“Now did he force himself on you sexually?”
“No.”
“That’s helpful, you’re doing great Claire. So, there was no sexual activity between you two?”
Claire hung her head and wasn’t responding.
“Come on Claire, we’re adult women here. I’ve heard everything. Did you have intercourse with Councilman Montague?” Claire just nodded.
“Sweetheart, I need you to answer. Did you and Montague have intercourse?”
“Yes,” Claire answered, now breaking down and sobbing again into her hands.
“Come on Claire, I need you to relax. Nothing is going to happen to you. I understand, he’s a good-looking man and you’re a beautiful woman. Things happen. You’ll be okay, you have friends here,” she said, placing her hand on hers.
Mary continued in a calm voice, “Okay, so there will not be any rape charges. You’re really helping the councilman here. Now, how long have you two been meeting up like this?”
“Is that really important? I mean, I just admitted that it was consensual.”
“I understand, but these questions are going to be asked here or down at the station. Your choice, but I would think you would want your privacy.”
She nodded and opened up to Mary.
“It started about three months ago when he asked me to lunch. I was a little star struck by him, you know we all thought he would be the mayor, and I let myself become flattered by his advances. Anyway, after a few lunches and many compliments he convinced me to be with him, just once. He promised it would be a secret and nobody would know. Just once, and for some stupid reason which I cannot explain, I agreed. But it wasn’t once. We started coming here a few days a week for the last three months. It was just sex; I didn’t love him. I just got caught up in his power. I was so stupid and now I’m going to lose my husband, the only man I’ve ever loved. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.”
“Look, this happens more than you know. Claire, everyone knows that Carter loves you, he’s always telling us about you and how wonderful your marriage is, so don’t give up so fast.”
Hearing Mary describe how Carter loved her and bragged about her marriage made her feel as low as she had ever felt before. Now feeling the guilt and pain of her choices, Claire just wanted to lock herself in the bathroom and be alone.
Mary continued, “Sergeant Carter wants a rape examination but maybe I can talk him out of it and save you that embarrassment but I need know the full scope of your affair. If we do a rape test, will we find any of Councilman’s semen inside you, or did he use protection?”
Claire lowered her and, in a low voice admitted, “No protection.”
Mary looked at her in disbelief. How could this woman be so brazen to take a man into Sgt. Carter’s home, his bed, and then let him ejaculate inside her, unprotected. She knew Carter, and this was going to be a non-starter when he learned the details.
In the meantime, Ellen was having a field day with videos, the arrest, and reporting the charges of rape and assault on Councilman Wilbur. She was going to get this as a lead story on the 6 p.m. news, and she had the exclusive. The photos of the council man in handcuffs, the sobbing wife, and now a dozen officers leading the broken man out to the squad car were golden and would play well on the broadcast.