The Consequences Series Box Set

by Aleatha Romig

  Claire tried to follow. “Amber? No, that can’t be true.”

  “It is,” Courtney replied. “When you contacted her from prison and told her your theories, she decided it was a great way to deflect any suspicion away from her. She told her brother, Harry, who happened to be Agent Harrison Baldwin, and the FBI became involved. There were lingering concerns about your grandfather’s death and some other cases which led to Anton Rawls. When Amber talked to the FBI, they saw it as the perfect storm. By utilizing Harry, having him get to know you, they assumed they’d learn more about Tony.”

  Claire shut her eyes and tried to concentrate. Finally, she asked, “So, Tony didn’t kill Simon? Amber did?”

  “That’s right, and last I heard she’d been convicted and is still in prison.”

  Meredith shook her head and mumbled, “This is unreal! You can’t make this shit up!”

  Courtney’s blue eyes sent piercing stares toward Meredith. “Remember what I said!” Courtney’s voice no longer held the reassuring tone she’d used with Claire.

  Meredith responded with a simple nod of her head.

  After a moment of deliberation, Claire said, “Oh, my God. Poor Harry. He had to build a case against his sister?”

  “I don’t know much about him. I think I heard he retired from the FBI, but honestly, I don’t know.”

  Claire sat silently and contemplated; she couldn’t even think about her grandfather. Her thoughts centered on her husband. Finally, she asked, “So why is Tony in prison?”

  Courtney exhaled, “I hope to God I’m not telling you anything new. He confessed to everything.”

  Wide-eyed, Claire repeated, “Everything?”

  “He admitted to hurting you, kidnapping you…” Courtney looked toward Meredith. “He admitted that everything in her book was true. He also admitted to having knowledge regarding other incidents: some people who went for a hike and never came back, and John’s legal issues.” Courtney squeezed Claire’s hand, “He admitted publicly to everything. He didn’t want it to be dragged out in a lengthy legal battle. He asked to do his time and pay for his sins.”

  Claire sat silently for a minute and tried to comprehend this new information. After a moment, she asked, “The FBI, they knew most of this before we returned to the States. They said Tony would receive preferential treatment for his help with Catherine. Did he get it?”

  Courtney smiled. “His sentence has been served at a minimum-security prison, which gave him many more rights than you had during your incarceration, and his sentence was significantly reduced. As a matter of fact, Brent thinks he’ll be released during his first parole hearing.”

  Claire’s heart momentarily skipped a beat. She stared at her friend. Up until now, Claire hadn’t been ready to discuss Brent. The last she’d heard he was on a plane that went down. “Brent?” Claire’s eyes filled with new moisture as she searched the deep blueness of her friend’s eyes. “Brent’s okay?”

  “Yes! He wasn’t on that plane, the one he was supposed to have been on. He later said he wanted to get home to you and Tony, but there were extra legal documents requiring modification. He stayed a little longer in Chicago and decided at the last minute to catch a later commercial flight. It wasn’t until he landed in Cedar Rapids that he knew anything about the crash.”

  Claire shook her head. This was all so much. “Parole, when could that happen?”

  “I don’t know the date. Brent said soon.”

  Claire smiled; she liked soon! Though the sky was darkening, she wasn’t ready to leave this conversation. Her thoughts went back to the plane and Catherine. “What happened to Catherine?” Her voice quivered, “D-Did I kill her?” She looked down. “I wish I could remember more specifics. I remember something about an insanity plea. All I could think about was Tony telling me years ago that it was my best option. If I needed a plea, I must have killed her.”

  Meredith chimed in, “You didn’t. You shot her, but her wound wasn’t life-threatening. She stood trial, a long and drawn-out one, but one that was kept very quiet from the media. She was convicted on multiple counts including multiple murders.”

  Courtney added, “That day at the estate, Tony baited her into confessing to more crimes than he even knew existed. Eric arranged for the office to be wired, and Phillip Roach made sure it was all recorded. That information was essential in her conviction.”

  Claire stared in disbelief. “So there was a reason for him to go to the estate.”

  Meredith said, “Well that and your sister and brother-in-law. Apparently, they were trapped in an upstairs suite. Tony got them out before the fire or smoke reached them.”

  Claire rubbed her temples. “There was a time that I trusted Catherine without question.”

  Patting Claire’s leg, Courtney added, “I know honey. I know you did. We all thought she was so kind and sweet. The saddest part was her daughter.”

  Wheels turned, Claire stuttered, “H-her daughter? Oh, yes, I remember Sophie. No, Sophia.”

  Courtney nodded. “She didn’t make it out of the house. They said it was smoke inhalation.”

  “Oh!” Claire’s stomach wrenched. She’d never met the woman, but she knew Tony thought highly of her.

  Courtney continued, “Her husband was on that airplane. Brent said he had great potential.”

  Claire contemplated the onslaught of information for a moment. She thought about her grandmother’s beliefs and those of Madeline and Francis on the island. Slowly, she wiped the tears and felt her cheeks rise into a seemingly inappropriate smile. “So Catherine’s goal was to keep Sophia and her husband apart?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I guess God had other plans. Her husband’s name was Burke, wasn’t it?” She went on, “I hope Sophia never knew her biological mother was Catherine.”

  Meredith and Courtney shrugged. Finally, Courtney answered, “I’m not sure what she knew. From the audio of Tony’s office, I think we’re right to assume she didn’t. She died peacefully unaware.”

  In the days that followed, Claire replayed the conversation over and over in her head. The loss of any life was terrible. Catherine had been directly responsible for so many; however, what kept coming back to Claire was the idea that Sophia and Derek were still together. She had to believe they were. If their love could overcome death, Claire believed her and Tony’s could overcome insanity and incarceration.

  It was that belief that inspired her to confront her sister again, two weeks after her conversation with Courtney and Meredith. “Emily, seriously, I’m not a child. I’m much better. I want to see Nichol. I want out of here, and I’m ready to address the world.”

  Emily leaned forward and covered Claire’s hand. “You know I love you?”

  Claire nodded.

  “We’re all happy your hallucinations are gone.”

  “Memories,” Claire corrected.

  Emily pursed her lips before she continued, “Honey, I worry about delusional thoughts. Your doctors and I believe some of this has been occurring for a long time.” She patted Claire’s hand. “You have a history of irrational decisions. I don’t want you making decisions now that will later come back to upset you or Nichol.”

  Claire continued to plead her case as Emily recited her concerns. It was a different version of their same discussion. Unexpectedly and without warning, the door to Claire’s room opened behind her. She didn’t need to turn; she didn’t need to see. His presence overwhelmed her—filled her and the room with electricity that only seconds earlier didn’t exist. According to the law of conservation, energy can neither be created nor destroyed, which meant the electricity was already present; nevertheless, when the door opened, she felt unbridled power surging through her veins. There was only one person, one man, who held that kind of power. Seeing the astonished look on Emily’s face, Claire knew she was right.

  Without thought or concern, Claire stood. Closing her eyes, she turned toward the doorway confident of who she’d see when her eyes opened. This wasn’t a halluc
ination or a memory. It was real. Although Emily’s voice pleaded for Claire to listen, she didn’t hear her sister’s words. There was nothing and no one else at that moment other than her husband. The rest of the world ceased to exist, and she was powerless to do anything other than surrender to his gaze.

  They were the eyes she’d dreamt about, the eyes she saw in pictures of their daughter. They were the black holes which years ago swallowed and consumed her heart and soul.

  Did she move? Did he? There were noises, but the words being spoken weren’t coming from either one of them. They didn’t need words. Over the course of the years, there’d been too many words, words they remembered and ones they sought to forget. At this moment, none of them mattered.

  In merely a split second, Claire took him in. Prison had changed him, to a degree. His black mane now held more hints of white, new lines appeared around his eyes, and the hardness in his expression was replaced by something stronger, yet more serene. No matter the differences, he was still her husband. He was still Anthony Rawlings.

  Their bodies nearly touched when the scent of his cologne filled the air. She inhaled the intoxicating scent she’d imagined over the years and melted into his embrace. Her face rested against the lapel of his silk suit as her body molded to his. Closing her eyes again, she relished the sensation of his muscular chest and beating heart. They still hadn’t spoken, yet the volume of the room around them had increased exponentially. His hand reached for her chin and brought their eyes together. It was the blending of brown and green, light to dark, and dark to light. It was their connection, and it surpassed all other obstacles.

  “I’ve dreamt of those eyes.” The sound of his deep baritone voice brought a smile to her face.

  “As have I.” Suddenly, Claire worried and looked away. Did he know about her break with reality? Did he know people thought she was crazy?

  “Look at me.” His commanding tone required obedience. Claire looked back up. “I’ve missed you so much. Why are you looking away?”

  “Do you know? Do you know what they say about me?”

  His eyes lightened and his cheeks rose. “I know, I love you.”

  “They think I’m crazy.”

  His hands, which held her tightly, caressed and soothed her back. “I think we’re all crazy. That doesn’t mean that I’m leaving here today without you. My love, you’re coming home.”

  She caught her breath and tried to comprehend. Slowly, the rest of the room came back into focus. Apparently, they weren’t the only two people on earth. Her normally empty room overflowed with people. Emily stood to the side, with tears in her eyes and an anguished expression, as she spoke on her phone. Brent and Courtney were there, and Brent was talking to another man, showing him documents. Courtney was hugging herself, smiling, with tears running down her cheeks.

  Finding her voice, Claire sought the reassurance of Tony’s gaze. “I’m leaving here? How?”

  Brent nodded at the other gentleman and stepped toward Tony and Claire. Claire reached out and squeezed Brent’s hand. “I’m so thankful you’re…”

  Brent smiled and said, “Me too. If I weren’t alive, I couldn’t be the one to tell you…” He grinned toward Claire; his eyes sparkling with new vitality. “…I wouldn’t be the one to help you.”

  Claire remembered him telling her one time, how he’d always wanted to help her, not hurt her. While holding tight to Tony’s hand, she smiled at his clandestine reference.

  Brent continued, “As long as Tony was incarcerated, Emily was your listed next of kin and held your power of attorney. I’m holding the judgment by Judge Wein; your husband is once again legally your next of kin. Until you’re completely cleared medically, he has the power to make your medical decisions, including your release.”

  “I thought I was here because of an insanity plea?”

  Brent shook his head. “Originally, that was true, but you were cleared of all charges by self-defense.” He looked to Emily and back. “You’ve been kept here for your safety; however, I’ve obtained statements from your doctors substantiating your mental health. Soon, you should legally be able to make your own decisions. In the meantime, with Tony’s signature, you can go home. There are some hoops we need to jump through: therapy you must agree to complete, but we’re not leaving Everwood without you.”

  Turning toward Emily, Brent continued, “You can choose to fight, if you want. I’m sure John will be here soon; however, I can assure you, I’ve left no ‘T’ uncrossed or ‘I’ undotted.”

  The anguish in Emily’s expression broke Claire’s heart. Barely able to bring herself to let go of Tony’s hand, Claire walked to her sister and wrapped her arms around her neck. “I know you’ve been doing what you thought was best, and, Emily, I love you for it, but now it’s time for all of us to move forward.”

  After a moment of obvious internal turmoil, Emily said, “John is on his way, but we’re not going to fight.”

  “Emily, there’s one more thing,” Brent said as he handed her another document. “This is from the family court. Anthony and Claire Rawlings have been granted full custody of their daughter, Nichol Rawlings. They will be assuming the roles of custodial parents—soon.”

  As they listened, Tony’s arm tightened around Claire, and she smiled up at him. It was more than she’d ever hoped, more than she’d dared to dream. “We’re going to be a family again.” Her words were a mere whisper that only Tony could hear. Feeling the warm grasp of his large hand around hers was confirmation enough. The terrible ordeal was over.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Never have plans for the future as you never know how things will turn out.

  —Nigella Lawson

  Claire clung to Tony’s hand, listened to the voices, and responded appropriately. As long as she held on, as long as they touched, she knew he was real. The Everwood administration required them to meet with doctors and administrators before granting Claire’s release. With Brent’s legal documentation and Emily’s concession, these meetings were Claire’s last hurdle to freedom.

  She watched in awe as the Tony from her memories argued for her release. There was nothing about the man in the Armani suit with the gelled back hair and perfect diction that hinted toward ex-con. Tony personified affluence and business success. He sounded like a CEO. Never once, despite what a doctor or therapist said, did Claire doubt Tony’s ability to fulfill his promise: she’d be going home.

  Once in a while, Brent would need to remind someone of Tony’s legal rights as her husband. It warmed her heart to see the two of them working together on a common goal. Occasionally, someone would ask Claire a question: some were simple, the date or name of the president. Others were questions about her feelings or concerns. After each appropriate answer, she’d feel the squeeze of Tony’s warm hand or see the reassurance of his smile. It didn’t matter that behind the smile she also saw sadness. They had both endured too much. What mattered was that they were together and soon they’d have Nichol. Claire couldn’t wait to leave the facility and have her family united. With each second, her anticipation grew. She knew, when they were again a family, the sadness would leave Tony’s eyes, and she’d see the light chocolate brown they once had in paradise.

  After they’d signed the last document and answered the last question, she whispered in his ear, “Let’s go get Nichol.”

  She expected a smile and a nod: some sign of affirmation; instead, he directed the Everwood staff. “Gather all of Mrs. Rawlings’ things. I want everything sent to our home.”

  Claire offered, “I don’t need everything. I can get the things I want.”

  “No, you can go through it later. We’re getting you out of here. You aren’t spending another second in this place.”

  She didn’t argue nor did she want to. Although she detested having the facility’s staff direct her movements, she loved Tony’s control. It was his way of protecting her. She knew that. Yes, he could be domineering, but she’d missed every part of him, his overpr
otectiveness included.

  John was now waiting with Emily as Tony and Claire exited the administrator’s office. When Claire saw her family, her body tensed in anticipation of a confrontation. Before she could speak or devise a mental plan, John held out his hand.

  “Anthony.”

  With his hand extended, Tony replied, “Tony. Please, call me Tony. Thank you, John, for all you’ve done while I was away. Brent tells me you’ve been quite helpful at Rawlings.”

  “It was for Nichol and Claire.”

  Tony nodded. “And for that, for our family, I thank you.”

  “I’ve been privy to many of your decisions. I want you to know, I respect them.”

  “Then I hope my return won’t cause you to search for another job. Rawlings Industries and I can always use someone like you on our side.”

  John nodded. “Emily and I need to talk, but I think I’d like that.”

  Claire released Tony’s hand and encircled John’s neck. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute, she was excited and the next, she was unsure. As she hugged her brother-in-law, tears of joy fell from her eyes. “I had no idea you were working at Rawlings.”

  Claire released John and immediately hugged her sister. “Thank you, Emily. Thank you for not fighting this.”

  John explained, “Anth—I mean Tony’s right, and you’re right. We are a family. For our children we need to behave like adults.”

  Claire stammered, “C-children. I can’t wait to see Nichol and meet Michael.”

  Emily’s eyes filled with tears. “She’s so little. She won’t understand—”

  John spoke over Emily, “Your daughter is beautiful and intelligent. She’s also young. As long as we do this together, she’ll make the transition just fine.”