Page 77 of The Agent
Gino hesitated, his glance traveling between Deion and Jenya before he nodded and walked out the door.
Natalie took a seat beside the frightened woman. “Sarah, I understand you need my help.”
Tears leaked from Sarah’s eyes. “Oh, God, yes! Yes, I do!”
“Deion, could you grab that tissue box from the counter?” Natalie asked before she took Sarah’s shaking hands in hers. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Sarah looked down at their joined hands and said in a low voice, “I need to stay with you. My husband is awful to me. I want to get a divorce, but I’m afraid to be in the house with him.”
Natalie gave Sarah’s hands a comforting squeeze. “Of course. Do you have children?”
Sarah’s head lifted as though she’d been hit by an electric shock. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I want to make sure they’re safe too.”
“Oh.” A sob shuddered through Sarah. “I have a daughter—Sophia—but Harry would never hurt her. He adores her.”
“Even if you leave him? He might be angry about that.” Natalie kept her tone gentle.
Sarah shook her head and repeated in a quavering voice, “Harry would never hurt Sophia. He would be so upset if something happened to her.” She drew in a breath. “I know you think it’s wrong that I didn’t bring her with me, but he would come after me if I did. I was too afraid ...” A fresh spate of tears ran down her cheeks.
Natalie didn’t push it. However, she was still surprised that Sarah would leave her daughter behind.
“Please!” Sarah begged. “I need to stay with you. I’m so scared.” She broke down and cried full out, her slim body shaking.
Natalie looked at Jenya and Deion. How could they not believe that this woman was in genuine distress?
She turned back to Sarah. “Of course you can come. I have one more appointment and then we’ll take you there. For now you can sit in my office, where it’s quiet and private.”
Sarah leaped up from her chair. “Yes! I’ll never be able to thank you enough.” She grabbed her big tote bag from the chair and clutched it against her chest as though it held her most precious belongings. Maybe it did.
“I’d like to take a look in your bag,” Jenya said to Sarah in a strange echo of Natalie’s thoughts.
Sarah shrank back and stared at the bodyguard like a deer in headlights. “What?! Why?”
Natalie started to object, but Jenya gave her a warning look before she held out her hand to Sarah. “Because I’m in charge of Natalie’s safety.”
Confusion clouded Sarah’s face. “It’s just my wallet, my toiletries, and some photos I didn’t want to leave behind.”
Jenya’s hand remained outstretched. Natalie held her breath, wondering if Jenya was right, until Sarah unlocked her grip on the tote and handed it over.
“Jenya’s job is security,” Natalie said soothingly as the bodyguard practically turned the bag inside out on the kitchen table. “She’s very careful.” It sounded ridiculous, she knew, but Sarah nodded, even though her gaze was riveted on Jenya.
The bodyguard put everything back in the bag and returned it to Sarah. “Thanks.”
Once again Sarah cradled it to her chest. As the little group made its way toward Natalie’s office, Sarah cast nervous glances at Jenya and Deion. When Natalie had settled her in one of the chairs in front of her desk, Sarah leaned in and whispered, “Are both of them coming to your house with us?”
“Just Jenya. She’s staying with me right now.” Natalie didn’t want to add to Sarah’s fears by telling her about the stalker. “Don’t worry. I have room for both of you.”
Although Jenya would have to sleep on the sofa bed. She didn’t want to put Sarah on the ground floor near big glass doors. That would probably make her even more anxious.
“Oh.” Sarah subsided into the chair, her bag still held tight against her like a child’s teddy bear.
“Do you want something to drink?” Natalie asked, kneeling in front of her.
“No, I just want to go,” the other woman said, her mascara streaked down her cheeks. Natalie reached over to her desk and grabbed more tissues to hand to Sarah.
Natalie stood. “I’ll finish up as quickly as I can.”
