Chapter 2:
Frank and Callie had left the crowded ballroom where the prom was taking place. Instead they went outside to a garden and sat on a bench. They could see the full moon and a few stars. Frank pulled her closer to him and breathed deeply.
"It's a beautiful night Frank."
He kissed her. "It is."
Callie looked up. "I can't see very many stars. Remember when you took me to the lake. Looking up at those stars was amazing."
Frank remembered that trip too. It had been a wonderful weekend. Callie continued with her thoughts.
"But that wasn't the best part."
Frank lifted her chin so that he could look at her. "What was the best part."
"Having you there. Being with you...loving you."
Frank's heart soared at her words. She completed him. "I love you to Callie."
Callie closed the distance between them.
Frank and Joe woke up late Sunday morning or afternoon rather. They were greeted by their parents. "How was the prom boys?" Laura asked.
Joe went to the fridge and pulled out the orange juice. "It was fun."
Gertrude was pulling out bread to make sandwiches. "Did you behave yourselves?"
Before either of the boys could comment their father exclaimed. "Oh no...not again."
Laura frowned. "What is it darling?"
Fenton held up the paper for everyone to see. "The rapist struck again."
"Didn't Ezra ask you to look into it behind the scenes?" Laura asked nervously.
"Yes...I have been doing some research about serial rapists in the area and have found nothing."
Frank and Joe looked at each other nervously.
Frank asked, "Have the police tried to profile him?"
"Of course..." Fenton said.
Joe looked at the paper. "According to this...the girl was a student from Lancaster High...that is the private school here in Bayport."
Fenton took a sip of orange juice from his glass. "This rapist is really sick! He follows his victims to their homes. He likes to sodomize, rape, and torture his victims to the brink of death. Then he makes the victim call a friend to tell them about the rape. While the victim is on the phone with the friend the line is disconnected. It isn't going to be long before he takes a victims life."
Laura shook her head. Gertrude placed two plates down, one in front of Frank the other in front of Joe.
Fenton continued speaking with his sons. "If you fellows hear any rumours or anyone talking trash about this...I want to know about it."
They both nodded.
Frank and Joe pulled up to school the next day for classes. As usual Callie and Vanessa were waiting for them on the same bench to school. Frank hurried over to Callie and gave her a kiss.
"Hello there."
"Hi yourself...Frank...did you read the paper this morning?"
He took her hand and they went into school together. "I did...dad is trying to look into a few things on his own." He could tell she was upset. They had been dating for two years...and have been rather intimate for a year of that time.
Callie smiled. "Oh good...the girl that was raped from Lancaster High...I knew her. We met during that Broadcast Journalism class that I did at UCLA a couple summers ago. Remember the story I did with the street people and how we solved the mystery of a decade long bank robbery?"
Frank squeezed her hand. "I remember the case...you met the victim in class? Is she alright?"
Callie bit her lip. "I don't know her that well. I just recognized her picture."
Frank nodded. "Try not to worry to much. She survived and that is a blessing."
"I have Volleyball practice for the state championship game this evening. I can't do our normal Monday night out for dinner."
"Neither can I actually. Phil and I have to start our computer science project." He kissed her and they went there separate ways. Frank headed to Information Technology and Callie to Journalism 3. Just two weeks and they would graduate.
Vanessa and Joe were watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on DVD. Vanessa had made a fantastic dinner. Her mother had been called to LA for a business meeting and would be gone until Thursday next week. It was Friday night and Joe was happy.
"I love summer vacation."
Vanessa giggled. "Why is that?"
Joe pulled her onto his lap. "Because I can relax and do what ever I want." He wiggled his eyebrows flirtatiously.
Vanessa leaned over and whispered huskily. "And what do you want?"
Joe pulled Vanessa closer to him and kissed her. Her tongue skimmed his mouth. Joe gave in and deepened the kiss and his right hand tangled in her hair. His left caressing her back. They fell backwards on the sofa and Vanessa straddled him never breaking their kiss. Joe's hands were like magic to her. She kissed his neck and he moaned at her touch. The grandfather clock in the den struck 11:00 PM, but they really didn't care.
Vanessa looked down at Joe and slipped off her tee shirt. His hands caressed her bare skin and fire shot straight through her. She wanted more...much more. She pulled off Joe's shirt and leaned into him. Vanessa kissed and teased Joe's chest with her tongue.
Joe moaned at her ministrations. He reached behind her and fingered her bra strap. He looked in Vanessa's eyes asking permission to release it. She nodded and just as he had begun to unhook it. The phone rang.
They both jumped. "Damn..." Joe gasped. "It's probably my mom."
Vanessa was laughing. "Cool it lover boy...your curfew for the weekend is 1:00 AM. If anything it's my mom telling me she got to LA alright." She picked up the cordless.
Joe smiled he saw no reason to stop what he was doing. He kissed her neck and continued to touch her.
"Hello..."
"V...Van."
Vanessa recognized the voice of her best friend at once...it didn't sound right. She shoved Joe off her and pushed the speaker phone and accidentally hit the record button. "Hey Callie...what's wrong?"
"H...H...he's here."
Vanessa frowned...no one was supposed to be at the Shaw's right now. They were on a vacation in Europe. "Who's there? Frank?"
"No...not Frank..."
"Callie who is there?" Vanessa asked. She was beginning to feel scared.
Callie gasped. "Ahh...the one...in the papers."
Vanessa's heart began to race. She watched Joe leap off the floor and reach for his cell. He quickly dialed 911. "Who's there Callie?"
She sobbed. "He raped me Vanessa."
The next thing she heard was Callie scream and the phone go dead. "CALLIE?"