The Agent

by Herkness, Nancy

  “Why don’t you sit down in the lounge over there?” She gestured to an empty chair on the mani-pedi side, where it was less crowded. She had no intention of being alone with him since she knew he was capable of hitting a woman.

  He hesitated before nodding.

  “Just give me a moment and I’ll join you.” She returned to her waiting client. “I’m so sorry, but I have a very upset man here whom I need to calm down. Is it all right if I have Gino finish blowing you out?” The ladies loved Gino, both for his muscles and his charm. Her client gave an enthusiastic assent, so Natalie waved Gino over before she walked back to where Dobs Van Houten sat slumped in the chair.

  “I’m so worried about her,” he said. “I’m afraid she’s in some kind of trouble.”

  Natalie forced herself to arrange her face in an expression of dismay and concern when she really wanted to slug him. “Did you check with her family to see if her cousin knows anything?”

  His gaze dropped to his hands where they rested on his thighs. “She wasn’t close to her family. They don’t know where she is.”

  That was an oddly indirect answer. “What about her friends?”

  “She isn’t from around here, so she hasn’t had time to make a lot of friends.”

  Because like many abusive husbands, he had done his best to isolate her so she would have no one to talk to and no one to support her.

  He lifted misery-laden eyes to her. “Something bad must have happened to her. Why else would she just disappear?”

  Because his wife was terrified he would injure her or even kill her.

  Regina had come to Natalie’s house with her clothes stuffed in a gym bag, shaking and sobbing. So Natalie had given Regina the guest room, fed her, and let her use her phone and computer to set up her escape. She’d warned Regina to erase whatever searches she’d made and not to tell Natalie anything about where she was going.

  That way Natalie only had to lie about her guest staying there, not about where she went afterward.

  “Did you have a fight?” Natalie asked, trying to behave as though she knew none of this. “She might have gotten upset about that.”

  He shook his head. “No, of course not. I adore her.”

  He probably believed he did. Matt had always told her how much he loved her, even as he did everything he could to crush her into nothingness. That was the insidious part of psychological abuse—she had trusted him because of that love.

  “I’m sorry I can’t do more to help you,” Natalie said. “But your wife has been a client of mine for less than a year.”

  “I think you could do more to help me,” he said with a brief flash of anger. He held up his hand in apology. “She always spoke so highly of you. I think she looked up to you as a role model.”

  “Me? That’s kind of you, but we didn’t have that kind of relationship. She was just my customer.” This was getting weird now. She and Regina had been nothing more than client and stylist until Natalie had seen the bruises on the other woman’s forearms. As she had snipped the ends of Regina’s hair, she’d quietly offered her sanctuary if she ever needed it. Natalie had not asked for a response nor gotten one. Until Regina’s appearance on her front porch.

  His eyes flickered. “I had hoped . . .” He rubbed his forehead again. “I don’t want to share this with anyone else, but Regina was pregnant.” His voice cracked on the last word. “I would be destroyed if something happened to her and to our unborn child. There are two lives I’m trying to protect.”

  Shock ran through Natalie. Was it possible Dobs thought Regina had cheated on him and now she was pregnant with another man’s child? That could be why Dobs was so angry he’d threatened her with extreme violence. Regina had never said a word about her condition to Natalie. The young woman hadn’t been showing yet.

  Or maybe Dobs was lying about the pregnancy in an effort to pry more information out of Natalie.

  She reined in her spiraling thoughts. “I can understand why you would be concerned, but I don’t know what I can do for you. The police are the ones you should be talking to.”

  “You’re right.” His tone was listless. “Please let me know if you hear anything from her.”

  “Of course I will,” Natalie lied without a qualm. She slid a piece of paper and a pen toward him on the desk. “May I have your phone number?”

  He pulled out his cell phone. “If you tell me yours, I’ll send you a text so you’ll have my number.”

  His request sent a shudder through her. She didn’t give out her cell number to abusive men. “I’d prefer that you write yours down.”

  Another spark of anger came and went in his eyes, but he scrawled a number on the paper.

  Natalie stood. “Will you let me know when she returns so I won’t worry about her myself?”

  “If she returns.” He pushed himself up from the chair, his shoulders slumped.

  He walked beside her to the reception desk with his gaze on the floor and his hands dangling at his sides as though he didn’t know what to do with them. When she pulled the front door open, he seized her free hand between both of his, his grip slightly clammy now. “If you think of anything else . . .”

  “I promise I’ll call you.” She pulled her hand away, forcing herself not to wipe it on her smock. “Good luck.”

  After the door closed behind him, her knees felt shaky. “Bianca, I don’t have an appointment for half an hour, so I’m going back to my office to take care of some paperwork.”

  Once she got into her cozy private domain, she sagged into her comfortable chair, letting her head rest against the high back.

  Dobs Van Houten seemed pathetic more than anything else but that didn’t make him less dangerous. Often, weak men abused their wives because they had no power anywhere else in their daily lives. She’d seen the flashes of anger in his eyes that lent even more support to Regina’s story. It was anger he couldn’t unleash on the outside world, so he would use his young, lonely wife as his scapegoat.

  But he’d gotten too close to the truth about her role in Regina’s escape. She didn’t want her sanctuary exposed, because that would prevent her from helping other women. Even Dobs’s visit might bring too much attention to her salon.

  The question was why he’d sought her out. She knew Regina had not considered her a role model. So what connection had Dobs made that brought him to her doorstep? She hoped it was just desperation that drove him to visit anyplace that his wife had frequented.

  If Regina was really pregnant, that upped the stakes in the situation. Dobs would have some rights as the father, although maybe not until after the baby was born. But it would certainly make the man pursue his fleeing wife with more determination.

  Would it also make him send Natalie threatening messages?

  She massaged the back of her neck where the muscles had knotted themselves.

  Tea. She got up to turn on the electric kettle she kept on her credenza and plopped a bag of herbal tea in her favorite mug.

  Gino stuck his head in the door. “You okay, Nat?”

  “I’m fine. Thanks for finishing the blowout.”

  He waved away her thanks. “What did the guy want?”

  “He’s trying to find his wife.”

  Gino knew about Natalie’s secret sanctuary, so he caught on right away. “Shit! So she’s one of your rescues.”

  “But he can’t find her, so she didn’t tell him that. He says he’s just talking to everyone she knew.” Which could be the truth.

  “Do you think he could be the stalker?” Gino looked worried and angry.

  “It’s possible. But I feel like he wouldn’t have come here if he was also sending anonymous messages. They don’t seem to connect. I’m more concerned that he’s going to expose my secret.” She would figure out a way to keep sheltering women, though.

  “If he comes here again, you let me handle him,” Gino said, his voice hard.

  “It’s a deal.” Natalie didn’t want to see Dobs ever again. Her teak
ettle whistled and she reached over to turn it off.

  “I’ll leave you alone to chill,” he said, disappearing from the doorway before she could thank him.

  She steeped her tea and decided to jot down a few notes to share with Tully when he came to her house for the night. The thought of having his hard-muscled body in her bed sent such a wash of heat through her that she nearly choked on her drink.

  “Oh my God, what is going on with you?” Her friend Dawn strode into the office, looking like a warrior princess with her dark hair scraped back in a ponytail and her lean body sheathed in skin-hugging workout clothes. “First a stalker and now a distraught husband. You’ve got to get out of here and stay with me in the city.”

  “How on earth—?” Natalie sputtered.

  Dawn sat in one of the chairs in front of Natalie’s desk. “The gym receptionist called for a hair appointment, and your receptionist told her you’d been accosted by some man looking for his missing wife. So the gym receptionist told me. Was his wife one of your—you know?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think he knows that. He’s just looking everywhere he knows his wife went.” Natalie took a sip of her tea. It figured that Dobs would show up on the day that Dawn was at the gym to teach her self-defense classes for women.

  “It’s a little too close for comfort, though,” Dawn said, her brown eyes filled with concern. “Come back to Leland’s place with me tonight.”

  Natalie almost laughed. “I already have a professional bodyguard staying with me.” She wasn’t going to mention that it was Tully.

  “That makes me feel better, but why isn’t there a bodyguard here at the salon too?”

  “Because it’s ridiculous to waste a bodyguard’s time when I’m surrounded by people who will protect me. Dobs Van Houten wasn’t going to hurt me anyway. He was almost in tears.” She didn’t want Dawn worrying about her.

  Dawn made a little huff of dissatisfaction. “At least come to my self-defense class tonight and refresh your skills.”

  “Thanks, but I still have bruises from the last refresher.” An exaggeration, of course, but she wasn’t going to miss a minute of her limited time with Tully. “Besides, the last time you told me I had all the moves down pat.”

  “You went after your attacker with conviction, I admit. I figured you were imagining it was Matt so you could give him what he deserved.” Dawn leaned forward and braced her elbow on her thighs, her tone coaxing. “We could have a girls’ night with action movies, popcorn, and that nasty drink you like.”

  “I’ll take a rain check on that. I have to be here early tomorrow. Alice’s wedding festivities ate into my schedule, so I’m catching up on my clients.” She smiled at Dawn. “But I’ll look forward to it soon.”

  Dawn rose. “Okay, but you be careful and listen to your bodyguard. I know how stubborn you can be.”

  Natalie raised her eyebrows at her friend.

  “I know. Birds of a feather.” Dawn grinned. “I have to get to my class.”

  She’d just turned toward the door when Tully stormed through it. “Damn it, Natalie, I shouldn’t have let you talk me out of having Pam stay with you.” He came to a halt when he noticed Dawn. “Hello, Dawn. What brings you here?”

  Thank God Tully was focused on Dawn, because the sight of him obliterated any coherent thought Natalie could muster. He wore a dark-gray suit that had clearly been tailored to his wide shoulders, trim waist, and muscular thighs, fitting his body like a fine wool glove. A deep red tie glowed against a snowy-white shirt. His presence ran through her veins like a swallow of fiery scotch.

  Too bad he had been scowling when he blew through her door.

  “Probably the same reason you’re here,” Dawn said. “The crazy husband?”

  “How the hell did you hear about that so fast?”

  “The receptionist grapevine,” Dawn said. “How did you hear about it?”

  “One of the stylists called Pam.” He pivoted toward Natalie and said in a milder tone, “Are you all right?”

  “Are you carrying a gun?” Dawn interrupted, eyeing his suit jacket.

  “Yeah, I needed to intimidate someone this morning.” Tully smiled in a terrifying way. “Sometimes I really love my job.”

  Natalie was glad she wasn’t the person he wanted to scare because he looked downright dangerous.

  “Nat, did he threaten you or frighten you?” Tully persisted, buttoning his jacket.

  “No, but he nearly cried.” Natalie folded her hands on the desktop. She didn’t want to get into this in front of Dawn. “I would have felt sorry for him if I didn’t know he deserved every second of his suffering.”

  Tully’s scowl returned. “So she was one of your guests.”

  “The one who’s dropped off the radar,” Natalie said.

  “You know about her guests?” Dawn asked Tully.

  “I told him because of the stalker,” Natalie explained. “Their ex-husbands fit the typical profile in a sort of twisted way.”

  Dawn nodded. “Makes sense. Well, now that I know you’re in good hands, I’ve got to get back to the gym.” She pinned one of her steely trainer looks on Tully. “You keep her safe, or you’ll answer to me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Tully said with false meekness.

  The moment Dawn spun out of the room, Tully was behind the desk, his hands on Natalie’s shoulders, pulling her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her so that she was pressed against his warm, hard body, then looked down into her face. “Are you really all right?”

  “Trust me, I’ve dealt with much worse in my years at the salon. Generally related to weddings. Bridezillas, you know.” She smiled at him.

  He gave her a little shake and didn’t answer her smile. “Not a joke when there’s a stalker after you.”

  “Seriously, what would have been different if Pam had been here?”

  “I’d feel better.”

  The tension in his voice softened her resistance. “Okay, Pam can stay at the salon tomorrow.” She relaxed into him, his protectiveness sending a sexual buzz through her. She had to remember that protecting people was just his job. “This situation is so strange that it seems unreal. I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that someone out there wants to do me harm. Or at least make me believe that he wants to.”

  He brushed his fingers through her hair, his touch featherlight, a disarming contrast to his powerful physical presence. “You’re a strong person, so you keep living your life. It’s a positive response to a bad situation, but you have to temper it with caution. The threat is real. Maybe this Dobs guy isn’t your stalker, but you have to assume he could be and act accordingly.” His expression was grim as he asked, “Do you understand me?”

  She avoided his gaze by laying her cheek against his chest with a sigh. “Yes. I just wish this was over.” Although that meant Tully would go back to his skyscraper in Manhattan while she stayed in New Jersey. At least she had tonight to look forward to.

  “Sweetheart, I’m doing my best to make that happen.” He tightened his embrace, and she felt the hard edge of the gun nudging her rib cage.

  “Who did you scare this morning?” she asked, allowing herself to feel safe in his arms.

  “I’ll tell you later.” He put a finger under her chin to tilt her face up so he could kiss her in a way that promised more. Then he eased her away from him, making sure she was steady before he released her. “Did Van Houten say anything I should know about?”

  He was back in security mode. Natalie shook off the fog of sensual contentment he’d enveloped her in and decided there was no point in keeping Regina’s secret any longer. “He says his wife is pregnant.”

  Tully’s eyebrows rose. “Did you know that?”

  “No. She didn’t mention it and she wasn’t showing at all, so it must be early in the pregnancy.” She looked a question at Tully. “Or Dobs is lying to try to get me to tell him where she is.”

  “Yeah, I thought of that too. What’s your take on it?”

&
nbsp; Surprised gratification flickered through her. He respected her enough to ask her opinion about Dobs’s truthfulness.

  “It would explain why he’s so desperate to find her. Regina told me that he was obsessed with having a son to carry on the family name. She said that after they got married, she felt like a brood mare because of the way he talked about her hips and how she was built for childbearing. He became angry and frustrated every time she told him she wasn’t pregnant.”

  “Obsessed. Angry,” Tully repeated. “That’s moving into stalker territory, especially if he feels that you helped his wife take his unborn child away from him. Have you checked your email today?”

  “There was nothing this morning, but I’ve been too busy since.” She flipped open her laptop and logged in, skimming through the list of messages. There was an email from an unfamiliar address that hadn’t gotten dumped in her spam folder. “Crap!”

  “Let me look at it first,” Tully said, using a big shoulder to edge her away from the computer.

  “Why?” She could handle a random quotation about beauty.

  He turned his head to look her in the eye, so close that she could see the black ring around his irises. “The broken mirror was a major escalation. I have a bad feeling.”

  A quiver of nerves ran through her. “Okay. It’s the one from dk2118. It came in about two hours ago. So it was before Dobs came here and got nothing from me.”

  She watched his face as he swiped into the email message and flinched when she saw his expression change from focus to fury. He muttered a curse, typed something, and turned the computer completely away from her.

  “You don’t want to see that,” he said. “I’ve sent it to Leland, but it will probably be another dead end.”

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about him deciding what she should or shouldn’t see. “Did you delete it?”

  “Not yet. That has to be your decision.” The taut angles of his face softened as he moved into persuasion mode. “Nat, it will upset you and I hate for that to happen.”