Sunday evening was slow, slower than normal for an early fall night, I was told by the departing day shift. They had had only a couple of minor problems all day. Since it was still daylight I walked the perimeter of the college, trying to get a better mental picture of the layout.

I had made it my goal in life to catch, maybe kill the son of a bitch that was raping the girls from the college. I also wondered how it was being kept so quiet from the media. Someone associated with the college at a very high level has some damn big clout with the media or were involved with the rapist.

That might be another project for Jen. Search for sex offenders in the area or those in jail that may be getting some kind of temporary release or furlough the first of every month.

Exercise is good for the soul so I not only walked around the whole college I crisscrossed and scoped out every possible entrance. I made notes on my smart phone about places that needed more lighting or bushes removed. I also was going to ask about window stickers that went on the inside of the windshield for all students and personal. That had to be changed every month instead of yearly.

I went to the auditorium to check it out and made a mental plan for the rape prevention class I was going to have. Yes, it would work perfectly; it had the latest audio visual systems. Plus, mats could be put across the front for some rough and tumble. I just had to get Jen up to speed quickly and do some practice runs.

I went back to the office and sent my night partner on patrol around the roads and the parking lots that were next to the college. I wanted the tag numbers of every car that was on the property without a parking permit.

While he was gone I pulled up the folder and reviewed the rape reports again, then cross-referenced the three that were still students here. I looked at their current pictures and the pictures from last year. I memorized those pictures, their information, and their dorm room numbers. I wanted to talk to them, interview them and to see if they would be willing to do a reenactment of their capture, individually and as a group. I was hoping but doubtful.

At 10 PM my partner came back from his rounds with the list of tag numbers. I entered them into a spreadsheet and also emailed them to Jen with a note that I would explain later what I wanted.

I started my rounds, this time I did the walk-thru of the dorms first to mix things up. I had completed the first floor and had made my way about halfway thru the second floor when I came upon a young woman with short dark hair, setting on a bench crying; she was nearly sobbing.

“Miss, what’s wrong, can I help you?” I asked.

I got no response, only more crying. I put my arm around her and pulled her to me.

“Miss, what’s wrong, let me help, are you in pain, do you need a doctor?” I asked again.

She turned, looked at me and said “I’ll be OK in a few minutes – the doctors haven’t helped me. It just keeps coming back. That’s all.”

I immediately recognized her as Lorrie Smithfield, victim number 3. I pulled her close.

“It’s OK, it’s OK, I’ will hold you. I’m here,” I told her.

I held her close for a few minutes as she settled down.

I called Russ and told him to lock the office and finish the patrol. I would meet him back at the office in a short while.

I pulled a tissue from my pocket and wiped her face; she smiled a little smile at me. I kissed her on the forehead and hugged her again.

“I know your pain, it will go away but it will take time and there will be rough days,” I said.

“The docs said that but it still haunts me,” she said.

“I know but I assure you talking helps. Would you like to walk with me back to the office? We can talk about anything you want over coffee,” I said.

“Yeah, I would, could you hold me close as we walk – I’m scared if someone is not close. My roommate is away tonight,” she said.

“I will not let anyone hurt you when you are with me,” I said.

As we went out the door I put my arm around her and hers around me. At the office I poured her a cup of fresh coffee, Russ had been making it as I started my rounds. I then thought better of it. I put a cup of water in the microwave and hit the button for 30 seconds. When it had finished I poured a packet of Swiss Miss into the cup and handed it to Lorrie with a spoon.

“How did you know I liked hot chocolate?” she asked.

“All of us girls do, but we have to keep it a secret,” I said.

She smiled big and wide for the first time since she had been crying.

Russ came in a minute later so I handed him the cup of coffee. He raised his eyebrows and moved his eyes in the direction of Lorrie as if to ask a question. I wrote a note on pad and gave it to him.

“Lorrie Smithfield, victim 3 – her roommate is not here and she is having a bad night. Over in the admin building store room there are some army cots, can you go get one and a blanket and pillow, please.”

He looked at me, nodded, smiled and said “I’ll be right back.”

When he came back he not only had the things I asked for, he also had an LL Bean sleeping bag.

I said, “Russ, you don’t know how many times I wished I had one of those when I was in the sandbox.”

We set the cot up in my office, put the sleeping bag on it as sort of a mattress, the pillow and then the blanket. We made small talk for a few minutes.

Russ said, “I’ll go do another patrol.”

“Ride the roads and the parking lot again, this time hit these 4 places with the spot light when you get to them.” As I pointed them out on the map, “They are not well lit, are too close to the road and have too many bushes,” I said.

After Russ left Lorrie asked, “You said that you understood and felt my pain?”

“Yes, six years ago I was drugged and raped – I know your pain first hand,” I replied.

“Then, I’m not crazy,” she said.

“No, you are not crazy,” I replied.

“I want to stop the rapes here. I want to watch you spit in their faces and kick them in the balls for what they have done to you, if I let them live that long,” I said.

“Yes, I would like to do that,” she said.

After more small talk and she had downed the cup of hot coca, Lorrie went in and lay on the cot to try to get some sleep.

I told her “I will be right out here in case you need anything, just relax and try to rest, you have class tomorrow and need to be bright-eyed and bushytailed.”

Lorrie woke 2 more times during the night, full of fright. Each time I went in to comfort and stay with her until she went back to sleep.

At 6 AM I woke Lorrie and walked her back to her dorm so she could get ready for her day. Before leaving I gave her my card with my phone numbers, even my personal one. I told her that any time that she needed me for anything, to talk, to be with someone or whatever to call me no matter what time day or night.

Edit by Alfmeister