The Pretend Boyfriend novel Chapter 99

"I don't see why - "

"Please answer the question."

Dr. Granger's cheeks flush red. "It's possible, but why should anyone - ?"

"Thank you, Dr. Granger. You have indeed acceded that it is possible. Would you also say that it's possible for Ms. Faulkner to violently penetrate her own private parts with a blunt object ... such as a dildo or any similar-shaped object ... in order to stage her own rape and sodomy?"

"Objection! The defense counsel is badgering the witness!"

"I am merely asking if it's possible, your Honor."

"I will allow this," the Judge says. "Answer the question, Dr. Granger."

Fran Granger is positively brimming with rage. For a doctor, she certainly can't hold her emotions in check, Brian thinks.

"Yes," she hisses through her teeth. "It's possible, though not likely in the event we actually found Brian Morton's sperm samples inside both Ms. Faulkner's vagina and rectum."

"But is it also possible that Ms. Faulkner could have rendered Mr. Morton unconscious, milked him for his semen and then injected the semen into herself to make it seem like she was raped?"

"Listen to yourself, counselor," Dr. Granger sneers. "A tall story, isn't it?"

"But it is possible?" Karen insists.

"Yes, it's possible, but not likely. Extremely unlikely."

"Thank you, Dr. Granger, that would be all."

As the Emergency room doctor gets down from the witness stand, she shoots a murderous look at Brian.

Norma Hennessey says, "With that, the prosecution rests, your Honor."

A buzz goes through the courtroom crowd. Brian's bones ache all over. The chair is uncomfortable enough. Not to mention having to relive the testimonies - of having evidence of his own guilt being flung repeatedly like stones in his face.

Then Karen Sandler stands up.

"The defense calls Brian Morton to the stand."

Sam can't take her eyes off Brian on the witness stand. He is wearing Gucci today, and his suit is a dark green color that matches his eyes and sets them off. He is pale, and his eyes are large in his face, but he is looking remarkably beautiful amid his obvious angst.

She hopes the jury is coming to the same conclusion: How can a man as beautiful as this possibly need to rape a woman if he needs sex?

Of course, nothing is ever as clear cut in the cold light of day. Immensely virile and beautiful men have had the compulsion to dominate and rape women throughout the history of time. Sam is not so obtuse to think that a beautiful man would be innocent of such crimes.

But in Brian's case, he was set up. Now it's a matter of proving it.

But like Karen said, it is not so simple. Motive and what exactly happened that night are two interlinked subjects, but may be viewed as separate incidences by the jury.

Karen goes through the spiel she has rehearsed with Brian. All Brian has to do is tell the truth of what happened that night. Right up to when he stopped remembering.

Sam listens, the knot in her stomach tightening as he goes through the story she has heard and analyzed a hundred times.

"Do you consume a lot of alcohol normally?" Karen asks.

"Yes. I'm a social drinker. I take about three or four shots a day."

"Do you get drunk easily?"

"No."

"Do you consume drugs?"

Brian hesitates. "Yes. Sometimes."

"What sort of drugs?"

"Club drugs, most of the time. I do it to get high. Ecstasy. Special K. Coke, sometimes."

"Crystal meth?"

"Once or twice, but as a rule, no. I'm not an addict. I can do without drugs."

"Did you imbibe or ingest any drugs on that day?"

"No, definitely not. My toxicology results came back negative. My blood alcohol was also within normal limits."