So Neil turned his attention back on the discussion they were having with Claire. If she was going to stay, she probably should be getting some sleep since she looked dead on her feet.
Neil stood up. “Anna? If Claire’s here to stay, how about I take her luggage into her room? Which room will she be staying in?”
Anna gave him a rueful smile. “I chose the corner room with all the windows for myself, and it’s probably better for me to stay there. Claire can use the bedroom on the right.”
Sarah said, “Good. It should be safer for her there, since there’s only one window and it’s way up high. I can’t tell you two how much I appreciate this. I shouldn’t be gone more than twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”
Making his way over to the door leading into the bedroom, Neil laid the suitcase on a chair near the closet and headed back into the living room.
Anna turned to Claire. “Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks,” she answered. “Sarah just made me eat.”
“She got here by hitchhiking from Hayward,” Sarah said in a disapproving voice, standing and putting her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you did that, with so many nutcases on the road. I still haven’t heard the whole story yet.”
Claire grimaced. “I just couldn’t see what other choice I had, Sare. I’m just so glad he didn’t try anything when he came to visit me at the grade school where I was working as a substitute teacher a few weeks ago. He met me at the parking lot after school, pretending he was sincere, and asked me to give him another chance. I couldn’t believe his reaction when I said no. Heck, it’s been almost three years. I thought he was finally going to give it up.”
Sitting back down on the chair beside Anna’s, Neil muttered, “The only reason guys like him want someone back is because they hate losing something they considered belonged to them.”
“That’s it exactly,” Claire moaned, raking her hand through her hair, grimacing and pulling out some tangles. “God I’m a mess. He’s been following me around for the last three weeks, but I never expected to get shot at. He keeps on finding me no matter where I go. I was staying with my parents, and I was so worried about the way he acted when I turned him down, that I decided to stay at the family cabin instead because I didn’t want him bothering my mom and dad. I had a friend drop me off, and I couldn’t believe it when I went for a walk and saw him watching me yesterday when I’d only been there for a few days. And then when I turned to walk away, something went whizzing by my head and I realized after I looked back, that he was holding a pistol in his hands. I’m surprised he even remembered the place, since we never spent much time there when we were married.”
“Did you call the police?” Anna asked.
Claire snorted. “That hasn’t done me much good in the past. I guess I forgot to mention that Will’s father has some clout here in the state? I gave up when I was living near Milwaukee when we were separated, but the cops in my hometown have tended to look the other way. And really, I can’t blame them for not believing me. How do I prove that he shot at me? His guns are all registered. That’s where Will’s smart.”
“Let me guess,” Neil murmured. “He wanted you home and available all day, and he didn’t want you to work outside of the house. Plus, he cut you off from your family?”
Claire nodded yes. “Yep. He wanted me to quit my job, and I wouldn’t. And he used me as his punching bag the rest of the time, always hitting me where it wasn’t visible. When I left him, I had my parents drive down and take me to the apartment I’d rented. I knew he wouldn’t try anything in front of them. But, I lost my teaching job for reasons unknown to me, so I knew that Will’s dad must have had something to do with that. I don’t know why I thought I’d be able to stay in Milwaukee. I had a bunch of friends there before we married, and I guess I didn’t really want to leave.”
“One of my recruits was abusive with his wife, and I had to step in. I hate when guys treat women like that,” Neil growled.
“I saw it happen with a neighbor, but it was a heck of a strange situation. The wife was actually abusive toward her husband, who kept trying to hide it, but when I saw their poor kid was getting pounded on by his mother, I said enough was enough and I had to report it,” Anna said grimly. “Turns out he was a foster kid, and the other kid living there was one too. Even though the system isn’t that great, I was afraid she was going to kill the poor little guy.”
“Wow,” Claire shook her head dazedly. “It just amazes me that it didn’t start up with Will until after we were married. We dated for an entire year and he never once acted abusive to me. He sure charmed my parents.”
“At least you had enough sense to divorce the guy,” Sarah said to Claire.
“Yeah, and look where that’s gotten me?” Claire answered. “I can’t get a normal job, because I’m on the run all the time. I thought he was finally going to leave me alone when I moved in with my parents, which I hated to do. I’ve had court orders, but what good are those until after the fact?”
“So tell us how you got here?” Sarah asked.
“Well, when I noticed Will was there watching me, I realized there wasn’t anywhere close he could be parking his car, for me not to have seen it. I packed a small bag, and Will doesn’t know all the short cuts that I do, so I hiked along a path through the woods leading to the rest area located on the highway nearby. But there’s a creek and steep incline I had to climb down and over, so it was a little bit difficult doing that in the dark.”
“You couldn’t call a friend to meet you and drive you into Crystal Rock?” Anna asked.
“I didn’t want to risk it. I was afraid of what Will might do if he suspected any of my friends from town were helping me get away—especially after he took that shot at me,” Claire answered. “But it all worked out. I took a good look at some of the people at the rest area, and there was a female trucker in the restroom when I was trying to clean myself up. There was just something about her that told me she could be trusted, and when she offered to drop me off in Crystal Rock, I took her up on it. She had a couple of family pictures taped on the dash inside her cab, and she mentioned one of them was her daughter. I think she’s had her own share of troubles.”
“Still,” Sarah muttered.
Claire looked like she was ready to fall asleep, and Anna suddenly stood up. “Claire, I’m going to start a bath for you. We can talk more in the morning.”
Sitting with Sarah while Anna helped Claire get situated, Neil asked, “Any idea of what she should do next?”
Sarah grimaced. “That’s a good question. What we need to do right now is figure out how her ex has kept finding her since she left Milwaukee. Maybe she can go somewhere and live off the radar?”
Anna returned to the living room, and Sarah stood up. “I’d better get moving. I have a flight to catch in Eau Claire in less than two hours.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a card. “Here’s my phone number in case you need it, and Brand’s is written down on the back. I’ve already got yours plugged into my phone,” she told Anna.
“I’ll be here. I’m thinking that maybe Claire should come into work with me?” Anna said.
“Shoot. I forgot to tell you.” Sarah shook her head. “I came up with a temporary solution for the daytime, so you won’t have to be distracted while you’re at work. Claire can help out next door at Crystal Visions, the school for kids with disabilities, where she can work as a temporary aide. No one will think too much about it since we have a lot of volunteers and I’m the one who’s recommended her.”
“Good idea. Will she be safe?” Neil asked, standing up on his feet. It was time for him to get moving too, so he could get a little shut eye.
“Well, of course, both the school and wounded warrior home have security systems, but did anyone ever mention to you guys that there are surveillance cameras located throughout the whole property? We’ve had some trouble in the past.” Sarah frowned. “And that’s putting it mildly. But Jake Loughlin
, the owner of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, decided to have them installed for us.”
Anna looked thoughtful. “So if there’s any trouble here for Claire, we might be able to show proof of what her ex is doing?”
“You know,” Neil said. “If it wouldn’t put people in danger, I’d consider setting a trap.”
“Yes,” Sarah answered. “I thought about that too.” She paused with her hand on the doorknob, looking back at Anna and Neil. “Don’t hesitate to call if there’s anything you’re worried about. Just leave a message if I don’t pick up. I’ll call you tomorrow to let you know when I’ll be back. Thanks again, guys.”
Reaching out, Anna patted Sarah’s shoulder. “No worries. We’ll take care of her.”
And Sarah did something that surprised Neil because she wasn’t typically demonstrative. Reaching out, she wrapped an arm around Anna and hugged her quickly before escaping through the doorway.
Anna looked startled, glancing at Neil. “I guess I’ve kind of been walking on eggshells when I’m around her, after hearing what happened in Iraq.”
“Me too,” Neil answered. “I was ashamed thinking about the way I behaved, feeling sorry for myself after I lost my leg, when I discovered Sarah was held captive and tortured and lost part of her own leg too.”
Anna sighed heavily, giving him a rueful smile. “I guess you’re off to your cabin to get some sleep?”
He grinned, giving her a heated stare. “Yes. It’s close to midnight, and if I stayed, I probably wouldn’t want to sleep at all.”
Anna laughed. “Same here. And I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about Claire trying to sleep in the next room.”
“I was thinking exactly the same thing a little earlier. A little anticipation won’t hurt,” he answered, moving toward the back door.
“I agree,” Anna admitted, following him through the doorway. “How about your groceries?”
“Keep them. I’ll have breakfast at the cafeteria in the morning. How about meeting me there between seven and seven-thirty?”
“It’s a date,” she answered, standing beside him on the back porch.
He slid his hand around her neck and pulled her into his arms for a kiss. As her hair brushed against his face, Neil thought how her hair smelled like lilacs in spring, he’d noticed that earlier, and when he broke away from the kiss he buried his face into the silky soft skin of her neck. Everything about Anna was intoxicating, and he had a feeling it was going to be extremely difficult falling asleep when he went back to his cabin.
Neil was shaking when he finally pulled away, looking into the depths of Anna’s beautiful jade green eyes.
“What?” she asked, looking dazed.
“You know what,” he growled. “I hope I can sleep.”
Anna laughed softly. “I hear you.”
He couldn’t resist reaching out and running his hand through her hair. “I love the way you smell.”
She blinked, giving him a slow smile. “I’ve never heard that one before.”
“Good.”
She cleared her throat. “You smell pretty good yourself.”
“Yeah, well, I did take a shower and shave before our date.”
She laughed, and then Neil did too.
“I think we’re both a little rusty with our small talk,” she finally said.
“Goodnight, Anna. I don’t expect any trouble for you, but if there is, remember I’m only a few yards away next door.”
“I will. Goodnight, Neil,” she said, stepping back inside the cabin and smiling at him as she closed the back door.
Chapter Ten
The first thing Anna did after going inside and locking the back door was pull out her rifle from inside the closet of her bedroom and load it with ammo.
She had a system worked out with her prosthetic, where she would attach it to the headboard of her bed with an adaptable hook while she was sleeping to make it easily accessible for emergencies. In fact, she’d worked out all kinds of handy tips that would be useful both in everyday life and out in the field.
Anna looked at the time on her alarm clock and walked into the hallway, knocking on the bathroom door. “Claire—are you alright?”
When Claire opened the door, she was wearing a robe and a rueful smile. “I’m sorry, Anna. You probably want to get ready for bed, and I fell asleep in the tub.”
“Oh, no. Don’t worry about that. With the career I’ve had, I’m used to intermittent sleep. I hate that I’m going to have to wake you up pretty early in the morning though.”
“Hey, I’m not sleeping more than four or five hour shifts myself these days.” Grabbing her clothes, Claire walked into her bedroom and laid the clothes inside her open suitcase.
Anna said, “I’m going to leave my door open, okay? If you need anything, or even if you’re spooked by something you hear, go ahead and give me a shout.”
“Okay. I feel better with my door open too,” Claire answered. “Thank you so much for taking me in.”
“Not a problem.” Anna’s eyes met Claire’s as she sat on her bed. “Hey, I have my rifle ready and waiting in case there’s trouble, and it’s loaded. Of course, I’m not sure how comfortable you are around weapons? So just be sure to shout out as opposed to startling me.”
Claire blinked. “I’m just trying to adjust to the idea that you can use a rifle with a prosthetic arm.”
Anna grinned. “This old thing? I can get it on and off in a matter of minutes. I’m actually going to be retraining amputees to use weapons.”
Claire’s eyes went wide. “Really? I had no idea. I’ve sure got a lot of questions.”
“Tomorrow. You just get some sleep. I’m going to leave this small light on in the living room after I get the coffee pot ready for the morning. Okay? That way if you’re up during the night, I can see that it’s you.”
“Anything you think is best,” Claire answered. “I don’t know how Will would be able to find me here, but like I said, he keeps appearing everywhere I go.”
“I might have some ideas about that too, but again, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
Anna strolled back into the hallway, turning back momentarily. “Goodnight, Claire.”
Claire yawned. “Goodnight, Anna.”
Grabbing a t-shirt and sweats from inside a drawer in her bedroom, Anna hooked them over the door in the bathroom before heading into the kitchen. Five minutes later, she had the coffeepot ready, and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower and brush her teeth.
Ten minutes later, she was sound asleep.
* * *
When the alarm she’d forgotten to reset went off the following morning, Anna was already finished taking a nice long shower where she’d washed her hair and taken a little time to wake up before getting dressed. While they were working on program specifics, it had been decided the instructors and administrators would forego wearing uniforms to avoid any additional attention. Today they would be touring the area and discussing potential locations for some of the facilities they would someday require. The more organized their plans, the more time they could spend on raising additional funds.
Peeking inside Claire’s room, Anna could see she was still sleeping soundly. But Anna figured she might want more time to take a shower herself and untangle and wash her hair, so she tapped softly on the open door.
Claire sat up quickly and blinked, giving Anna an owlish stare.
“Good morning,” Anna said. “I figured you might need a little extra time this morning to get ready.”
“Oh, thanks, Anna.” Claire shook her head dazedly. “It’s been a while since I’ve slept that soundly.”
“Let me know if you need anything. It doesn’t look like you have much in your suitcase, and it looks like we might be close to the same size.”
“Oh, that would be great, if you wouldn’t mind? Sarah said that wearing jeans is fine, but if you have a nice t-shirt I could borrow, it would really help me out.” Claire grimaced, standing up from the bed. She’d fallen asle
ep in the terrycloth robe she’d been wearing last night. “Sarah actually tried to loan me some stuff, but everything she had was either super casual, or too tight. She lost so much weight after she was injured.”
Anna sighed deeply, her eyes meeting Claire’s. “She’s pretty amazing. Isn’t she?”
“I’ll say,” Claire answered. “When she came home to the states…well, she just moved forward, as much as she was hurting, and two years later she was accepting this job. If what was done to her had been done to me, I don’t know if any amount of time would’ve had me right again.”
“I hear you.” Anna said.
Claire sighed, and began making her bed.
Anna looked at her watch. “I’d better gather my paperwork. I’ll pour you some coffee if you’d like?”
“Black would be fantastic,” Claire answered, gathering some underwear and socks from her suitcase.
Anna motioned toward her room. “Go right ahead and help yourself to whatever you’d like in my closet. All I own are semi-casual clothes. I was working at Quantico, where I had to wear a uniform every day.”
“Thanks,” Claire answered, as she followed Anna through the bedroom door.
“And hey, there’s a washing machine here in the kitchen closet. We can get a load going when we come back this afternoon.”
Less than forty-five minutes later, Anna was dropping Claire off at the entrance of Crystal Visions. “I’ll pick you up here at four o’clock sharp. Don’t leave the building until you see me—okay?”
Claire smiled. “Alright. I know I keep saying thanks…”
Anna laid her hand over Claire’s. “Just keep an eye out. Something about the fact that your ex keeps appearing everywhere you go has me thinking hard, but we’ll talk about that later. You don’t have a phone on you. Right?”
“No.”
“I’m going to have Neil pick one up for you with loadable minutes, and we can put it in my name.”
Two Hearts In Accord (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Book 7) Page 7
