“Are you okay?” he asked finally.
“I’m fine. A little bruised.”
“Bruised?” His voice sharpened again. “Did he hurt you?”
“He pushed me against the wall when I wouldn’t let go of my purse.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t you just let go?”
“I don’t know!” she snapped, then caught herself. “It was instinct, Jamie.”
He said nothing for a moment, and she forced herself to breathe evenly, trying not to let her voice shake.
“Did you lose anything important? Do you have your passport?”
“My passport is at the hotel,” she said. “It’s just my wallet. And my license.”
Her throat tightened on the last word. It was stupid to care, but the license mattered. It was in her own name, something she hadn’t been able to use for years. Losing it felt like being stripped of her identity all over again.
Jamie must have heard the crack in her voice, even though she tried to hide it. “Do you want me to come?” he asked softly.
Kathleen laughed, watery and unsteady. “No. Aren’t you in Japan?”
“I am.”
“Then why are you even awake?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said firmly. “If you need me, I’ll be there.”
“Jamie… Jameson Drake,” she said, using his full name like she had when they were kids, “I’m okay. I just need to cancel my credit cards.”
“Which ones?” he asked immediately.
Kathleen told him the two she’d had in her wallet.
“Done. I’ll handle it. You don’t need to worry.”
She wanted to argue, but stopped herself. Let him do this. It would make him feel better, and honestly, she didn’t have the energy.
“Okay,” she said softly. “But I don’t have any money now. My bank card was in there, too.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Jamie said without hesitation. “I’ll have new cards sent. In the meantime, just stay at the hotel. Put everything on the room charge, like normal.”
She hesitated. “I can manage?—”
“No arguments, Kathleen.” His voice softened. “Please. Just let me handle this.”
“Fine.” She hated this part, the dependence. Jamie always ran things by the book, insisted everything be handled properly, no favors, no shortcuts. Forcing him to arrange cash transfers on her behalf was going to grate on him almost as much as it grated on her. But she didn’t have a choice, and he knew it.
“I’ll be fine, Jamie,” she said quietly.
Before he could reply, the officer reappeared. Kathleen seized the opportunity. “I’ve got to go,” she said quickly. “I think they’re finally going to take my statement.”
“Just… be careful,” Jamie said.
“I will.”
She hung up as the officer waved her forward.
