…
“Don’t forget the doctor’s appointment,” Ebenezer reminded, finishing his coffee.
“And call me afterward to tell me what she said.
” Leticia nodded and started to get ready.
When she was already at the door, Ebenezer called out to her.
Hey, baby.
I love you.
You know that, right? I know.
Leticia replied quietly.
I love you, too.
The workday flew by.
The constant flow of clients, gossip, the sound of the haird dryer, and the clicking of scissors.
The usual atmosphere of the salon usually calmed Leticia.
But today, she felt a growing anxiety.
The visit to the gynecologist caused her mixed feelings.
On the one hand, she wanted to know the cause of the pain.
On the other hand, she was afraid that questions about her past might arise.
Dr. Nefertiti Banks had been her gynecologist for several years, but Leticia had never told her about her transgender transition.
Her last routine checkups had been quick without in-depth exams, and she’d managed to avoid uncomfortable questions.
But now that the pain had set in, it was becoming more dangerous to hide the truth.
At 15:30, Leticia finished with her last client and began to pack for the clinic.
She’d chosen this private practice because of the good reviews and relative anonymity.
There was less chance of meeting people she knew from the neighborhood.
Dr. Banks’s clinic was located in a modern building in downtown Richmond.
The air conditioned air and dim lighting created an atmosphere of calm, but Leticia’s heart beat faster and faster as she called her name to the receptionist.
Mrs.
Puit, Dr. Banks will see you in 10 minutes.
” The young girl behind the counter smiled.
“Please fill out this form.
” Leticia sat down in the far corner of the waiting room and began filling out the medical form.
When she reached the section on surgeries undergone, her hand trembled.
After a moment’s hesitation, she left the box blank.
At exactly 16:00, a nurse called her into the office.
Dr. Dr. Nefertiti Banks, an elegant woman with short dreadlocks, greeted her with a professional smile.
Mrs.
Puit, it’s good to see you.
What’s troubling you? Leticia described her symptoms.
Dull pain in her lower abdomen, sometimes radiating to her back, intermittent dizziness.
She spoke carefully, choosing her words so as not to reveal her secret.
“Okay, let’s do an exam,” Dr. Banks said.
“Get changed, and I’ll be back in 5 minutes.
” Left alone, Leticia felt panic come over her in a wave.
She slowly changed into her hospital shirt.
Mentally preparing herself for the inevitable questions.
The examination began with the usual procedures, taking her blood pressure, checking her lymph nodes.
But when it came to the gynecological exam, Dr. Banks froze, then slowly raised her eyes to Leticia.
Mrs.
Puit, her voice became noticeably colder.
You didn’t indicate on the form that you had undergone gender reassignment surgery.
Leticia felt the blood rush from her face.
I didn’t think it was relevant to your current symptoms.
It has everything to do with your health, Dr. Banks said sternly.
How long ago was the surgery performed? 20 years ago, Leticia answered quietly.
In another state.
Dr. Banks nodded and continued her examination, asking more specific questions about the post-operative period and hormone therapy.
Leticia answered quietly, waiting with growing fear for the diagnosis.
The pain you’re experiencing could be related to complications from the surgery, Dr. Banks finally said, finishing her examination.
We’ll need to do more tests.
I’ll schedule an ultrasound and labs.
At that moment, the office door opened without a knock, and the massive figure of Ebenezer appeared in the doorway.
Leticia, he looked worried.
I finished my shift early and thought I’d pick you up.
The receptionist said you were here.
Leticia froze with her mouth open, unable to utter a word.
Dr. Banks, not understanding the situation, continued in a professional tone.
Ah, Mr. Puit, we’re just discussing the necessary tests with your wife.
Given the post-operative features and the duration of hormone therapy, we need to rule out what postoperative features.
Ebenezer frowned, shifting his gaze from the doctor to his wife.
What are you talking about? There was a long pause.
Dr. Banks slowly shifted her gaze to Leticia, who sat pale as a sheet.
He doesn’t know, she asked quietly.
Leticia shook her head slowly, unable to look at her husband.
Don’t know what? Ebenezer’s voice grew louder.
Leticia, what’s going on? Dr. Banks tried to smooth things over.
Perhaps we should continue this conversation when Mrs.
Puit is ready to discuss.
No.
Ebenezer interrupted her sharply.
I want to know now.
What are you keeping from me? Leticia finally looked up at her husband.
Ebenezer, please.
Let’s talk at home.
This is private.
Private from me? I’m your husband.
Damn it.
He turned to the doctor.
Tell me what’s going on.
Dr. Banks found herself in a difficult ethical situation.
She looked at Leticia seeking her permission, but saw only fear and despair in her patients eyes.
“Minus Mr. Puit, I can’t discuss medical details without the patients consent,” she finally said.
“But perhaps you and your wife should talk about her medical history.
” “What history?” Ebenezer stepped closer to Leticia.
“Are you sick? Do you have cancer? What have you been hiding from me all these years?” Leticia felt panic rise to her throat.
15 years of marriage, 15 years of dreading this moment.
She knew Ebenezer was conservative, knew of his prejudices, and feared his reaction more than anything.
“Yeah,” she stammered, trying to find the words.
“I’m not quite who you thought I was, Ebenezer.
” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He sounded threatened.
“20 years ago, I had gender reassignment surgery.
” The words came out in one breath.
“I was born a man.
” The silence that followed those words was deafening.
Ebenezer froze, his face expressionless.
Dr. Banks backed cautiously toward the door, realizing she was witnessing an extremely private moment.
You what? Ebenezer finally spoke, his voice unnaturally calm.
“I’m a transgender woman,” Leticia said quietly but firmly.
“I’ve always felt like a woman, even when I was outwardly a man.
I had surgery before we met.
Ebenezer’s face began to change, the calmness replaced by a grimace of disgust and rage.
Are you a man? His voice rose to a shout.
I’ve been living with a man for 15 years.
No, Ebenezer, I am a woman.
Leticia stood up, trying to maintain her dignity.
I’ve always been a woman on the inside.
The surgery only made my body fit.
Shut up.
Ebenezer slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a dent in the drywall.
You’ve been lying to me all these years, you you monster.
Minus Mr. Puit, please calm down.
Doctor Banks intervened, pressing the security call button under the desk.
This kind of reaction is not going to help solve you.
Stay out of this, Ebenezer shouted, turning to the doctor.
This is between me and this this cheater.
Leticia used the moment to grab her bag and clothes.
I have to go, she said, heading for the door.
We’ll talk when you’ve calmed down.
Stop.
Ebenezer rushed after her, but Dr. Banks got in his way.
Minus Mr. Puit, I’ve called security.
If you don’t calm down, I’m going to have to.
Ebenezer pushed her away and ran out into the hallway.
Leticia was already down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator.
She heard her husband’s heavy footsteps behind her and his shouts.
Come back here.
You won’t just leave.
15 years.
15 years you’ve been deceiving me.
Leticia ran out of the clinic into the street, looking around for a cab or bus.
The sun was already setting.
The streets of downtown Richmond were filled with evening passers by.
She darted toward the intersection, hoping to get lost in the crowd.
Ebenezer sprinted out of the clinic building, his eyes searching the street wildly.
Spotting Leticia, he shouted, “Stop, you pervert!” and rushed after her.
Leticia turned down a side street leading to less busy neighborhoods.
Panic was giving her strength, but she knew she couldn’t run from her husband for long.
She needed to find a safe place, perhaps get to Chantel.
Ebenezer’s footsteps sounded closer and closer.
His heavy breathing seemed to burn her neck.
“You will pay for this,” he growled.
“No one would abuse Ebenezer Puit like that.
” Leticia turned down a narrow alley between two buildings, hoping to gain a few seconds head start.
Her heart was pounding in her chest like crazy, her eyes black with fear and fatigue.
“Please,” she mentally pleaded.
“Let someone help.
Please, dot dot dot.
” The dawn in Richmond was dank and gray.
Dr.izzling rain mixed with the morning fog, covering the streets with a damp shroud.
Patrol Officer Kindred was making his usual morning rounds when he noticed an unnaturally twisted arm sticking out from behind a dumpster in the alley behind the medical center.
Dispatch, this is Officer Kindred.
A body has been discovered in the alley at 7th and Maine.
Female African-Amean, believed to be 35 to 45 years old.
Signs of violent death.
forensics team required.
The crime scene quickly filled with police officers, yellow tape fenced off the narrow alleyway, and curious passers by were already gathered in small groups around the perimeter, whispering and filming the scene on their phones.
Detective Obadiah Willis arrived 20 minutes after the call.
His tattered gray sedan pulled up at the strip, and a tall, thin man with sage brush in his short hair got out leisurely.
age had long since passed the half ccentury mark, but his eyes remained sharp and alert.
He put on latex gloves before he even approached the body.
“What do we got?” he asked the medical examiner, who was already on the scene.
“Female, 40 to 45 years old,” Dr. Rimes replied, keeping her eyes on the body.
“Multiple injuries to the head and upper body.
Preliminary cause of death is head trauma.
The weapon of choice is a presumably heavy blunt object.
probably this.
She pointed to a bloody piece of rebar lying a few feet from the body.
Willis squatted down next to the victim.
The woman was lying on her back, her head turned sideways, revealing deep wounds on her face and head.
Her clothes were torn and covered in blood with skin showing under her fingernails.
A clear sign that the victim had struggled with her attacker.
“We got an ID.
” They found a driver’s license in her purse.
One of the officers handed him a plastic bag of documents.
Leticia Puit, age 44, resides at 27 Jefferson Street.
Willis scrutinized the photo on the license, then shifted his gaze to the victim’s mutilated face.
Time of death.
Tentatively, between 17 and 19:00 yesterday afternoon, Dr. Rimes replied, “I’ll be more specific.
” After the autopsy, the detective walked slowly around the crime scene, scrutinizing every detail.
Blood spatter on the wall showed that the first blow was struck when the victim was standing up.
The signs of a struggle, the torn purse with its contents strewn across the alley, all pointed to a spontaneous violent act of violence, not a planned murder.
“Who found her?” “Hless guy,” patrolman Kindred answered.
Said he slept in the driveway across the street, but swears he didn’t see or hear anything.
“Went to check the bins this morning and found the body.
” Check his history.
” Willis nodded and canvas all the employees of the surrounding establishments.
Someone might have seen something.
He walked around the body once more, then looked up and noticed a security camera mounted on the corner of the building.
Check the footage from the cameras.
That one was sure to capture something.
While the forensics team continued their work, Willis went back to his car and opened his laptop.
He entered the victim’s name into the database and reviewed the results.
Leticia Puit, 44 years old, no priors.
Married to Ebenezer Puit, 47 years old.
Minor offenses in her youth.
Nothing serious in the last 15 years.
Works as a hairdresser at the Crown Beauty Salon.
Husband’s a security guard at Richmond Plaza Shopping Center.
Call the husband in for a lineup, Willis ordered, turning to young detective Parker, a recent transfer to their department.
And check to see where he was last night.
Already tried.
Parker replied.
No answer at home.
Cell phones off.
Work said he didn’t show up for his shift this morning.
Willis frowned.
Put out a B and send a patrol car to their house.
The next point of investigation was the medical center near where the body had been found.
Willis showed his badge to the receptionist and asked if a patient named Leticia Puit had been in yesterday.
Yes, she had an appointment with Dr. Banks at 16:00.
the woman behind the counter replied, checking the records.
But there was an incident.
Security was called to Dr. Banks office at about 4:30.
I need to speak to Dr. Banks and the security staff who worked yesterday, Willis said.
Dr. Nefertiti Banks looked tired and anxious when Willis entered her office.
Her elegant dreadlocked hair was gathered into a careless bun, and shadows lingered under her eyes.
Tact Banks, I’m Detective Obadiah Willis.
I’m investigating the murder of Leticia Puit.
Dr. Banks turned pale.
Murder? Oh my god.
I knew something terrible had happened yesterday, but I didn’t think.
Tell me about what happened yesterday during your appointment.
Dr. Banks took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.
Mrs.
Puit came in complaining of lower abdominal pain.
On examination, I found.
She hesitated for words.
I discovered that the patient had undergone sex reassignment surgery.
She didn’t indicate that on the form.
Willis kept an impassive expression on his face, though the information was unexpected.
Go on.
We were discussing her condition when suddenly a man entered the office.
He introduced himself as her husband, Ebenezer Puit.
Yeah.
I didn’t realize he was unaware of her past.
I’m afraid I inadvertently disclosed that information.
How did Mr. Puit react? He was furious.
Dr. Her banks rubbed her temples, screaming, slamming his fist into the wall.
I called security, but Mrs.
Puit ran away before they arrived.
Mr. Puit chased after her.
Security arrived a few minutes later, but they had already left the building.
Did you hear any threats from Mr. Puit? He was very aggressive, the doctor replied cautiously.
Called her a liar.
Said things like, “You’re going to pay for this.
” But I didn’t hear any direct death threats.
Willis made notes in his notebook.
How long was Mrs.
Puit a patient of yours? About 3 years.
But I never knew about her past until yesterday.
Did she have any other health problems that you know of? Nothing serious.
Routine checkups, the occasional cold.
Willis next interviewed the security guard on duty at the clinic yesterday.
A sturdy young man named Jaden confirmed that he had received a call from Doctor Banks.
But when he arrived at the office, no one was there.
I saw them run out of the building, he added.
First a woman, then a man.
He was yelling something after her.
I wanted to follow them, but there was another situation at the main entrance.
An elderly patient collapsed and I had to help.
Willis continued to question the clinic staff.
The receptionist remembered that Ebenezer had asked about his wife and she directed him to Dr. Banks’s office.
A nurse confirmed that she heard screaming coming from the office.
By noon, Willis received the first results from the surveillance cameras.
The footage clearly shows Leticia running out of the clinic, followed seconds later by a large man matching Ebenezer’s description.
They head towards the alley where the body was later found.
Trace his route through the city cameras, Willis ordered.
I need to know where he went after the alley.
Meanwhile, news came in from the patrolman sent to the Puit house.
No one was in the house, but the officers noticed signs of hasty packing, drawers pulled out, clothes strewn about.
In the bedroom, they found an empty gun box on the floor.
“Does Puit have a gun permit?” Willis asked the officer who reported the information.
“Yes, sir.
Registered 38 caliber revolver.
Obtained the permit 5 years ago in connection with his work as a security guard.
Declare him armed and dangerous,” Willis ordered.
and check every possible place he could be hiding.
Relatives, friends, co-workers.
The next step was to visit the hair salon where Leticia worked.
Beauty Crown was located in a small shopping center in a workingclass neighborhood in Richmond.
When Willis entered, there were two female hairdressers working in the salon and several female customers sitting in the waiting area.
Detective Obadia Willis, he introduced himself, showing his badge.
I need to speak to the owner.
The owner of the salon, a full-figured middle-aged woman named Kesha, looked shocked to learn of Leticia’s death.
I can’t believe it.
She was here yesterday, worked until lunchtime, then left for her doctor’s appointment.
Such a nice woman.
Always calm, polite.
Did you know her well? She worked for me for 6 years.
Top-of-the-line customers loved her.
Did you know about her past that she was? Willis hesitated for words.
that she was a transgender woman.
Kesha finished for him.
Yeah, she told me when she applied for the job.
Said it was better to be honest from the start, but we never discussed it with others.
It’s her own business.
What can you say about her husband? Kesha frowned.
Ebenezer.
He used to pick her up after work sometimes.
Big guy, rugged.
Honestly, I don’t know what she saw in him.
He seemed controlling, always checking to see who she was talking to, where she was going after work.
Did he know about her past? Not that I know of.
Kesha shook her head.
She was afraid to tell him.
Said he was very conservative, prejudiced.
I heard him talk about transgender people once in a less than flattering way.
Did they have any conflicts that you know of? They’d sometimes argue when he went to pick her up, usually over trivial matters, being late, chatting up customers, but it never got violent, at least not on my watch.
Do you know any of her close friends? Shantel, Kesha answered right away.
Shantel Dubois.
They were like sisters.
Shantel often visited her in the parlor.
They had lunch together.
If anyone knew more about Leticia, it was her.
Willis wrote down Chantel’s name and contact information that Kesha had provided and thanked the salon owner for the information.
On the way to Chantel Dubois house, Willis got an update from CSU under Leticia’s fingernails.
They found skin and blood from her attacker and samples were sent for DNA analysis.
The murder weapon, a piece of rebar, contained no clear prints, only smudged marks in the blood, likely from gloves.
Shantel Dubois lived in a small apartment in an apartment building on the outskirts of Richmond.
When Willis rang the doorbell, a crying woman with tear red eyes opened the door.
“My name is Miss Dubois.
I’m Detective Oadia Willis.
I need to talk to you about Leticia Puit.
” “I already know,” she said quietly as she led him into the apartment.
“I got a call from Kesha at the salon.
I can’t believe this happened.
Who could have done this to her?” Chantel’s apartment was small but cozy.
There were lots of pictures hanging on the walls, many of them of Leticia, smiling, happy, so alive.
Were you close to Mrs.
Puit? We were friends for 25 years.
Chantel sat down on the couch, blotting her eyes with a tissue.
I knew her before the transition.
Supported her when she decided to have the surgery.
Been there for her during rehab.
So, you knew about her past? Of course I did.
I’m the only person she trusted completely.
And her husband? Chantel grinned bitterly.
Ebenezer? No, he didn’t know.
She never dared to tell him.
Afraid of his reaction.
Why? He’s homophobic and transphobic.
He was always making offensive comments about people like that.
Once they passed a gay pride parade and he spent a week talking about how sick and crazy they all were.
What do you think he would do if he found out that his own wife? Chantel didn’t finish the sentence, but Willis realized what she was getting at.
Ebenezer found out the truth yesterday.
He said in the gynecologist’s office.
Chantel turned pale.
My god.
She’d feared it more than anything in the world.
Said he’d kill her if he found out.
Do you think he’s capable of murder? I’ve never seen him lay a hand on her, Chantel answered cautiously.
But he’s hot-tempered, aggressive, and very proud.
For a man like that to find out that he’s been cheated for 15 years, that he’s been living with.
She hesitated again.
I don’t know what he’s capable of, but I can imagine he was beyond furious.
Did Leticia ever say she was afraid of him? Not directly, but she always tried to please him, not to make him angry, cooked his favorite meals, kept house, didn’t argue, often canceled our meetings if he suddenly changed plans and stayed home.
Did they have financial problems? Other stressful situations, the usual workingclass problems.
Money was always in short supply, but they managed.
Leticia made good money at the salon, and Ebenezer made a steady income as a security guard.
They had no children, which was probably for the best.
Chantel started crying again.
I can’t believe she’s gone.
Do you have any idea where Ebenezer might be now? He has a brother in Norfolk, Chantel said after a moment’s thought.
They’re not very close, but if he needs somewhere to hide.
Willis wrote down the information about Ebenezer’s brother and continued questioning.
Was there anyone else who might have wanted to harm Leticia? Someone who knew her secret and could use it.
Chantel shook her head.
No, I was the only one who knew, and I would never.
I’m not suggesting you had anything to do with her death, Willis reassured her.
I’m just gathering all the information I can.
I understand.
Chantel nodded.
But no, as far as I know, no one else knew.
She was very careful.
Even changed all her documents so there was no trace of her past identity.
Willis spent another hour questioning Chantel about Leticia’s past, her relationship with her husband, and possible conflicts.
As he was about to leave, Chantel suddenly remembered another detail.
There was a strange moment a few weeks ago.
Leticia said she felt like she was being followed.
Saw the same car several times near the salon.
She thought maybe Ebenezer had hired a private investigator to see if she was cheating on him.
Was she describing this car or the person behind the wheel? Dark sedan woman behind the wheel.
She didn’t say anything else specific.
And then it stopped.
So, we figured she was just imagining things.
That information got Willis thinking.
Could it be that Ebenezer really suspected something and was following his wife? Or was it someone else? Back at the station, Willis found that his team had made some progress.
The technicians had tracked Ebenezer’s movements through the city’s cameras.
After the alley, he’d headed toward the bus station and taken a bus to Norfolk.
This confirmed Shantel’s information about her brother.
“Contact the Norfolk police,” Willis ordered.
“Give them the brother’s address and a description of Puit.
Have them check it out, but keep it quiet.
If he’s there, we’ll have to be careful.
He might have a gun.
Meanwhile, the autopsy results came back.
Dr. Rimes confirmed cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma to the head and upper body.
Death was caused by head trauma and internal bleeding.
Time of death was between 7:30 and 8:30.
Anything unusual? Willis asked, reviewing the report.
The nature of the wounds indicates extreme rage on the part of the asalent.
Dr. Rimes replied.
Many of the blows were inflicted after the victim was dead.
And another detail, there were traces of latex gloves found on the body.
Maybe the killer was wearing gloves.
That’s what made Willis suspicious.
A murder in a state of passion is usually spontaneous.
The perpetrator doesn’t prepare in advance.
The presence of gloves could indicate some degree of premeditation.
By late afternoon, the detective had compiled all the available information.
Most of the evidence pointed to Ebenezer Puit.
Motive, shock, and rage at discovering his wife’s secret.
Opportunity.
He stalked her after the clinic.
His flight after the murder.
Cameras captured him in the alley around the time Leticia was killed.
Still, something was bothering Willis.
Some of the details didn’t add up.
Why would the killer wear gloves if it was a spontaneous crime? Why had Ebenezer gone to a brother he wasn’t close to instead of hiding in a more secure location? And what was the meaning of the strange sense of surveillance Leticia had mentioned? Willis went back to the security footage and began to review it again more carefully.
On the footage from the camera in front of the clinic, he noticed something he had missed earlier.
A dark sedan parked in front of the entrance.
As Leticia ran out of the clinic, followed by Ebenezer, the car pulled away and followed them, keeping its distance.
“Zoom in on the driver,” Willis asked the technician.
The grainy image showed a silhouette behind the wheel, a woman with short hair.
“Run this car through the database and find the other cameras along the route.
See where she headed after the alley.
Maybe there was someone else involved in this case they didn’t know about.
someone who had been following Leticia and probably had their own reasons for wanting to hurt her.
Willis looked at the board with the photos and case notes.
The basic theory remained the same.
Ebenezer Puit had killed his wife in a rage after learning about her past.
All the evidence pointed to him, but intuition honed over 30 years of detective work told Willis that not everything was so clear-cut.
There was something else to this story, some hidden element they hadn’t seen yet.
The third day of the investigation began for Detective Willis with the unexpected news that Ebenezer Puit himself had shown up at the Richmond Police Station early that morning.
He looked haggarded with eyes red from lack of sleep and wrinkled clothes.
When he was led into the interrogation room, he showed no resistance.
“I didn’t kill her,” were Ebenezer’s first words when Willis entered the room.
“Yes, I was furious.
Yes, I chased her, but I did not kill Leticia.
Willis sat across from him, watching the suspect closely.
In his 30 years as a detective, he’d learned to recognize when a man was lying.
But what he saw in Ebenezer’s eyes was not a lie, but desperation.
“Tell me what happened after you left the clinic,” Willis suggested calmly.
“I stalked her,” Ebenezer admitted, his eyes downcast.
“Screamed all sorts of terrible things.
I was out of my mind.
15 years of marriage and to find out such a thing.
But when she turned down that alley, I lost sight of her.
There was a car.
I had to go around and when I got to the alley, she was gone.
What did you do then? Wandered around the neighborhood trying to find her.
Then I drove home, packed up, and went to my brothers in Norfick.
I needed time to think.
Ebenezer looked up at the detective.
I heard on the news this morning that she’d been found dead.
I drove straight back to explain.
Why did you bring your gun? I always take it when I leave home for a few days.
Habit, he said quietly.
Look, I didn’t kill her.
Yes, I was angry.
Yes, I felt cheated, but I would never.
His voice trailed off.
Willis scrutinized Ebenezer.
Anger, hurt, confusion.
All of it was readable on his face, but there was something in his words that made him think.
You mentioned a car in the alley.
Can you describe it? dark sedan.
Not new, but it wasn’t exactly old.
I didn’t pay much attention.
I was too upset.
Did you see who was driving it? Ebenezer frowned, trying to remember.
A woman, I think, shorthair.
That detail matched the security footage and what Chantel had told him about the strange feeling of surveillance Leticia had experienced.
After questioning Ebenezer, Willis returned to the case file board.
Something was bothering him.
He went over the autopsy report again, paying particular attention to the time of death between 1730 and 1830.
Then he reread the statements of the clinic staff.
Suddenly, one detail caught his attention.
According to the receptionist, doctor Banks was supposed to finish her appointment at 17:00, but didn’t leave the clinic until 19:00.
2 hours difference.
What was she doing all that time? Willis called Detective Parker.
Run a background check on Dr. Dr. Nefertiti Banks, anything you can find, education, previous employment, personal life, and find out why she stayed late at the clinic the day of the murder.
While Parker was gathering information, Willis decided to talk to the clinic staff again.
Security guard Jaden recalled seeing Dr. Banks around 18:00.
She was leaving through the service entrance, looking agitated and hurrying to her car.
“What kind of car did she have?” Willis asked.
A dark blue Ford Fusion about 2,000 years old, the guard replied.
It’s beat up, but she said she was attached to it.
Dark sedan.
Coincidence? Willis didn’t believe in coincidences.
By late afternoon, Parker came back with information on Dr. Banks.
At first glance, everything looked flawless.
Prestigious education, good references from previous jobs, no trouble with the law.
But there was one interesting coincidence.
Before opening her own practice, Dr. Banks had worked at the medical center at the Richmond Plaza Shopping Center, the same one where Ebenezer Puit worked as a security guard.
They might have known each other, Parker noted.
She worked there for 5 years up until 2 years ago.
See if there was any connection between them, Willis ordered.
And check with the nurses to see if Ebenezer had any special relationship with Dr. Banks at the time of his wife’s visit.
The next morning, the investigation took an unexpected turn.
One of the clinic nurses, Tama, requested a confidential meeting with the detective.
She nervously rubbed the edge of her uniform as Willis sat down across from her in a small cafe near the clinic.
“I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid to,” she began.
Tactter Banks and this man, the husband of the murdered woman, they knew each other, and not just knew each other.
“What do you mean?” I saw them talking a couple of times in the parking lot outside the clinic.
Very uh intimate, like there was something between them.
And the day it happened, she specifically asked me not to be there when Mrs.
Puit was examined, even though I usually scrub in.
When did you see them together? About a month before the incident, and another week.
This information made Willis rethink the whole case.
What if Doctor Banks and Ebenezer had a relationship? What if she had deliberately revealed Leticia’s secret? Back at the station, Willis instructed them to check Dr. Banks and Ebenezer’s phone records for the past few months.
The results came quickly.
Over 50 calls between the two of them in the last 3 months, many late at night or early in the morning.
They were definitely communicating, Parker concluded.
And judging by the timing of the calls, they didn’t want anyone to know about it.
Willis decided to question Ebenezer again, but with a new focus.
Did you know doctor? Thanks.
Before your wife’s visit, he asked bluntly.
Ebenezer visibly tensed.
We were acquainted.
She worked at the medical center at the mall where I work as a security guard.
Just acquaintances or was there something more between you two? Ebenezer was silent for a long moment, then sighed heavily.
We’d met for a short time.
A couple months ago, it was a mistake and I ended things.
Did she know you were married? Of course she did.
But she said we were better suited for each other than Leticia and me.
And you didn’t think to mention that before? I didn’t see the connection.
Ebenezer shrugged.
Yes, it was wrong of me to cheat on my wife.
But what had it to do with her murder? Probably the most direct, Willis answered.
Dr. Banks accidentally or deliberately revealed your wife’s secret.
Then Leticia was murdered and Dr. Banks stayed at the clinic until about the time of the murder.
Ebenezer’s eyes widened with realization.
You think Nefertiti, but why? You said you ended the relationship.
Perhaps she was uncomfortable with that decision.
Perhaps she hoped that once you learned the truth about Leticia, you would leave her.
Parker interrupted their conversation by knocking on the door.
Detective, we have the DNA results from under the victim’s fingernails.
It’s not Ebenezer Puit.
It’s a female.
And the sample matches a hair sample we took from Dr. Banks office for another test.
With this evidence, Willis obtained a search warrant for Dr. Banks’s home and car.
They found bloody latex gloves in the trunk of her car, and in a trash can behind the house, they found clothing with traces of blood that she had not had time to completely destroy.
When police arrived to arrest Dr. Banks, she showed no surprise.
Sitting in her office, she calmly folded her hands on the desk as Willis read her her rights.
“I want to make a confession,” she said abruptly.
“But not here at the station.
” In the interrogation room, Dr. Nefertiti Banks looked completely different from the professional doctor Willis had met on the first day of the investigation.
Her cold eyes and the hard line of her mouth gave away a very different personality.
I met Ebenezer 3 years ago, she began.
I fell in love almost immediately.
He was a real man, strong, confident, the exact opposite of the weak men I used to date.
She spoke in a steady voice, emotionless, like she was telling a patient’s case history.
When I opened my own practice, I became his personal physician.
Gradually, we grew closer.
Two months ago, we started dating.
He said he was unhappy in his marriage, that his wife didn’t understand him.
The usual married man’s excuses.
Willis listened silently, letting her talk.
A month ago, I asked him to leave his wife and be with me.
He refused.
Said that with all his problems, he couldn’t leave Leticia.
That they had a special bond.
Her voice shook with anger for the first time.
I couldn’t understand what was so special about her.
She was an ordinary, unremarkable woman.
What was it about her that I wasn’t? So, you decided to find out, Willis prompted.
I started following her.
I found out where she worked, who she socialized with.
I noticed she was taking some kind of medication on a regular basis.
At first, I thought it was drugs, but then I recognized the hormone pills prescribed to transgender women.
Dr. Banks grinned Riley.
It was perfect.
Knowing Ebenezer, his views, his prejudices, I knew he couldn’t accept it.
All I had to do was create a situation where the truth would come out.
Did you make her appointment on purpose? No, it was a happy accident.
She made the appointment on her own.
I just made sure Ebenezer knew about the appointment and decided to pick her up.
One phone call hinting that his wife might be unwell.
He was always very solicitous when it came to her health.
And you deliberately revealed her secret in front of him.
Yes, I expected a scandal.
I expected him to leave her, but I didn’t expect her to run away and him to chase after her.
What happened in the alley? Dr. Banks closed her eyes for a moment, remembering.
I followed them in the car.
I saw her turn into the alley.
Ebenezer fell behind because of my car.
I slowed down on purpose to create an obstacle.
When I got to the alley, Leticia was there alone, trying to catch her breath.
Her voice had gotten quieter, but was still unemotional.
I approached her, told her I wanted to help.
She recognized me, of course, started yelling that I had ruined everything, that it was unprofessional, that she would file a complaint against me, destroy my practice.
Tucker Banks shook her head.
She didn’t understand.
I gave her a chance to leave with dignity to free Ebenezer, but she was only thinking of herself.
And you killed her.
There was rebar, Banks said as if justifying herself.
I just grabbed it and I don’t remember how many times I hit it.
All I remember is that when I stopped it wasn’t moving.
You were wearing gloves.
I’m a doctor.
I always carry gloves.
She shrugged.
It wasn’t a plan.
It was just a coincidence.
As Nefertiti Banks was led away to her cell, Willis sat at his desk for a long time reviewing the case notes.
The story was both simple and complex.
The love triangle, the secrets, the prejudices, all intertwined into one tragic knot.
Ebenezer Puit was released after Dr. Banks made a confession.
When Willis met him in the precinct hallway, he looked lost and aged 10 years.
I didn’t know she had those feelings for me, he said quietly.
We’d just had dinner together a couple times.
It meant nothing to me.
I would never, he didn’t finish the sentence.
She was obsessed with being with you, Willis replied.
To her, Leticia was an obstacle to be removed, and I chased after Leticia, yelling at her, calling her horrible words.
Ebenezer’s voice shook.
That was the last thing she’d heard me say.
“Hate and disgust.
” Willis watched silently as the large man tried to hold back tears.
“You know what the worst part is?” Ebenezer finally said.
“I loved her.
I really loved her.
Yes, I was shocked when I found out the truth.
Yes, it took me a while to accept it, but she was my wife for 15 years.
We were together for 15 years.
He shook his head.
I’d come back.
Maybe not right away, but I would.
A week after Dr. Banks’s arrest, Leticia Puit’s funeral was held.
The day was sunny, which seemed inappropriate for such a somber event.
A surprisingly large number of people had gathered outside the small church.
Colleagues from the beauty salon, clients, neighbors.
Ebenezer stood a little apart, hesitant to come closer.
But when the service was over, Chantel, Leticia’s best friend, came up to him and silently took his hand.
Together, they walked over to the casket to say goodbye.
“She was so afraid you’d find out,” Chantel said quietly.
“All her life, she lived in fear that the truth would come out and you would hate her.
” I don’t hate her, Ebeneza replied, looking at his wife’s peaceful face, which the funeral home makeup artists had done their best to restore.
I miss her, and I wish she had confided in me sooner.
“She loved you,” Chantel said.
“More than anything in the world,” Ebenezer nodded, unable to utter a word, then carefully placed a red rose, Leticia’s favorite flower, on the casket.
Detective Willis watched the ceremony from a distance.
He wasn’t a religious man, but at times like this, he always thought about the strange irony of life and how prejudice and fears can destroy even the strongest bonds between people.
The case was solved, the killer confessed and awaited trial.
But for Willis, it brought only bitter satisfaction.
Too late for Leticia Puit, who had spent her life hiding her true identity for fear of being rejected.
Too late for Ebenezer, who only now realized he could have accepted his wife for who she was.
Getting into the car, Willis took one last look at the cemetery where Ebenezer still stood by the grave with his head down.
Some secrets are better to solve themselves than to let others do it, especially those with ulterior motives of their
