Lulu was on her way up to Crimson when she heard a voice call her name. It was Olivia. "Hold the elevator." Once inside, Olivia told her how Dante had been asking them questions about her. "Sweetheart, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I just think that it is time you told him the truth. It'll be better coming from you. Think about how devastated he would be knowing it secondhand. Not to mention that I don't like keeping secrets from my son. Please, just think about it."

"Okay. I will," she said reluctantly. She knew that Olivia was right. She had to tell him. She had some time to think about things and she didn't want to ruin the friendship that they had by keeping secrets any longer. She would have to work up the nerve somehow.

Later in the day, she finally called him. "Dante, I was wondering if you could stop by this evening? I'd just like to spend some time together. I also need to talk to you about something. Seven o'clock okay?"

"Sounds great. I'll be there." Finally, he thought, maybe she is going to let me in on what has been bothering her lately.

When she arrived home, there was a note sitting at her doorstep. Hmm, wonder who this could be from, she thought. It better not be Dante standing me up. She opened it as she walked in the door. In shock, the white piece of paper slipped from her hands. It simply said, "I know that you talked to the police. Now, you'll pay."

Dante arrived 10 minutes later. The door was standing wide open. Cautiously, he entered with his service pistol drawn. "Lulu? Where are you?" he asked quietly. From the corner of his eye, he caught a figure by the fireplace. "Lulu?" he asked again. He found her curled in a ball, rocking back and forth, staring off into space. Finally deciding that she was the only one there, he put his gun away and walked toward her. He knelt down beside her and took hold of her shoulders. It was as if she was hit by lightning. In one quick move, she reached over and started pounding on him, fists clenched, screaming at him to get away from her. She felt trapped. He was grabbing her arms, trying to get her to stop. She grabbed his shirt balling it up in her hands, buried her head in his chest, and sobbed uncontrollably. "What is it, Lulu? I want you to tell me now!" he said with urgency in his voice. Without looking up, she replied "Oh, Da-Dante. I'm so s-sorry. I sh-should have tuh-told you. I'm so, so s-sorry."

"Tell me what? Why are you sorry?" He was becoming more apprehensive by the minute. "Lulu, you are scaring me."

"I d-don't kn-know where to st-start. I'm, I'm afraid of wh-what you'll-think-of-me." Her words were becoming more difficult to understand with every convulsive sigh.

"Why don't you just take a deep breath and start at the beginning. I can take it, I promise." His voice was so calming, so reassuring.

After she had settled a bit, she continued. "Remember the day you came to visit me and I was acting so on edge?" Tears were pooling again in her amber eyes.

"Yeah, I thought it was strange. It wasn't like you at all."

"I lied to you when I said that it was work." She looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

Dante looked a little hurt, yet oddly relieved at the same time. "Okay," he said slowly, a bit uneasy about what might be coming next.

"Dante, I was raped!", she let it out quickly, the tears flowing once again.

He felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Never did he imagine something so horrible would happen to anyone he loved. Guilt washed over him. Why didn't I see the signs? I should have been able to tell. What kind of a cop doesn't see this? Dante's guilt was being replaced with anger, anger at the attacker and himself. "Who did this?" Clenching his jaw, he asked her again, "Lulu, WHO DID THIS?"

"Dante, you're hurting me." He loosened his grip. In his shock, he hadn't realized how hard he had been holding onto her arms. "I don't know, Dante, I DON'T KNOW!" Gaining some composure, she continued, "There's more. When I came home this evening, there was a note at my door. It said that I would pay for going to the police. What am I going to do? I'm so scared." Her crying resumed, even harder this time. Dante pulled her into him. "Shhh. You're going to be all right. I'm staying with you tonight. I'll make sure that you are never alone again."