Chapter 7 7

Two are better than one.

~~~

The phone was ringing when Claire unlocked the door. She fastened the locks behind her and went to answer it. "How was today with Mr. Elijah Cohen?" Cameron spoke with a musical lilt, her joy at having the scoop on Claire's love life- or so she thought- barely contained.

"Meeting him for the first time was... tense." It sure was and she was sure he noticed her nervousness. He was her crush and what could she have done at that moment when he suddenly opened the door and saw her standing in front of his office?

"I take it that two of you had these sparks."

"You could say I did. His secretary had warned me not to fall for her boss." Claire laughed and Cameron knew she was joking. Her friendship with Cameron had been for a long time. She was there when she dated Jake and when Jake proposed to her. She witnessed her friend's wedding and was there when she had her two daughters. Cameron was the type of person people will love to be around and her children are lucky to have her. She was fun and quick-witted and can detect when anything is being suspicious. She was a good friend and she was sad she could help Claire with her father's business.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Cameron asked. "Cause if I want to talk to myself, I can do that without holding a phone to my ear."

Cameron must have been talking while Claire took her trip down memory lane. "Nothing happened." She said. "He just liked my idea concerning this fall fashion show and he was smiling about it. It felt good seeing him that way."

"Uh-huh." Cameron sounded skeptical. "I think he likes you."

"Are you insane? He just met me and he doesn't look interested. He is a busy man and work comes first before any other thing." As soon as she got off the phone with Cameron, she'd need to call Louis back.

"Elijah is really good-looking," Cameron said. "And I am sure he has a thing for you because who wouldn't? You have to admit, sending you a gift for your birthday."

"Cameron," Claire said her name as a warning. "He was just being generous to his employee."

Cameron laughed. "I know, I'm an incurable romantic. All right, I will shut up about it. What are you doing tonight?"

"The usual. Watch some TV. Maybe go over to the hospital to check it on Mom."

"Have a good night. See you on the weekend and don't forget to bring them snacks. You know they love when you do that."

"Goodbye," Claire replied and started to the kitchen to make tea. She was only halfway across the room when a knock on the door made her jump. She glanced out the window. The sky was a gray smudge against the black and white shadows of the street, the day rendered in charcoal by the disappearing sun.

She strode to the door and took a deep breath, bracing herself, then checked the peephole. She saw a man just the same height as her landlord. Apparently, the bulb in her porch light had burned out. She threw back the chain, turned the deadbolt, and jerked open the door.

A burly, dark-haired young boy shoved her back into the room and slammed the door behind him. He looked her up and down, his face expressionless."Long time, no see, Claire Hutton." He began to laugh annoyingly. "You had the got to report me to the police?" The boy's voice was nasal, the words clipped and staccato.

"Charlie? You are here?" Claire's answer was unintelligible, but the terror in her voice showed she was scared of him and that was the only thing she could ask that very moment. "You ripped us off and destroyed our lives completely. How could I have been silent about it? You stole from your own family Charlie."

He began breathing fast. His hand to his mouth wiping the sweat off. "I was going to pay back as soon as I could gather enough money but you spoilt everything." He was angry.

He started to walk closer to her but Claire rested her back on the wall. Terrified. She was scared of her brother and doesn't have any weapon at hand to defend herself. He held her neck pulling her against him, crushing her. Lifting her off the ground. She writhed in his arms, kicking out.

Claire kicked out, knocking over the table on which sat a lamp. The glass base of the lamp shattered, and then the lightbulb exploded with a shower of sparks. Claire wailed_weather in pain or frustration.

Claire leaned over and bit him enough to draw blood.

Charlie howled and released her, and Claire whirled and landed a solid punch on his chin. He reeled back but at the same moment, he drew a gun from his coat, and immediately, there was a knock on the door and before Claire could open it, her brother ran through the window.

"Is everything okay? I heard a noise." A man in a police uniform asked. He seemed to be on patrol.

She forced a smile. "How sweet of you to check up on me, but everything is fine... I heard it, too. It must have been from the backyard." Claire lied holding her neck. Charlie would have made a mark there. No doubt. She'd likely have a bruise there tomorrow.

"Okay, ma'am. I will leave now." The policeman was suspicious.

Claire closed the door and locked it alongside the windows. Her brother will be back and since he found her, he won't rest.

He was on the run for a year and no one knew about his whereabouts but how could he find her in the blink of an eye? Was it that easy for him?

What could make him so bitter a person to the point of trying to kill her with a gun? She isn't safe anymore and neither is Rita.

She has to get out of this place as soon as possible before he comes back because the next time he does, he won't spare her.