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“But I don’t understand, Pearl. Did you not want another child?”
“It... it wasn’t... it wasn’t Jerome’s.”
DuBose caught a breath. “But you said you had never cheated...”
“The man who owns Winston’s where I work... he... he got me alone in the back room.” She started to cry again. “He... he...”
“Okay, it’s okay. I understand. You don’t have to say any more.”
The two sat there for a few moments, with Pearl clinging to DuBose.
As they drew apart DuBose said, “Where did you get... where was it done?”
“A place over behind the white hospital. A woman... she comes ’round every so often, so’s I was told. She got a room. She did it there.”
“And since abortion is illegal in Virginia, you didn’t want to tell anyone?”
Pearl nodded. “And I didn’t want Jerome to know ’cause he will kill that man.”
“What time did you get there and what time did you leave?”
She wiped her eyes. “Got there ’round one or so. Didn’t get out till after six. I was... bleeding some after... Felt real weak. She had me lie down and give me some medicine and all. Then she drove me home in her car. But I asked her to let me off ’bout half mile away. I got home in time to help my momma with supper. Then we found out ’bout Jerome, and my whole life just... gone.”
DuBose said, “But that will show that you could not have been at the Randolphs’ when they were killed. You see that, right?”
“Yes ma’am, I do.”
“And since the commonwealth’s theory hinges on you helping Jerome, that means it helps him, too.”
“Yes, ma’am. I... I’m glad I told you.”
“Did you talk to the police about the man doing what he did?”
“I went down there and told ’em, sure. But they asked me what was I wearin’? Was I flirtin’? When I told ’em it was a man I work for, they say, ‘You tryin’ to get him to pay you more money? You better watch out. That’s a crime accusin’ a man like that.’ Then they told me to get on with myself before they put me in jail.”
DuBose knew she should have been surprised by this, but she wasn’t, not anymore. And this happened to all women, regardless of color.
“You said the owner did this. Is he white?”
“No, he colored. But he thinks he own all the women who work for him.”
“Will the woman who... helped you, speak with us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Can you give me her name and address?”
“She didn’t tell me her name, but I know the place, o’course.”
Pearl told her and DuBose wrote the address down.
“I know how hard that was for you, Pearl. But you did the right thing, okay?”
A teary Pearl nodded.
DuBose walked back to where Jack was waiting and told him everything she’d learned.
“Holy Lord,” he said. “We need to nail the son of a bitch who raped her.”
