Reunion on the Run

by Amity Steffen

  Claire strained her ears. The footsteps had receded. A door thudded closed. She couldn’t be sure but thought it was the garage door. For a brief moment she contemplated bolting from the house. She and Roscoe could take refuge in the woods. The idea was quickly quelled. What if the intruder wasn’t alone? What if someone was outside, circling the premises? She loathed feeling so helpless.

  Satisfied that Roscoe was content, at least temporarily, she stood. Using the dim light of her phone screen, she maneuvered a frying pan off the top shelf. She cringed when it made a grating sound as it scraped against another pan. She froze for a moment, her ears straining. When she was sure she hadn’t been heard, she lowered the pan to her side.

  Roscoe seemed to tire of their circumstance. She felt him flop down at her feet, ready to nap. Claire eased herself closer to the door.

  The garage door opened and closed again. This time the footsteps were accompanied by another sound. It took Claire a moment to realize something was being dragged across the kitchen floor. The thud of feet stopped directly in front of the pantry door.

  Please, Lord, keep me safe.

  Claire held the frying pan firmly in her grip.

  It seemed ludicrous to think one of Xavier’s men was in the house. She and Alex should be almost impossible to find. But she’d thought the same thing while hiding out in the hunting shack. All it had taken was one unfortunate, overheard phone call and the killers had tracked her down.

  What if they’d been listening to a police scanner? What if they’d heard the call for an officer to check out the campground? It was possible they had spotted Alex and Claire scrambling out of the woods and into the truck.

  Anything, she had learned, was possible.

  Whoever was in the house lingered in the kitchen.

  Were they taunting her?

  Other than her heartbeat whooshing through her ears, there was silence.

  A loud thud almost caused her to shriek. Roscoe leaped to his feet. The rushed scrabbling of his claws had sounded thunderous to Claire. She instantly dropped to shush him before he gave away their location for sure.

  Intense grumbling erupted from the other side of the door. A scraping sound was reminiscent of something being lifted off the ground. A grunt, then the hollow echo of footsteps as the person left the room.

  The front door closed with a bang.

  She didn’t move. She didn’t trust that the person had really left. They could be skulking around, creeping up to the pantry this very second.

  As Alex suggested, it was always better to err on the side of caution.

  He was on his way. She would stay put until he reached her.

  * * *

  Alex constantly scanned the road as he pushed the speed limit. He didn’t dare go too fast. He couldn’t afford to be detained because he got pulled over. He had already dropped Mason off at the airport when Claire’s text came in. He’d been halfway to her home when he’d whipped a U-turn to head back to Mason’s.

  He was hesitant to text Claire again. He trusted she was smart enough to hide. Most likely her phone was on silent. He wasn’t going to take the chance if it wasn’t.

  Alex was used to operating under pressure. This time, it felt different. This time it was Claire who was counting on him. He wouldn’t fail her.

  Please, God, keep her safe.

  It felt like an interminable amount of time had passed before Alex reached Mason’s. He rolled into the driveway. A quick glance around confirmed there was no car. Hopefully whoever had arrived had left. Alone.

  With gun in hand, he slid from the vehicle. The house looked empty. The curtains drawn, just as they’d left them. The front door closed.

  He tried the doorknob. Locked. He quickly slid in the key. When the door swung open he was greeted with silence. The house was as quiet as a tomb.

  Was Claire here? Had the intruder taken her?

  He moved down the hallway, checking out the bedrooms.

  “Claire? Are you in here?” He said the words under his breath as he entered the guest bedroom. “It’s Alex.”

  He tried Mason’s bedroom, the bathroom, then headed back to the kitchen. He spotted a piece of paper on the center island. His heart catapulted. Was it a note? Surely it couldn’t be a ransom note. He quickly closed the distance and scanned the paper.

  Not a ransom note.

  He breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Claire?” His voice seemed to echo through the quiet house. “It’s Alex. Are you here?”

  He heard a soft woof and spun around.

  The pantry door swung open. Claire emerged and threw herself at him.

  “It’s okay.” He squeezed her into a hug. He was instantly reminded of how perfectly she had always fit in his arms. Her arms were tangled around his neck, her face buried in his chest. The feel of her sent his memory careening back in time. He was reminded yet again of how deeply he’d missed her.

  When she let out a relieved sigh then lifted her face to his, she was so close he could see the golden flecks in her green eyes, feel her breath on his cheek.

  Their gazes locked and then Claire took a step back and slid from his arms. They felt empty without her. He wanted to reach for her, to reel her back in. Every cell in his body suddenly ached with missing her over the years. He considered telling her so, but when she crossed her arms over her stomach in a protective stance he lost his nerve.

  “Someone was here,” she said. “Are you sure they’re gone?”

  He cleared his throat. “It was Mason’s sister. She stopped by to borrow his tent. She left a note on the counter.”

  “A tent?” Claire glanced at the counter where the note still sat. “That makes sense. It sounded like whoever was here went into the garage. She was dragging something and must’ve dropped it at one point.”

  “I’ll have to check in with Mason when he lands,” Alex said. “I wonder if we need to be concerned about any more unexpected guests dropping by.”

  “In the meantime,” Claire said, “I want to drive by my house.”

  Alex clenched his jaw. Her request didn’t surprise him.

  “For what reason, exactly?” he asked. “You know it’s dangerous for you to be in the vicinity.”

  “I understand that,” she said calmly, “but I know my neighborhood better than anyone. I know Mason checked it over. However, I want to see it for myself. He didn’t think anyone was staking the area out. Maybe they’re not. Maybe we can sneak in tonight. At the very least, I think it would benefit you to drive through the neighborhood. I know you want to go through Jared’s office as soon as possible. But wouldn’t it help to know the layout?”

  She was right. That was why he’d planned on driving through on his way back from the airport, maybe even breaking in right then, depending on the feel he had for the situation. His plans were thrown for a tailspin. He’d planned on going alone.

  “Claire, we’ve been over this. It’s too dangerous for you.”

  “It’s not any more dangerous for me than for you,” she argued. “Like it or not, you’re aiding and abetting.”

  “I’m willing to take the risk.”

  “So am I.”

  Alex ground out a frustrated sigh. How could he have forgotten how stubborn this woman could be? Well, she wasn’t the only one. He wasn’t willing to budge on this. Allowing Claire to drive through her old neighborhood would be dangerous.

  He pivoted, turning to leave the kitchen.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” she demanded.

  He held up a hand to halt further protest. “I’m going to grab something from the other room. I’ll be right back.”

  Mason’s spare laptop was sitting on his desk in the guest room. Alex grabbed it and headed back to the kitchen. By the time he returned, Claire had turned on the small television that rested on the countertop. S
he was flipping through the channels when Alex walked in. He had to assume she was looking for a local news station. She lowered the volume when she spotted him.

  “What are you doing with that?” she asked as she crossed the room to the table.

  “Driving past your house is probably out of the question.” Especially since you insist on coming along, he added silently. He settled the laptop on the table and fired it up. “I thought this would be the next best thing. It’s crazy what you can find on the internet.”

  Less than five minutes later Alex had loaded an aerial map of Claire’s neighborhood. He zoomed in, scrolling past each home as Claire gave him a rundown of her neighbors. Lastly, Alex zeroed in on her house and the area immediately surrounding it.

  The backyard couldn’t be seen from the road. A thin copse of trees encircled the home on three sides. It would’ve been easy for an intruder to reach the pool area without being spotted by neighbors once the sun had set.

  “The trees could work in our favor,” Alex said. “They’d provide cover for us.” He didn’t intend to take Claire along, but including her now delayed arguing about it. “Unfortunately they’d provide cover for anyone watching for us.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” she agreed. “But what choice do we have?” She pointed to the house directly south of hers. “The Hendersons moved to California. Their house is empty. You can’t see it from the road.”

  Alex wasn’t sure he liked where she was going with this.

  “We could park in the Henderson’s driveway, out of the way, walk through the woods and check out Jared’s office.”

  It sounded like a reasonable plan. In fact, it was the plan he would’ve come up with himself if given a few moments to think it over.

  However, as far as he was concerned, the plan had one major flaw. He still thought it was too risky for Claire to join him. He knew she’d be too stubborn to see it that way.

  “Mason still needs time to look into Xavier’s past,” Alex said in an effort to stall. He still hoped to sneak away and inspect the house on his own. She’d be furious. He could deal with furious, as long as she was safe. “Maybe we should wait to see what he has to say.”

  He could feel Claire’s gaze boring into him. He didn’t dare look her way, afraid she’d know what he was planning.

  “Sure.”

  Alex heard the suspicion in her tone. He wasn’t foolish enough to think a subject change would deter her but thought it would get him off the hook temporarily.

  “You know what would be helpful?” he asked.

  She hoisted an eyebrow in question.

  “If you could draw out the floorplan of both the upper and lower level,” he said. “That way I’ll have an idea of where I need to go.”

  “Sure,” Claire agreed. “I can do that.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking,” he began as he leaned back in his chair, “how did you and Jared meet? I don’t want to offend, but it doesn’t seem to me that you had much in common.” He knew Claire wasn’t the sort of woman to be swayed by a big bank account or a fancy house.

  “Beth helped organize a charity ball a few years ago. It was to raise money to update the pediatric wing of the hospital her husband works at. Of course, I had to go. I wanted to support Beth, and it was for a good cause.” Claire paused, as if lost in her memories of that time. “I was content to go without a date. However another woman on the planning committee asked Beth if I’d be willing to attend with Jared. Her husband had done business with him and she hoped he’d make a sizeable contribution. He had just returned from an extended business trip and didn’t have a date for the evening.”

  “I read an article stating that he was a very generous man.”

  “He liked to throw money around. I agreed to go with him, after Beth twisted my arm. She was convinced he’d be more generous if he had a date to impress.” Claire pressed out an exasperated sigh. “I had been dreading the evening but was surprised to find that he was very charming. Throughout dinner we discussed different charities we’d been involved with. I was impressed by him. Looking back, I think the conversation was scripted. I’ve learned Jared was adept at putting on a front for whomever he was trying to impress. Regardless, when he asked me out on a date the following weekend, I agreed.”

  “You didn’t date long,” Alex pointed out.

  “No. We didn’t. I naïvely thought I was at a point in my life where I knew what I wanted. I thought he was it. I thought he’d provide stability and companionship,” she said quietly. “While we were dating, everything seemed so perfect.”

  “Too perfect?”

  “Looking back, I suppose so.”

  Alex had wanted to distract Claire. He hadn’t wanted to upset her. She sounded anything but happy as she discussed her marriage to Jared. Not that he could blame her, but he had been curious. He was also curious about Jared’s relationship with Xavier.

  “How did he and Xavier become business partners?”

  “They were partners long before Jared and I met,” Claire explained. “They had been acquaintances for years. One night they got talking after a golf game at the country club. Xavier knew of a hotel chain that was selling out. He wanted to buy into it but was looking for an investor. Jared was interested, but only if he could be an equal partner.”

  “And the rest is history,” Alex guessed.

  “Yes,” Claire agreed. “That about sums it up. He—”

  She froze, her gaze zeroed in on something over his shoulder.

  Alex swiveled around as she leaped from her chair. She hurried to the small television. She reached for the volume and turned it up, but not before Alex caught sight of what had upset her.

  Both of their faces were plastered across the screen.

  Alex clenched his jaw as the news report blasted out of the speakers.

  “—traveling with a long-time acquaintance. Alex Vasquez, a Portland native, has extensive military training. They are believed to be armed and dangerous. If you spot this couple, do not approach them or try to apprehend them. Call 9-1-1 immediately.”

  A commercial for a local car dealership followed. She flipped the television off mid-advertisement.

  “Alex...” Claire’s tone was regretful, as was her pain-filled expression.

  “It’s okay,” he said sincerely. He stood, crossed the room and pulled her into his chest. She didn’t resist as he held her close. “I knew what I was getting myself into. If I had it to do over again, I’d still show up at the shack in a heartbeat.”

  NINE

  The night Alex ran back into her life, he’d told Claire he’d known she hadn’t killed Jared because he knew her. Claire had wanted to tell him it worked both ways. She knew him, too. Knew him well enough to know he was planning something. She could sense it. She could almost hear the cogs of his mind turning, churning out a plan.

  One that he, no doubt, intended to keep from her.

  Common sense told her it revolved around sneaking into her house.

  As they worked side by side in Mason’s kitchen, preparing dinner, she pretended to be oblivious. If she asked him point-blank, she thought he’d probably deny it. That was only part of the reason she didn’t mention it.

  She didn’t want him to know she was onto him. It would be easier to keep an eye on him that way.

  “Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do once your name is cleared?” Alex asked.

  Claire appreciated his optimism.

  She continued to chop veggies for a salad while Alex stood, hip propped against the countertop, keeping an eye on the spaghetti sauce.

  “I have,” she admitted. “I’m hoping to sell the house.” She couldn’t imagine living there. The house had never really suited her. Now she couldn’t imagine staying in the place where Jared had died. It held too many awful memories.

  “And the
n?” he prodded. “Do you plan on staying in the area?”

  She slid her pile of tomatoes into a bowl and reached for a cucumber. “Yes. If you’re wondering because of Mia, you have nothing to worry about. I’m not sure if I’ll stay in Oakville or if we’ll move to another Portland suburb. Regardless, I won’t be taking her far.”

  “I appreciate that. I was wondering because of Mia, but I’m also concerned about you. I know you like stability. The last month has been anything but.” He moved away from the counter, went to the cupboard and began pulling out dinnerware.

  The unexpected feeling of domesticity hit her hard. In the past she had loved sharing day-to-day tasks with Alex. Whether it be an evening of cooking, a week of repainting their apartment or an afternoon rearranging furniture. They had made such a good team. Even the most tedious of tasks had been enjoyable with Alex by her side.

  She craved the simplistic normalcy of it all.

  Her life with Jared had been so vastly different from her life with Alex.

  Alex caught her gazing at him as she reached for a red pepper. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught her. Truth be told, she was pretty sure she’d spied him looking at her a time or two, as well. She couldn’t let herself think about what those looks might mean.

  His lip quirked up in a half smile. She valiantly tried to convince herself that her heart hadn’t skipped a beat. She lowered her gaze and willed herself to concentrate on the vegetables.

  Alex was Mia’s father. He would always be a part of Claire’s life because of the shared connection. However she knew how seriously he took his work. Right now, she knew he thought of her as an assignment. Once she was out of danger, he would lose interest in her again.

  She jumped when his hand covered hers, stilling the knife. She glanced up at him, surprised by the serious expression he wore.

  “I’m anxious to meet my daughter,” he said sincerely. “I want you to know that I intend to be a part of her life. I have three years to make up for. I don’t want to miss out on any more time with her.”