Page 70 of Little Hidden Fears

“We form bonds with some of the women while they’re here. It’s easy to do.”

I crossed one leg over the other. “Have you had many problems with any of the abusers showing up here, looking for their wives or girlfriends? I assume some of them know this is where they might go when they become brave enough to leave.”

“We’ve had a few run-ins over the years, but I’ve got the police on speed dial, and the security here is excellent. And our two security guards are intimidating—in size as well as demeanor. Dominic and Noelle did a great job of creating acenter where women feel protected from the outside world while they seek treatment and make plans to better their lives.”

“Would you say most women who come here leave their abusers for good?”

Barbara shook her head, looking shocked at my question. “I’d say it’s the opposite. About half of the women who return to their former relationships are abused again within six months. I choose to focus on the success stories—the women who are able to move forward. We help them all the best we can, which is all we can do. At the end of the day, it’s their life and their decision.”

“What will happen to the center now that Dominic and Noelle are dead?”

Barbara sighed, her expression one of concern. “I was just talking about this subject with Noelle’s mother. She’d like the center to remain open and for us to continue to honor what Noelle started. But she has no idea what it takes to run this place, let alone to keep it funded enough to help these ladies. I’m nervous about it, to be honest. It takes a lot of money to run the center, but for now, we’ll remain open as long as we can.”

She paused, looking out the window at the woman in the pink track suit who was now strolling through the garden. Then she turned back to me, saying, “Now, what can I do for you?”

“In the weeks prior to Noelle’s death, did anything happen with any of the women, anything out of the ordinary? Did Noelle act any different than usual?”

She gave my questions some thought. “Nothing out of the ordinary occurred at the center, no. As to your question about Noelle, no. She wasn’t her usual, chipper self.”

“Any idea why?”

“I always thought Noelle did a good job of keeping boundaries between herself and the women who come here—getting close, but nottooclose. About a month ago, that all changed.”

“What happened?”

“A woman showed up one night in bad shape. She’d been beaten far worse than most I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot.”

“Is this the same woman who left this place and then went missing?”

Barbara raised a brow. “Ah, I see you’ve heard of Dawn Salisbury.”

“Noelle’s mother told me about her. She said Noelle wanted to hire a private investigator to find Dawn. When she asked her mother for advice, Joanie told her to leave it alone.”

“Sounds like something Joanie would say. She may have suggested Noelle do nothing, but between us, she did.”

I leaned forward. “Are you saying Noelle hired a private investigator?”

“She sure did.”

“And?”

“He couldn’t find Dawn. It’s like she just vanished. When the police stopped by her place, she wasn’t there. Her apartment hadn’t been packed up, and her car was still in the garage.”

“Did anyone see Dawn after she left the center?”

“According to the private investigator, no. This center was the last place she was seen.”

It was odd.

Even odder were the lengths to which Noelle had gone to find the woman, something she hadn’t done with others in the past.

What was different about Dawn?

Was she the key to finding Noelle’s murderer?

“When Dawn showed up here, what did she say about all her injuries?” I asked.

“She wouldn’t admit to being abused, even though it was clear she had been. Noelle did everything she could to get Dawn to talk, but she wouldn’t. Not to us, not to the police.”

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