Chapter 3

Bobby looked at his watch for the one hundredth time that night and sighed. "This guys not showing up tonight. I'm gonna get Alex, and we'll call it a night," he told the Vice Detective. He nodded as Bobby climbed into the other car and drove toward Alex.

"Hey, Alex. He's not coming," he said once she bent into the window.

Alex looked angry. "I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are. It's cold. We'll be back tomorrow night. I promise we'll catch this scumbag, but not tonight." He said reaching to open the door.

"Fine." She said as she got in and slammed the door.

"Don't be mad at me." He said softly.

"You are taking over again, Goren…and you promised this was my show." She kept looking straight ahead.

"I'm not meaning too. You know that, Alex. It's cold and you've not slept since yesterday. Please just this once." He laid his hand on her arm.

She tried to smile. "Fine."

He dropped her off at her place and went home. He didn't like leaving things the way they were, but he knew it was pointless to try and talk to her until she was ready.

Alex tried to make herself tired enough to go to bed, but failed. It wasn't long before she had slipped back into her clothes and called a cab to take her back to the corner of Lexington and Bravo. She knew Bobby would be livid if he found out she'd went back alone, but she had to. Everything instinct was telling her that tonight was the night. They just didn't wait long enough.

Cool and confident, it's what had saved her life before. The other women weren't prepared, weren't strong, weren't hungry for this guy's blood. And then she knew without turning around that he was behind her. He might've been only 6 foot but to her mind's over active imagination he was 100 feet taller. She slowly turned to look at him, but there was no one there. She kept walking. It was dark out and the air was turning colder. Suddenly the logical part of her kicked in. She was foolish to attempt this without backup, without a gun, and without her partner. Alex stepped down off the curb and was relieved when a taxi cab pulled around the corner. She got in.

"Elm and 51st please."

"Sure thing, darling. I'll get us there."

She saw his dark eyes in the rear view mirror looking at her. When her eyes met his, he smiled back at her. It was apparent to her that he wasn't taking her to Elm but in the opposite direction. Alex wondered if she should play it cool or jump from the car. Playing calm was her only choice. She pretended to be distracted by applying more makeup, keeping one eye on her surroundings. A moment later, he pulled into a parking garage. He said not a word, and Alex knew it was now or never. When he got out to open her door, she attempted to get out the passenger door, but as a serial rapist who had long practiced his craft, he had thought she might try this as countless women had no doubt done before. He grabbed her leg and pulled her to him.

"That's it, baby. Fight me. I love it when there's a fight." He growled with a desperate hunger in his voice.

Alex tried to use her heal to kick him in the groin, what she got was a hard fist to her mouth. An immediate taste of blood filling her injured mouth. He tore her skirt open and began to claw at her panties.

"I'm gonna make you scream you little whore! Mmm yes! Scream for me!"

He slid his hand down his pants stroking himself, while his knee pinned her thigh down and her legs spread apart. Slowly he unzipped himself, and his erection loomed over her. He didn't rip off her panties as she feared he would. She began to fight with every bit of strength she could and he lay on top of her, his erection pressing sickeningly into her thigh and his hands wrapped around her throat. His grasp began growing tighter and tighter. She knew this would be the end. She would die battered and raped in the back of this dirty old cab. His face would be the last thing she would see. Alex gasped to breathe and she felt as if she were passing out. Then all at once all the air came flooding back into her lungs. The weight upon her was instantly gone and when she opened her eyes, there stood Bobby, his hand bloody, her attacker unconscious and handcuffed on the ground. And the an indescribable look of fear in his eyes as he saw Alex's limp body lying on that seat. An officer helped her stand, and she began to walk past Bobby to the ambulance. Her pride and dignity just moments from being shattered.