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But it had never occurred to me that she was bad for me or that my feelings were unhealthy. Hell, until that night, I’d thought she was the best thing that had ever walked into my life. Just thinking about her made me smile, which said a lot, since I usually went through life mad at the world.
    “Did you ever try to break it off with him? The night of the attack, did you try to break up with him?”
    She nodded. “I told him it was over.”
    But I hadn’t believed her. She was a spitfire, and she often exploded, telling me she hated me. Then within minutes, we would be having make-up sex that made her eyes roll back in her head.
    “Is that when you left his apartment?”
    “Yes.”
    “Can you explain what happened after that?”
    Maura lowered her head, and when she looked up, tears filled her eyes. “I was standing on the street corner looking for a cab, and someone grabbed me. I was distracted, looking at the door of Coop’s apartment building because I was afraid he’d come after me. I didn’t want to deal with him.”
    “Because you were afraid of him?” the prosecutor pressed.
    She shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe. I was just angry and frustrated. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him.”
    “Can you describe what happened next?”
    I glanced at the back of the courtroom. Her parents were holding hands. I knew they didn’t want to listen to this any more than I did. Every time I thought about someone violating Maura that way, I wanted to put my fist through a wall.
    “He had a knife.” Maura’s voice trembled, and twisted her hands in her lap. “He told me to get into the back of the van, or he’d slit my throat. I panicked. I wanted to fight back, but I was scared. I thought he was going to kill me.”
    “Was there anyone else on the street corner?” the prosecutor asked, walking back to his table for a photo.
    “No, it was late. I didn’t see anyone.”
    “You mentioned a van,” the prosecutor said. “Did it look like this one?” He held up an 8x10 glossy photo of a white work van with no windows in the rear of the vehicle.
    “Yes,” she said, nodding.
    “Your Honor, the court would like to submit this photo of Mr. Cooper’s work van as evidence.”
    A gasp moved through the packed courtroom as I clenched my hands. I didn’t know she’d been raped in a van that looked exactly like mine. Glaring at my lawyer, I whispered, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me—”
    “Not now,” he muttered, waving his hand beneath the table to silence me.
    “Had you ever been in Mr. Cooper’s work van before, Miss Lancaster?” the prosecutor asked.
    She blushed again before glancing at me. “Yes, the first night we went out together and a couple of times after that.”
    “Did you ever have sex in the back of that van?”
    She closed her eyes, obviously embarrassed. “Yes.”
    The prosecutor turned on his heel to look at my lawyer, the look on his face saying, “ I beat you to it.” I didn’t understand why he wasn’t giving my lawyer the opportunity to ask these questions. Perhaps he wanted the jury to see we had no defense. Or maybe he was trying to spare Maura a hostile cross-examination. All I knew was that I already felt defeated, and the trial had barely begun.
    “Can you tell us what happened after you were abducted, Miss Lancaster? Take your time,” he said, lowering his voice. “I know this is difficult for you.”
    Maura took a moment to collect herself, setting her water glass down carefully. Her hands were trembling. She was terrified to relive that night, and I hated that they were doing this to her. I wanted to hold her, to swear I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again, but I knew they wouldn’t let me within ten feet of her. Who was I kidding? She wouldn’t want me within ten feet of her.
    “Like I said, he had a knife. He forced me into the back of the van, and he jumped in with me. He sat on top of me while he tied my hands and feet and gagged me.”
    I felt as though