door, Jessica rang the bell. “Because this is an emergency shelter, we have a lot of different safety measures. This is one of them. No one comes in or out without signing the log.”
The door opened and a dark-eyed girl who looked to be no more than twenty let them inside.
“This is my assistant, Mia. If I’m not available she can handle anything you need,” Jessica said. “Mia, this is Sarah and her brother. Sarah is going to be staying with us.” Jessica continued to spout information as they walked down the hall. “We also have a state-of-the-art alarm system, security monitors and safety glass for the windows.”
“Sounds like prison,” Sarah muttered beside him.
Jessica, obviously hearing that comment, led them to a window overlooking the common area where several women were gathered around the coffee table while a small child played with blocks on the floor nearby. Jessica’s face softened as she addressed Sarah’s concerns. “We have a large kitchen, a play area for kids, daily Bible study plus a weekly support group. We’re currently housing five other women and four children. You’re not a prisoner here, but it is safer for you to remain inside as much as possible.”
Sarah nodded her understanding then turned back to staring at the child. Having always wanted children, she had a soft spot for them.
“Would you like to see the rest of the facility?” Jessica asked.
Before Sarah could say yes, Andrew stepped in. “We don’t need the tour. I’m taking her home with me.”
Jessica’s eyes pierced him as she looked his way. “That’s a bad idea. We have the resources to protect her. Isn’t that what you want?”
He wasn’t in the mood to argue. He’d made up his mind. Sarah was not staying. But before he could voice his objection, Sarah spoke.
“She’s right. Robert doesn’t know about this place. He won’t know to look for me here.”
“Sarah, I can protect you.”
“Staying here sounds a lot safer than being locked up in your apartment. Besides, what about your job? What will I do when you have to go to work? I don’t want to be there alone. At least here I have other people to talk to.”
He took her hands and squeezed them reassuringly. “We’ll work all that out. I want you to come home with me.”
She looked to Jessica then slipped her hands from his. “I think this is the best choice for me right now. What if Robert returns and you’re not there...like you weren’t last night.”
All the air left his lungs at her statement. He’d promised to keep her safe and he’d already failed her.
Jessica motioned toward Mia. “Will you show Sarah to a room?”
Sarah turned to go with the girl then ran back to Andrew and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, big brother, for everything. I love you.”
The urge to pray for her safety flooded him, a leftover remnant of his old life. He shoved that urge back far down in the depths of his soul. Who would he be praying to, anyway? An absent God that didn’t hear his prayers? Or a God that heard but allowed bad things to happen anyway? Prayer had done nothing to save the woman he’d loved, and he wasn’t going to depend on it for his sister’s safety, either.
He turned to face Jessica. Was he really ready to depend on her to make sure Sarah was out of harm’s way?
Jessica, at least, unlike God, had never let him down.
* * *
Jessica saw his pained expression as Sarah disappeared around the corner. That look of protectiveness caught her breath as she realized this entire situation was too familiar for comfort.
Overprotective brother.
Vulnerable sister.
And a dangerous, obsessed abuser.
She’d been here before, and it had not turned out well.
“So what do we do now?” Andrew asked turning back to her.
“Now we wait.” Jessica motioned him into her office. Once there, she kicked off her heels and enjoyed the coolness of the concrete floor on her tired feet. She slid into her desk chair and watched as Andrew swept her office with a critical eye. It wasn’t much. Everything from the couch to the bookshelves had been donated, but Jessica had tried to give the room a homey feel with a few throw rugs and photographs. She’d tried to do the same throughout the shelter. Donated didn’t have to mean trashy.
“What do you mean we wait? Wait for what?”
“For Robert to make his move.”
“What kind of move?”
“Generally one of three things happen—he’ll decide it isn’t worth it and move on to someone else—”
“I like that.”
“Or he’ll see the error of his ways and agree to go to counseling and anger management classes.”
She smiled at the way his expression changed from optimistic encouragement to disgust and loathing.
“I don’t care for that one, either.” She finished her list. “Or he’ll continue escalating, in which case we’ll have to make different arrangements for Sarah.”
“You forgot the one where he goes to jail and stays there.”
“I wish it were that simple.” She folded her arms and looked at him. He wasn’t some ordinary person off the street. He was a prosecutor. He knew better than anyone how the system worked. “You of all people know we’re not going to get more than a misdemeanor charge for this assault.”
He pulled up a chair and sat down, leaning his elbows into his knees and letting out a long, weary sigh. “I know. But I also know he won’t stop. He’s—what did you call it—escalating.”
“I agree.” She’d caught the evil intent in his eye. They hadn’t seen the last of him yet. “Tomorrow morning we’ll take Sarah down to the precinct so she can give her statement and swear out a complaint against him. She refused to do it at the hospital. It’s not much but it might keep him confined a little while longer. I will also notify the police that he violated his restraining order.”
“Do I need to be there?”
“No.”
“Good. I’ve got court in the morning.”
“Really?” She marveled at how clueless he was. “Didn’t you tell Sarah you could protect her if she went home with you? How were going to do that from the courthouse?” She could see his mind working, searching for an answer. Finally, he looked at her, his face set and determined. “I would do anything to get her away from that man.” He locked eyes with her. “Anything.”
A shiver raced up her spine at his determination to protect Sarah. Anything was a dangerous mantra to live by.
“Why didn’t you call me? I could
