Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
Russ paced the quiet library, glancing over his shoulder at Hillary every now and then. She looked calm, seated in one of the leather armchairs, her gaze trained on the doorway as if she were willing Claire to appear. He, on the other hand, felt out of place and utterly confused. It wasn’t the first time he’d been baffled when surrounded by women—especially ones as sharp and quick-witted as Hillary and Claire. But he was doing his best to keep up.
He’d watched Hillary slip a note to Claire at breakfast, and he knew it was an invitation to meet them here, in the library. She’d managed it so casually that, if he hadn’t been paying attention, he would’ve missed it entirely. And now, here they were, waiting, hoping that Claire would show up.
So far, it had been twenty minutes, and Russ was beginning to wonder if Claire had decided against it. Something had shifted when the women had stepped away from breakfast, but Hillary wasn’t saying what exactly had happened.
Finally, just as he was about to suggest they try a different tactic, the door creaked open. Claire slipped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. She looked tense, her eyes darting around as though checking for witnesses, and her posture radiated unease. Russ immediately stopped pacing, taking a step back to give her space, while Hillary rose from her seat, a calm, welcoming smile on her face.
“Thank you for coming, Claire,” Hillary said gently, her tone soothing. “We just want to talk. Nothing more.”
Russ noted the way Claire’s shoulders raised with tension when she looked in his direction.
Claire shifted her weight, her gaze moving nervously between the two of them. “I-I don’t have long. My grandmother is expecting me downstairs shortly so I can accompany her on a walk to the lake.”
Hillary nodded understandingly. “We won’t keep you. We just wanted to offer a listening ear. That call you got last night was obviously a problem. Russ and I understand problems. Big ones.”
“If my grandmother has asked you to butt into my life?—”
“She hasn’t,” Hillary replied quickly. “But Madame Fournier has. She’s expressed concern over your safety.”
“My safety? How does she know?—?”
“Does it matter?” Russ asked, knowing his voice would rock Claire, and it did. She looked off-kilter as she answered.
“Of course it matters. She has no business getting involved in my life or what I might be dealing with.”
“You’re right,” Russ agreed. “She really doesn’t. But at this point it sounds as though there is a clear and impending threat on your life, so the blame game of who is overstepping their bounds may have to take a back seat.”
Claire looked uneasy and ready to bolt. He was coming on strong but all from a place of wanting to get her to understand.
“We’re on the run,” Hillary said plainly. “Russ and I are involved in a very high profile and dangerous situation and our lives are in danger. We’ve been moved around and kept alive to ensure when the time comes Russ can help hold the people accountable. People who have blood on their hands. Who have led with corruption and violence. That’s what the two of us are up against, and I think you should know that.”
“Hillary,” Russ bit out with caution in his voice. “We have no idea?—”
“I know,” Hillary agreed, her chin tilted up with confidence. “We have no idea if we can trust Claire with this information. But how else can we get her to trust us?”
She hesitated, looking at both of them as though weighing her options, then finally spoke. “You’re a reporter,” Claire said in an accusing tone. “I can’t have this story get out. There are a lot of reasons why. But I’m not going to confide in someone whose whole job is to get the juiciest story that sells the most papers.”
Russ tensed, his instincts kicking in, but he saw Hillary’s calm, steady expression and held himself back. He trusted her judgment, even if it felt like they were exposing themselves too much too soon.
Hillary kept her voice soft and reassuring. “Claire, I know it’s hard to trust us when you’re not sure of our motives. But we’re genuinely here to help. Whatever is going on in your life, it’s clear you’re feeling cornered, and we understand what that’s like.”
Claire cast a nervous glance at Russ, her wariness sharpening again. “The last thing I want is my story getting out.”
Russ held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “Look, Claire, I’m not exactly in a position to write any exposé right now. I’m mostly trying to survive long enough to testify against people who would rather I disappeared forever. I’m here because I’m lucky enough to have found refuge with Madame Fournier. I honestly don’t care if I never report on another story again. My life has completely altered. No matter what happens, because of the reach of the organization I’m supposed to be taking down, I’ll spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. They won’t just let me go quietly into the night. They’ll always be looking for me. I can’t care about writing your story; I have to make sure I’m alive to write my own someday.”
Hillary added, “Anything you tell us is completely off the record. We’re not here to exploit your story or betray your trust.”
Claire let out a long, shaky breath, her defenses weakening as she sank into one of the chairs by the fireplace. She glanced between them, her expression filled with a mix of fear and resignation.
“It won’t be at all what you think,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not the one trying to take down the bad guys. I-I am the bad guy.”