by B. Groves
She called George, and he found her a criminal attorney right away who argued she was under emotional duress from her discoveries.
Claire didn’t want to lie anymore. She felt horrible enough about lying to Mac and she told them she was the one who shot her aunt. Mac corroborated her story and no charges were brought against her from killing her aunt.
After hours sitting in a small room that smelled like garlic and pee, Claire was free to leave.
Yes, she brought justice and freed her brother, but it came with a mental price.
Each day became easier. That big, gaping hole she carried with her for so many years finally closed, but the constant mental gymnastics from her decision made her long to carry that hole instead.
As for Sue’s body, Claire went back and forth about how to proceed with her funeral.
Sue’s will stated that she wanted to be cremated and her ashes spread around a lake she used to swim in as a child before Rose came for her. She said that was her only good memory of her childhood.
The lake was in West Virginia. Jack begged her to honor that wish and Claire did it for him.
She drove her ashes to that lake and now Sue could enjoy her swims forever as she spread them in the dirt and sprinkled the rest of them into the water.
Claire remembered driving home feeling like she found some closure and forgiveness by honoring Sue’s request.
“Claire?”
Claire was brought out of her thoughts as Jack walked by her and headed to the office.
“What?”
“There’s someone out there to see you.”
Claire looked at Jack in confusion. Who could possibly want to see her on an early Sunday morning?
Jack ignored Claire’s confusion and entered the office.
Claire scoffed and walked out to the front of the store. Carol and the other girls were busy waiting on a small crowd that already lined up in front of the cash register. The smell of fresh coffee grounds and cinnamon was a welcome alternative to the baking area.
She turned her head from familiar faces to not so familiar ones but no one seemed to want to catch her attention. Before returning to the back of the house, she made sure all the tables and the floors were clean and ready to seat customers.
Martin Childers gave her a toothy grin and asked her how she was today.
Claire smiled back at the older man while she straightened up the glass case full of the fancier pastries and asked, “Jack said there was someone out here to see me? Did you see anyone?”
Martin shrugged and shook his head. “He’s getting old.”
Claire rolled her eyes and turned back to the kitchen area after greeting some of the old men enjoying their morning routine at the bar. She walked over to the office where Jack was hard at work on reconciling the receipts from the night before.
“I thought you said someone was out there to see me.”
Jack looked up from the cash and blinked. “There was. I guess they left.”
“Who was it?”
Jack turned back and picked up a pile cash to count. “Dunno. The news was passed to me.”
Claire inhaled a deep breath for patience. “Really?”
“I swear to God,” Jack said, matching the numbers from the till.
“I’m going home,” Claire said, removing her apron and throwing it into the bin to be cleaned.
“You do that and don’t come back until you get some proper sleep,” Jack said turning to her with a knowing look.
Claire smiled. “Okay.”
She kissed the top of Jack’s head and did one more go around to make sure the shop was running smoothly. She finally had Carol shooing her out of the front of the store.
“Go home, woman,” Carol scolded.
“I’m going.”
Claire put on her jacket and walked through the employee entrance.
Claire inhaled the cool mountain air, letting it cleanse her lungs from the night before. The weather said warm and sunny on the forecast, which would bring her in more business.
Claire looked up to see the lavender sky turning into a baby blue, and not a cloud in sight.
Claire closed the door behind her. She was looking forward to a nice hot shower, a small breakfast, and her bed.
Staying up all night was catching up to her as she rummaged through her purse to find her keys. She yawned and grasped the keys in her hand.
“Hi.”
Claire looked up to see a patrol car sitting next to her car.
Claire froze in place when the handsome officer took his last bite of whatever he was eating, and drank some coffee.
He wiped his hands on some napkins and said, “That was good. That was really good.”
Claire wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or burst into tears as Mac waited for her.
They hadn’t spoken in months. Both of them—more Claire’s decision than Mac’s—deciding it was best to separate and deal with what happened on their own.
Mac smiled at her and Claire thought she would melt right there on the pavement. She missed that gorgeous smile.
“What did you have?” She asked.
“I saw the plum tarts, but I’m not crazy about plums,” Mac said. “I decided to try your pumpkin spice muffins instead. It was delicious.”
Claire lowered her head and blushed. “Thank you. I tweaked the recipe I found a couple of times.”
Mac smiled and said, “Whatever you did, it was perfect.”
“What are you doing here?”
Claire hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. She thought she would open the conversation more smoothly, but she had to know what brought him here after so long. She thought he moved on months ago.
Mac sighed and said, “I didn’t think the rumors were true until Elijah verified it for me last year. I thought you would leave Lingate… go back to New Jersey or something. I never thought you would run this place. I admire that. That took guts.”
Claire turned away trying to control her own emotions. “I knew running away wasn’t the answer. I don’t what I’m getting out of this, really. I still think I am no better than my family.”
“Claire—”
“No. Let me finish,” Claire said, putting a hand up. “I’m still trying to find the answers about why Sue did what she did to my brother.” Claire tried to fight back her tears as the memories of what Sue did to David surfaced. “I found the closure I needed, but the lingering questions will always haunt me.”
Claire wiped a few tears away with her free hand. “I still see David sometimes. Not in the physical sense, but I see him running around the Kinsey property chasing butterflies and laughing in my dreams.”
Claire’s eyes met Mac’s. “That gives me comfort knowing he’s happier now.”
Mac’s face was set in stone. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped.
“I’m sorry I lost contact… ” Claire began. She rubbed her face in frustration. “Aw, hell. I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch. I needed time.”
Mac shrugged. “They changed my patrol and my shift. I could have kept up with you, but I figured you were busy with this place. I owe you an apology, too. I could have been a better friend and not let you face this alone no matter how much you protested.”
“I’m always busy,” Claire laughed lightly. “This keeps me on my toes and helped me come to terms with what Sue did.” Claire sucked in a breath. “With what I did.”
Mac nodded.
“Are you still writing?”
Claire shook her head. She hadn’t touched her books since last year, but she was hoping to write a semi-autobiographical thriller soon.
“I hope to start again one day, but right now… ” Claire turned back to the shop.
“I understand. Jack told me you worked all night. So, I’m guessing getting another muffin with me is out of the question?” Mac asked.
Claire grinned. She’d be scolded, but how could she turn down that offer from the handsome officer standing in front of
her?
Claire felt the big arms wrap around her. She sighed and leaned into the strong body wondering how she could have been away from it for so long. She realized she missed Mac like crazy.
“I think we both made mistakes,” Mac said. “I should have been there.”
Claire nodded against his chest. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I need another muffin,” Mac said.
Claire burst out laughing and looked up into a wide grin. “You know what… I’m kind of hungry.”
The couple turned and walked towards the front door of the shop.
Claire reached into her pocket and grasped the butterfly brooch she always carried around with her.
She thought she heard a child’s giggle behind her, but she was never sure.
Epilogue
J ack Carpenter unlocked his front door and walked into the house after his job was done for the day.
Claire had come back into the shop that morning and sat down with Mac for a little while, and then they went their separate ways. Jack knew she came home, grabbed a few hours sleep, and went back to the shop early that afternoon.
Claire looked exhausted when she came back to the shop, but Jack was happy to see a little skip in her step now that she was reconciling with Mac.
He hoped that would happen. Mac was a good man, and Claire deserved some happiness.
Jack limped into the kitchen to grab a beer and sit down in his recliner. His old body was wearing out, but he was determined to see Claire become successful and happy. Reconciling with Mac, and all the money they made today, was a start. Claire had invested all her profits back into the shop and quietly donated much of it to charities that specialized in abuse victims.
Kinsey House was gone forever, and Claire sold the land to a man from California who wanted to replicate the house eventually. She said it didn’t bother her. It was his land—he could do what he wanted with it.
Jack swiped at his wet eyes as he thought about his daughter.
He hadn’t believed Sue when she was a child that his brother in law was abusing her. He let his own daughter suffer abuse and it turned her into an abuser and a murderer.
He wished Rose had believed her too, but she did the same thing and she never changed her mind about it, although he did in his later years.
Jack took a deep breath as the memories surfaced. The only thing he could do now to atone for his sins was support Claire as best he could.
He took a sip of his beer and plopped down into the recliner staring off into space.
He scoffed thinking about all he did for his former lover and daughter to cover up their crimes and never even received a thank you in return.
It left a bitter taste in his mouth. He would never forget when he discovered Arthur had died. He thought Rose would want to marry him straight away. She never did and she never even mentioned it.
Rose claimed it was because she was protecting him, but Jack knew better. She didn’t want to lose her money.
Jack shook his head and took another huge gulp of beer.
He heard a noise behind him and didn’t even blink as the atmosphere around him changed. A cold breeze caressed his skin and the house became a little darker.
He knew it was her. It always was. He thanked the good Lord above that she never appeared to Claire. He didn’t know if Claire could handle it.
He turned slightly in the chair and saw her as a young woman again with her chin-length, silky blonde hair, smooth skin, and bright blue eyes.
She smiled softly at him, but Jack didn’t return the favor.
Instead, he stood up and reached into his wallet. That’s where he kept the ring and the promise letter for so many years.
He thought Rose said something, but he ignored it.
The promise letter Rose wrote him before she married Arthur was now empty words just like the one she wrote to Claire when she found David.
“I’ll keep the ring, and give it to Claire before I die,” Jack said, holding up the gold band with the simple diamond in the center for Rose to see. “What you did to her… to us is… “Jack couldn’t finish the words. He was done. He needed peace. He didn’t want to spend his remaining years haunted by this woman. He threw away most of his life for her, but he damned if he would die still feeling any misplaced loyalty towards her.
Rose’s eyes showed her regret, but she didn’t answer.
Jack placed the ring back into his wallet and grabbed the promise letter, now torn and faded after all these years.
Jack grabbed the matches off the fireplace, he threw the letter into it and lit the match.
He turned to the woman he loved since he was a young man and said, “It’s over, Rose. Leave me alone. Leave Claire alone. She’s doing just fine.”
He tossed the match onto the paper and watched the paper burn into ashes within seconds.
When all that was left was a tiny tower of smoke, Jack turned to see the living room empty.
He smiled. It was a bitter smile, but for the first time since he was a young man, he no longer carried a heavy burden.
Jack sat down in his chair with a smile still plastered on his face when Claire walked in the door.
He knew she smelled the smoke and asked him if everything was okay.
“I’m great. How’s Mac?”
Claire frowned as her eyes darted around the living room. “What’s that burning smell? Mac and I have a date next Saturday.” Her eyes continued to search the living room. “Are you going to tell me?”
“Oh, nothin’. Just thought I was chilly and thought I’d light a fire, but changed my mind. The temperature is still too warm,” he answered. “Anyhow, that’s wonderful, Claire.”
Claire’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t believe him as she set her gaze into the fireplace. Jack shrugged and took another sip of his beer.
Claire knew to drop the subject, even though her facial expressions didn’t change.
“Letting go of the past, Claire,” Jack finally said. “Letting go which is good for both of us.”
Claire nodded and said nothing more. She didn’t need to because the Kinsey family secrets would be a bond they would always share.
The End
About the Author
On a dark and stormy night…
Nah
And, he woke up…
That won’t work either.
Trying to be clever here folks, but it’s not working out.
I’m a natural blonde. Well, that’s what the bottle tells me. Who knew, right?
I was born in a small town (truth) in southern New Jersey. Where there’s only 1 traffic light, an ice cream shop, and a post office run by an old lady who still thinks I’m twelve when I visit home.
While in high school, I found a love of historical romance novels. Sneaking them around my teachers and parents. I got caught once and had the book taken away from me for the rest of the day. I was sent home with a note, and my mom shocked me when she said she was happy I was reading and didn’t care what it was.
I’ve been writing since I can remember.
I have the greatest husband and supporter in the world. He has a love of books like me, but he would never touch romance. Except! He reads all of my writing giving me critical feedback. How awesome is that?
I hope you join me on this journey through my personal twilight zone. You never know where you may go.
Feel free to stop by and say hi!
Other Works
Only available on Amazon.com
A small town rocked by tragedy. Two people shattered by a horrific past. What drove Margo to kill?
A sinister secret turns deadly.
Female mass shooters are very rare. In fact, they are so rare no significant studies have ever explored a female mass shooter. On March 20, 2005, Margaret Elise Ryan went on a rampage in her school, killing 5 students, and injuring 10 others. Why? There are never easy answers. Her sister, Gabrielle Ryan, witnessed not only her sister’s killing spree but ulti
mate suicide. 10 years later Gabrielle returns to the fictional town of Seven Hills, New Jersey, not only to put Margo to rest but to find the answers after reading Margo’s diary.
Dean Walker was one of Margo’s victims. His best friend—dead—by her hands. He has held resentment and anger towards the Ryan family ever since that day. Not only that, he was about to speak to the girl of his dreams when the shooting happened. The girl of his dreams was none other than Gabrielle Ryan.
Can Dean find it in his heart to forgive Gabby and her family for what Margo did to him?
The Mirror In The Forest Trilogy. Available in Boxed Set or individually
A mysterious mirror found deep in the forest of Leon’s Crossing, WA. A deal no one can resist.
My name is Jessica Winters. I am a 17-year-old girl in the year 1984. I am bullied, and painfully shy. One day I’m walking through the forest of Leon’s Crossing, WA and discover a mysterious mirror. I never expected this mirror would come to life before my very eyes, and my life would be changed forever.
In book one of The Mirror In The Forest Trilogy, I discover The Spirit of the Mirror can help give me all that I’ve ever wished for, but with any deal, there’s always a price. In the meantime, I happen to meet the young sheriff of Leon’s Crossing and eventually fall in love with him. I keep The Spirit of the Mirror a secret from my friends and family and little did I know it would affect them in more ways than one.
This trilogy is three books of how making a deal with a demon affected not only my life but the lives of the small mountain town. Years will pass, and the fight for my life becomes a test of strength, love, loss, forgiveness, and sacrifice.
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