"You will. Everyone does."
She pointed behind her. "There are people who need my—"
"They don't need you." He walked to the door. "They've survived on their own before you opened the building. They'll continue to survive because they have no other option."
He left the office as abruptly as he arrived. She hurried to follow him, and the entrance door slammed shut. The air trapped inside her lungs came out in a whoosh. She needed better security. The open-door policy would have to end.
From now on, she would ensure that either Vic or Greg manned the door. Those seeking shelter had to arrive after six o'clock and before eight o'clock, when the door was locked for the night. She only wanted those ready to seek help and shelter to come through her doors. Anyone who wanted to start trouble would find themselves unwelcome.
Frustrated, she stomped her foot. She wouldn't put it past Harrington to send someone over to scare her into quitting. But no one was going to stop her from fulfilling her dream.
Chapter Two
At forty-five minutespast seven o'clock on a Friday night, Serge Adams drove down Sprague Ave in downtown Spokane with the year’s deal secured in his briefcase. He honked the horn, urging the traffic to move faster. Business was finished for the day, and now he had somewhere more important to be.
"Come on." He slammed his fist on the steering wheel.
Ahead of him, hundreds of brake lights lit up the horizon. He'd never make it to the shelter before the eight o'clock lockdown.
He'd taken Aubrey Haydon's new rules as a target against him. She was trying to keep him out of the homeless shelter.
A decade-old SUV cut in front of him. He flipped off the driver.
Despite being thirty-five years old and a multi-millionaire, he tried to convince himself that his younger brother was okay. He'd set Alain up in an apartment near The Point, paid for his food, and made sure he was comfortable. However, Alain preferred running the streets and often went missing for weeks. And because he'd always been responsible for his brother, he looked for him at every shelter and homeless encampment in Spokane.
The car beside him honked, adding to his frustration. He pushed away the desire to get out and take a crowbar to the fucker's ride.
He thrust his hand through his hair. He missed his brother. A visit was long past due. He hadn't seen Alain in three months.
Alain was his reason for going to the new homeless shelter. He had heard that Alain was seen hanging around the building. He wanted to see for himself if his brother was still alive.
He gripped the steering wheel, twisting it with tension. It was days like these when the high from a business deal made him crave a little relief.
His cell phone rang. He ignored the intrusion.
The car in front of him stopped. His head hit the back of the headrest, and he blew out his breath. They weren't even near the next intersection.
