

Denise thought about calling Sergeant Steve Richards, a detective on the city police force, to see if she could obtain any further information regarding the rapes.
While the police normally wouldn't share information of that type with a civilian, Denise and Steve had a special bond.
She had met Steve eight months earlier when she had encountered Jimmy Edwards, a psychopathic serial rapist who had earmarked Denise as his next victim. Unfortunately for Jimmy, he had no way of knowing that following her own rape, Denise had not only taken up the martial arts, but had also become expert with an easily concealable Kel-Tec .32 calibre automatic pistol. Three bullets to the centre of Jimmy's chest had resulted in one less piece of filth walking the streets.
The police had at first doubted Denise's story of attempted rape, since she had moved so quickly that Jimmy didn't have a chance to put a mark on her. Several officers thought it was probably a lovers quarrel that had gone too far. It was Sergeant Richards who believed Denise and obtained a search warrant for Jimmy's apartment. There, he found Jimmy's souvenir album, filled with pictures he had taken of all his victims after he had raped them. All doubt regarding Denise's story evaporated. The shooting was declared self defence, and Denise's pistol was returned to her. After that, Denise and Steve had become fast friends.
Denise decided against calling Steve. She would go see him.
**********
Desk Sergeant William Maynard watched Denise enter the Police Station and cross the lobby. She was definitely an attractive young lady, he thought.
Denise was semi casually dressed in a white silk blouse, a short black skirt and white high heels. A small white purse hung from her left shoulder, and she carried a rolled up newspaper in her left hand. She stood five foot five and weighed one hundred and ten pounds. She had an excellent figure, and she kept her body toned with daily exercise and martial arts practice three times a week. She had the excellent legs of a professional dancer. She had a baby doll face with large brown eyes and full lips. Her thick brunette hair fell to just below her shoulders. Denise was without a doubt a head turner.
"Good morning, Miss Rhodes. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Denise was seen often enough with Sergeant Richards that she was fairly well known around the Station, although nobody really knew what their relationship was. Some said they were secretly having an affair; others said they were dating; still others felt that they were just friends.
"For most of us, Sergeant Maynard. For most of us." Denise was thinking of a sixteen year old girl laying in a hospital. It wasn't a beautiful morning for her. "Is Sergeant Richards busy?"
"Let me check." Sergeant Maynard picked up a telephone, punched a button and waited for an answer. "Miss Rhodes is here to see you, Steve. Right, will do."
Hanging up the phone, Sergeant Maynard handed Denise a visitors badge. "He said you should come right up. You know the way, of course."
Denise smiled as she clipped on the badge. "If I don't know the way by now, I shouldn't be let out without a keeper."
Sergeant Maynard laughed and shook his head as Denise started down the hall. He couldn't help wishing that he was fifteen years younger. He'd give Richards a run for his money, no matter what the relationship was!
**********
Denise sat in the visitors chair across the desk from Steve Richards. The newspaper she had been carrying was open on his desk.
"So what's being done?" Denise asked.
Steve sighed and rubbed his face. "Everything that can be done, kid. We're canvassing the areas where the rapes occurred. We're questioning everybody in an eight block area around each crime scene. We're hitting up our snitches for anything they know. All vacations have been cancelled and the whole department is on overtime."
"What about decoys? Have you put out any police women to act as bait?"
"Nope. We don't have any to fit the bill. Don't get me wrong. We have some excellent women officers, and several of them are really good looking. But in this case, all of the victims have been petite teenagers, and none of our female officers could pass for that."
"What about me? I may not be a teenager, but I'm small enough to pass and my features are delicate enough that, at least in the dark, I could pull it off."
"Forget it! Maybe you could pull it off, but you're also a civilian."
"So what? I'm a civilian that can kick the hell out of three quarters of your cops one-on-one and out shoot ninety percent of them. These animals have to be stopped, Steve!"
"Agreed. But the brass would never allow me to put you in the streets and you know it. Hell, they'd hang me out to dry if I even mentioned it!"
"So who say's your putting me on the street? Like you said, I'm a civilian and that means I can go for a walk anytime I like, WITHOUT needing police permission!"
"Oh, shit! Don't do anything stupid, Denise. Please?" "Would I do anything stupid?" she smiled at him sweetly.
Steve shook his head and sighed. Reaching into his desk drawer, he took out a small gift wrapped box and slid it across the desk.
"That was supposed to be for your birthday, but I have a feeling I'd better give it to you now."