Chapter 85
CLAIRE’s POV
My heart is in my mouth; it is beating so fast and I can’t get it under control.
“What do you mean, something on Jonathan? What can there possibly be to find out on him? He was a narcissist who liked controlling people, he was after me the moment he found I was missing.”
There is a silence on the phone whilst I wait for Nathalie to speak. I can hear Clive’s brother in the kitchen; it sounds like he banging pots and pans. Maybe he plans to cook. I wish the creep would leave. I don’t feel comfortable here anymore.
Have I just walked from the pan into the fire? Surely, Clive will protect me and keep me safe? We have feelings for each other; I could feel them.
“It appears that Jonathan has a brother,” Nathalie says. I furrow my brows.
“A brother? Are you sure? He never mentioned a brother to me, Nat, not ever. No siblings. In fact, he told me he was an only child and that his mother doted on him but his father was not much of a father. He would come and go.”
“He definitely has a brother,” she says her voice tight. I can only imagine what internal stress she is under. After all she did kill Lauren and that will weigh heavy on my twin’s shoulders. She is not a cold-blooded killer by any stretch of the imagination.
“How do you know this, Nat?” I whisper not trusting that Jake is anywhere near my door eavesdropping. Where the hell is Clive? When will he be back. I swear to God, I feel like I am going to have a heart attack at this rate. Goosebumps run along my arms and the hairs on the back of my neck feel as if they are all standing on end.
Terrified is the best word I can conjure up to divulge how I feel right now. But surely everything is behind me now? Jonathan is dead, he can’t hurt me from beyond the grave. Or can he?
Why do I feel so sick to my stomach? It’s like something awful is going to happen. The thought of running away to some remote island where nobody will ever find me, plays on my mind.
She lets out a long breath. “You’re not going to like this but I managed to break into his house.”
I gasp and place a hand quickly over my mouth. I do not need to draw attention to myself with junkie looking Jake in the cabin.
“You did what? Are you insane?” Nat why?”
“Because something isn’t sitting right with me, Claire. He knew too much about you and your whereabouts, I honestly think someone was helping him.”
My blood runs cold, like that cold where you feel as if someone has thrown a bucket of ice-cold water over you and submerging you so you can’t get any air. My lungs are not getting the oxygen they need right now as it tightens and fear coils around my body like a serpent.
“Okay, listen I trust what you are saying. But why on earth would he have someone else involved, Nat? I don’t get it, not at all.” Am I being naive? Perhaps, that was my problem all along.
Ever since I met Jonathan and he spoiled me rotten, took me to museums, art galleries, the theatre and expensive holidays – I honestly thought he cared and loved me. Maybe he did in his own way, but it was an unhealthy, controlling kind of love. Wait, can a narcissist even love? Do they feel that emotion?
“Hey in there, do you want anything to eat?” I hear Jake calling out from the hallway.
Eat with him? I don’t think so. I intend to stay fully locked in this room with that chair pushed against the door.
“No, thanks. I’m good. You go ahead. I want to wait for Clive to return.”
A pause.
“Fine, suit yourself. Starve then why don’t you.”
A charming man he obviously is not.
“You don’t have to get anything, Claire. Let me carry on investigating and see what else I can find out. There were two birth certificates in his office draw. One with his name on and one that had the same surname but a boy’s name, Landon.”
I frown again; at this rate my eyebrows are going to be permanently stuck together. I massage between them, hoping it might just ease away some of the tension I feel. My neck is knotted, and tender.
“Please tell me you are not still at his house. Won’t the police be there soon to take a look around? Nat you could get caught. You need to get out of there.”
“Don’t worry, he hasn’t been reported missing yet, let alone dead. It’s going to take a while. Let’s face it, nobody is looking for him.”
“YET!” I say slightly louder than I mean to. “People will be trying to get hold of Jonathan, Nat. Christ’s sake his property was burnt to the ground. His business partner will be looking for him. This is all going to blow up in our faces. I’m scared, Nat. Really scared.”
I wrap an arm around my body, that is now stronger from all the training and exercise I put myself through to get away and defend myself against Jonathan.
“I know you are, Sis. I really do but you are with Clive now and he will keep you safe. Okay, listen to me. Do not freak out yet. I’m going to carry on doing some searching here. There was a bit of paper in his office draw next to the birth certificates with your name on it and an address with an arrow between your name and Landon’s. That’s why I think he has his brother involved.”
“But what would that purpose be?”
She lets out a little sigh. Why do I feel as if she thinks she’s talking to a five year old. Right now, however, I need her to spell out what is going through her legal brain box.
“Because, Claire maybe Jonathan wanted a back-up in case something happened to him.”
Shivers run down my spine.
Who can I actually trust?