“It’s not your fault. This is on him. We might have to check floor by floor. His room could be anywhere.” Isaac opened the door for Catarina, and they entered the hotel. Crossing the lobby, he pushed the button to summon an elevator. “I’ll check our room because I have the key. Maybe she was too scared or upset to answer the door when you knocked. Or she put on headphones. Music is calming.” He hoped that’s all that had happened, even if he didn’t believe it.
Behind where they stood, a woman spoke to the front desk clerk, “I wanted a sauna but there was someone screaming on the fitness level. You need to check it out. Someone needs to see if they’re okay.” She looked concerned.
Isaac and Catarina shared a glance and hurried into the elevator when at last it arrived. He stabbed the button for the third floor. When the doors opened, they rushed out.
Anna’s purple phone lay on the floor next to the wall. He grabbed it. There were dozens of text notifications from himself and Catarina. Trotting down the hall, they passed the pool and turning the corner, the sound of sobbing became clear.
“Oh my god,” said Catarina, covering her mouth. “She’s still crying?”
“She’s having a meltdown.” Isaac broke into a run, skidding to a stop in front of the family change room at the end of the hall.
Bursting through the door with Catarina on his heels. Anna’s tear-streaked face looked up, and her look of terror subsided. Even in this state, she recognized them. She closed her eyes and took a couple of shuddering breaths, trying to regain control.
Isaac sat beside her and moved her into his lap where he wrapped his arms around her. He held her close, feeling her relax an infinitesimal amount.
“What can I do?” said Catarina, speaking Spanish.
“I don’t know how the law works in Australia,” said Isaac, speaking calmly despite the welling volcano of anger inside. He had to keep it together, or he’d frighten Anna more. “But tell the concierge to call the police.” He turned back. “Sweetheart,” he whispered as he smoothed her hair with one hand. “Was it Spencer? Did he do this?”
She didn’t seem able to answer verbally yet, but she gulped and nodded.
This time, that bastard would pay.
Not leaving, but calling the front desk, Catarina said, “This is an emergency. There’s been a sexual assault on the third floor in the family change room. Call the police and send medical.”
Minutes later, a harried-looking man dressed in a burgundy hotel blazer arrived at the door near Catarina. “I’m the hotel manager,” he said, a look of concern on his face. “The police are on their way.” From a distance came the sound of an approaching siren outside the hotel. It stopped out front. “I’ve told security to pull up surveillance footage for the elevator and the third-floor hallway.”
Anna’s tears slowed. Her face remained blotchy, and her lip was swollen and split. A purple lump was growing on her forehead. Rage filled every fiber of Isaac’s being. Spencer had hit her. Isaac remained on the floor, his legs still on either side of her, his arms wrapped around her in a full-body hug.
“What happened?” said the hotel manager.
Anna lifted her head and directed her gaze at Isaac’s hand. “AustinSpencer attacked me and forced me in here where nobody could see us.”
The manager took in Isaac in his riding leathers and the young women in their team clothing. “Spencer? The Australian racer?” From his wide-eyed look, the man was shocked by the news.
Isaac nodded. “We’ll be pressing charges.” Anna stiffened in his arms. “We’ll help,” he said, “But he can’t get away with this again. He hurt you.” She leaned back against him with a sigh and nodded. He looked at the hotel manager. “It will help if it’s caught on camera.”
Two police officers in black and tan uniforms arrived minutes later, a paramedic in tow. Isaac helped Anna move from the floor to the hallway, where it wasn’t such a confined space. There were too many people for the small change room. The manager blocked off the hallway, closing it for the duration of the police stay.
Isaac took Anna’s hand, standing beside her while she told the officers what had happened.
“Austin Spencer tried to rape me.” She’d recovered her poise and could speak for herself. She explained she was on the spectrum and had been overwhelmed by the assault. “It’s the first time my meltdowns have ever been helpful.” She bit her lip as she stared at the floor.
“Helpful?” said one of the police officers, glancing up from her notebook. “He smashed your head on the counter and hit you.”
Isaac wasn’t sure the officer believed Anna’s story.
Anna must have thought the same thing. Her body stiffened and her fire returned as she spoke. “He attempted to rape me, but we fought. I elbowed him in the stomach and screamed so loud, he might have worried that he’d be caught, so he left. My screams saved me.” She met the officer’s gaze. “I was really loud.” She took a deep breath. “When I slapped him, my ring cut his face. Can you get DNA from it?”
“Indeed, we can,” said the first officer. “I’ll send someone over to collect it.”
The second officer swabbed her ring, dropping the sample into a sealed bag. Then, he took photos of the change room and of Anna’s face, showing her swelling goose egg, split lip, and the purple and red bruise forming across her cheekbone. Bruises bloomed on her wrist as well, so the officers took additional photos. Once the damage had been documented, the paramedic carefully checked her injuries and passed her an ice pack.
“Do you have any idea where Spencer would have gone?” asked the first officer.
“To the track. He and I are supposed to be at the same practice.” Isaac glanced out the window toward the Phillip Island circuit. The practice was more than half over.
“Who are you?” said the officer with the notebook.
