One We Love, The Read Online Free PDF

volatile, and several are in active
hiding from abusive partners. We couldn’t expect them to travel across town to
another agency to receive services.”
    I looked over my shoulder as if my gaze could penetrate the walls
of the empty shelter. Obviously, the women didn’t spend all their time
in hiding. I knew from my own participation here that most women continued
working or otherwise spent the day in the community, only returning at night to
the safety of the shelter. One woman in my group, despite all advice, used to
go back to her home to keep up with the housework and the laundry.
    “That’s fine. I could set up a group here as well. No
problem.”
    “I’ll need to confer with our board about access to the clients
and their files.” She met the bodyguard’s gaze.
    “I don’t understand,” I said.
    I left the statement hanging in the air. Clotilde and I had
an ever-so-polite stare down while I awaited her answer. She didn’t want to, I
knew. Maybe she was used to immediate compliance, but we both knew she had no
standing here. The document was legal.
    Time for another bomb.

 
     
     
    CHAPTER SIX
     
     
     
    F rom my large
purse, I pulled the files Regina had appropriated—a much nicer word than “stole”—
and laid them on the desk. Two pair of glinty eyes tracked my movements like
heat-seeking missiles. “I found these at the clinic. Why would Regina have
removed these from the shelter?”
    A long silence descended. The air almost crackled with
tension as the two strained for an appearance of normality. Clotilde cleared
her throat.
    “Obviously we can’t hazard a guess since we don’t know what
you have there.”  She drew the stack toward her. The bodyguard leaned in to
read over her shoulder.
    “Excuse me? I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” I stood,
extending my hand across the desk. “My name’s Letty Whittaker. You are. . .?”
    She hesitated, which I found interesting. “Lachlyn Brody.”
    “I see. Then you must already be aware of Regina’s
intentions regarding her professional will. . . ” Since you were her
executor until two weeks ago, I didn’t say. Wanted to, but didn’t. Having opposition
to something I didn’t even want to do was causing a well-spring of petulance to
bubble up inside. I would have to watch that. “And I’m sure you’re well aware of the legal standing of the document.”
    Nobody’s perfect.
    “Thank you for returning the shelter’s property.”  Clotilde
reentered the fray. “I’m not sure why Regina had these in her possession.
Perhaps she was thinking of submitting a paper for review. At any rate, we
hadn’t discussed it. For now, however, you can leave your contact information
with Astrid. I’ll get back to you as soon as I discuss the situation with our
board members.”
    Since I was still standing, there wasn’t much I could do,
but I wasn’t ready to slink off, either. “When can I expect your call?”
    Irritation flashed across her face. It was probably unusual
for anyone to demand an answer from the director, and even more rare for her to
expose her emotions. It gave me a childish, zingy thrill. She glanced again at
Lachlyn for more silent communion. Maybe they were practicing to be telepaths.
    “I should get back to you by the end of this week,” Clotilde
said.
    At the same time, Lachlyn offered, “Maybe by Monday.”
    I smiled pleasantly, choosing to respond to Clotilde.
“Friday, then.”
    No surprise: Friday came and went with no call from Devlin
House. It gave me time to reflect on the meeting and, after the thrill of battle
passed, I wasn’t entirely pleased with my performance. Not pleased at all, in
fact. Despite the momentary rush of surviving a grown-up version of mean-girl
wars, I couldn’t see any advantage in alienating two persons who could make my
executor job difficult, thus extending the time and energy I’d have to invest
in order to complete it.
    They say that an alcoholic’s maturity level gets