to pay her bills.
“Yeah, for right now,” Sandy said. “I’m waiting for somebody.”
She’d have to hope that this Molly woman would order some food when she got there. Sandy couldn’t afford to waste money eating when she wasn’t hungry even to keep a fellow waitress happy. And she hadn’t been hungry in days. Of course, that hadn’t stopped Aidan from trying to stuff her like some overprotective grandmother the night before.
“I got crap for a sandwich, and some chips and cookies and an apple,” Aidan had said, tossing a bunch of food into a pile on his bed.
He had been right about it being easy to sneak in the back door, and Sandy felt almost safe now that they were upstairs in his bedroom, behind his locked door. She looked down at all the food Aidan had swiped from the kitchen. There was even lettuce and a tomato and some pretty little jar of something that might have been mustard, because people who lived in houses like Aidan’s didn’t make ham and white bread sandwiches with French’s mustard, the way Sandy always had. Aidan was staring down at the pile like he’d never made his own sandwich in his entire life. Like he had no goddamn idea where to start.