I stared at the woman, completely blown away by her backhanded compliments, honest but backhanded. Rebecca tapped the edge of the file, "Because of you we were also able to link Jessica to a few other crimes that all tie back to the Church of the Rising Son and another organization that was active right after Dr. Bourne's accident. Giving us a huge lead in tracking down Alistair."
We both turned to the sound of Claire and her mother's voices coming towards us. Rebecca stood up, "I will brief you after brunch. The Beekeeper file on Jessica is unsettling but informative. I can understand where her rage and need for revenge would come from, but why it is directed at Claire, that’s still a mystery."
I nodded, "I know. Jessica was vague even in her last breaths, but did seem to know a lot about me." I stood up to stand next to Rebecca, both of us waiting for Claire and her mother to enter the room. Rebecca looked at me, "Kit, take care of Claire. She loves you so damn much that it would shatter her if she lost you." Rebecca smiled tightly, "Keep that in mind the next time you want to jump out a window."
I shot her a look, "Did we just make a truce?" Rebecca shrugged, saying nothing.
Claire and her mother entered the library, Ingrid walking straight to me, hugging me without abandon. "It is good to see you up and about, Caitriona." I heard Rebecca murmur, leaving the library. Ingrid stepped back, holding me at an arm's length, "You need to eat. Karolina has a nice brunch laid out for us."
I smiled, "That sounds great." I set the file back down and picked up my phone. The voice mail icon was blinking, I had two missed calls from Tito and another one from Davey. I glanced at Claire, "Did you tell Davey what happened?"
She shook her head, cleaning up the files with Ingrid's help, "Not since yesterday. I was focused on keeping things extremely quiet until Rebecca found something, I left him a voice mail, but he hasn't called me back."
I nodded, "I will meet you guys in the kitchen. Davey called a few minutes ago, I'll call him back before he starts calling everyone."
Ingrid chuckled, "Ever the big brother that one is." Claire smiled, "If he is panicking, tell him to call me and I’ll fill him on everything."
I walked out of the library, down the hall into a small sitting room. I instinctively moved to the large picture windows in the lavishly decorated room. I dialed the voice mail first, listening to the robotic woman's voice telling me I had two new voice mails. I pressed my hand against the cold glass, idle thoughts about Rebecca and if my arch nemesis had been upgraded to a frenemy.
Tito's voice boomed in my ear, startling me out of friendly thoughts about Rebecca, "Yo KT, call me back. I’m at the hospital in police custody and I need you to vouch that I was your house sitter. Some weird shit happened and the house got tore up. I’m facing assault and battery charges for beating the shit out of this dude I found in your house, poking around when I came to collect the mail for you." Tito paused and blew out a breath, "It's fucked up KT. The dude was like the incredible Hulk and threw me around like I was a piece of dirty toilet paper." Tito chuckled, "I got my licks in though. Knocked the bastard’s teeth to the back of his skull with my bat before finally knocking him out. The doctor said he’ll never eat solids again." The voice mail ended and cycled to the next one from Davey.
"Kit. If you are with Claire, you two need to go into lock down." Davey sounded breathless, "I am in San Diego, on my way to meet Tito. I think he ran into one of Alistair's thugs at your house, the cops called me and it’s a literal shit show up and down. They have this beast of a man that went toe to toe with Tito in a padded cell. The house looks like two rhinos rumbled." Davey paused, "Sheehnan called me, they found Michaela Verger dead this morning, throat slashed in her foyer with her bags still unpacked from France." He paused, his voice moving away from the phone, "Stay the hell away from Washington and San Diego, Kit. I think Alistair is attacking on all fronts and the last thing we need is him finding out where you are and worming his way out to Connecticut. Call me back when you can."
Davey's voice was replaced by the robot woman politely asking me if I would like to replay or save the messages.
I rested my forehead against the cold glass.
When one door closes, three hundred more open in its place. All of them dangerous and uncontrollable as the last.
Chapter 26
Setting the phone down, I looked in the direction of the kitchen, hearing the Avondale family and Rebecca chat over brunch. Davey told me to stay away from San Diego, but the hell I would if there was another piece of the puzzle right within reach.
Three attacks in the span of a day. My house and Tito, me at Claire's, and Michaela back in D.C. It was clear Alistair was increasing his attacks and drive to find an end to Claire's life, making it apparent even he was growing tired of his little games. I sighed hard, making a quick decision as I picked up my phone to text Sheehnan, asking for any information he could give me on the new crime scene. I tapped the phone when I was done, walking out of the side room and to the edge of the kitchen where I had a view of the kitchen and the table full of lively innocent conversation.
Claire looked up from her orange juice, catching me the moment I stepped to the edge of the doorway into the kitchen. A soft smile fell across her face when our eyes met like they always did. I smiled back, waving her over to where I stood while I slid back down the hallway and to the side room, letting her make a polite escape from the table.
"Kit? Is everything ok?"
I kept my smile, reaching for her hand, "One day I will actually answer that question with a solid yes." I looked at her blue green eyes, suddenly wanting to retreat from what I was about to tell her. "It’s Davey's message, my house was broken into last night, Tito happened to be there. Wrong place at the right time, he came face to face with what he thought was a burglar hoping to steal my broken TV."
Claire's face remained emotionless, her way of hiding the millions of emotions she was constantly battling lately. "Is Tito alright?"
I nodded, "Yes. He's currently in police custody while they sort things out. Davey is on his way to assist and or bail Tito out." I paused, "They also have the burglar and it sounds like it could be one of our bees if not Alistair."
Claire's jaw twitch as it clenched with her hand, I opened my mouth to speak, "I want to..."
"Go to San Diego." Claire finished my sentence, looking up at me, "You don't have to say it. I think by now I can tell when you have an unshakeable mission on your mind."
I sucked in a breath, my stomach beginning to roll. I did want to go to San Diego, go see this beast of a man who took Tito down like he was a child and get closer to finishing this hellish ordeal for Claire. "But, I won't go without you Claire, or I won't go if you don't want me to."
Claire smiled tightly. "Kit. We both know that your stubbornness will not allow you to sit by and leave it to Davidek or whomever else may get involved." She sighed, drawing her eyes up to the ceiling, her mind obviously moving a mile a minute in the way her brow creased ever so slightly. "Go, Kit. Go to San Diego and meet Davidek."
I was taken aback by her words and sudden agreement. "Wait. Are you actually telling me to go?"
Claire nodded, dropping her hand from mine as she walked further into the sitting room, stopping in front of the large windows that faced the large cliffs of the ocean. "Yes, I want you to go to San Diego. Find out who that man is with Davidek." Her tone, firm and determined, hints of the Senator sneaking in.
I walked behind her, confused by her sudden turn and lack of fight. "Are you coming with me?"
Claire shook her head, "No." She turned to face me, arms folded tightly across her chest, "I will leave for Geneva tonight after you are on your way to San Diego."
I felt the surge of fear hit me, "Alone?"
Claire's smiled weakly, looking at the floor, "I'll have Rebecca come back with me."
I swallowed the idea down hard, although it did seem that Rebecca and I had made a truce or a temporary peace treaty, the last thing I wanted was Claire with Re
becca. For admittedly purely jealous personal reasons, unfueled jealousy, but jealousy none the less.
Claire picked up on my silence and moved closer to me, her hand falling to my shoulder, slowly running up it to sit against my neck, "Kit, Rebecca is equally as qualified as you are to keep me safe. Albeit not as daring and bold as you, but she has kept me safe before and always will." Claire's palm pressed warmly against my pulse, "Your jealousy is clear, but I do know Rebecca, she will respect what you and I have. What we are." She held my eyes to emphasize it. "Before you ask why Geneva and why splitting us up? I think it will throw Alistair off, he now expects us to be attached more than ever after this last attack."
Claire stepped back, her warm hand leaving my neck, her face shifting back to serious, "If we can find out more from San Diego, I want that." Her jaw clenched tightly with determination, "I want this to be over and the only way it will end is if we distract and retaliate anyway we can." Claire turned back to the window, "I have to finish what I started in Geneva. I'm moving Beth's surgery up to when I arrive. When you're done in San Diego, come to Geneva. By the time you meet me there, I will be a few days away from completing my promise to her." She looked over her shoulder at me, "This has to end, Kit. All of it."
I took a deep breath, walking over to Claire, her arms falling from her chest, opening them without a second thought as I embraced her. The air had turned thick again and I hated it. I felt her press deeper into my arms, nuzzling in to my neck as a hard sigh fell from her.
I whispered against her ear, "I will leave this afternoon." She nodded lightly against me as I kissed her temple, "Tell Rebecca if she doesn't keep you safe…”
Claire leaned back quickly, silencing me with a slow kiss. Murmuring over my lips, "She knows Kit. I think you kind of scare her now." She leaned further back in my arms, looking over my face, "You must really love me to jump out of a window, half naked and ruin your favorite shirt."
I laughed lightly, feeling the air ease around us, "Where is my Purdue shirt, by the way?" I gave her a playful glare.
She kissed me again, sliding her hand in mine, "I will get you a new one later. Let's go enjoy brunch with the family before we have to deal with reality again." Claire tugged my hand.
I tugged back, "Evading the question I see, Senator. That shirt was my favorite and should be yours too."
Claire looked back, "Why's that? Because it was almost see through?"
I smirked, "That is an added benefit." I let my smirk fall into a grin, "I will give you a clue. September 7th, 2003."
Claire paused at the hallway, confused, "A date?"
I nodded, kissing her cheek before passing her, "Yep. Think about it. It will make sense when you remember." I walked into the kitchen, meeting the smiling faces of Claire's parents and a half smile from Rebecca. I looked back to the woman I loved, standing in place as her big brain dug deep, trying to find the date I threw at her. I held out my hand, wiggling my fingers for her to take them, "Food now, thinking later."
Claire rolled her eyes, giving me her hand so I could pull her into the kitchen.
It's not nice to stare.
A sentiment of manners and etiquette handed down for centuries, but I couldn't help it, staring at Kit. Staring at her as she ate brunch, laughing and talking with my parents, and even Rebecca. I stared. Like one would a favorite painting or photograph, trying to memorize or find hidden meaning in the image. I was memorizing Kit.
The way her smile grew bigger at the corners when her eyes met mine. The way she would lean to the right, listening to my father talk about the steel mill. The way her face shifted ever so slightly when she would find my hand and hold it under the table, then shift to minute sadness when she had to let go to eat or pass a dish.
I had looked at Kit a hundred, a thousand times by now, even watched her sleep a few more times than would be polite. Now, for some reason, I wanted this image and all the small things burned, etched into my mind. Maybe it was my way of dealing with the eventual separation. Her to San Diego and I off to Geneva. An idea I despised, but knew was for the best. I had to distract Alistair and allow Kit to get more critical information and for me to finish my last binding promise to Beth.
After Beth was stable and on the road to recovery, I would issue my resignation from the Senate, then leave Criterion in Dr. Zehren’s hands for a few months or years, then disappear. Disappear into the fog of the highlands with Kit.
Two times I had almost lost her and that was two times far too many. Kit deserved a life where she could wake up and breathe, not wake up with a gun under her pillow, reaching for me in a desperate way. A way that told me silently she would wake up fearful I wouldn't be there and she had slept through something she could have prevented.
I pushed my toast to the center of an empty plate, I was no longer hungry or interested in the table conversation. I knew it would only be a few days that we would be apart and I had to keep telling myself this had to be done, we had to split. Yet, my heart beat in a way that told me it would be lost without the redhead sitting next to me. Filling every inch of my body with the what ifs and the thoughts of what could go wrong.
I rubbed my temple, trying to focus back on my parents and the idle conversation between them and Kit, but was failing. I had instead drifted off to a few days ago and the conversation I had with my mother and father while Kit slept off the serum.
I had told them everything. Sitting in my father's large office on the leather couch with my mother, I let it all out. The Criterion project, Alistair, Rebecca, how Kit literally fell into my life and the fight she brought with her. All of it, I dumped out like a child dumping out toys from a bin.
I cried through most of it, sitting next to my mother as she held me, freeing the secrets I held from them to keep them safe. At the end, with sore eyes and a raspy voice, I revealed to them my plans to resign and find a new life with Kit. Finally understanding what they had told me I would find one day if I just stepped away from the books and microscopes. A love that tore open my heart and my soul, shoving long untouched feelings that I continued to struggle with in the happiest of ways.
I told my mother with a soft sob, that if Kit and I made it through this, I would ask her to marry me and take on the one life project I ignored. Building a family of my own.
Now as I watched the three of them talk about maple syrup, I could see my parents wanted that for me and were happy I found it. They looked at Kit with more adoration for what she had done for me and my heart, let alone my life. Even Rebecca seemed to sense it and was actually letting go of what we once were.
When Karolina came in to clear up the plates, I took the excuse to help her. I wanted to escape to my room and sit in silence, unravel my twisted mind before I had to say goodbye to Kit. My way of coping with how much I hated to say goodbyes in general, let alone her. Build up some walls and the strength I knew I would need in Geneva.
My room no longer carried signs there had ever been an attack. The floors had been replaced, the walls repaired and repainted. The windows had also been replaced with thicker ones with a quick escape feature. This was the first time I had been back in my room since that day. I’d been sleeping in the guest room where we placed Kit, lying next to her until her body became too warm, or she rolled around too much, signaling it was best if I let her body run its healing course. I would then move to the chair next to her bed, watching her sleep until I fell asleep.
I also knew I would be leaving her, I had made the decision the day before she woke up, after Sheehnan told me Michaela had been murdered. My gut told me Kit would want to race to that scene and look at it. That was when I devised the plan to split us and take Rebecca to Geneva. I had to start fighting back against Alistair, start playing along with his morbid game. Making that decision kept me in the chair even after Kit settled down, I had to build up my resistance to always needing her by my side when we slept at night.
I laughed to myself, when had I become so dependent on this relationship? This
bond I had with Kit. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced and literally broke me down to what I imagine it was like to be a teenager in the grips of a first love. She made me stronger, but so much of me craved to not be strong with her, let her arms encase me in her strength and hold me until I wanted to be let go.
Walking over to the small desk that sat next to the large bookshelf holding my Johnny Cash poster, I sat down in the chair. I could feel the weight of the last few days bear down on my shoulders, I no longer had the cold steel strength I once did when I started all of this. I stared at Johnny's face, the smug look on his face and greased black hair looking back at me as if he already knew the answer to the world's problems, but wouldn't share.
I closed my eyes when I heard the door open, "Rebecca, I will be down later to go over the itinerary. I just told Kit I was leaving with you, I would like to be alone for a few minutes."
"Maybe I am rethinking about you and her going alone to Geneva." I turned to Kit's smirking face, "You escaped me. Left me with your parents and Becky."
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