Free Lookin' For Luv by Carl Weber

course, or anyone that might not have reported it.” The trooper did not take his eyes off the road as he delivered this devastating news.
    “This has to be a nightmare! He made me feel as if I was the only woman on earth.” Suddenly she was angry. “If he’s done this to so many women why haven’t you arrested him?”
    The trooper was aware of how upset Dawn must be. He had picked up so many women in the same predicament and was prepared for her anger. Counting slowly to twenty, he allowed her to shout at him for a while before he interrupted.
    “Miss, there is nothing in the world my fellow troopers and I would like more than to arrest that man. But we don’t have a charge. Unfortunately it’s not against the law to leave a woman without a ride home, even if it’s over fifty women.”
    Dawn was furious. She turned her head to face the trooper and put her hand on his arm.
    “Yes, you do have a charge. What if I told you he raped me?”
    “Miss, just drop it, okay?” The trooper seemed a little annoyed. “I’m going to take you to headquarters. The desk sergeant’s going to give you money for a bus ticket home, and then it’s over.”
    Dawn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Wait a minute. Lemme get this straight. A black woman tells a white cop that she’s been raped, and all he can say is take your black ass home? Fuck that! I want your badge number now!” She was waving her hands wildly as she yelled at the cop.
    “You know, there’s really no need for that kind of language.” The trooper was not about to allow Dawn to continue this time. “This is not about race, miss. Both you and I know that he didn’t rape you.” His tone was matter-of-fact. “You must think you’re the first person to accuse him of rape, but you’re wrong. At least a dozen girls have said that he raped them. But we’re not dealing with a stupid man.”
    “I didn’t say we were. Just take me to the hospital or have a rape kit sent to your headquarters. I have his sperm in me, and I even have bruises.”
    “Look, you don’t seem to understand me, miss. So I’m going to explain it to you in black and white.” The trooper felt a headache developing. “’This Maurice guy asked you to go skiing in Vermont, he probably tells you about the early snow we just got. He’s handsome, intelligent, and rich too. Basically the man of your dreams. So you accept. Am I right so far?”
    “Yes.” Dawn’s voice was weak.
    “The two of you drive up in his big Mercedes or Lexus. Then he takes you skiing and buys you some expensive gifts....” Glancing over at Dawn, the trooper continued. “Like that leather jacket. Then he takes you back to the cabin he owns. It’s beautiful, isn’t it, with the big bearskin rug and the huge fireplace? He serves you expensive wine, and the two of you make love on that bearskin rug. You probably even got those bruises you were talking about on that rug.”
    “That’s a nice story, officer, but I got raped.” Dawn folded her arms defiantly.
    “Oh, there’s something I forgot. After you make love and fall asleep, this Maurice guy goes into the next room and takes a videotape out of a camera concealed in the wall. Your whole night of passion is on that tape. He likes to have it on the front seat of his car just in case some dumb trooper like me pulls him over and accuses him of rape.”
    Dawn slumped down in her seat after hearing the end of his story.
    “Look, miss. It could have been worse. One woman who insisted on pressing rape charges had the whole thing backfire on her and ended up doing thirty days jail time herself.”
    “Get the fuck outta here! For what?”
    “Vandalism, destruction of property, and filing a false police report. You see, when she woke up and found Maurice had left her behind with no money and no phone, she trashed his entire cabin. Now, trashing his place would have been all right. I think he considers that the cost of playing his sick game. But when she