A few seconds later, the door cracked open, and a little old lady peered out at us. Her eyes widened as they landed on Lily, and she swung the door open, revealing a weathered face full of concern. “Lily?” the old lady asked, gesturing the girl forward. “What on earth happened to you, my dear?”
“Mindy and Rita. They jumped me and took my stuff, Ms. Helen. We came to get it back.”
Ms. Helen’s caterpillar-shaped eyebrows rose. “Mindy and Rita did this to you?”
Lily blew out a breath. “I told you they’ve been picking on people. Jean and Soraya left because of them. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.”
“You had no proof. We give all our residents the benefit of the doubt, and Jean and Soraya did not come to me themselves.”
“Of course they didn’t, they were scared.” Lily sounded frustrated.
“I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t realize...” The old lady trembled, drawing my attention. I couldn’t help but notice bruising up her forearm that looked a hell of a lot like handprints. Elbowing Naomi, I held up my forearm and nodded toward the old lady.
Naomi scanned the old lady, then her eyes widened and she stepped forward. She reached for Ms. Helen, and the old lady winced. “Ms. Helen, did Mindy and Rita hurt your arm?” Naomi asked.
Shaking her head, Ms. Helen stepped back and slid her injured arm behind her back. “No. I fell down the stairs.”
Sure. Her and every other battered woman in the world.
“Hello, Ms. Helen,” Emily said, stepping forward. “I’m Emily Stafford. We met once before when I was looking for Lily the last time she was hurt.”
Ms. Helen puckered her lips like she’d just eaten something sour. “Yes, I remember.”
“Do you also remember that I promised to help and protect Lily?”
Ms. Helen nodded.
“You trusted me, and I kept her safe, didn’t I?”
Again, the old lady nodded.
“Those girls took something special from Lily, and we’re here to take it back. While we’re at it, we can help you get rid of them.”
Ms. Helen glanced back at the door and fear filled her eyes. “I… can’t. They’ll kill me. They pulled a knife on me and…”
“We’re going in there to get Lily’s belongings back. I’m sure those girls will be awfully angry when we leave, and I don’t want them to take their anger out on you. This is my sister-in-law, Naomi, and her best friend, Monica, who both trained to fight in the military. Sasha here used to be a cop, and I deal with criminals every day. The four of us can handle two girls, but even if we can’t, we have backup.” Emily gestured at Stocks and the recruit who now stood in front of their bikes, looking intimidating. “Those two also trained to fight in the military. If you want to be free of those girls, now’s your chance.”
“How? What will you do with them?”
“Lily will take us in and identify Mindy and Rita. We’ll remove them from the premises, and wait until the cops pick them up. I’ll contact the DA and make sure he knows the situation. Then I’ll help you file a restraining order and do everything in my power to make sure those girls don’t step foot on this property again. We’ll also leave you our contact information in case you ever need help like this again.”
I’d always liked Emily, but now I fully understood why Naomi spoke so highly of her. The club’s first lady was offering the protection and assistance of herself and a motorcycle club full of former servicemen to a little old woman who could offer nothing in return. My mom once told me that a person’s character was defined by the way they treated someone who could do nothing for them, and Emily had character in spades. She may not have served in the military, but she served.
Ms. Helen glanced back at the house again and when she turned toward us, tears filled her eyes. “I started this house because somebody helped me when I was just a stupid, young girl with no life skills and no place to go, and I wanted to help others like me. This used to be a safe place, but now… I’m too old for this. I don’t want it anymore, and I don’t know how to get out of it. If I sell it, good women like Lily there won’t have anywhere to go, but if I stay…” She looked down at her bruised arm. “I don’t know what to do.”
Having never met Mindy or Rita, the pain they’d caused this sweet old lady had me ready to plant my foot in their asses.
The hard line of Sasha’s mouth made it clear she felt the same way. “Nobody should have to feel like a prisoner in their own home. Especially not when they’re trying to help others. Please, let us help you,” she said.
“These are my friends,” Lily added. “They’re good people who’ve never done anythingbuthelp me. I’d trust these women with my life, Ms. Helen. They don’t make promises they can’t keep. If Emily says she can help you, she will.”
Finally, Ms. Helen stepped aside, letting us file in. The guys moved to follow us in, but Emily held up a hand to stop them. Stocks didn’t look happy about the order, but he stayed by his bike.
“I’ll show them where Mindy and Rita’s room is,” Lily said, taking the lead.
Ms. Helen nodded and stayed by the door wringing her hands.
We walked through a hallway and up a flight of stairs, stepping over clothing and passing by a fist-sized hole in the wall.
