“Do you know who did this to you?” he asks after a second.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I think so… I just have no way to prove it.”
“They did the exam. That might…” he starts to say.
“Keith… they all wore a condom. I never saw them. I never heard them. Clearly no one gave a fuck enough to help when I was screaming for help for God knows how long,” I say. “I just need to get used to the fact that I, like maybe others who have been raped, will never get justice… I also only think I know one. I don’t know who else.”
The door comes open and a woman in a pantsuit comes in the room. “Rebekah Martinelli?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh.
“I am Detective Abigail Parham. I work in the sex crimes division. I want to ask, first, how are you doing? I’ve talked to the nurse who did the exam, but I’d rather hear details from you,” she says.
“Uhm… she said that I don’t have any major injuries and bleeding I have is minimal. I am covered in bruises, but she said you’d get the pictures they took so I guess I don’t need to explain that,” I say. “Apparently, I’m lucky, or whatever. Happy fucking birthday to me.”
“Today is your birthday?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “Well, not now. It was when I was gang raped in a park.”
“Can you tell me what happened?” she asks. I explain the details from the time I left the bar until Keith called the police. A lot of it is hard for me to say out loud but in the same way it feels like I’m talking about someone else.
“Had you been drinking?” she asks, taking notes.
“Does that matter?” I snap
“Not to me,” she says. “I ask because should this go to court, it will come up.”
“I had a drink with my roommate and her people. I was supposed to have a shot with her before leaving but I left without saying anything to her.”
“How come?” she asks.
“Her boyfriend followed me to the bathroom. He was trying to convince me to leave with him and lie to Penny,” I say. “He doesn’t like being told no apparently.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asks.
“I think he’s the one who attacked me,” I say. “There was something familiar about how the first man in the park held onto me and Penny’s boyfriend had a hold of my arm and my waist at one point the bar. It freaked me out, so I left. I didn’t think crossing the park was a bad idea. I do it multiple times a week and I’ve never had an issue.”
“I actually saw this exchange,” Keith says. “I came around the corner to her telling him to let go of her… I know he was mad. I guess I didn’t expect it to escalate like that.”
“Did you see him after she left?” she asks Keith.
“No. The whole group was gone when I left the restroom.”
“How do you know Rebekah?”
“I’m her psychology professor.”
“I was told that you agree to provide DNA?” Abigail asks.
“Yes, ma’am. Whatever you allneed, I’ll do.”
“I know it’s your job, but he didn’t do this,” I say.
“Because you didn’t see your attackers, I have to treat everyone as a suspect. I never discount anyone because that will be the one who did it. I don’t miss details this way.
“I understand,” I say.
“What’s his name?” she asks softly.