She sat there in a panic.
“You must.”
She rose, her heart palpitating, and slowly made her way to the witness stand.
Mickey Brennan whispered to Eleanor, “I was praying that he’d call her.”
Eleanor nodded. “It’s over.”
Ashley Patterson was being sworn in by the court clerk. “You do solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
“I do.” Her voice was a whisper. Ashley took her seat in the witness box.
David walked over to her. He said gently, “I know this is very difficult for you. You’ve been accused of horrible crimes that you did not commit. All I want is for the jury to know the truth. Do you have any memory of committing any of those crimes?”
Ashley shook her head. “No.”
David glanced at the jury, then went on. “Did you know Dennis Tibbie?”
“Yes. We worked together at Global Computer Graphics Corporation.”
“Did you have any reason to kill Dennis Tibbie?”
“No.” It was difficult for her to speak. “I—I went to his apartment to give him some advice that he had asked me for, and that was the last time I saw him.”
“Did you know Richard Melton?”
“No…”
“He was an artist. He was murdered in San Francisco. The police found evidence of your DNA and fingerprints there.”
Ashley was shaking her head from side to side. “I—I don’t know what to say. I didn’t know him!”
“You knew Deputy Sam Blake?”
“Yes. He was helping me. I didn’t kill him!”
“Are you aware that you have two other personalities, or alters, within you, Ashley?”
“Yes.” Her voice was strained.
“When did you learn this?”
“Before the trial. Dr. Salem told me about it. I couldn’t believe it. I—I still can’t believe it. It’s—it’s too awful.”
“You had no previous knowledge of these alters.”
“No.”
“You had never heard of Toni Prescott or Alette Peters?”
“No!”
“Do you believe now that they exist within you?”
“Yes…I have to believe it. They must have done all these—these horrible things.…”
“So you have no recollection of ever having met Richard Melton, you had no motive for killing Dennis Tibbie or for killing Deputy Sam Blake, who was at your apartment to protect you?”
“That’s right.” Her eyes swept over the crowded courtroom, and she felt a sense of panic.
“One last question,” David said. “Have you ever been in trouble with the law?”
“Never.”
David put his hand on hers. “That’s all for now.” He turned to Mickey Brennan. “Your witness.”
Brennan rose, a big smile on his face. “Well, Miss Patterson, we finally get to talk to all of you. Did you ever, at any time, have sexual intercourse with Dennis Tibbie?”
“No.”
“Did you ever have sexual intercourse with Richard Melton?”
“No.”
“Did you ever, at any time, have sexual intercourse with Deputy Samuel Blake?”
“No.”
“That’s very interesting.” Brennan glanced at the jury. “Because traces of a vaginal discharge were found on the bodies of all three men. The DNA tests matched your DNA.”
“I…I don’t know anything about that.”
“Maybe you’ve been framed. Maybe some fiend got hold of it—”
“Objection! It’s argumentative.”
“Overruled.”
“—and planted it on those three mutilated bodies. Do you have any enemies who would do such a thing to you?”
“I…don’t know.”
“The FBI’s fingerprint lab checked the fingerprints the police found at the scenes of the crimes. And I’m sure this will surprise you—
“Objection.”
“Sustained. Be careful, Mr. Brennan.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Satisfied, David slowly sat down.
Ashley was on the verge of hysteria. “The alters must have—”
“The fingerprints at the scenes of the three murders were yours, and yours alone.”
Ashley sat there, silent.
Brennan walked over to a table, picked up a butcher knife wrapped in cellophane and held it up. “Do you recognize this?”
“It—it could be one of…one of my—”
“One of your knives? It is. It has already been admitted into evidence. The stains on it match the blood of Deputy Blake. Your fingerprints are on this murder weapon.”
Ashley was mindlessly shaking her head from side to side.
“I’ve never seen a clearer case of cold-blooded murder or a more feeble defense. Hiding behind two nonexistent, imaginary characters is the most—”