“Is she okay?” he demanded.
“Are you the one who called?” the officer asked.
“My girlfriend called,” Vance said. “I came over to make sure she wasn’t hurt.”
“Are you a friend of hers?” the officer asked.
“She’s a patient of mine. I’m her psychiatrist. She called me because she said someone was trying to break into her apartment.”
“Why didn’t she just call 911?”
Vance had no idea. “She’s, uh, been through some difficult experiences. I think she just panicked.”
The officer shrugged and looked over his shoulder when sounds of struggling erupted. Vance peered past him and saw two other officers wrestling a rather large man to the floor. “What happened?”
Sighing, the officer said, “He had the wrong apartment, apparently. His girlfriend is two doors down. Guy’s drunk out of his mind and couldn’t figure out why his key wasn’t working is the best we can guess. He’s not making much sense and his girlfriend is too scared of him to really say much. We’re taking him in for public intoxication.”
The officer moved Vance to the side as his companions dragged the source of the problem down the stairs and out the door. Vance saw that a fourth officer was about to knock on Natalie’s door, and cringed. “Uh, it might be better if I try to talk with her. She’s probably not going to react well to a stranger.”
The officer nodded and hollered up the stairs to let his partner know Vance was coming. When he reached the door, the officer waiting for him stepped aside. He gave Vance a confused expression when he didn’t knock on the door, but pulled out his phone that was still in the middle of a call to Natalie and put it on speaker.
“Natalie?” Nothing. “Natalie, this is Dr. Sullivan. Vance. I’m right outside your door. The police caught the man banging on your door and have taken him away, but I want to make sure you’re all right. Can you come to the door and open it for me?”
There was a long moment of silence before he heard anything. Even then, it was only her stifled sobs that echoed over the line. Vance sighed and tried again.
“Gypsy? Are you in in there with Natalie?” Immediately, the dog’s bark chirped through the phone. Smiling, Vance was glad he’d guessed correctly. With no other companionship, he thought it likely that Natalie treated Gypsy like a best friend or child. “Gypsy, give Natalie a kiss, okay? Tell her it’s all right now.”
Happy panting and yips erupted from the phone, and Vance could only hope the little dog was doing something to make Natalie feel better. He held his breath, hoping it would be enough. There was no way he could leave without making sure this poor woman wasn’t going to completely break down.
“Vance?” Natalie’s frail voice said a few minutes later.
Vance sighed in relief, and even the officer relaxed a little. “Yes, I’m here, Natalie. I want to make sure you’re okay. Can you come to the door?”
“I…he’s gone?”
“Yes, the police have him in custody.”
He could hear her sniff and knew she was still very upset. “Who was he?”
“Just one of your neighbors. He was drunk and thought he was at his apartment and couldn’t get in. He wasn’t trying to hurt you,” Vance promised. He shuddered to think of what might have happened if the man had somehow gotten in and thought Natalie was his girlfriend. Thinking of what that would do to her made him sick and an intense urge to protect her hit him squarely in the chest. “Natalie, everything’s okay now, I promise.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’m coming.”
It seemed to take much longer than one might think for her to reach the door. Gypsy was barking and panting at the door long before she got there. Vance couldn’t be sure, but he guessed she made use of the peephole for more than a brief glance before he heard the bolt begin to slide. Hurriedly, Vance turned to the officer.
“Step back, please. She’ll be upset if she sees someone she doesn’t know at first.”
“But…”
Vance gestured hurriedly, and the concern in his expression must have been enough. The officer stepped back just as the door cracked open. Natalie stared out at him with a tear-streaked face and puffy, red eyes. The little pug Vance assumed must be Gypsy was crowded in next to her feet. She barked a few times, then licked Natalie’s ankle.
“Natalie, are you okay now?” Vance asked. She nodded, but it wasn’t very convincing. “Would it be okay if I came in?”
Natalie hesitated, but eventually nodded. She opened the door a little wider, but before Vance took a step forward, he needed to deal with the officer. Fearing it would be too much for her, he decided to explain before introducing him.
“Natalie, one of the officers is still here. He probably needs to take a short statement from you when you’re ready.” Panic seized her entire body and Vance scrambled to rein her in. “I’ll stay with you the whole time. It’ll only take a few minutes, I’m sure.”
She closed her eyes, clinging to the door for support.
“I can talk to her from the hallway,” the officer said as he stepped just barely into view.
Vance almost reached for Natalie when she wavered a bit, but held back before actually touching her. He stayed close, though, just in case she fainted. He could see her fingers tighten even more, but she stayed on her feet. “What do you need to know?” Natalie asked quietly.
The officer didn’t move any closer, but he did retrieve a small notebook and pen from one of his pockets. “When did the pounding on your door start?”
“Um, I think it was just before nine. I was brushing my teeth.”
“Did you attempt to interact with the person at the door?”
Natalie looked horrified at the prospect. “No, of course not.”
“She said she was staying in the bathroom when she called me,” Vance offered.
The officer nodded. “Were you aware of who was at your door?” Natalie shook her head and he noted her response. “Has this ever happened before?”
“No,” she said, “not that I know of.”
Flipping his notebook closed and packing it away, the officer nodded. “Thank you for your time. That’s all I need for now.” He took a card from a different pocket and attempted to hand it to Natalie, but Vance intercepted it. The officer nodded, then shook hands with Vance before excusing himself.
Once he was out of sight, Vance’s attention turned back to Natalie. “Would it be all right if I came in now?”
The idea of having someone in her apartment still sounded unappealing, judging by the expression on Natalie’s face, but she stepped back from the door anyway. Vance took in everything. He wondered if it might hold some clue to her secrets, but it looked like a perfectly average home.
What he could tell was that this was Natalie’s safe place. The living room was warm and inviting, despite the fact that he was almost positive he was the first to see it aside from Natalie and Gypsy. The colors were soothing, from the walls to the throw pillows. Artwork adorned the walls, but no pictures. That was the only thing Vance saw that seemed off.
By the time he reached the couch, Natalie was already curled up on the armchair. Her arms were locked around her knees like a protective barrier. She looked so small, so frail, as she sat there. The desire to help and protect her that Vance felt when they first met hadn’t diminished. Rushing to her rescue had only intensified the desire. There was something very dark in her past and it was killing her chance to live a normal and happy life. He found himself wanting to help her overcome it not only because she was his patient, but because he felt an inexplicable kinship with her.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through this tonight,” Vance said. “I can only imagine how terrified Steph would have been if something like this had happened when I wasn’t home.”
Stephanie was a strong person, but being alone at home by herself, especially at night, had always been difficult for her. Every creak and rustle made her think someone was in the apartment. She coul
d handle two dozen first graders on a daily basis, but her tolerance for night noises was less than that of her students.
“Why did you call me instead of the police?” Vance asked. He was surprised when Natalie blushed.
She wouldn’t look at him as she said, “I didn’t mean to.”
“You didn’t?”
“Well, I mean, I didn’t know who I was calling. I was so scared, I just hit the first number that came up in my history.” She grabbed a strand of her hair and clenched it with both hands. “I’m really sorry for messing up your night.”
“I’m just glad I could help, and that you’re okay. I was pretty worried,” Vance said seriously.
“Really?” Natalie asked. “Why?”
“Why was I worried?” Vance wasn’t entirely surprised by the question, but it still bothered him. “Natalie, of course I was worried. Someone was trying to get into your apartment. That’s reason enough to be worried about you, but I was also concerned this had something to do with your past. I know you’re not ready to talk about that, but I’m still here to help protect you from it.”
“Oh. Well, thanks.” She looked away, reaching down to pick up Gypsy and hold her in her lap. “I just hope you know I’m not like, some crazy stalker patient who’s going to call you all the time. I’m glad you came tonight, because I was absolutely terrified, but I promise I won’t call again. This is way beyond what I’m paying you for, Vance, and I feel terrible about that.”
“This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to run out of the apartment in the middle of the night for a patient.” He was glad to see her relax at that, but he continued. “Natalie, I just want you to know, that if you really need to, you can call. That’s why I gave you my number at lunch today. Hopefully something like this doesn’t happen again, but if you find yourself in a situation you can’t handle, please don’t hesitate to call.”
Part of Vance worried that Steph would be angry about such an offer, but he felt he had to make it. Thinking of her reminded him of his promise to her. “I need to call Steph and let her know you’re all right, but I’ll be right back, okay?”
He waited for her to nod, albeit hesitantly, before stepping into her kitchen and calling Stephanie. She picked up on the first ring and demanded, “Are you both okay?”
“Natalie’s fine. Just some drunk at the wrong apartment.”
Stephanie let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I was worried,” she admitted. “Are you on your way home then?”
Vance hesitated. “Not yet,” he said slowly. He could almost hear Steph’s shoulders bunching. “She’s really freaked out, Steph. I can’t leave her like this.”
“She’s a patient, Vance,” Steph argued. “I mean, I like her, and I hope you can help her get past her issues, but outside of sessions, she’s not your responsibility.”
“You know she doesn’t have anyone else,” Vance countered.
Steph sighed, frustration and understanding battling each other. “I know that, but…” An internal argument raged in the silence. Vance could have almost mouthed it word for word as it ran through Steph’s mind, but he stayed quiet and waited for her response. Finally, she sighed again, this time in resignation. “Just, don’t stay too long, okay?”
Vance blew out the breath he was holding. “I’ll be home soon.”
Part of him knew it was unfair of him to ask Steph to be okay with this, but he couldn’t stop himself from pushing her. It was beyond what his commitment to Natalie required. It bordered on crossing a line of professionalism he had never even skirted before. He knew all of that, but he still stuffed his phone back in his pocket and walked back to Natalie’s living room.
“Steph was worried and she’s glad you’re okay.” It wasn’t a lie, but not sharing her discomfort over him staying longer pricked at him as he sat back down on the couch.
Natalie twisted the sleeves of her long sleeved shirt in her fingers. “That’s nice of her to be concerned.”
Vance chose not to comment on Stephanie further and instead changed the subject. “There’s no way you’re gonna go to sleep now, right?”
Natalie shook her head heartily.
“Well, how about some TV then?” When she gave him a confused look, he said, “Unless situations on TV affect you like they do in real life. Intimacy and violence, I mean.”
“No,” Natalie said quietly. “I can handle TV. It’s not real, distant enough maybe. TV is okay.”
Vance nodded, relieved TV wasn’t an issue for her. He didn’t want to leave when she was still scared, but he didn’t really feel comfortable sitting around staring at each other all night either.
“Um, well, I have some movies recorded on my DVR. We could try one of those, I guess,” Natalie said as she picked up the remote and began surfing through programs.
Vance didn’t give any input. When whatever she chose started playing, he didn’t pay it much attention. Instead, he took stock of Natalie. The way she clung to Gypsy made him glad she had at least one reliable friend, but it saddened him that she had no one else to call when she faced a crisis. Vance had known from the beginning that he would have to build trust with Natalie before she would tell him anything, but he was beginning to suspect she needed a real friend just as badly. Vance had always kept a very strict line between himself and his patients. He had to. Would rescuing Natalie from her past mean crossing the line?
Chapter 6
The Reason
Natalie was beginning to regret ever calling Guy Saint Laurent. That was a repeating thought the whole way home that night. Two sessions a week with Vance for the past three weeks, the almost break-in, having to sit through a follow-up meeting with Guy, and the usual stress of getting through another work week literally untouched was too much for her to handle.
Part of her wanted to tell Vance she’d changed her mind. It was tempting. The fact that she had to sit in her car for ten minutes to avoid two of her neighbors talking on the front steps of her apartment building convinced her not to make the call. She couldn’t keep living like this. Living? She scoffed as she finally got out of her car. She hadn’t done any actual living in a long time…if ever.
Once the path to the building was clear, Natalie hurried up the walk, shoved her key in the lock, and slipped inside as fast as she could. The usual sigh of relief that escaped once she was safely inside the building stuck in her throat as she turned around to find the balding guy from a few weeks back standing only a few feet in front of her.
Panic that he was stalking her almost sent her running. The stack of mail in his hand, and the fact that he was standing in front of the rows of mailboxes, held her in place. The guy looked nearly as startled as she did, but laughed it off a second later.
“Sorry, I seem to be making a habit of jumping out at you.”
“It’s, uh, sorry. It doesn’t really take much to startle me,” Natalie admitted. Surprised by her own voice, she clutched her purse against her chest even tighter.
He glanced down at the mail in his hands before looking back up at her. “The mail carrier seems to be a little off lately. I ended up with a few pieces of your mail again. I was going to bring it up to you, but here you are.” The serendipity of the situation seemed to put him off balance.
“Oh, you can just put it back in the mail slot if it happens again,” Natalie said as she snatched up the offered letters. “You don’t have to trouble yourself with delivering it, really.”
Natalie sincerely hoped that was the end of the conversation and he would leave, but to her dismay, he tucked his own mail under his arm and said, “It’s no problem. I’m Howard, by the way.” He extended his hand, but dropped it when Natalie backed up in fright.
“Natalie,” she whispered, even though he already knew her name.
Thankfully, he seemed to sense that he was pushing her limits. Nodding and taking a step toward the stairs, he said, “It was nice seeing you again.”
All Natalie could do was nod. Used to feeling like she had disappoint
ed someone, not to mention coming off as socially inept, she only sighed in relief as he walked away. It took her a good two minutes to compose herself before she was ready to move again. In all reality, she probably would have stood there for longer, but a different resident was making his way toward the door and she ran to escape another potential interaction.
When she finally made it to the safety of her apartment, she collapsed on the couch with no strength to even think about making dinner. Gypsy sat at her feet, too small to climb into her lap, but eager for some attention. As Natalie reached down to pick her up, she smiled for the first time that day. Natalie sat there enjoying the love of the only living creature she could bear to let touch her.
Sometime later, Natalie’s stomach growled, which seemed to remind Gypsy that she was hungry as well. Feeding Gypsy wasn’t an issue. Feeding herself was bound to be a bit more of a problem. Especially since Natalie had been too wiped out to stop at the grocery store on her way home. She supposed that for normal people, ordering in would be a simple solution. The idea of opening the door to a stranger and having to interact with him made her skin crawl.
Cereal it was.
Natalie finally forced herself up from the couch to feed Gypsy. The little ball of wrinkles and fur scampered after her as she scooped out the dog food and was nearly bowled over by Gypsy’s eagerness when she set it down. It made Natalie laugh to watch her little dog start devouring the food before the bowl even hit the floor. Every speck of kibble was gone before Natalie managed to make a bowl of cereal. She shook her head as she carried it back to the living room, Gypsy in tow.
The sound of her phone ringing nearly caused her to drop her spoonful of cereal as she scanned her recorded TV shows. Frozen with the spoon midway to her mouth, she stared at her phone. Vance’s face appeared on her screen. Confused, but unusually worried, Natalie set down her cereal and picked up the phone. She hesitated for a good twenty seconds before finally sliding her finger across the screen.
The Only Shark In The Sea (The Date Shark Series Book 3) Page 4
