Free Date Rape New York by Janet McGiffin

waiting for the medical examiner’s team. I buzzed Mr. Johnson’s cell phone from the emergency buzzer under the reception desk as soon as I heard the message.” Stanley nodded. He handed Grazia a hotel message slip.
    Grazia read aloud. “‘Fascinating conversation. Too bad you won’t remember.’” She stared wildly at the three men, thoughts whirling, and hunger forgotten. “Who left this message?” she demanded. “What is he talking about?”
    “That was all he said before he hung up,” Luigi said, nervously flicking his eyes at Stanley.
    Cargill cut in. “It sounds like you were talking to this man last night. He appears to know you were drugged. So either he drugged you, or he knows who did.”
    “He called from the house phones,” Luigi added. “Those calls come in on a separate line. As soon as I heard the message, I looked toward the house phones, but some guests came out of the elevators right then, and they blocked my view. I did see a man walking fast out the entrance. He had on a dark down coat with the hood up. He kept his face down.”
    Stanley continued, “Detective Cargill and I immediately ran outside with Luigi, but the man was gone. We checked the lobby area but saw no one suspicious. Thanks, Luigi, you can go back to work.” 
    “Any CCTV footage probably won’t do us much good,” said Cargill to Stanley.
    “Right,” Stanley nodded gloomily.
    “CCTV?” asked Grazia.
    Stanley answered. “Closed circuit television. The hotel has cameras over the front and back entrances and over the reception desk.”
    “The tapes will show who brought me to the hotel last night!” exclaimed Grazia, excited. “I’ll recognize him! Nick will recognize him! We’ve got him!”
    “He had his hood up and he kept his face down, according to Luigi,” Stanley said.
    “So we won’t get a good view,” added Cargill. “Besides, the police need a court order to view it. Could take six weeks.”
    Grazia turned to Stanley. “You can watch the video. You’re chief of security.”
    “Sorry, Miss. We hire that out to a private security firm, and they’ve got the only access key. Besides, I need the hotel manager’s consent to view CCTV footage.”
    “But this is a special case. Time is important!”
    “Protocol, Miss. I’m sorry. It’s just a matter of form. I’ll have it by tomorrow.”
    Grazia turned to Cargill. “Why would this man call me?”
    “Drug facilitated offenders typically like to re-live the assault. They return to where they met the victim or where they carried out the sexual assault; some even video it. Maybe this guy wanted to hear your voice.”
    Grazia was too horrified to speak.
    “Or he could have called because he wanted to find out if you remember him. Calls from a house phone can’t be traced. Typical profile—careful planner.”
    “He knows where I’m staying! He’s planning to drug me and attack me here!” Panic twisted Grazia’s stomach.
    Cargill shook his head. “Not here. Drug-facilitator offenders nearly always follow the same pattern. This guy met you in a bar, so that’s where he will meet you again. Stay out of bars and you will be safe.”
    “But he attacked me in my hotel room! He will attack me here again! I don’t know what he looks like. I could open the door thinking he’s from room service!”
    “He can’t get to your room, Miss,” Stanley reassured her in his calm voice. “Elevator doors won’t open at a floor until a guest inserts a room key-card. Nobody can go up to your room pretending to be from room service.”
    “He could follow another guest who gets off at my floor! Or he could take the elevator to another floor and take the stairs to my floor.” Her voice shook.
    “The stair doors are locked from the stairwell side, except to exit into the lobby.”
    “He could be a guest here!” Grazia’s voice rose. “Maybe that’s why Manuel didn’t stop him from going up with me in the elevator. Lots of Italians are staying in this