Chapter 6

Two weeks later, when Karen was returning to Princeton, she got a later start than usual. Emma's softball team was playing for the championship and she wanted her mother to be there. By the time the game was over and the winning team (Emma's) celebrated, it was almost ten. Karen considered waiting until morning to drive to New Jersey, but she wanted to be with House. Getting there at midnight wouldn't be a problem for him – he was a night owl. So she headed out.

It was about 11:30. She was on Route 202, just outside of Doylestown. The road was pretty empty. Suddenly, she noticed a car behind her that seemed to be rather close. She sped up a little, but the car was still tailgating her. She was already in the right lane, so she didn't know why he didn't pass her.

Then he was even closer and all at once, he bumped her car. That seemed odd, but she pulled over to the shoulder. Still, something seemed wrong. She looked in her rear view mirror as a man got out of the car and approached hers.

And just like that, she was on alert.

As he got close to the car, she stayed exactly where she was and made sure all the doors were locked. She had dialed 911 on her cell phone and just told the dispatcher her location when he got to her. She cracked the window barely an inch.

"Hi." The driver said. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I messed up your bumper."

"Okay." Karen said. "I'll get the police so that they can make a report."

"Gee, I'd really prefer if we don't do that. My insurance will skyrocket. I can just pay you for the damage. Why don't you come out and take a look?"

"That's okay, I'd rather wait for the police." She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Come on, give me a break. I told you…"

"The police will just do a report. They won't tell your insurance company."

"Okay, truth is, I don't have insurance. And I've had a few beers. If the cops come in, I'm in big trouble."

He could be telling the truth. It could have been the drinking that made him drive so close to her. But she'd had enough warning emails sent to her from friends about situations like this to be wary.

"I'm sorry, but I'd really rather wait for the police."

She could see anger start to cloud his face. He banged his fist on her car door. "Bitch! You're gonna mess me up? Get out of the car and look at the god-damned damage."

She shook her head. "Never mind. I don't care about the damage. I'll pay for it myself."

At that moment, the lights of a police car could be seen in the distance.

The man got a panicked look and returned to his car. He peeled out of there as fast as he could. She watched him go and tried to remember the license plate.

She was shaking when the police officer approached.

"Did you call 911 ma'am?"

She nodded, unable to speak.

"Can you tell me the problem?"

She swallowed hard and in a whisper said, "There was a man. He hit my car and wanted me to get out. I was scared, so I didn't."

The police officer, who was young, but with intelligent eyes, nodded. "That was probably a wise thing to do."

She nodded and slowly told him the rest of the story.

When she finished, he was silent for a moment, then said, "I'll be right back ma'am. I'm just going to my car." He walked away and went to the back of her car. He pulled out a flashlight and surveyed her bumper, then returned to the police car.

He returned in less than five minutes. "Ma'am, there is some damage to your car. It may be driveable, but I have the feeling you aren't in any condition to drive."

She shook her head.

"Can you tell me where you live?"

"I, um, live in Lancaster, but I was going to Princeton. My boyfriend lives there. I'm moving there."

The officer nodded. Princeton was less than a half an hour from where they were.

"I called a police tow truck to take your car. I'll drive you to Princeton."

Karen was relieved, then suddenly scared again. "Would you mind…could I see your ID? Your badge?"

He nodded. "Of course."

He pulled his badge and his ID out and handed it to her. "If you want to call 911 or the police dispatch, they can verify who I am."

She could do that, but the feeling that she'd had with the stranger in the car was not here now. She felt safe. And she could see his gun, so if he wanted to hurt her, he certainly had the weaponry. There was no escape if he wasn't who he said he was.

"That's fine. I'll go with you."

She opened the car door and climbed out. She got her purse and her overnight bag and headed to the police car. He opened the passenger door for her and she got in.

He got in the other side and picked up the radio. "This is Franklin. I'm taking the driver home. I'll check in after."

"Roger that." A voice on the other end said.

He asked her name and she told him. He talked pleasantly on the ride to Princeton and she started to relax. She gave him Greg's address and directions. There was little traffic that time of night and twenty minutes later they pulled up to 221 Baker.

She hadn't called him to tell him what happened. She just couldn't talk about it on the phone. So he was shocked when he opened the door to find Karen and a policeman standing there.

"What happened?" he asked as she fell into his arms.

"Are you Dr. House?" The officer asked.

"Yeah."

"May I come in? I'd like to help Ms Rossi explain what happened this evening."

"What the hell? Karen, what happened?"

The tears that she'd been holding back started to fall. "There was a man. He hit my car. He wanted me to get out, but I was scared, so I didn't."

Officer Franklin closed the door behind him. "Can we all sit down? I'd like to talk about this."

House eyed him warily, but nodded and led Karen to the sofa. She was trying to stop crying as she sat. The police officer sat on the chair opposite them.

"Ms Rossi actually was very smart in what she did. There was a report a week ago about the same thing happening near Allentown. The woman was raped. And a few weeks before that, it happened in Scranton. That woman was also raped, but she had a heart attack and died."

House stared at him. Karen started to panic all over again. "Oh my God!" she whispered.

House put his arm around her and held her close to him. "Why the hell are you telling her this?"

"To let her know how lucky she was that she had the presence of mind to do what she did. And to see how much she remembers about him. If she can describe him, we might be able to catch him."

"I don't know." She said. "It was so dark. And he wore a cap."

Something bothered House. He looked at the cop. He was young, not over thirty by his guess, probably closer to twenty-five.

"How do you know what happened in Scranton and Allentown? You work in Doylestown."

Officer Franklin looked him directly in the eye. "I read every report that comes in about crimes anywhere in the state. Even here, since we're not that far from New Jersey. I always figure the bad guys might spread out of their area and I want to be prepared."

This young man was smart and he had a sixth sense when it came to criminals. He might be just a patrolman now, but he'd be a detective before long.

"Ms Rossi, would you mind coming to the station tomorrow and working with a police artist?"

She looked at House. He just shrugged, as if to say, it's up to you.

She bit her lip, then said, "Yes, I'll do that. Whatever I can do to help catch him."

Officer Franklin gave her his card and the address of the police station and then said goodbye to them.

When he'd gone, House turned to her and asked, "How are you doing?"

She shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never had anything like that happen to me before. I – I just feel so tired right now."

He nodded. "Come on, let's go to bed."

He led her into the bedroom, where she collapsed on the bed. He lay beside her and held her. He could feel her shaking.

"It's okay, now." He told her. "It's all over."

She nodded silently. When she spoke, her voice was shaky. "What if I hadn't remembered those messages? What if he had done something to me?"

House swallowed. That thought had occurred to him as well. "He didn't. Everything's fine."

"He could have… oh, God, what would my kids do if…"

What would I do? House thought, holding her close to him. What would I do without you?

"Karen, I lo –"

She wasn't listening to him. "Do you think he'll try it again?"

"What?"

"Do you think he'll try to trick some other woman into getting out of her car?"

"Possibly."

She was silent for a moment, then pulled him to her and said in a whisper. "Make love to me. I need to feel you inside me. Right now!"

He pulled her into his arms and made love to her with all the passion he felt.

As they lay there after, she said, "Greg, I'm scared."

"I know you are, baby. But it's okay, nothing is going to happen to you. And this was the last weekend you had to travel like that. You'll be moving here."

She snuggled closer. "And I'll be here with you."

"Yeah."

"Okay." Her voice was heavy with exhaustion.

"Karen," he said quietly, "I love you."

But she was asleep. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes.