“We’re going to begin by photographing her injuries and scraping under her fingernails,” the nurse in charge of the exam explained to Sam. “We’ll clip the nails to preserve them as evidence. We’ll swab her mouth and use a special light to check for semen and swab any samples. Hair samples will be taken so we have a baseline for her DNA, and we’ll comb her hair and pubic regions for any stray hairs. We’ll do an internal exam to check for injuries and take fluid samples from the vaginal and anal areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask at any time.”

Sam nodded in acknowledgement as she braced herself for what she knew would be hours of painstaking work to collect evidence. It had been the right thing to keep Tracy away from this, but that didn’t make it easy for her to watch.

Fortunately, Brooke was still unconscious as two nurses settled her feet in stirrups and raised the sheet to expose her genitals for photographs of her injuries.

Sam flinched with every flash. She knew from having been through this once before that the exam could be every bit as invasive as the attack itself. They turned Brooke over and photographed her from all angles until Sam wanted to scream that they certainly had enough photos. But she held her tongue and let the experts do their jobs. After nearly thirteen years as a cop, Sam was painfully aware that an entire case could come down to a single eyelash or fiber.

Brooke remained still through it all, so still that Sam had to watch the rise and fall of her niece’s chest to ensure she was breathing. However, when the nurse inserted the speculum, Brooke came to, screaming and thrashing.

Sam took hold of her shoulders as Harry and one of the nurses each took an arm and a leg. “It’s okay, Brooke. It’s Auntie Sam. I’m here and the doctors and nurses are trying to help you.”

Her entire body convulsed with twitchy movements and violent trembling. “It hurts! Make them stop! What’re they doing?”

The ER doctor asked for Ativan, which was administered through the IV.

“Brooke, honey, you have to relax and try to be still,” Sam said, using all her strength to restrain her niece while trying not to add to her injuries. “You’ve been assaulted, and we need evidence—”

“No!” Brooke screamed at the top of her lungs, straining mightily against the hands that held her in place. “Don’t touch me!” Between outbursts, she was grinding her teeth and licking her lips frantically.

“The Ativan will kick in momentarily,” the doctor said. “Let’s wait for it.”

While they waited, Brooke continued to scream and sob and struggle and grind her teeth as Sam tried to soothe her.