“I … I just saved her from a rape, I think.”
“W-what?”
“The man is only a few doors down. I don’t know what to do.”
“Goddammit, Nicole! How the hell did you end up there in the first place?”
“That doesn’t matter right now. Can you please come? The man might come back and hurt us both.”
“Jesus Christ. Why didn’t you call 911?”
“I’m not sure if it could hurt Lacey’s case if I’m found here. Are you coming?”
“I can’t. I’m escorting a murderer to the station.”
I heard a pause, then Nolan spoke again, away from the phone.
“Dispatch, this is Nolan. Possible sexual assault attempt at the Seacoast Inn. Female unconscious. Suspect still on-site. Send a unit immediately.” Another short pause. “Nicole?” He was back on the line.
“Yes.”
“Can you get yourself to safety?”
I looked around. I could try to drag the woman around the corner.
“I think so. Hang on.”
Quickly, I rose and shoved the phone into my pocket. Then I started dragging her. God, she was so skinny. How could this be such a workout?
Somehow I managed to pull her around the corner of the motel, all while Detective Nolan kept yelling my name through the phone, asking what was going on.
“I dragged her out of sight.” I huffed, completely out of breath.
“Good. Stay there. A patrol car is less than a minute away. I’ll stay on the line until they get there.”
Chapter 26
Nicole
“Here,” the officer said, handing me his card.
I glanced over my shoulder.
The motel was dead silent. No voices. No one in sight. Nobody wanted any contact with the police. Not a single door had cracked open when the police arrived—not even a curious peek. Except for the man’s door. The one the police had kicked in when he refused to open it.
Apparently, there was a warrant out for his arrest—for drug trafficking.
He shot me hateful glares as the officers dragged him across the parking lot. They shoved him into the back of the patrol car and slammed the door shut.
The woman was already in an ambulance. Most likely just drunk, they said, but they wanted to take her to a hospital just in case.
The ambulance drove off. I watched it disappear and put the card in my pocket.
“Call us if you remember anything else,” the young officer said. His face looked tired and bored, as if at the end of his shift.
He turned and walked back to the patrol car with the man in the back, who was grousing about something as the officer got in. Probably professing his innocence.
I walked back to my car too. The seat was cold when I slid in, and I couldn’t help but feel like I had failed Lacey.
