The Other Side of Perfect by Victoria Peters Read Free Book Online Page B

lovely young girl with a mature and instinctive demeanor.
     
                  “Something happened, didn’t it?  Something bad, mama?”
                  “Chelsea, I don’t want you worrying about this, but know that what we are about               to do is for your safety. Yours and M.J.’s, okay?”
                  “Okay, Mama…”
     
    Finding a quiet spot to pull over, Jennifer stopped the car and began to fumble through her purse for Agent Paul’s number.  She then pulled her cellphone out and dialed it…
     
                  “Agent Paul here.” he replied.
                  “Agent, this is Jennifer. Jennifer Wilson…” he immediately recognized the panic               and distress in her voice.
     
                  “Mrs. Wilson, are you okay?”
                  “No,  I’m not and I need your help!”
                  “Okay, okay…are you in danger?”
                  “Yes!”
                  “Right, I want you to listen to me carefully.  Do exactly as I say and I will make               sure you stay safe.  Do you have your children?”
                  “Yes, I grabbed them first!”
     
                  “Very good. Now, I want you to drive to the Women and Children’s Shelter at 452 Westbrooke Street. It’s a discreet and obscure location. It looks like a simple house from the outside, but I will notify them that you're coming and we'll meet you there. Once you get to the building, go to the back door and ring the buzzer. Tell them who you are and they'll let you in.  Leave your cell phone and keys in the car.  I'm going to take them somewhere to hide them, far from you.  We don’t want him to find you there.”
     
                  “Okay, I’m going….”
     
    Jennifer followed his instructions to the letter and drove immediately to the shelter on Westbrooke.  She’d driven by the house a thousand times, but never knew that it was anything other than what it appeared to be.  What else had she missed all these years? Pulling into the driveway, she moved the car to the back and then carefully looked around before getting out.
     
    She grabbed the kids and then left the phone and keys inside the car before knocking on the door of the house. She buzzed the door and then heard a woman’s voice say, “Mrs. Wilson?”
     
                  “Yes.”
                  “Come on in, dear.”
     
    The door hummed lightly as she pulled upon the handle and entered through a tiny entrance way. Then, with the door closing behind her, she stood silently in a circular room with three doors.  The corridor was full of cameras and each door had combination locks in place.               As she stood tall, trying not to tremble, a tall woman entered from the left side door.
     
                  “Hello, Jennifer…” she said with her palm open.  “I’m Cheryl, one of the intake workers here at the shelter.”
     
                  Jennifer didn’t speak, but simply shook her hand.
     
                  “I have no doubt you're scared, but believe me, you are safe here, at least for now.  Once Agent Paul gets here, we will know better what to have you do, but for now, let’s get you and your children settled.”
     
    Cheryl then proceeded to punch in a series of numbers, and opened a door to another room.  As Jennifer stepped inside with her children, she was amazed.  It didn’t feel like a shelter at all. There was a large play area, full of toys. The large television was playing an episode of 'Dora the Explorer' and three other small children were mingled inside the space. M.J. took immediate interest and begged to play with the others.
     
    To the left of the play area, there were a number of comfortable chairs, each