Chapter 95

Chapter 95
Claire’s POV

Ice feels like it is being poured all over my body, as I stand rooted to the spot. “Of course, it looks like me,” I say as I glance up at him. Why is Clive even denying this? We have the same hair, albeit mine is slightly longer now and our eyes are the same color and shape. Even the tip of her nose has that upward thing going on like mine does. She could easily be my twin.

“Don’t be daft, come on let’s go inside. I can introduce you to a few locals.” He takes my hand and pushes the door open. A bell tinkles above it, in a quaint, old fashioned kind of way.

There are a few people inside. Mostly older ladies and three ladies with pushchairs that are seated around a long table.

The café gives off an inviting vibe with a fireplace on the left with comfortable chairs around it. Some tables with easy chairs and then the typical café style chairs at tables.

The counter is at the far end with an array of fresh cakes, baguettes and different breads are stocked in baskets behind.

“Clive,” a woman says as she lifts her hand and waves. She’s quite pretty with dark hair; in her forties I’d say and is seated with a man who also gives Clive a nod.

“Elsbeth, Darren good to see you. It’s been a while. How are the children?” Clive asks as he takes me towards them. I do not really feel like meeting people. The woman on the poster has shocked me to the core. And who would take a woman in these parts? It leaves me cold inside and torn with fear. I thought getting away from Jonathan would be the end of my nightmares. So, why does it feel like they are only just beginning?

“This is a friend of mine, Claire,” Clive says as he pushes me forward slightly. The woman reaches out to shake my hand.

“Lovely to meet you, Claire. I’m Elsbeth and this is my husband, Darren. We are neighbors to Clive, well kind of. There are three miles between us,” she offers with a smile on her face. Her blue eyes are like sapphires and hold a smile in them of genuineness.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I reply at a loss for any other words.

“How long are you staying for?” she asks interested.

“Er, I am not sure yet. Probably only for a week or so.” What else can I say? I feel like I am on guard as I try to shrink behind Clive who won’t allow me to drop into the background.

“Claire is staying with me for a while. Probably for quite a while. I thought it would be a good idea to bring her into the town to meet some folk.” Is he serious? I have other plans.

“That’s lovely. Oh, do take a seat with us and you can tell us all about yourself,” Elsbeth says as she pushes a chair towards me. Her husband rolls his eyes. I am guessing he doesn’t want company as much as I don’t.

“It’s fine, we can sit over there, can’t we Clive?” I say as I point towards the fireplace where the seats are empty.

He looks down at me with a puzzled look. “Nonsense, we’ll sit here and I can catch up with Darren. First, let me grab you something to drink. What would you like? Coffee, herbal tea? Cake or sandwich?”

“I’ll have a coffee please and to be honest I don’t feel hungry. We had breakfast not long ago.”

“Alright you are, love. Let me go and put the order in.” I watch as he walks towards the back where the counter is. A woman approaches him beaming at him. She has exceptionally dark hair, making me wonder whether it is natural or out of the bottle. She has plenty of black eyeliner on and a very cheery, red lipstick.

“Take a seat,” Elsbeth urges me and so I do sit down, reluctantly. The sooner Nathalie can find me somewhere the better. I also wonder if she already knows about this missing young woman. It is the first thing I do when I get back to the cabin or maybe when I use the ladies, I can message her and ask her to find out what she can.

“Terrible business, isn’t it?” Elsbeth says.

“You mean the missing woman?” I reply to make sure we are on the same page. Darren drinks from a green mug.

“Yes, it only happened a few days ago. Apparently in broad daylight. The town has been talking of nothing else for days. Her family are beside themselves.”

“Was she a local girl then?” I ask Elsbeth who dives her cake fork into the red velvet cake on her plate.

“Recently moved here with her parents. Was attending the local college. We’re all trying to be supportive. But fancy something like this happening in our town, again.”

I furrow my eyebrows. Now is my chance to ask her some questions because I am betting my bottom dollar, that she is referring to the woman whose body was found in the woods on Clive’s land.

A shudder passes through me; you know that kind where it feels like someone has past over your grave.

“Was there another case then?” I ask as I watch Clive giving the woman behind the counter some money for our order.

Elsbeth leans forward conspiratorially.

“Unfortunately, yes. They never found who was responsible. Terrible, awful business and on Clive’s land too. A young woman, she had gone for a walk according to the husband and was missing for quite a while.”

“Did they suspect anyone?”

“They had a few but none of them could be tied to the crime. The person who did it remains at large. I’m wondering,” she says then takes another piece off of the cake and places it in her mouth. Rude, right? During a conversation too. Impatience threatens to get the better of me.

“If maybe it’s the same person and they’ve been here under our noses all along or come back. I mean they’re both similar looking women. And wait, you do look a bit like the young woman on the poster.” Finally, at least somebody seems to think so. Not that makes me feel any better. It makes me feel even more vulnerable.

Who would do this? And why do I feel like Jake has something to do with it. Or even Jonathan from the dead?