Page 41 of Twisted Knight

A sniffle at the back of the room draws my attention. I look up and offer a soft smile to the woman sitting there. She’s new, a face I haven’t seen before.

“How are you today?” I ask.

Hollow eyes stare at me for a beat before the slightest smile curls up the corners of her lips. “Hi.” She pauses and then gives a quick shake of her head as if I interrupted her thoughts. “Sorry. I don’t mean to still be here. I’m—I’m just trying to take everything in.”

Never having been in any of these women’s shoes, I hesitate to give anything remotely close to advice. “No apologies needed. Ever. I’m glad you’re here. I hope you find whatever it is you need.”

She angles her head and just looks at me. “Me too.”

My heart aches for her. A woman I don’t know in a situation I could never imagine.

With a nod of encouragement, I exit the room and head toward the reception area.

“Heading out?” Mei-Ling asks from the door of her office. She’s the director of the Sanctuary, and a survivor herself who I’ve gotten to know over the years I’ve been volunteering here.

“I am.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” She lifts her chin so I follow her into her office for some privacy.

“Sure. What’s up?” I ask and set my cello case down.

“We’ve been hit with an unexpected blow, and I hate even asking you this.” She sighs heavily and now that I’m closer, I can see the lines of worry etched in her face and sense something weighing on her.

“Please. Ask.”

“We’re losing the building.”

“What?” Shock reverberates through me. “What do you mean?”

“The owner has decided to sell it. The area’s too run-down now. He’s lost tenants in the rest of the building and he can’t recoup his costs enough to pay the mortgage. And on and on.”

“Oh my god, Mei.”

“I know.” Tears well in her eyes but she promptly blinks them away. “He’s been warning this might happen for the past four years. Apparently, this time, he really means it.”

“So what … I mean…” Where is everyone going to go? What happens to this program? What about the women and kids in the rooms upstairs who use this as their protection from whoever forced them here, who need to live here until they can get on their feet again?

“Exactly. There are no words. We’re searching for other places as we speak, but our funding most likely won’t cover a place sizable enough to house everyone we currently have living here.”

“I was hoping you weren’t going to say that.” I shake my head. “What can I do to help?”

“You’re better connected than us—obviously—with your family being a staple in Westmore. If you happen to hear of anyone who has a motel for rent or an apartment block—anything, we’d be more than grateful if you could let us know.”

“Of course.”

“In the meantime, we’re going to try and do some fundraising, hopefully have some of the endowments we’ve been promised come through. Something. Anything.” She emits a defeated laugh. “I can’t let these women down.”

“And you won’t. I know you won’t. But yes. Definitely. If I hear of anything or think of any other way, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you. I truly appreciate it.”

I leave her office feeling defeated when moments ago I was content.

“Need any help with that, Miss Rothschild?” Simon, the facility’s security guard, asks like he does every time I leave.

“No, thanks. I’ve got it.”

“One of these days, you’re going to say yes.”