Free Breath of Scandal by Sandra Brown

assumed an authoritative stance, and regarded her suspiciously.

    "Miss Sperry?" "That's right."

    "Please, sit down over here.

    Gingerly, Jade sat on the edge of a lavender vinyl divan. He dropped into a chair facing her. Dr. Harvey remained standing at the end of the couch. The deputy, who wasn't any older than the doctor, took a small spiral notebook from the breast pocket of his uniform jacket.

    "Dr. Harvey here says you claim you were raped tonight. "

    She divided her incredulous gaze between them. "Why does everybody keep saying I 'claimed' this or I 'said' that? I was raped. Do you think I'm lying?"

    "Hold on. Nobody's accused you of lying. I'm just trying to find out what happened. Calm down, okay?"

    Jade composed herself. It wasn't easy. She had to call upon all her reserves of self-discipline to keep from scnmm-

    56

    Sandra Brown

    Breath of Scandal -

    57

    ing. The janitor and the nurses were once again huddled together at the desk nearby. Jade didn't think she was being paranoid in assuming that they were whispering about her.

    would glance in Every once in a while one or all of them   resume their furher direction, then quickly look away and

    tive conversation.

    "What's your full name?" the deputy asked.

    His image began to blur. She realized that her eyes were filling with tears. "I was raped," she stressed. "My rapists are running around free while I'm here being humiliated and insulted." She drew a ragged breath. "I've already given the doctor my full name, address, birthday, and so forth. Wouldn't you rather know what happened to me tonight and who committed the crime?"

    "All in good time," he replied, unfazed by her tearful appeal. "I'm using standard police procedure in response to this complaint. If the case comes to trial, you don't want the perps to get off on a technicality, do you, little lady?"

    "Why don't you just answer his questions, Miss Sperry?" the doctor suggested, speaking softly and courteously. "In the long run, it'll go faster. Can I get you something to drink?"

    "No,  thank you.

    "I can give you a sedative if you want one." Vigorously, she shook her head. Returning her attention to the deputy, she supplied unemotional responses to his routine questions,

    "Now, about tonight," he said after clearing his throat, "you told Dr. Harvey that three men attacked and forcibly raped you."

    "That's right." "Were they armed?" "No."

    "No? They didn't hold you at gunpoint or anything like that?"

    "They overpowered me and held me down on the ground.

    -Hmm. Did they all achieve penetration.

    "That's in my report, Deputy," Dr. Harvey said helpfully.

    "I'm doing the questioning, Doc, thanks. Answer the question, Miss Sperry."

    "Yes," Jade said. "They all . . . penetrated and and completed the act."

    "Were you sodomized?"

    "No, she wasn't." The doctor answered for her again when Jade appeared too stunned by the question to speak. "Were you forced to have oral sex?"

    She shook her head as she slowly bowed it. "No." I,Where did this alleged attack take place?"

    Alleged? The word annoyed her, but she responded to his question. "Near a channel off the coastal highway. I don't believe the turnoff has a name. It's only a dirt track. I could lead you straight to it. Unless they took them, you could find articles of my clothing there."

    "Can you provide the department with a description of the alleged assailants."

    "I can do better than that, Deputy. I can name them." "You know their names?"

    "Oh yes."

    I 'Well, hey, that's a real break for us. Shoot." His pencil was eagerly poised over the spiral notebook.

    "Lamar Griffith."

The pencil lead scratched noisily against the paper. Then, cocking his head to one side in puzzlement, the deputy read the name he'd just written down. He looked up at Jade.

    "Myrajane Griffith's kid?"

    "Lamar Griffith," Jade repeated firmly. "Neal Patchett. " The blood drained out of the deputy's face. Nervously, he wet his lips. "And Hutch Jolly. "

    For