“Did you take her from the park? From her home?”
“Of course not.” Claire looked up at the lawyer's eyes. “I was kept locked in my room, chained around the neck to an old radiator.”
“You had nothing to do with her kidnapping?”
Claire was shaking, her calm completely collapsed. “Don't you get it?” Claire stood up gripping the wood in front of her, her breathing labored. “I played with her.” Claire shouted, collapsing into her chair, tears breaking through her defenses. She kept her head bowed to her chest as she barely whispered, “I chose her.” Claire looked up through her lashes enough to see Aidan clutching Ella tightly in his arms. Tears running down her face in his chest. She could see his eyes filled with anger, pure anger. He should never have brought Ella with him.
“Does either lawyer have anything to ask?”
“No, your honor,” they both said.
“Claire, you may step down,” the judge said. As Claire stood she fell back into the chair as her lawyer put out his hand to help her. She took his help as he helped her to shuffle back to the lawyer's table where her chair sat. She refused to look at anyone.
Claire sat there as the final statements were given. She was drained; she stared at the glass of water that she had drank from earlier that day. She knew that they would determine her guilt officially but she would always blame herself for not seeing the monster in her father sooner. The jury was out almost twenty minutes. Claire stayed seated inside the courtroom, her guards blocking off anyone trying to get to her.
“I want to talk to her,” Aidan's voice rumbled.
“I'm sorry, sir. She said no one.”
“What about me?” Ella's voice asked timidly. Her voice rough from crying.
The guard looked at Claire. Looking up and back down the guard shook his head no. He knew that she did not want to speak to anyone.
“It wasn't your fault, Claire. You protected me that night. You protected me every night. You endured all our punishments when we were bad. Talk to me Syd. Please.”
Syd. Sydney. The name that she called her as they were captured. They had all been given names. The name couldn't hurt them now. Claire was too broken. Too shattered. Tears fell down her cheek but she did not look back at Ellie. Ella, Ellie, how did I not see it. She knew she looked familiar but she had believed the police when they said that they were dead. Police didn't lie.
Claire heard Aidan pulling Ella back as the jury came back into the courtroom. The judge entered as everyone stood.
The judge looked at the paper and nodded. The juror turned and walked back to his seat.
The juror read the findings. “We find Clayton Gregston, guilty of forty-nine counts of murder.” Claire grabbed the desk. Forty-nine. Forty-nine. So high? “Sydney Gregston, we find not guilty.” Claire breathed a sigh of relief hearing her name cleared.
“I agree with their findings,” the judge stated. “Mr. Gregston, you are sentenced to death by lethal injection. This court is adjourned.”
“Death won't stop me. I will see you dead and I will fuck your dead corpse.” He yelled towards Claire. Her guards were surrounding her, through the wall that they made around her she saw the guards dragging her father out the door as he yelled even louder.
“Let's go,” Claire quietly said as the judge walked down from where he sat.
“A moment, Miss Henderson.”
Claire nodded and the guards moved.
“I know you blame yourself. Those girls were not taken because of you. I meet a lot of sick... men. He is one of those. You did your best for those girls.” He handed her five large manilla envelopes. “I want you to read these over if you choose. They are difficult but I hope that they shed some light as to who the true monster is. Both survivors talked about how you saved them. Ms. Henderson you are not a monster like him, you saved them.” He turned and walked through the door back to his office. Claire stood there a moment. She knew that Alyssa and the Hawkins family were standing there but she didn't look back. It was just a matter of hours that Alyssa would receive a letter and gift that Claire had sent to her. Claire did not do good-byes. This was the best that she could do. She had to protect them all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Aidan was angry. He was not even trying to hide it. He gripped the steering wheel as he drove the SUV. The guards were in SUVs in front of him and behind him. The family was packed in. After that court scene he wanted to keep them near. The man's threat as they drug him away still ringing in his ears.
“She wouldn't talk to me,” Alyssa said almost numbly as they all rode back to Ashby Enterprises. “She hired guards to surround her. When the hell did she get them? Who were they? For all we know they could be holding her against her will.” Alyssa used her anger to keep from crying.
“They’re not,” Aidan said.
“How would you know?”
“Max knows them. They are former Navy Seals. All of them. Honorable discharge. They started a protection agency called Black Target Security. Claire hired them before she left your panic room.”
“What aren't you saying?”
“They're good, they'll keep her safe. She needs that. I just wish... I wish she was with me instead.” How could Aidan tell her that he was angry at Claire. She had mentioned her fear of punishment. I shushed her so many times when we were together. I dominated her in the bedroom. Yes, she never used a safe word but how could someone that abused know when to use a safe word? He was glad to be home. When everyone was inside he had security lock it down tight. He had a catered meal brought up and it was laid out in the kitchen. “Food's in the kitchen.” He couldn't eat. He looked at his text as he walked down the hall. He texted her.
“We need to talk. You can't hide from me forever.” Oh he was angry there was no doubt. How could she not have told me about this? Why did she ever agree to be my submissive? Did she allow it so I could punish her for what she blamed herself for? Did she know who Ella was when she signed the contract?
He heard a ping in the bedroom sound. He looked up and walked quickly to the room. A smile on his lips. She had come home finally. He did not realize that his fear for her is what angered him the most. He froze as he saw her stuff on the bed. The presents he had given her, the t-shirt he had packed for her when she was in Topher's panic room. He picked up the note.
“Dearest Aidan, I know how angry you must be after the shocking news from today. All I can do is apologize. Apologize to you, to Ellie, to Alyssa. I swear to you that I never knew that Ella was the girl that I thought died in my arms eleven years ago. Yes, I should have told you all of my past but I was told by the FBI never to disclose my true name, for my own safety, and I never broke that promise.
“These past months have been the best months of my life. You taught me that love could be possible. That brokenness could be fixed. It's with a heavy heart that I write this. I have always loved you and I always will. Maybe in another life we could have been happy but not in this lifetime. I am doing the only thing that I can do for you to make up for the hurt and misery I have caused for so many.
“I have one favor to beg of you; and I know that I have no right to ask but please look after Alyssa. She deserved so much better than me as a friend. I held her back with my issues of people and groups. Ella is an amazing young woman. Love her unconditionally. Love her forever. She is strong but sometimes even the strong need someone to step up, to be their strength. Stay Safe. -Claire.”
Aidan didn't realize that he was crying. He sat there holding the note. She was running. The monster told her that no one would love her and she believed him. He loved her but could he be with her after all of this? Could I give up the punishments and the Room to protect her from herself? Could we get over her past? Could I forgive her for the betrayal for pushing me away? For not trusting me to love her? Love. God, the ring was in the safe. The ring that he had planned to give to her that weekend.
Tears ran down his face. His mind so focused on his questions that he di
dn't hear Ella come into the room. She sat down and took the note out of Aidan's hand, reading it quickly, she laid it on the bed and took his hand.
“She running?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What?”
“Aidan. Sometimes you're so frustrating. You love her and she loves you. She thinks that you will blame her like she blames herself. I saw her look at you a few times and anger was always sketched onto your face.”
“Of course I'm angry. That man... he hurt you, hurt Claire. Plus, I hated seeing those guards around her. I should have been protecting her, at least had my men protecting her.”
“Aidan. She was not allowed to be here because I was. She wouldn't come here; she was protecting me, can't you see that?” Ella laid her hand on his shoulder, “It's my fault.”
“No none of this is your fault.”
“I said some stuff to her?”
“What?”
“When you asked me to go over there to get her to eat something we started talking.” Ella blushed. Aidan kissed her temple.
“You can tell me anything you know that.”
Ella sat up so she wasn't touching him. “I talked about you. That you were the closest thing that I had to a father. I told her that I almost called you dad at the wedding.” Ella bit her lip, “I never told anyone but her. I felt safe with her. Aidan you can't be mad at her. She protected me always, she was following the FBI rules just as I always have as well. She needs you. You need her too. I've never seen you so relaxed before.”
“Ella.”
“Aidan. Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you sitting here?”
“I...”
“No! You've protected me, protected us, long enough. You need to think about yourself.”
Aidan hugs her, kissing her cheek. “When did you get so smart, Pumpkin?”
“You taught me well, Aidan.”
He got up from the bed and walked to the door. He turned around and looked to her. “I've always thought of you as my daughter. Love you, Pumpkin.”
“Love you, dad!” Ella said with a smile as Aidan turned and walked down the hall.
Find her. He had to find her. “Max!” Aidan shouted. Several of the people moved out of the kitchen towards the living room looking at him. He saw Alyssa. “She's running.” Aidan sighed. “MAX!” He shouted even louder as Max ran into the room with two other guards. “Claire's running. He have to find her.”
“Sir.” Max eyes told him what he already knew. Her guards weren't just guards. They were professionals at making people disappear as they relocated them. She would have a new identity, a new place. She had pushed them all away; he should have seen this coming.
“Call in any favors. I need to bring her home.” Home. Yes this was her home. His chest tightened, Ella was right. He could not lose her. Max had his phone out making calls as Aidan walked towards the elevator, standing tall. “I'll find you, Claire, and I won't let go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
She had done it. She had left him, set him free. Claire touched the picture of her and Aidan dancing that she had in her wallet. Would he find someone who he'd allow to love him? Claire wanted the best for him. Tears ran down her face as Heath, her main bodyguard, drove the car. She unbuckled her seatbelt and curled into a ball crying.
He had loved her, she knew it. He had said it so many times that month. Love hurts. Her mind played scene after scene of the last four months with Aidan as tears fell over a love that was lost. A love that had turned to hatred.
Hatred. She had seen the anger in his eyes as she spoke from the stand. The anger as he gripped a crying Ella to his chest. Protecting her as a father would. He had wanted to speak to her, Ella had called her 'Syd.' It had been so long since someone used her true name. She had been Claire since she was eleven and the FBI was the closest thing to protecting her as she took her mother's maiden name.
How would I live without him? I had been so lost before him, forced to display everything on my paintings. Claire needed to be strong. She was on her own for the first time in her life. She stopped crying as she allowed the numbness to swallow her. She tucked away her emotions as she wiped away the last few tears and she watched the scenery pass outside the window. She would be strong. She would take her punishment of exile.
Her new apartment was cold, there was not a homely feel to it like Aidan's house or her studio apartment. A couch, a bookcase, and a desk stood out along one wall with the painting easel. The bed was big and the traffic was quiet.
“It's not a lot but it's the basics to get you started. We stocked the other room with sketchbooks, painting supplies and canvases. Should last you awhile. There is an art supply store down the street and a grocery store.” Health said as she walked into the room. He showed her around and gave her the alarm code. “Call us if you need to. Give us this private code.” He handed her a business card with a code on the back.
She let the guards go. She didn't want them to be traced to her. Anyways, she did not care if her father, one of his buddies, or even one of the parents of the murdered children found her. Maybe she deserved death. To be laid to rest with the other children her father murdered.
Alone, she turned on her sadness remix on her iPod. Sitting down she pulled out one of her sketch books as she drew Aidan's face. Memories flowed on the page of their time together. Time became irrelevant to her as she lost herself within the blank pages. The sketchbook was full. “I love you, Aidan,” Claire whispered as she closed the sketchbook and labeled it, 'Aidan.'
“Please be happy.” Claire whispered, like a prayer, kissing the sketchbook before she put it on the bookshelf. She slid his t-shirt on from their first night together, curling up on the couch, she cried until sleep finally found her.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres. Love Never Fails.”
EPILOGUE
Four Months. Four bloody months he and his team had been searching for Claire. He had pulled every favor that people owed him. The Black Target Security would not tell him a thing except that she was safe; no matter how much money he threw at them.
Life still went on during the day, but at night, he was completely lost. Ella had been living with him, trying to distract him. He hated to keep working but he had his family to think about. He wanted to be out there pounding on every door in the world until he found Claire.
Monday afternoon he was sitting in a meeting when Max ran into the room, completely out of breathe, “We found her.” He almost froze as he saw that he had run into one of Aidan's business meetings, but he had orders to tell him the moment anything changed.
Aidan looked to the people around them. “Everyone out. Meetings adjourned.” Aidan bellowed. Everyone scattered from the room. As Max stood there until the last person left the room and the door had closed. He handed Aidan the manilla folder.
“Ready the jet. I want her home.”
Aidan opened the folder and pulled out several pictures. The first picture was a close up of her face. The sadness seemed to leap off the photo paper, gripping him so tight he felt that he could not breathe. Her face was sunken, as if she hadn't been eating properly. She wasn't living, she wasn't coping without him. She was alive at least and soon she'd be were she belong... in his arms.
About the Author
A storyteller to the core, Sophia Emerson wrote her first screenplay when she was only 8 years old, and by the time she was 12, she had taken up poetry as well. Passionate about all sorts of stories, everything from books to scripts and beyond, she loves to thrill people through the power of paper and pen.
Sophia earned her MFA in Motion Pictures and Television at the Academy of Art University. Equipped with seemingly endless creativity, Sophia enjoys both writing and photography. She is a dreamer at heart, and when she is not busy putting together a new story, she enjoys white water rafting a
s well. Based out of Chicago, she specializes mainly in romance, fantasy, and drama novels.
Keep a look out for “Through the Fire”
the sequel to Through the Lens.
Coming January 2019!
Through the Lens Page 25