Page 39 of Night Moves
He opened her door. “When Ulani answers the door, tell her your name and that we need to see her. Since she knows you, she’s more likely to let us in.”
“Will do.”
“And stay close to me.” He stepped back and pushed aside his windbreaker to rest a hand on his sidearm.
Natalie slid out. For once he kept his focus off those incredible legs and took her elbow to bring her close. He felt her gaze on him but ignored it. Keeping an eye on the surroundings was foremost right now. Not talking.
He led her toward apartment 1B, drawing her even closer to place her under his arm, the safest position, before pounding hard on the door painted a cheerful green. No one answered, so he knocked again and also rang the doorbell. He knocked a third time and finally a light came on in the window next to the door.
“She’s home.” He stepped to the side so she would only see Natalie through her peephole.
“Ulani, it’s Natalie Dunn.” She spoke in a lighthearted tone, but the nervous clasping of her hands gave away her unease. “The Gentry children’s social worker.”
“What do you want?” The woman had a high-pitched voice, almost childlike.
“I need to ask you some questions.”
“This early?”
“It’s important. Please. Can I come in?”
No answer. Not a yes or a no.
Drake started counting in his head and had reached twenty when the deadbolt slid free. The door opened a fraction, and Ulani peeked out.
“This is Drake,” Natalie said. “He’s helping me with the Gentry children.”
“Helping?”
“It’s a long story. Can we come in?” Natalie stepped forward and pressed on the door preventing Ulani from closing it in their faces.
Good.Natalie gained access. She’d likely done this a time or two at homes where the occupants weren’t so eager to see her.
Ulani frowned but stood back, her turquoise satin pajamas a silky flash in the light. Natalie entered first, and Drake followed. The nanny was petite with gleaming black hair flowing down her back. Her skin was the color of wet desert sand.
Natalie marched into the small living room and sat in a leather easy chair. The savory scent of bacon clung to the air but was mixed with a disinfecting smell. He stood behind her, positioning himself in place where he could act if needed. Not that the five-foot-tall woman looked like a threat, but he’d learned over the years that he could never discount anyone. That was how people were killed and injured, and he wasn’t going to let Natalie come to any harm.
Ulani perched on the edge of her beige couch in an equally beige room. She fixed her focus on Natalie. “What do you need to know?”
“Tell us about Kirk Gentry,” Drake said, taking her attention. “What’s he like?”
Ulani clasped her hands together in her lap. “Natalie knows him. She can tell you that.”
“I’m interested in your take.”
She opened her mouth then closed it and looked down at her hands.
“It’s okay, Ulani,” Natalie said softly. “You can tell us. This is an unofficial visit, and it won’t go into his file or impact his custody of the children.”
She raised her head. “It’s not that he’s a bad person. He’s not. He just can get super focused, and when he does, he doesn’t like to be disturbed. Not by me. The children. The phone. Nothing.”
“What does he do when someone disturbs him?” Natalie asked.
“Yells. His face goes red, and the veins stick out on his neck.” She twisted her hands. “But it’s okay because otherwise he’s very nice. Especially for a guy who came from a really rich family.”
“How often does he get upset?” Drake asked.
“A lot. But he always apologizes.”
