The Imposter (Alexandra Destephano Book 2) Read online

  Robert eased Alex onto the sofa at the same moment Commander Françoise entered the house. His face was strained and as dark as a thundercloud.

  "Where's Monique?" He bellowed. "What the hell happened here?"

  Robert shook his head sadly. "She's on her way to CCMC. Whitset attacked both Monique and Alex. Monique has a head injury. They'll do surgery as soon as she arrives."

  Jack sat down, a broken man. He stroked Alex's face. "Are you all right, honey?"

  Alex nodded, her eyes filling again with tears. "I'm sorry, Jack. I just couldn't do anything. He came at us like a maniac. He was so strong. I tried so hard, but I just couldn't stop it."

  "It's okay, Alex. You did what you could. We'll find the little bastard, whoever he is, and he'll pay for what he's done. I need to talk to Officer Martin for a few minutes. I'll be back."

  Josh and Jack retreated into the kitchen. Josh reported to Jack what he had found, describing in detail the slash to Monique's face and how he had discovered Whitset and Alex. He saw Françoise face darken again and noted the curious light that came into his eyes, the killer light. It was the famous Jack Françoise killer light that he had heard older officers describe. He was sure that it was only a matter of hours that Whitset had left on this earth.

  "Martin," Françoise asked in a quiet, but demanding voice. "Did Whitset rape Alex?"

  Josh looked at the floor and back up into the Commander's face. He replied, "I don't know sir. Her clothes were torn. I just can't say for sure. It certainly looked like it could've happened."

  "Did you ask her?"

  "I asked her if Whitset had hurt her and she turned the conversation towards Dr. Desmonde. She wouldn't answer me, Commander. I tried to ask her -- twice." Josh looked despondent.

  Françoise nodded his head, as he felt the anger spread throughout his body. "Robert, come in here for a moment," he barked from the kitchen.

  Robert appeared immediately. The men talked in low tones for a few moments.

  Finally, Commander Françoise said to Robert, "You've got to find out if Whitset raped Alex. If he did, she needs to go to the emergency room."

  "But, Jack," Robert began, "She's been beaten and terrorized. Can't we give her some time?"

  "No. No. Hell no. We need the evidence against him. Do you want me to ask her to go with you?" Commander Françoise’s voice was firm and he gave Bonnet a hard look.

  Robert wanted to accept Jack's assistance, but he knew he couldn't. He shook his head negatively and said, "I'll do it, Jack. You may want to go to CCMC and check on Monique. I'm worried about her."

  "I will. I'm going now. Then I am going to find and kill Lester Whitset." Commander Françoise was reasonably calm.

  Robert and Josh both knew that beneath the calm façade was a roaring lion, out for blood -- blood to avenge Monique and Alex.

  "Jack, Jack, come here. I've got to talk to you for a minute." Alex was calling for Jack from the living room.

  Jack went to Alex, and sat by her on the sofa. "What is it, Al?" He asked gently.

  "You have got to search Whitset's office. Monique went in there today, and she found a gold chain hanging out of his bottom right desk drawer. I'm sure it's Angie's chain. Bridget brought me her cross today and I had it repaired." Alex's voice trailed off, remembering the teary scene in her office. Then she continued, "Monique also discovered that the college degrees in Whitset's office couldn't be his."

  The Commander nodded his head. "Yeah, I know they aren't. He's a fake, an imposter. I think he's Weston Whitset, Lester's crazy brother. I've got to go. Anything else, Alex?" Jack looked at her sharply.

  Alex shook her head. "Not that I can think of. I know there's more, but I can't think of anything now. I'm just so tired .…" Alex looked away, uncomfortable at the Commander's direct gaze.

  "Alex," Jack's voice was gentle. "Did Whitset rape you?"

  Alex didn't answer. She looked at the Commander and began to cry again.

  "You must tell me, Alex. It's important. If he did, we’ll need the evidence to convict him. You'll need to go to the hospital and be checked. "

  Alex pulled her hand away from Jack's. She got up and left the room.

  Robert and Josh looked at her disheveled, torn clothes. Then they looked at each other.

  Jack's face was suffused with anger and he shrugged his shoulders as he said to Robert, "You've got to find out for sure, Robert. Need the evidence. Need it bad!" The Commander's voice was rough and emotional.

  "The hell with that evidence, Jack. I need to get her to CCMC to get her face treated. Besides, you're probably gonna kill him anyway." Robert's voice was short and angry.

  "No, take her over to Community Memorial in Gulfport. Alex doesn't need the ignominy and stress of being treated for rape in her own hospital. Check her in under an alias. I'll call and make the arrangements. Take her now, dammit, I mean it." Jack saw Robert hesitate and said roughly, "Now, I mean it. And, check on Monique. Make sure she gets the best CCMC has. Do you understand?" Jack was glaring at his boyhood friend, his temper hanging by a thread.

  Robert nodded. "Yeah. I'll do my best, Jack. Now, get out of here." His voice and his eyes were tired.

  Jack whispered to Josh on the way out, "Get Nadine Wells over here to see Alex. Let her decide about the rape. And, get Alex's statement when Nadine is with her. Move dammit, move now!"

  Josh disappeared from the room to call Nadine.

  Robert intervened, "Please, Jack, you have got to calm down. I know you are stressed, we all are but there's no place for temper in this…"

  Commander Françoise pivoted around and stared at the physician. "Dammit, Bonnet. This lunatic practically killed Monique and probably raped Alex. He raped and beat Angie Richelieu. He probably killed Mrs. Smithson as well. Don't talk to me about my temper. My temper's the only thing giving me the energy to move right now. Understand? If my temper wasn't acting up, I'd be dysfunctional with grief." Françoise stared at Robert, his eyes full of tears.

  Robert walked over to him and hugged the big, burly policeman. The two men stayed in an embrace for several moments, each crying silently for what they had lost.

  Françoise broke the embrace, "The next time you see me, Robert, Whitset will be dead. To hell with court justice."

  Robert nodded, powerless to stop him.

  "Take care of my girls, Bonnet. I'm trusting both of them to you." Françoise slammed Monique's French door so hard that the glass shattered and fell out.

  Alex reemerged from the bathroom.

  "Al, you got to tell me about Whitset and what he did. Jack said we've got to get the evidence soon – you know that." Robert's voice was gentle and he moved over on the sofa so she could sit next to him.

  "I'm not going to any emergency facility. Not CCMC, not in New Orleans, and not in Mississippi. I refuse to submit to any examination." Her voice was adamant, stubborn.

  He asked gently, "Why Alex? It was a situation you couldn't control. Not guilty of anything."

  Her voice was morose, her eyes filled with tears, "I'm just not going, Robert, I'm not. Now leave me alone about it, please." She laid her head down in his lap and pretended to fall asleep. She needed to be alone with her thoughts to try to put together exactly what had happened. She needed to think through what she should've done. She was feeling so guilty -- about a lot of things. She should've saved Monique. Finally, she fell asleep on Monique's sofa.

  A half an hour later, Josh opened the door for Nadine Wells. They talked quietly in the kitchen for a few minutes and Josh motioned for Robert to join them.

  Robert seemed uncertain about Nadine, and when he learned she was NOPD's expert on sexual crimes, he retreated into himself.

  Nadine perceived the change in Robert's behavior and assured him she wouldn't badger Alex. She mentioned they had met shortly after the rape of Angie Richelieu.

  Robert seemed surer of the petite Nadine's concern for Alex and went to awaken her.

  Nadine held up her hand, motioning for Robe
rt to wait a moment. She asked him, "Dr. Bonnet, what is your relationship to Ms. Destephano."

  He flushed a little bit at the question. It would have been easy to answer before last night. He didn't know what to say and stammered his reply, "Well … well, to be honest, Ms. Wells, Alex and I were married when we were students and lived in Virginia. We divorced about four years ago. Alex moved to Texas and I moved to New Orleans. I'm from here .…" Robert's voice trailed off, unsure of exactly what it was the woman wanted to know.

  She continued to look at him, their eyes locked. "And now, Dr. Bonnet, what is your current relationship with Alex?"

  Robert was uncomfortable. Her directness was bothering him and he didn't like it. He felt guilty and defensive for some reason. He remained silent.

  Nadine turned to Josh. "Josh, could you leave Dr. Bonnet and me alone for a few minutes?" Josh nodded and hastily left the kitchen. Nadine continued to look at Robert, whose defensiveness was turning to anger. His lean, handsome face was red. She repeated her question, her voice adamant, "Dr. Bonnet, it's important that you answer my question for your sake and for ours."

  "Why, why in the hell do I have to answer these questions? I haven't done anything illegal or wrong." He was stubbornly defensive.

  "I must know if you and Alex are sexually intimate. If you are, and have been recently, it could complicate any evidence we gather tonight. That's the reason for the questions. Otherwise, I agree. It's none of my business."

  Nadine saw Robert's shoulder sag. "Ms. Wells, I love Alex. I'd like to marry her again. We're presently good friends and have been since earlier this year. I assure you there's no evidence from a sexual encounter that would complicate a police rape investigation. I promise you."

  "Then why are you so uncomfortable?" Nadine looked at him shrewdly, still persistent.

  Robert was amazed at the woman's perceptiveness. "Tonight, at least earlier tonight, Alex and I had dinner at her house." He smiled at the memory. "I believe we could have complicated the evidence if Dr. Desmonde hadn't called Alex at 11 o'clock. Actually, Alex and I were … Well, the phone rang, but nothing had happened …." He looked sheepish, even a little embarrassed.

  Nadine smiled at him and touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry she called and spoiled it for you. Trust me, there will be other times. Thanks for being honest with me, Dr. Bonnet. Can I count on your support -- emotional and physical -- to get Alex through this?"

  "Yes, absolutely. What do you want me to do?"

  "Help me help her remember what happened. I believe, based on what Commander Françoise and Officer Martin have said, it is possible Alex doesn't remember what happened. She may not know if she was raped or not."

  Robert was flabbergasted. "You're kidding. I'd never have thought that."

  "It's a protective reflex that many women have after a rape. It's a dissociation mechanism that's commonly associated with sexual crime and abuse. It sounds as though her clothes, while torn, were basically intact, so I'm hopeful that she wasn't raped. Let me rephrase that, I'm hopeful she wasn't actually penetrated. She was most assuredly raped in the greater sense of the word, and Alex will view it that way. It's critical for her recovery and continued mental health that she know for sure so she can learn to deal with it. Do you understand what I'm saying, Dr. Bonnet?"

  Robert nodded mutely and followed her into the living room where Alex remained on the sofa. Damn! It was a lot easier being a surgeon than a shrink or mental health worker. Being a surgeon was quick and simple and you got results right away -- not so much with mental health stuff.

  Nadine shook Alex gently.

  She opened her eyes slowly. They were liquid blue in color, the color of bachelor's buttons in the summer. She struggled to sit up.

  Robert noticed that her right shoulder was drooping. A fractured clavicle, he surmised -- the same arm that had been injured in February.

  Nadine spoke softly, "Alex, Jack asked me to come over and talk with you. Josh and I need a statement about what happened here tonight. Are you up to talking?"

  Alex nodded, looking to Robert.

  Clasping her hand tightly, Robert assured her he would stay with her.

  Nadine was pleased that Bonnet was so cooperative. So many men were either useless or macho machines in times like this. He would be a good support for Alex, if she'd let him. For some reason, Nadine's intuition told her she wouldn't.

  Josh began, "Ms. Destephano, do you mind if I tape your interview? The Commander asked me to get your permission. If you would rather I didn't, I won't."

  Alex smiled at Josh, "You can, Josh. It's okay. Call me Alex.”

  "Thanks, Alex." Josh cut the recorder on, giving the date, time, describing the crime scene, and naming the people present at the taped interview.

  "Tell me what happened tonight, Alex. You can go as slowly as you like. I've got three tapes with me. We've got plenty of tape and plenty of time." He handed Alex the microphone.

  In a clear voice, Alex talked into the machine. She began with the phone call from Monique and ended with the entrance of Josh Martin. She cried when she related how Whitset had beaten Monique with the lead pipe and how he had cut her face after she was unconscious. She made no mention of rape, but recounted in great detail how Whitset had sung his sick little rhyme to her and how he had torn her clothes. Her hand was gripped tightly by Robert throughout the interview, which took about 20 minutes.

  Nadine and Josh nodded their heads as she spoke, asking questions to clarify and expand her statement.

  Josh seemed satisfied and looked at Nadine for direction.

  Nadine picked up on his cue and said to Alex, "You described how Whitset pushed you to the floor and ripped your clothes. You didn't tell us what he did to you."

  Alex looked confused. "What do you mean I didn't tell you! I told you everything that Whitset did!" Her voice was angry, defensive.

  Nadine persisted. "You've got bruises on your face, a black eye, and an injured shoulder. Did Whitset hit you when he had you on the floor?"

  Alex looked thoughtful. "Why yes, I suppose he did. Who else could have possibly hit me?" The tone of Alex's voice implied she thought Nadine's question was ridiculous and stupid. Her tone was condescending, very much unlike Alex's normal voice.

  "Did Whitset do anything else to you that you haven't mentioned?" Nadine continued to look thoughtfully at Alex, who shook her head negatively.

  There was a silence for a few minutes while Nadine and Josh reviewed their notes.

  Robert continued to stroke Alex's hand. He smiled at her gently and said, "It's almost over, Al. Soon we'll go."

  She smiled back. She was so tired. All she wanted to do was take a shower and sleep.

  Nadine looked up from her notes and said, "I have another question for you, Alex. Listen carefully and answer me as best you can. It's important."

  "Okay, Nadine. But, hurry up. I'm tired and I want to get cleaned up so I can go to CCMC to check on Monique."

  Nadine could tell that Alex was getting impatient. Nadine's dark eyes searched Alex's deep blue ones as she asked the question in a matter of fact manner, "Did Lester Whitset rape you?"

  Alex was flustered, her voice angry. "Nadine, I told you everything that happened that I can think of. Don't you understand that I'm tired and I want to go home? I've been awake for over 24 hours."

  Nadine continued to look steadily at her. She asked again, "Did Lester Whitset rape you, Alex? Did he penetrate you?"

  Alex jumped angrily off the sofa, her injured shoulder drooping. She shrieked at them, her voice loud and quavering, "I told you everything I know. I want to get out of here, now." She looked around frantically for some means of escape. Her eyes rested on Robert and she said to him, her voice small and broken, "Robert, please make them leave me alone. I said everything I can remember. I want to go home. I want you to take me, please!"

  He felt his heart constrict as he looked at her, her eyes liquid pools of grief. He felt his reserve melting. She was so dejected, so
sad. He glanced over at Nadine Wells, who gave him a dark look that clearly told him to keep his mouth shut.

  He looked back at Alex and said gently, "You've gotta answer Nadine's question. It's important to know whether Whitset actually raped you. If he did, we need to get you to the emergency department for an examination."

  Alex became hysterical. "No … no … no … I'm not going anywhere. Don't you hear me! I'm not going anywhere! I've told you what I know and I am leaving! Don't any of you try to stop me!"

  Nadine stood in her way. Her voice was crisp, chilly. "Calm down, Alex. Shut up and stop all the noise, now! None of us want to hear it. Just answer the question."

  Robert was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the line of questioning. He thought Alex was being harassed. He was about to interrupt and protect her when Josh Martin placed his hand on his shoulder in restraint and shook his head.

  Nadine asked again, her voice clear, "Did Lester Whitset rape you, Alex?"

  She dissolved into tears. She was sobbing so hard her shoulders were shaking. Her voice came out in large gulps. She was hyperventilating.

  Robert held her in his arms, reassuring her that it made no difference to him. He told her over and over that he loved her.

  Finally, Alex calmed down a little and said in a small, still voice that was almost a whisper, "I don't know. I just don't know. I can't remember!"

  Nadine leaned over and put her arms around Alex. "It's all right if you don't know, Alex. A lot of women don't know. They can't remember. They repress the terror of what happened to them." Nadine continued to offer her reassurance for several more minutes until Alex calmed down.

  Alex clung to Robert's hand and turned to face the police officers. "You mean there are other women who don't know if they have actually been raped or not?"

  Nadine smiled and responded, "Yep, Alex. That's right. You are certainly not alone in this. What's important now is that we get you examined so that we can tell …."

  Alex shrank from the thought of a rape examination. It was so humiliating and embarrassing. She remembered having to do them when she worked in the emergency department. "No, no, I won't go."