by Laura Sutton
“You two look good together.”
“So, do you and Claire.”
“I hate that she had to work tonight. She'd have loved this.”
“You're good for her. She's changed a lot.”
“I don't want her to change,” Aidan said looking a little lost. Had he changed her, made her bend to his will too much.
“Aidan.” Alyssa put her hand on Aidan's arm, turning towards him, looking him in the eye. “For the first time, I know that she's eating. She's sleeping well, no more black bags under her eyes. She looks healthy, happy. I heard her true laugh for the first time at the family BBQ a few days ago. You're good for her. It's like she's finally started living. Change is a good thing.”
Aidan smiled. She was finally eating; it was one thing that he required and made sure of. He wore her out too much for her not to sleep soundly. He knew that she still woke from dreams sometimes, but he was always there, holding her until she was sure she was safe and fell back to sleep.
“Hey, quit hitting on my girl ‘cause yours ain't here,” Topher said with a smile, as he kissed Alyssa's cheek.
“I would never try. She's smitten with you. Are we sure she's not drunk or on drugs?”
“Hello, standing right here,” Alyssa said as she took the drink out of Topher's hand and kissed him until they were both breathless. “Do you still think that I'm drunk?”
Claire was glad to finally sit down. The night had been a long one, and probably the biggest night since the Grand Opening. She had seen Ella there with her guard earlier in the evening. Clinton had photographed the event and had snapped a picture of them, telling her he'd email it to her, and she couldn't wait to get it.
“Hey, Claire.” She heard Todd call.
Claire got up from her chair and walked out into the gallery. “Shouldn't you be gone?”
“Yeah, a carrier stopped by with these.” He was holding a large vase of roses.
Claire pulled out the note and smiled. “Wish I was there, Baby Bear. Congrats on your amazing success. Here's to many more.”
Todd placed the roses down on the small table that the pamphlets had filled earlier. “And this box as well.”
“Thank you.” Claire smiled as she took the box. “Now, go home, you've been here all day. I'll lock up. Tomorrow, we need to get all the paintings packed and shipped to their new owners.”
“Yes, ma'am, see you tomorrow.”
Claire let him out and locked the door before she turned to the package. 'What had Aidan gotten her now? The flowers were more than enough.' She opened the wrapping and pulled off the lid. The note was laying on top. “You'll pay for what you've done.” She dropped the box, as the note and a pair of children's underwear tumbled from the box.
Claire grabbed her phone putting in a code pressing send, as glass shattered.
The food had been served and finished, but Alyssa remained at the table, talking excitedly with the others at the table. Her phone alert went off, making a few people jump.
“I thought we said no phones,” Topher said.
“I left mine at home. Must be...” Alyssa froze as she grabbed her purse and saw her beeper flashing red. “Keys, now.”
“What?”
“Now.” She put out her hand. 'Claire was in danger. Danger. And she left her alone, unprotected, at the gallery.' She knew that Claire would have sent everyone home the moment the doors were locked. The moment his keys were out of his pocket, she grabbed them and took off. She ran as fast as she could to the car. She vaguely heard the men running behind her, as she jumped into the SUV. All the doors opened. “No, you can't come. Stay here.”
“We're going,” Aidan said as they all piled inside. Alyssa hit the gas, peeling out of the parking garage. “What's going on?”
“I need my phone in the glove box.” Topher grabbed it.
She hit the speed dial, and the female voice filled the car. “I need Agent Jennifer Roher.” She listened for just a moment. “No, you tell her she has a code red, and to answer her fucking phone. Now!” Alyssa shouted into the phone.
“Agent...”
“Safe Word: Apple Juice.”
“Are you sure?” The agent said quietly with urgency.
“Claire sent the page. She's at the gallery downtown.”
The moment that Claire's name passed Alyssa, Aidan stiffened.
“Are you on the way?”
“Yes. My father was paged as well.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. It's our system we put in place when she came to us.”
“I'm on my way.”
All the lines were cut as Alyssa took the turn so sharp onto the gallery's street that two of the tires left the pavement for a moment.
“Claire? Alyssa, what is going on?”
“Aidan, I can't speak of this. Not now. It has to deal with her past.”
“The college rape?”
“It's farther back than that. She is not allowed to speak of it, and neither am I. At least not now. She should have told you. I should have hinted to her having full security. I never thought this would happen.” Alyssa opened the middle glove box and removed a gun. Topher and Aidan's eyes went wide with surprise. Of course, a cop's daughter would be prepared, but Aidan never thought the fun-loving Alyssa would carry a weapon with her. Before either one could say anything, they heard the gallery alarm blaring.
Aidan saw the glass window of the gallery broken. Alyssa was out of the car before they were fully stopped, and she had jammed it in park. “Claire! Claire!”
The gun was up as she checked each gallery. She stopped as she saw a high heel in the glass, a blood trail, Alyssa rounded the corner. Gun held high. Claire was huddled in the corner, staring at the man's body, that was face down. Her eyes were glassy. She wasn't here in this room; she was a million miles away as her memories assaulted her.
“Claire. Claire.” Alyssa said quietly, as she put her gun on the table and moved slowly towards Claire, her arms out.
“Lyss?” Claire asked as she was finally starting to come back to herself. Alyssa looked to the body, still breathing. There was no way that she could move the man that laid there, then she heard someone behind her. Grabbing the gun, she moved quickly. The gun at chest level of Aidan and Topher. “Back up. She doesn't want you here.”
“But...” Aidan stared at her. Alyssa could see that he wanted to go to her.
“Aidan, I need you to call my father. Tell him, ‘Safe word: Apple Juice.’ Tell him to use the lights and bring the doctor. He'll know what it means.” She hands Aidan her phone, as he steps back but not far. He did not want to let Claire out of his sight. He dialed the number and did as Alyssa said. Her father, Bryan Davies, said that they were already on the way. He watched as Alyssa made it to Claire and wrapped her arms around her.
"What had happened to Claire, that after their time together she would not tell him about this? Who was this man that was knocked out on the ground?" He looked to Claire and saw the cuts from the glass. The bruises were starting to form on her body. He hated seeing the bruises on her.
Before he knew it, Alyssa's father was stepping through the door with his gun out. “It's clear,” Aidan stated. He had already had his security team secure the gallery the moment he saw the broken glass.
He stepped into the room, seeing the man. “Shit!” He grabbed his cuffs and put them on the man.
“Claire. Claire, sweetheart? Talk to me,” he said as he looked to her. Claire started to stand, Alyssa, helping her. She was stronger. Hatred burned in her eyes; Aidan saw the change. She slapped Officer Davies hard and then started hitting his chest.
“You promised. You promised me!” Alyssa's father grabbed her wrists and tried to pull her to him, but she spun out of his grasp as she slipped and fell. She curled into a ball on the ground, not caring that the glass was breaking into her skin. Sobs came from her.
“Did he...?” The second officer started to speak, but Alyssa's father turned to his partner; putting up his ha
nd.
“Go stand guard outside. The FBI will be here in a few minutes. Only them and the doctor are allowed inside.” He nodded and left quickly, passing another officer.
“Sir.” The officer said. “Sir, paparazzi are starting to show.”
“Do you have this?” He asked Alyssa.
“Deal with the vultures. She can't handle this again.” Alyssa said as she sat on the floor, pulling Claire into her lap. “Shhh, it's ok. You're ok.”
“He...”
“He's cuffed. He won't hurt you again. I won't allow it.”
“They let him out, after everything he's done. They fucking let him out.”
Alyssa sat there as Claire gripped the back of her dress as she would disappear if she did not hold on. Aidan hated feeling useless as he stood there. He wanted to go to her. He saw the flowers that he had gotten her, littering the floor around the girls and the man. The blare of sirens was getting closer. Soon, the FBI SUV's blocked off the gallery as Jennifer Roher walked in the door. “Those men?”
“My bodyguards,” Aidan spoke up as they stood guard around the room, helping to block the view of Claire from the paparazzi outside.
“And you are?”
“Aidan Ashby. Claire's boyfriend.”
Agent Roher walked farther into the room, her eyes going wide at the sight of the man lying there. “Find out how he,” she sneered towards the body, “was released from prison.”
“He needs a hospital.” One of the younger agents spoke up as Roher stepped up to him. Aidan watched as anger rolled off her. This was bigger than he even expected as he saw the same look in her eyes that he had seen in himself too many times.
“Take him to FBI headquarters. Don't question me on this. This man is responsible for at least twenty-two murders, eleven kidnappings, and much more. He has lost all his rights.”
The young agent's face turned to terror as they grabbed the man. He started to wake and thrash at the men. “I will kill you, you little whore. I should have killed you the moment you were born. You're nothing but trash. I've never loved you; no one will ever love you. You...”
Aidan punched the man as hard as he could as he slumped to the ground. Flashes went off from the camera's outside, but Aidan didn't care. Every word that came out of the man had made Claire move and wince as she tried to hide within the security of Alyssa's arms.
“Benedict. Get teams to Sarah Steele and Eleanor Griffin's residents. Put them in protective custody.
“Eleanor Griffin? As in Eleanor Hawkins?” Aidan asked as his whole posture changed.
Claire looked up at Aidan for the first time since she had felt his presence in the room. 'The girls, they were alive? Ella was one of those girls?' Claire knew that she recognized her but not from that night. 'God no! Aidan's sister, the one who thought of him as a father. Aidan's Ella.' Claire shattered inside.
Roher was starting to get annoyed. “Yes, she is now known as Eleanor Hawkins. Though you should not know that.”
“She has a security team with her at all times. I added extra guards when she thought she saw the man who...” Aidan's voice died as his jaw flexed. “I adopted her when she was eight.”
“You have a full team with her?”
“Yes.”
“Can you get her security lead on the phone?”
Aidan grabbed his phone and dialed. “I have the FBI here to speak to you,” Aidan hands the phone to the woman.
“This is Agent Jennifer Roher. I need you to get Ms. Hawkins to a secure location. She is in grave danger. We have a safe ho-”
“Kyle take Ella to the penthouse and secure her in the panic room. Lockdown Ashby Tower. Only the approved list is allowed.” He hung up and glared at the agent.
“I want to get Claire to that panic room as well until this is worked out.”
“No. You cannot put Eleanor and Claire in the same room. Does he know?” The agent asked as she turned towards Alyssa.
“No,” Alyssa said as she held Claire close.
“I can take Claire. We have a panic room in our house as well. I know the drill with her.” Alyssa said.
Roher's phone sounded as she barked her name. “Have you found how he was released?”
She shook her head in annoyance. “When?” Her hand unhooked her gun and she pulled it out. “I have both girls on route to panic rooms in private houses. Find this leak.”
Claire looked at Roher. “He was not released. He escaped and he had help.”
“You told me the other girls were dead.” Claire's eyes were full of betrayal at the woman.
“No, the two girls were saved that night, as well as yourself. We were told it would help you all if you all believed the others had passed.”
“I blamed myself for their deaths my whole life. How does that protect me? Twenty-two murders on my conscience.”
“You were not to blame for any of those deaths.”
“I wasn't enough,” Claire whispered.
“Claire. I have to tell you something, hard. Sarah was killed tonight while you were being attacked.”
“Ella!” Claire squealed, quickly looking to Aidan. “You have to keep Ella safe!” Aidan grabbed his phone and quickly called the security team.
“She's in the panic room. Safe.”
“Claire, we will protect her. My concern right now is for your safety. This will bring out a lot of anger from the families.”
“I don't care. I'm used to hatred, just promise me, keep her safe. Was Sarah's... was it quick?”
“She didn't suffer.”
Claire nodded going silent.
“Let's get you home,” Alyssa said as she tried to move.
Aidan moved towards them and Claire winced and moved away quickly, back to the corner. Aidan froze his eyes on Claire. 'She was scared, of him.'
Claire saw that she had hurt him by moving away but she could not allow him to touch her. She was a monster's daughter. A monster that hurt the sweetest, most innocent girl in the world. Claire loved Aidan, she loved Ella. Once the word was out, this would hurt them both. She couldn't let Ella get hurt anymore because of her. She had to protect them both. Protect them from herself.
Alyssa stood and walked over to Claire where she had moved to the corner. Jennifer walked up as well. They tried to help her stand but the pain and exhaustion were too much. Topher moved up quickly and caught her as she finally passed out. He held her close as he looked to Aidan. Aidan took off his jacket, hiding her face by covering her, as he nodded. Alyssa touched his arm.
“Ella will need you now.” She looked outside at the flashes. “This will get worse before it gets better. A lot of memories will resurface... for them both.”
“I'll call you.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Aidan had to see his sister, to assure himself that she was truly safe. Wrapping his arms tightly around her helped him to finally breathe again. He knew that this was something from her past that she screamed for years about in dreams, but never spoke about aloud. He never pressed her, respecting her privacy. He never wanted her to relive those memories if he could help it. He kissed the top of her head as he kept her crushed to him.
“Aidan, what is it? What's happened?” She asked, starting to get worried.
“Nothing. I'll keep you safe.”
“Aidan you've always kept me safe. Where's Claire, is she hurt?”
Aidan didn't answer. He made sure his face was blanked of emotion when he pulled back to look at Ella.
“I need you to stay in the panic room. I've already called your school, and they will email me what work you need to complete. I have Kyle going to your apartment to...”
“But...”
“No, Ella.” Aidan’s voice was harsh, as fear struck him. “You will do as I say.”
“I know you are trying to protect me, and I trust your judgment, I'll stay in the panic room. What about Claire? You're starting to scare me.” She quietly said the last part, unsure if she should voice her concern. He kissed the top
of Ella's head and walked from the room.
Aidan sat at his desk. The fear in Claire's eye haunted him. The fear he saw in his sister’s eyes when she was brought to the orphanage. For years they joked that only the broken kids were left there, but they all knew the truth in that statement. They were the kids that no one could handle or deal with because of their ruined childhoods. Tonight, Aidan had seen the brokenness, the darkness, that Claire swore was inside of her. He never believed Claire's speech about the darkness that was in her. He never imagined her darkness was the same as his sister's.
The news had been rehashing the entire past on every news station. Aidan had been too young at the time to watch the news. He hated seeing the picture of Claire and his sister on the stations. The moment that he saw the pictures, Aidan made a few calls. The stations agreed to take down Ella's picture but there was nothing he could do to get them to take down Claire's picture. Old footage was mixed with the new footage. Shots of Topher carrying Claire out of the gallery, Aidan's jacket over her. Blood dripping off her leg. The news blamed her for her father kidnapping, torturing, raping, and murder of thirty-three different girls. Though her father had only been charged with twenty-two murders. 'How could they blame her? She was just a child herself?' Aidan's fists were clenched. He hated not having Claire at his side. He could not protect her if she was at Topher's. He had already strengthened the protection around Topher's house and his penthouse.
Aidan picked up the phone. He knew that if he was going to get the truth, it would be from only one person, Alyssa. She had tried to warn Aidan for months on not hurting Claire. Looking back, maybe she was warning him to stay away from Claire. "Maybe she was just too broken even for him," Aidan hated himself for the thought. He loved Claire, but her eyes. She feared him touching her, 'why?'
“Alyssa, can you come over?”
“Twenty minutes,” she said and hung up.
Aidan alerted the security of Alyssa coming over. He got up and made some grilled cheese sandwiches, Ella's favorite. He walked towards the panic room and saw the door open, Ella laughing at Anjelah Johnson's special on Netflix. He smiled at the sound as he walked to the door. “Knock, Knock.”
