Let me cut to the chase. My brother Duane and I targeted, plotted, and executed without hesitation the sexual assault of a woman we barely knew, a licensed family therapist who assumed she was treating a dysfunctional sibling relationship. That was the lie we led Joyce Cody to believe, the ruse we used to gain her trust and access to her office. Looking back, it was ridiculously simple. Forgive me, but the burning question here is not "Why did you do it?" In truth, it's more "Will you do it again?"
Blame me. This was my idea. To explain would likely require hours of therapy. It wasn't about the sex. I've done fine with women over the years. No complaints. But I wanted something different. I wanted control. I wanted power. I wanted the rush. Turns out that Duane felt the same way. He was married to Staci. Their relationship was solid enough, I guess, but the bedroom fires had burned out long ago.
"Shit," Duane confessed one night over beers at Ike's. "Can't even get the woman to suck my dick anymore. She's changed, bro'. Always thinking of some reason to tell me no. Drives me fucking crazy."
I looked Duane straight in the eye. "What if we found a woman? A beautiful woman. One who couldn't say no?"
Duane seemed puzzled. "What the fuck you talking about, Charlie? A woman who couldn't say no? Huh?"
"I'm talking about finding a woman. A woman we can have and do whatever we want."
"You talking about a hooker?"
"God, no. I don't pay for sex. Which is all we do when we go out on a date, right? I mean, we buy dinner and little gifts and flowers. Sooner or later, you get laid, but a lot of money gets dropped first. Right?"
Duane chuckled at the memory. "Yes, sir. Got that right."
"Exactly. That leaves the third choice. We find a woman. Someone accessible, vulnerable, desirable. And we...do whatever we want."
It took Duane a moment to process. He finished the rest of his beer.
"Holy shit, man. You're talking about rape."
"I am," I confessed without hesitation. "But I've done some research. The odds are in our favor. Latest stats show that only four out of ten rapes even get reported. That means nearly two-thirds don't. The conviction rate is even lower."
"I don't know, Charlie. I couldn't hurt someone."
"She won't get hurt. As long as she does what we tell her to do. C'mon, Duane. Don't you want to get your dick sucked again? Wouldn't you like to be in control for just once?"
Duane closed his eyes. His sexual fantasy was already unfolding. His breathing increased.
"Who?" he asked finally. "Who would it be?"
I spent the next fifteen minutes outlining my plan. Duane didn't hesitate. He was in.
###
Here's the deal about a family therapist. Most of them work alone, often in a small cramped space. Many can't afford a receptionist so they really are isolated. They tend to use music or sound machines to protect the privacy of the conversation during sessions.
And most importantly, most family therapists are women.
Accessible. Vulnerable. Desirable.
Duane and I both lived in Lake Pointe, on the edge of the suburban sprawl outside Chicago. I wanted a therapist who was in a nearby town, but not too far away. I sat down one night at my computer and began to Google FAMILY THERAPIST CARMEL. Nearby Carmel boasted more than 40,000 residents and enjoyed a thriving downtown.
The Psychology Today website made the search even easier as they provided lists of licensed therapists in each community. Twenty names and photos quickly popped up. Five men and fifteen women. I started scrolling through the photos. I stopped halfway down at the name Joyce Cody. Her photo was just a head shot, but the striking blonde hair and reassuring smile showed promise for the rest of her body.
I clicked on her link and read her professional bio. Graduate of an on-line college. Masters degree. No Ph.D. Sliding scale for fees. Specialized in family issues. Speaks Spanish. Her office address, phone number, and email were included. I typed her address in Google for a search. The map popped up. Her office apparently was in an old house off the downtown.
Joyce Cody. Maybe 30, still starting out. Online degree. Office in a house. Most likely searching for clients. Can't afford a receptionist. She works alone.
Accessible. Vulnerable. Desirable.
Back on her bio page, I copied her email address. I had already created a fake email account and decided to use the name Ben Martin, a name common enough and difficult to trace.
"Dear Ms. Cody," I typed. "I am new to the area and hoping to find professional counseling services to help repair a dysfunctional relationship with my younger brother, Dennis. I'm concerned about his well being and would appreciate your honest direction. Your professional background seems to suggest that this is something you can help me with. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you."
I fired off the email and stared for a little longer at the photo of family therapist Joyce Cody. I didn't know if she would respond, or not.
Her email came in at ten o'clock the next morning. "Dear Mr. Martin," she wrote. "First of all, welcome to Carmel. It's a wonderful city and I hope you will enjoy it as I have. I am sorry to hear about the relationship with your brother. Please call me at 779-555-6938 if you would like an appointment. Thank you."
I rocked back and forth in my chair, trying to stay calm. This was happening. It was no longer a fantasy. But I had to play it carefully. I certainly couldn't call her and risk my phone number being traced should she decide to report us to the police. I thought for a long moment before emailing my response.
"Dear Ms. Cody. Thank you for your prompt response and willingness to take me on as a client. Unfortunately I don't currently have access to a phone. Mine was stolen just before moving and I need to get a new one. Fast! Any chance we could just email until that's resolved? It's so embarrassing! Thank you for understanding."
Joyce Cody responded later that afternoon. "So sorry to hear about your phone. Yes, I do have an opening Friday at 9 a.m. Might that work?"
I struggled to stay calm as I wrote back, indicating how grateful I was. How much I was looking forward to meeting her Friday morning. Today was only Tuesday. This would be a long week.
###
I arrived at the house on Plymouth Street a few minutes before my scheduled appointment. It was a two-story building, splashed with a new coat of white paint. Wide front porch. Shutters on the windows. Lawn immaculately trimmed. Someone had planted roses.
I walked up the front sidewalk and the four steps to the porch. The main floor seemed to be some kind of daycare center and I could hear children singing inside. A printed sign hanging on the front door advised clients of Joyce Cody to walk around to the back.
I followed the sidewalk around to what was clearly an addition to the original house. But there was only one door and it was marked JOYCE CODY, FAMILY THERAPIST. I walked inside to a tiny, carpeted waiting area. A few chairs. National Public Radio played softly on the radio in the corner. Background noise, as predicted. Isolated, as predicted. No receptionist, as predicted. I took the chair nearest the door.
Just before nine a.m. the door opened and Joyce Cody came out, carrying a clipboard and pen.
"Mister Martin?"
I shot to my feet. "Yes, good morning."
"Good morning. I'm Joyce Cody," she said, shaking my hand. Friendly, but professional.
I tried not to stare, but she was beautiful. Blonde hair now longer than her original web site photo suggested. Five feet, seven inches easily. Trim body, but those breasts had to be 36-C. Had to be. She wore a white cotton shirt and a long black skirt.
She handed me the clipboard and pen. "I need you to fill this out, please. It's just basic information. Bring it inside when you're ready."
"No problem," I replied.
"Take your time. Just trying to get to know you."
I plopped back down in the chair. Joyce spun around, heading back inside her office, giving me my first look at that gorgeous tight ass of her. She left her office door open.
I could hardly concentrate. Fuck Duane. I wanted to march in there now and take her. It took me a second to settle down, but I had to focus on the paperwork at hand. I had to make sure I was leaving no obvious clues. This was all basic stuff: Name, address, phone number, occupation. History of therapy. Reasons for appointment. Insurance. Usual first-time bullshit. I printed poorly to help cover my tracks and made up as much as I could. When I finished, I stood up and walked inside the office.
Joyce was sitting at her desk, her back to me, scribbling notes, wearing reading glasses. There was a large picture window where the sunlight dropped through the indoor plants. An expensive couch ran along the opposite wall with two other chairs facing it. The wood floor was covered by an Oriental rug. Everything was warm and earth tone in color. Someone had good taste.
"Should I shut the door?" I asked.
"Please," Joyce said, still making notes.