Chapter 94

Chapter 94
Claire’s POV

It feels like I have just had a tight plastic bag removed from over my head as I step out of the vehicle once we are in town. I take in some deep breaths and notice that Clive is watching me.

“That good?” he says with a deep voice. It’s not sarcastic nor carrying an undertone like Jonathan’s did.

“Oh, my God, Clive you have no idea how good it feels.”

“We have plenty of fresh air up at the cabin,” he tells me as he presses the fob to lock the door and comes round to my side. I glance up at him and realize just how tall he actually is. He must clear six feet easily.

“I know but it’s not the same with Jake there. Like I said, he weirds me out. I am thinking of trying to get to a place of my own. Nathalie is looking into it for me, Clive. It’s best I move on and try to start a new life for myself.”

I watch as his smile disappears and frown lines appear on his forehead causing his dark eyebrows to meet in the middle.

“So soon? Are you sure you’re ready, Claire?” He seems concerned.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, Clive. I can’t hide out at yours forever.”

“No, I guess not. I just thought…” He lets the words trail off. I know what he thought, that perhaps he and I could be an item. Be a couple. So did I at one point when I was on the run from Jonathan.

However, with Jake in the equation making me feel sick to the stomach and constantly uneasy, I know it can’t be. It kind of hurts as I have emotions and feelings for Clive. Ones that will have to stay buried. Still, I’m good at that, right? Hiding my feelings, I’ve had to be.

“Let’s not be rash. Take your time. If Jake is the problem I’ll try and figure out a solution, Claire. I know he can be too much sometimes and so bloody intense.”

He’s not wrong there. But something tells me that Jake could put me in danger. And, I don’t like the way these two have talked about the woman found in the woods. It seems like an eternity since I asked Nathalie to look into it, yet it was just yesterday.

Time seems so foreign right now with everything that has happened.

“Clive, Claire.” I hear a man’s voice from the sidewalk and turn. It can’t be, can it? It’s Arthur.

“Oh my gosh, Arthur, how are you?” I say rushing to him and putting my arms around him. It feels so good in my heart to see his warm and soft face, albeit gnarled with age. The man who helped me will always be in my heart.

“Good to see you lass. Didn’t think I’d see your pretty face again. How you’ve made an old man happy my dear,” he says as he pats my hand. Clive shakes his hand when he’s done. It’s evident in his aging eyes to see how happy he is to see me.

“I take it all that problem of yours went away?” he says with a knowing look. Does he know? Surely not, how can he?

“It did, thanks Arthur. If it hadn’t been for you helping me, I don’t know what would have happened that day.”

“That’s what we do, Claire. We all look after each other.” He pats my hand again.

Then he turns to Clive. “I hear that brother of yours is back again.” Arthur’s voice sounds disapproving. Clive nods.

“Aye, for a while I’m guessing this time.”

“And is he clean? Only we know what a mess he can cause.” Arthur really does not sound impressed over Jake. That means I am not the only one who thinks there is something off about him. Perhaps he has been known to cause trouble in the town.

“I’m keeping him busy up at the cabin. He’s got plenty of stuff to do up there,” Clive replies as he reaches for my hand. I’m guessing he wants to steer me away so he doesn’t have to continue with the topic in hand.

“Make sure you do. By the way, be on the guard won’t you. A young woman has just gone missing in these parts,” Arthur says looking troubled. “Nasty business. She was reported missing just the other night. A woman in her twenties they say.”

I glance at Clive whose jaw is clenching nine to the dozen. Why is he stressed about this? Not the reaction I would imagine. It makes me feel all sorts of weird inside like something isn’t right.

“That’s awful, her poor family and husband if she has one,” I say shocked that this has happened in a sleep town like this one is.

“Aye, lass. She is apparently married and has two little ones. A boy and a girl. There are some posters up on the shop windows you can see for yourself,” he says as he points to the coffee shop behind him.

I can’t see properly from this distance and move to take a closer look.

My eyes almost bulge out of my head as I take in the picture of the woman on the missing persons poster.

It could easily be me. She has the same color hair, the same color eyes and wearing an old cardigan. The same one I used to have that Jonathan told me, made me look like a frumpy old lady.

Involuntarily I shudder.

My hand covers my mouth in shock as I continue to stare at the image. Is this some kind of sick joke? Has someone used my image and reported me missing? Who would do that?

“Claire, Claire,” I hear Clive’s deep voice breaking through my wild and irrational thoughts. “Are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost,” he says as he places an arm around my shoulder.

I point with my right hand to the poster of the missing woman. “It’s me, Clive. Can’t you see that?”

He is looking down at me. “Don’t be daft, Hen. Looks nothing like you. Come on, let’s get you a nice hot coffee.”