Chapter 96

Chapter 96
Claire’s POV

The whole conversation gives me the chills. Clive seems utterly unperturbed by it. I glance at him as he dives into his food and chats away to Elsbeth’s husband.
“Do you think it could be someone you know then?” I ask not wanting to drop the conversation.
When she casts her eyes to Clive and to her husband, her mouth opens as if to say something.
“Claire just drop it. What happened to the woman in the woods was a couple of years ago. And this incident is not related. Pretty sure of that,” Clive says harshly causing me to blink rapidly. It’s a nervous twitch I have. But it seems rather odd to me that I should drop it.
If I had my way, I would go to the police station or even better the library and see what there is. I could go online since I have a new mobile. In fact, sod it, that is what I am going to do.
I mean it is odd; don’t you think that two cases are similar?
Elsbeth’s husband coughs. “Come on love, I think we ought to go,” he says taking me and his wife by surprise.
“But I haven’t finished my drink,” she replies. He gives her a damning glare. She flushes. I can see who clearly wears the pants in his house. Still, I don’t like the way they all looked at Clive like he would know something about it.
“Us too, Claire. Let’s go and get the bits you need and I need then we will head back home.”
Home? Is he serious right now. The cabin is not my home and now with all this happening in the town, I’d rather not be calling it home.
I have had my fair share of drama. All I want is to get to Nathalie or somewhere else entirely and start afresh.
Elsbeth stands and takes her tan shoulder bag off the back of the chair and puts the strap over her body like a cross bag whilst her husband waits patiently.
She waves goodbye and leaves with him. Not even wanting to share numbers. Strange.
Clive stands now and looks down at me. “Ready?” he asks.
“Not really but I don’t look like I have a choice, do I?”
He sighs. Is that irritation I see flooding across his ruddy cheeks? He is looking flushed too. Not to upset him further, I down my coffee and grab my bag and link the strap over my shoulder and follow him out.
“What was that all about in there?” I ask him as I try to keep up with his long strides. My God, the man can walk quickly, not surprising with legs as long as his.
“Locals don’t like to talk about the incident in the woods, Claire. It’s like some kind of bad omen. And now this with the missing girl, it isn’t the right time to talk about our losses.”
My mouth forms an O. “Right, but you know I am quite intrigued. Was Jake around? I mean at your cabin when the woman went missing?”
We are outside a barber’s shop, it has smoked glass windows and gold italic script on the glass, which reads Andrew’s. Not very original.
“What the hell are you asking that for, Claire? What exactly are you trying to insinuate?”
Touchy much! “Nothing, just asking. Why are you being so cagey?”
“You have just arrived here like five minutes ago and now you are acting like some kind of nosey detective or reporter. These two incidents have literally nothing to do with you, Claire.”
He stomps off and I almost have to break into a jog to stay up with him. Good job I am a runner.
“Everything if I am staying at the cabin. You know what, Clive? I think I’ll book into a guest house down here in the town.” I huff and cross my arms in front of my chest as he stops and glares at me. Anger fills his eyes.
How did we even get to this point of warfare so damn quickly. I thought Clive was going to be my safe haven. My refuge whilst I got my stuff together. However, the way he is acting makes me think I am better off not being at the cabin. And of course there is Jake.
“Don’t be silly, hen,” he says with a softer tone now. “You will be safer up in the cabin, Claire. Trust me. You don’t want to be down here in the town where there is a psychopath loose who could harm you.”
Other than his brother do you think he means? Listen, you can call me paranoid but there is something dark lurking inside of Jake.
“I’m not so sure, Clive. I want to stay down here in the town. I don’t feel comfortable around your brother.” My mother always taught me that honesty is the best policy.
Clive’s face storms over again. “You. Are. Staying. In. The. Cabin.” Who does he think he is talking to? I am not a child.
“Besides, you have no money, Claire and no job. So, you see you have no choice.”
The way he says it makes me feel like someone has poured a freezing cold bucket of water over my head.
It makes me realize exactly how vulnerable I am again.
My phone rings in my coat pocket. As I pull it out, I see it is Nathalie calling.
“I need to take this,” I tell him. He nods and pushes open the door to the hardware store that we are now outside of.
“Hey,” I say as he goes inside. It’s bloody freezing outside, I can see my breath as I huff out. Funny, when I was a young girl I used to love that.
“Claire have you heard about the missing woman close to the cabin?” Nathalie doesn’t even bother with salutations.
“Yes,” I say nodding.
“Good, then you will see she looks exactly like you. I’ve been looking into it and there is a pattern. The woman in the woods, she looks almost identical. There is a pattern. Apparently across the town border another woman went missing six months ago.”
I bite my bottom lip.
“Don’t tell me, she had the same kind of appearance too.”
Silence.
“Claire, I want you to get out of there as soon as you can. I am going to give you some details via messenger for my bank account. Access some cash and get the hell out of that town and away from Clive and Jake. I don’t trust either one of them.”