Nothing to Fear Read Free Page B

I’m not.” Dana sank into one of the kitchen chairs, so exhausted. “For God’s sake, Evie.” That she’d even ask. Hell.
    There was silence between them for a long moment before Evie finally spoke again. “So back to my original question, where are they?”
    “They didn’t show up. I waited for three hours and nobody that matched their descriptions got off any of the buses.” Dana massaged the back of her neck wearily. She never questioned how women came to hear of Hanover House. She knew there were pockets of information out there. Nurses, cops, other victims. Sometimes women from outside Chicago would call and Dana would meet them at the bus station, but more than half of the women didn’t show up. Like tonight. “But it wasn’t all a total loss,” she added. “I did get propositioned.” One corner of her mouth lifted. “Guy offered me fifty bucks.”
    “Would’ve paid the telephone bill this month,” Evie said lightly and rose to her feet. “Hold Dylan and I’ll make you some coffee. You look like you could use it.”
    “Thanks.” Settling the baby comfortably against her shoulder, Dana watched Evie fumble with the coffee filters with one hand. The nerves in Evie’s right hand were damaged, legacy of the same vicious attack that left her face scarred and her mouth unable to smile. Three surgeries later, the scars were less noticeable, but her hand would never be the same. Yet Evie never asked for help. Wouldn’t accept it were it offered.
    Evie scooped coffee from the can. “I thought Caroline had bus duty tonight.”
    Caroline was Dana’s very best friend. Her very pregnant best friend. A Hanover House success story, Caroline had made a wonderful life for herself and her son, Tom. Married for two years now, she was just six weeks away from having the baby she and her husband Max had conceived in love. There were few things more successful than that.
    “Nope, not anymore. She is officially off duty for the duration.”
    “And what did she say about that?” Evie asked wryly.
    “The usual. That pregnancy was a natural state and how she was healthy as a horse. I told her to give it up. Max just threatened to tie her to the bed.”
    “Which is how she got that way,” Evie quipped and Dana grinned.
    “True. So, like it or not, I have bus duty for the next six months or so.” Evie doing bus station pickup duty was not a possibility. She’d tried once, but the experience hadn’t been a pleasant one for anyone involved, least of all for Evie. The client’s child, terrified and exhausted, had taken one look at Evie’s scarred face and burst into tears. The client refused to go with Evie and Dana ended up going to the station herself. After that, Evie never left the house without a protective layer of thick makeup that Dana thought looked worse than the scars. But it made Evie secure, so Dana never said a word about it. Dana could tell by the way Evie stared at the dripping coffee that she was remembering, too.
    Changing the subject, Dana looked at Evie’s laptop screen. “What are you taking?”
    “Child psychology and statistics. The statistics course is required for a psych degree.”
    Dana’s eyes widened. “You’re majoring in psychology?” The thought of Evie following in her footsteps left her with a disturbing mix of pride and apprehension.
    “I’d considered it. I was thinking of working with kids. And yes,” she added crossly, “I know I can’t hide here forever. I know the kids won’t come to me.” Evie jerked the partially dripped carafe from the machine, poured Dana the first cup. “I’m working on it.”
    Dana traded the baby for the full coffee cup with a sigh. “I know, honey.” She could tell Evie that her scars were not that bad and even believe it herself, but Evie didn’t and that was the issue. It was normal, but so very wrong. So wrong for a woman to be twenty years old and hiding in a women’s shelter because she was afraid to face the world.
    Evie