“That doesn’t surprise me. Truthfully?” Neil glanced ahead through the hallway as they began walking together toward the lobby. “I’ve had that feeling since last night. We need to find out more about this ex-husband of hers.”
Anna was biting her lip when she looked his way. “I agree. We should check him out online.”
“Okay. Don’t forget—you be careful,” Neil said.
Looking left and then looking right, he bent down, brushing his lips against hers.
She held her hand over her mouth, looking surprised.
“Yeah,” he muttered, staring at her with satisfaction. “It hits me like that too.”
And Anna smiled.
Chapter Eleven
As Anna walked toward her jeep in the parking lot five minutes later, she began thinking hard about Claire. What was she going to do? Imagine having to put your whole life on hold simply for choosing the wrong guy. It had to be a nightmare, having to live your life day by day, afraid to strike up friendships or relationships, because you’re concerned for their safety.
When Anna drove into the pickup lane for local Crystal Visions students, Claire came walking out from the lobby, where she must have been waiting, wearing what appeared to be a serene smile on her face.
Anna smiled as Claire stepped into the jeep. “I take it you had a good day?”
Claire answered, “I did. I really enjoyed myself. The programming is so well-developed, and I swear even the grouchiest kids with behavior issues had a smile on their face at least once today.”
Anna laughed as she put the car in gear and drove toward the cabin. “What grade did you teach?”
“Eighth. And it’s difficult these days, and so much worse than it was when we were growing up, with school security and safety issues constantly being exposed.”
Anna sighed deeply. “I hear you.” She glanced at Claire. “Neil and I picked up a phone for you. I just need to get on my computer and activate it.”
“Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.” Claire frowned. “I hate that I can’t have my computer with me. All these new login features make it easy for someone to find you if they want to.”
Anna shrugged, pulling into the driveway of the cabin. “I know. I guess I can understand some of the reasoning behind these changes for the short term, but it seems to me a lot of these policies violate our individual privacy.”
“I’ve wondered about that myself. How does having every device we own connected to the same password ultimately make us safer? It sure hasn’t help me much. I know that when I first moved from town that’s how Neil kept locating me, through my computer.”
Anna stepped out from the jeep first, and taking a look around, she motioned for Claire to follow.
“But he kept finding you when you got rid of it?” Anna asked, unlocking the door of the cabin.
Claire frowned, entering the cabin first. “Yep, he did. And that’s what’s been puzzling me.”
“Well. This phone should be helpful,” Anna said, picking up the phone from where she’d left it charging on the kitchen counter when she’d dropped off the food from the deli. “You need to be able to call for help, and if it’s registered in my name, it shouldn’t lead back to you, whatever happens.”
“I really can’t thank you enough,” Claire said, checking out the inside of the cabin. “I didn’t notice much last night, since I was so tired, but these cabins are pretty nice inside. Aren’t they?”
“They sure are.” Anna nodded her agreement. “Feel free to help yourself to whatever you’d like in the kitchen. I picked up more groceries today, and Neil’s coming over to eat with us. Right now, I’m going to get on my computer and activate that phone for you.”
Heading toward the bedroom, the first thing Anna did was pull her rifle back out from inside the closet and load it again with ammunition, propping it in the same corner she had last night. For safety’s sake, she’d unloaded and put it away earlier before leaving the cabin this morning.
After grabbing her case containing her laptop from the chair, Anna strolled back into the living room, laying it on the small desk near the patio doors where the satellite router was located.
Ten minutes later, Anna was online at the website setting up the minutes for the phone. “Okay—so how about I make it active for six months?”
Claire came into the living room carrying an open bag of potato chips, and bending over the computer, she was obviously concerned about the cost. “Anna, according to Sarah, I need to stop using my charge cards, even though I acquired them after my marriage. I can’t really afford to pay too much, and I need to at least reimburse you guys for the cost of this phone.”
Turning, Anna stared hard at Claire. “Like hell you will. How about we strike a deal? You can pay me back after you get your life back?”
And then Claire did something Anna wasn’t expecting; she dropped onto the couch and broke into tears. “Thank God for you and Sarah and Neil and my parents,” she moaned, the words escaping from her mouth. She dropped the bag of chips onto the coffee table and held her hands over her face, her shoulders heaving.
Anna stood up, moving over to the couch and sitting beside Claire. “When I was on my way to the school to pick you up, I was thinking about how hard it had to be for you. It’s alright to cry, you know.”
Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around Claire while she cried against Anna’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Claire said, finally pulling away.
“For what?” Anna asked. “You feel a little better now. Don’t you?”
Claire gave Anna a wobbly smile, nodding her head.
Anna stood up, returning to her computer. “Let me finalize the sign up for your phone. Neil and I got to thinking about the fact that your ex keeps finding you, so the first thing I want to do is take a look at all your belongings and see if we can figure out why.”
Claire looked taken aback. “Alright. Yeah, that’s a good idea. Maybe there’s something not registering with me. I don’t know much about electronics.”
Soon, Anna had Claire set up with six months of service along with a couple hundred minutes, and once she was finished, she handed over the phone to Claire.
Anna stood up and checked her watch. “Neil must be working out. Let’s go through your stuff. While I was there, I also picked up a few extra things for you at the store.”
“Okay. You guys are doing too much.” Looking dazed, Claire shook her head as she went into her bedroom and waited for Anna to grab the bag of extra items she’d purchased.
Anna went into Claire’s room and poured the contents of the shopping bag on the bed.
Claire smiled. “T-shirts, sports bras, and some extra sweats and leggings. You’ve got me pegged, haven’t you?”
“I picked up a few other things too,” Anna said, showing her a soft denim purse with a long strap. “It can stay around your neck like a backpack, in case you have to move quickly.”
Claire frowned. “You’re like Sarah, always thinking ahead. She was talking about having me pick up a few extra things too. She said I shouldn’t be lugging around a suitcase.”
“Coincidentally, I have that covered. I have a carry-all with a shoulder strap which will be much easier for you to walk around with. Speaking of which—let’s check out your stuff.”
By the time Claire was laying out her clothes, bag and purse on the bed, Anna heard a knock on the door. “That’s probably Neil. Give me a minute to check. I’ve been careful about making sure all the doors and windows are locked.”
“Yep, it gets kind of claustrophobic, I’m sorry to say. Especially in the summer when the weather is beautiful outside,” Claire was muttering as Anna left the room.
After peeking outside at the back porch through the kitchen window, Anna walked up to the door and opened it, murmuring to Neil, “If it were me, I couldn’t handle it.”
“What?” Neil asked, walking inside through the doorway with a twelve pack of beer in his hand.
/> “All the trauma and difficulties both Claire and Sarah have had,” she answered.
“I’d say you’ve been through your share, Ace. You and me? We’re just lucky that trouble didn’t follow us once we recovered, and we can move on with our lives.”
Anna realized something momentous as she looked into Neil’s eyes, and swallowed. Damn it. What was she going to do now? She was in love with him, of course, and what a joke it had been on her, that pledge about no commitment or serious relationship. Because, of course, she wanted it all.
With Neil.
“Anna?” His look was quizzical. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Anna shook her head, looking at the beer. “You know what? Give me one of those, would you?”
Neil grinned. “Sure. How about Claire?”
Anna called out, “Claire?”
Claire came walking into the kitchen. She was such a pretty girl, but when she smiled, she was stunning.
Anna grinned. “Hey—want a beer?”
Claire blinked. “Geez, it’s been a while. Sure.”
Neil pulled three bottles of beer from the carton and opened them while Anna put the other nine bottles in the fridge.
“We’d better go through Claire’s things right now, though,” Anna said. “I’ve had this gut feeling all day that we might be in for trouble.”
“Same here,” Neil answered, pursing his lips and looking at Claire.
Claire grimaced, swallowing some beer from the bottle. “Since I seem to have that feeling all the time, it’s nice to take a little break and do something normal for a change, like talking with both of you.”
Anna gave Claire a reassuring smile and turned to Neil. “Let’s go take a look. I just had Claire lay every item she brought along with her on the bed.”
A few minutes later Neil was looking specifically at Claire’s suitcase, while Anna was going through her purse and wallet. Anna frowned, noticing all the metal clasps and pockets on Claire’s purse.
“What are you looking for?” Claire was asking Neil as his hands raked over the fabric of the suitcase.
“Tell me about this piece of luggage, Claire? How long have you had it?” Neil asked.
Claire answered, “For a while. I’m thinking the entire set was a wedding gift from Will’s parents.”
“So how did the property settlement go?” Anna asked. “Was Will insistent on gaining control of everything from the marriage?”
“I…” Claire’s jaw dropped. “Come to think of it, he was. I didn’t try to take away any jewelry he gave me, and I even left my wedding rings, although I was told by a lawyer friend they were rightfully mine. He took the china, silverware and even towels, which I thought was pretty stupid. So, why did he let me walk out with the luggage his parents gave us, when he wouldn’t let me take anything else?”
“I’ve been married and divorced, and we actually left each other on good terms. But how did your settlement pan out?” Neil asked, as he came upon something in the pouch pocket on the upper flap of the luggage.
“The divorce went through two years ago,” Claire answered. “But there still hasn’t been an actual settlement yet.”
“Really? I didn’t know you could wait so long to do that,” Anna said, watching as Neil frowned, tugging at a loose piece of tape behind the lining near the zipper of the suitcase.
Neil peeled back the insert behind the luggage pouch, looking at Claire grimly. There was a round piece of metal visible under the lining, about the size of a half-dollar.
Claire’s eyes went wide. “Is that…?”
Claire was obviously shocked when Neil nodded his head up and down, and she covered her mouth with her hands.
At that exact moment, Anna showed Claire a similar device that had been hidden behind the lining in a zipped compartment located on the outside of Claire’s purse.
Visibly shaken, Claire dropped onto the bed.
Looking at Anna, Neil pulled off the tracking device from the luggage. “These aren’t cheap, and I think I know someone who might be able to track where they were purchased.”
The cell phone Anna had in her jean pocket began to vibrate and buzz. Pulling it out, she looked at the caller ID as she switched it on, “Hi, Sarah. Yep, she’s right here, and so far, so good.”
“It looks like I’m not going to get back to Crystal Rock until tomorrow,” Sarah said as Anna listened intently. “You sound odd. What’s going on?”
Anna walked into the living room. “Neil and I just discovered some tracking devices hidden in some of Claire’s possessions.”
For a moment, there was silence, and then Sarah finally responded. “That son of a bitch.”
“Tell me about it,” Anna answered. “Even Neil is stunned that someone would go to such lengths to try to control someone. We’re still not finished going through everything. I’ve got a bag she can use instead of dragging around luggage, and I picked up a new purse and even a wallet for her. There could be more than one device and rather than wasting more time, I think it’s best to switch up all her clothes and maybe even give her a new look. She could pass for a teenager, if she needs to.”
“That’s a great idea Anna. Claire and I have been friends for so long, I don’t think objectively enough anymore,” Sarah said. “I hate to say it, but I was kind of fooled by the
guy she married just like everyone else. I remember their wedding and how happy I was for her. The worst thing about what’s happening is there are very few people who would believe Will is trying to kill her. He never shows that side of himself to anyone but Claire.” Sarah heaved a sigh. “Truthfully, I even had my doubts the first time she told me. But then again, I was recovering from my injuries and assault and not really seeing things clearly when I returned from Iraq.”
Anna was curious. “What made you realize it was true?”
“Well after she told me, which was on the phone, I didn’t hear from her again for months. I think she wanted my help, but she knew I wasn’t capable at that point, if you can understand that? I couldn’t think straight—I was having nightmares, seeing a shrink and doing physical therapy, and she was living in Milwaukee at the time. But then she came home for a visit right after she left Will, and she was a mess. She never told me he was beating up on her. It got so bad one night, she had to call the cops and have him arrested when he came home drunk and started throwing her around. But the only way he would give her the divorce was if she dropped the charges.”
“What would you like me to do with Claire tomorrow?”
“Why don’t you drop her back at the school? I can pick her up from there,” Sarah answered. “I have to be in court for a while in the morning, but Brand and I should be back in Crystal Rock around mid-afternoon.”
“Will do. Do you want to speak with her?” Anna asked.
“If she had anything new to tell me she’d be there with you now. You and Neil are such upbeat people, I’ll bet you’re making her feel ten times better than I ever could.”
“Oh, something tells me you’re probably the best friend she’s ever going to have.”
“Yeah, well, don’t tell her that. I don’t want her outlook to be bleak.”
But Anna could hear the smile in Sarah’s voice.
“You take care,” Anna said.
“You too,” Sarah answered. “Remember, it there’s trouble, call me—no matter what. I guess I have this habit of always looking over my shoulder, and everything’s going way too smoothly. And now that you’ve found some tracking devices…Brand and I are going to have to discuss this tonight. I’m thinking the best thing to do with Claire is to get her out of the state for now.”
“I was going to suggest the same thing.”
Anna could hear Brand calling out for Sarah in the background. “Sounds like you’re on your way out the door, so I’ll let you go.”
“Bye, Anna.”
Anna switched off the phone, staring through the window at several fishing boats hovering close to the s
hore. It was near dusk, so their location must have been a prime spot for fishing.
Claire walked into the living room with her purse, and Neil followed behind carrying the luggage.
“Just to play it safe, I’ll take everything of Claire’s along with me tomorrow,” Neil said.
Anna answered, “That’ll work. In fact, we can leave her things in my office at the wounded warrior home. When we’re finished eating, I’ll start getting some other items together for you Claire.”
“What did Sarah have to say?” Claire asked, sitting on the couch and taking a sip from what must have been a lukewarm beer.
“She and Brand will be back tomorrow afternoon. They’ll pick you up from Crystal Visions when you’re done for the day.”
“I can’t wait to finally meet the guy,” Claire said, looking rather desolate.
“Let’s all have another beer while we eat, and then we can discuss what we’re going to do tonight,” Neil said, strolling into the kitchen and pulling three more beers from the fridge. “I’ll be sleeping here on the couch by the way, in case there’s trouble.”
Anna grimaced at Neil. “That’d be great. Believe it or not, I was going to ask if you would.” Anna turned to Claire. “This is the best opportunity we’re probably going to have to set a trap for your ex since we discovered those tracking devices. That’s why Neil walked over here as opposed to driving. We’d already discussed the possibility you were being monitored somehow. I’ve also come up with a plan for you to follow once you’re away from here. I told Sarah and she seemed to think it was a good idea to switch up your look. Since I was hired as a full-time instructor, and I didn’t have a clue what I’d need besides my uniform when I moved here to Crystal Rock, I brought along my entire wardrobe which was in storage. I have so many things boxed up that I’ve never even worn.”
Claire seemed curious. “Switch up my look?”
“I’m not much of a girlie girl, but I do have some really cute things that were given to me as gifts. Let’s have you try on some different clothes first and see what you think.”
Two Hearts In Accord (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Book 7) Page 9
