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She reached across the granite to grab it. Probably her mom, checking in and wanting to see how her painting had gone over the weekend.
Maybe she’d paint something else today. Her mind and heart were full, inspiration plentiful.
“Na—Nathalie?” Angie’s voice was barely recognizable over her sobs.
Nathalie’s contentment vanished. “Angie, what’s wrong?”
“My boyfriend, he…he…”
“Did he break up with you?” The poor girl sounded devastated. They weren’t that far apart in age, and Nathalie tried to mentor Angie as she worked and got her master’s degree.
“No.”
There was something too careful about the way Angie said no that set Nathalie’s pulse racing.
“Did he hurt you?” She could sense Ryder’s attention shift from the stove to her. Her voice lowered. “Is he still there with you?”
“N—no. I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to call.”
Nathalie’s vote was for the police, but Angie clearly was rattled and needed someone to talk to first. “Why don’t I come over? We’ll sit and talk.” In her peripheral vision, she saw Ryder shake his head.
“Would you?” Angie sniffed. “I…” she started crying again.
“I’ll be right there.” Nathalie hung up and faced Ryder. “I need to go to Angie’s apartment. Her new boyfriend hurt her. I need to see how badly and try to convince her to call the police.”
“Let me see if I can get hold of Caleb so he can drive us there. I gave him and Danny the morning off because I didn’t think we’d be going anywhere.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to wait in case she changes her mind and decides not to tell me the truth about what happened. Let’s take my car.”
“Nathalie—”
“Please, Ryder.” She gripped his forearm, trying to communicate with touch the seriousness of the situation. “Liu’s arrest made the world news this morning. His accomplice, if he’s even still around, will be lying low. And you’ll be with me. Everything will be fine.”
The lines around Ryder’s eyes tightened, but he gave a quick nod. “Give me five minutes.”
Nathalie breathed a sigh of relief when he disappeared upstairs to the bedroom. For a minute, she thought he’d refuse, and she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Arguing would have wasted precious time, and Angie needed her.
Ryder parked the Miata near the main entrance of an older three-story brick apartment complex near George Mason University and surveyed his surroundings.
The place was quiet, the parking spaces two-thirds full. The building likely housed college students and young professionals, like Angie, sleeping in after their Saturday night activities.
He held open the passenger door for Nathalie, missing the Suburban—not just its defensive capabilities, but some items he’d stowed in it. His shoulder holster containing his Glock rested beneath the suit coat he’d thrown over his shirt. His back up gun nestled in the holster above his ankle.
Nathalie stepped out of the car, wearing tight cropped jeans and navy trainers that matched her simple V-neck top. They mounted the concrete steps to an unlocked glass entrance door and took the stairs to the second floor.
Neither Caleb nor Danny had responded to his text. They’d mentioned going to a local gun range this morning when Ryder gave them the day off. He texted them Angie’s address and told them to call him as soon as they saw his message.
This might be what it looked like—a traumatized young woman in need of comfort and counsel, but he’d feel better with his full security detail in place.
“Apartment 213.” Nathalie scanned the brass numbers on the exterior doors in the dimly lit corridor until they arrived at Angie’s. Shooting Ryder a pensive look, she raised her fist and knocked on the door. “Angie, it’s me, Nathalie.”
There was a shuffling sound before the door cracked open as far as the security chain on the other side would allow. Angie’s tear-stained face peeked through the open gap.
Ryder’s jaw clenched at the swelling around the girl’s left cheek, her eye a mere slit behind its red, puffy lid. He took an instinctive step forward.
Angie’s good eye widened. “Why is he here?”
“It’s okay.” Nathalie threw out her hand to keep Angie from closing the door. “He can wait outside in the hall while we talk.”