Chapter 63
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
To Do:
- Hound the LAPD day and night
- Make sure they’re ALL in prison
- Figure out what comes next
“I can’t believe it’s actually over.” Claire’s bruised knuckles curled around a wrought iron staircase spindle. Luke sat next to her, still looking way too put together for someone who had just brought down a serial killer ring.
Cool marble pressed against her battered legs. Streams of dried blood ran into her emergency flats. Every part of her body ached like she had run a half marathon while wearing a backpack full of toddlers. Not even the world’s most legendary dry cleaner could save her champagne-colored cocktail dress.
Luke slung an arm over her shoulders. She leaned into him, reveling in his warmth. A handful of cop cars, lights still flashing, littered the front yard. The naked ESA honchos had been marched out, one by one, and taken to the police station. There was a sizable scorch mark by a palm tree where Luke had tossed the Molotov cocktail. Brianna sat in the back of an ambulance, first responders falling all over themselves to take care of her. She laughed, a bright, silvery sound in the silence. Tanya flittered around her, continuously offering vials of essential oil to the paramedics.
Was it really over? Twelve chapter heads were in custody. Big Z, the unseen cult leader, had been dragged screaming into a cop car. The many heads of the ESA snake had been lopped off. Would the FBI be able to pressure them into giving up their rosters? At the very least, with no one around to give orders, hopefully her family was finally safe.
Her head popped off Luke’s shoulder. “Do you think Big Z is going to sue me? I’m pretty sure climbing a ladder and throwing myself into his backyard is the textbook definition of trespassing.”
Luke nodded in the direction of Charlie, who was standing underneath a palm tree talking to Jack. “Considering all the dirt that Charlie has on him, I really don’t think he’d risk it.”
“Let’s hope. Do you think they’ll let us go soon? I’m starving.” A full moon shone brightly above them. Maybe that had something to do with the timing of the dick-worshipping festival.
“Probably. They can only interrogate us so much.”
Claire and Luke had both been questioned, separately and together, no fewer than three times. They had been here for hours. She was tired of explaining how she recognized Big Z and knew where her sister would be. Luckily, Jack’s presence had helped smooth some things over.
She pulled back a couple of inches and looked at Luke. Police lights flashed over his profile. Aside from his bloody knuckles and some slight rumpling, he still looked like he should be walking a red carpet somewhere. Meanwhile, from the state of her clothes and hair, anyone could assume that Claire had been sucked into a jet engine.
He turned to look at her. He smiled, and her heart thumped unsteadily in her chest.
Something had been bothering her for weeks. “Do you ever regret moving to West Haven? Meeting me? All of it,” she asked before she could consciously decide not to.
If he had never left Los Angeles, he could be married to Olivia. He never would have been drawn into the mystery of ESA. They may have never crossed paths except for Kyle and Nicole’s wedding.
Luke stared straight ahead. “Never.”
“Even though I dragged you into a web of serial killers who keep blowing up our stuff and made you throw a Molotov cocktail at a bunch of naked penis-worshipping misogynists? And got abducted? Twice? And flashed my boobs at your mom? And adopted a special needs dog without asking you first?”
“I wouldn’t change anything.” He tilted her chin and kissed her tenderly. Warmth flooded her.
“Me neither. Well, mostly.” She took his hand and looked him in the eyes. “I’m sorry. For everything—ignoring my obvious trauma, the sleepwalking, not listening to you when you just wanted me to be safe, working too much, not making enough time for us. I have really sucked this year.”
His grip tightened on her. “You also saved my life. That makes up for a couple of missed dates.”
Claire shook her head. “Still. Now that this is behind us, I’m going to focus more of my energy on being a better partner. Starting with throwing you the best premiere ever.”
Luke sighed. “Can’t we just do a private one at home? You, me, and some sushi? I’ll wear the gray sweatpants.”
She smiled. “As tempting as that is, no. You were nominated for a whole-ass Emmy, and we never even really celebrated that. Besides, the venue’s already confirmed. I want you to feel even just a quarter as loved as you make me feel. Let me show you how much you mean to me.”
“Fine.” His voice was curt, but his mouth curved into a smile.
A disturbance at the gate had Claire lifting her head. Someone appeared to be arguing with one of the cops. If it was another member of ESA, she was out of Tasers.
“I’m Mr. Islestorm’s attorney,” someone announced loudly. “I have a right to consult with my client.”
“Kyle?” Claire and Luke both stood. He took her hand, and they trudged over to the gate together. Nicole, Kyle, Mindy, and Sawyer stood at the gate with rolling suitcases behind them.
“What are you guys doing here?” Claire asked.
“Oh my god. I leave you alone for one weekend and you break into Big Z’s house?” Nicole juked around one of the cops and threw her arms around Claire’s neck.
“Where is he?” Mindy stood behind Nicole, nostrils flaring. Sawyer stood next to her, looking exhausted.
“Big Z? Or the professor? They were all taken to the station.”
Mindy’s hands balled into fists. “I’m going straight home to burn every album of his I own. Nobody kidnaps my best friend’s baby sister and gets away with it.”
“Easy, killer.” Sawyer put a hand on her shoulder.
“We got on a plane as soon as we heard about Bri.” Kyle thumped Luke’s back in a bro hug. His horn-rimmed glasses flashed under the streetlights. “We didn’t expect you to single-handedly solve the problem before we even touched down.”
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Claire pulled all four of them into a hug. “Come on, you,” she called over her shoulder to Luke. He reluctantly joined the group hug.
She could have stayed in that moment forever. Finally, on Big Z’s scorched front yard surrounded by her friends, both of her sisters safe, the heads of a homicidal anti-feminist cult arrested, and her family begrudgingly reunited, she was at peace. The nightmare of the past year was coming to a close. She could finally get back to her world of happily ever afters. She might even be able to build a new office space without someone blowing it up. The dogs could frolic in the front yard without—oh, shit. The dogs. Thank god for twenty-four-hour doggy daycare.
“Well, I sold the story to TMZ,” Charlie’s voice announced. “As much as the FBI would allow. In about three hours when people start waking up, Big Z’s reputation will never recover. And if he tries to pull any shit from jail, I’ll release everything I have on him to the highest bidder. What do you say we take the proceeds and go get a kickass brunch somewhere? Oh, hey guys. When did you get here?”
Someone reached out and pulled Charlie into the group hug.
“Let’s make it a brunch at Luke’s,” Claire said, voice slightly muffled against Mindy’s hair. “I don’t know about you guys, but I desperately need to wash the blood of misogynists off me.”
“Preach,” Brianna’s voice came from behind them.
“Bri! Did the paramedics finally let you go?” The group hug shuffled over and encompassed Brianna. The paramedics must have donated a pair of scrubs to her, because she looked like she had just gotten off a hellish shift.
“They were just being helpful.”
“Uh-huh. How many selfies did they ask for?”
“Only a few. And some autographs. And I may have agreed to make an appearance at their daughters’ soccer game this week.”
Claire shook her head, and the group hug broke apart. Classic Brianna. “Can I talk to you?”
“Of course.” Bri followed her out the gate and into the street. She looked visibly relieved at having some distance between her and the house.
“How are you doing? Really?”
“I’m fi?—”
Claire cut her off. “Don’t give me a sunshiney, bullshit answer. I know what you just went through.”
Brianna took a deep breath. She was quiet. The silence stretched for nearly a full minute. Her lower lip trembled. A tear slid down her cheek, and she hurriedly wiped it away. “It was awful,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “They grabbed me while I was getting my pre-premiere drink.”
“I know, I saw the footage. Your aim was really impressive,” Claire said gently.
Brianna’s shoulders shook. “I woke up in the basement already tied to the chair. I was so cold and everything hurt. I don’t know if they did anything to me before I woke up. I had only met Big Z once at an album drop party like two years ago. I couldn’t believe it. The things he said they were going to do, all because of a stupid movie?—”
“Look at me,” Claire said, grabbing her sister by both arms. Brianna raised her watery blue eyes. “It’s over. You’re safe, and you’re going to be okay. You will not allow this night to define who you are. But you do need to get a therapist. Like, today. Don’t make the same mistake I did. You need someone to help you process this trauma, and that’s something only a professional can do.”
Brianna nodded tearfully.
“Also, don’t let them stop the movie. Have your premiere. Keep taking roles like that if that’s what makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Or take a break from acting entirely. Whatever you choose to do right now is the right choice. Except for getting back together with Sebastian Yearling. Don’t do that. He’s an idiot.”
Brianna laughed and drew her sister into a hug. They stayed like that under the moonlight until Brianna stopped quivering.
“Do you want to be alone, or do you want brunch?” Claire asked quietly.
Brianna considered for a moment. “Brunch.”
“Okay. Can you use your celebrity powers to get us a police escort home? I’m pretty sure our limos are long gone by now.”
“Done.” Brianna wiped away her tears, straightened her shoulders, and marched back through the gates like it was her house.
Claire’s heart lurched as her sister disappeared. The emotional journey Brianna was about to take wasn’t going to be pretty. Maybe she should invite her to come stay with them in Pennsylvania for a while. She resolved to talk to Luke about it and followed her back through the gate.
“Coming to brunch?” Claire asked Jack and Tanya. “I’m sure we could grab some vegan pastries from an all-night market somewhere on the way home.”
“That would be nice,” Tanya said. Her eyes were red, and her bush of blond hair had become even more unkempt.
It had been the longest of nights. It was almost impossible to believe that ESA had been caught. What started as one gentle rejection in college had transformed into a handful of near-death experiences and a straight-up Excel spreadsheet full of enemies. Would things ever truly go back to normal? How could they move forward? There was time to worry about all that later. Priority number one was food.
Two hours later, Claire carried a stack of dishes down the deck steps into Luke’s backyard. The sun was creeping up into the sky, casting a golden glow over everything.
Rosie and Winston napped underneath a palm tree, worn out from doggy daycare. Jack and Sawyer were talking security tech. Brianna, freshly showered and wearing a pair of Luke’s old sweatpants and one of Claire’s Venor T-shirts, sat at the head of the table, reassuring her mom for the hundredth time.
“Are you sure you don’t want some lavender oil for your bruise, darling?” Tanya reached out to stroke the discolored bit of skin around Bri’s left eye.
“No, I’m fine, Mom. I just need some food and a nap.” She smiled across the table at Claire.
Kyle was engaging Charlie in a spirited discourse about ethics. Nicole was unconscious, drooling slightly into his shoulder. Mindy typed something on her tablet.
Most of the people she loved were in one place, and they were safe.
Claire set the plates and cutlery down and returned to the kitchen.
“Hi.” She slipped behind Luke and wrapped her arms around him. She was beyond exhausted, but he felt like home.
“Hi, yourself.” He dragged her out from behind him and pressed her against the countertop. He kissed her deeply, slowly. A warmth rose in her from her toes to the top of her head. Eventually they broke apart. There was a smudge of waffle mix on his cheek, and she brushed it away. They were awfully lucky to both be alive.
“What are you going to do now that we’re not devoting so much of our free time to bringing down ESA?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Make a documentary about it. Obviously.”
Claire smiled. He hadn’t even had his premiere yet, and already the next doc was in the works. Classic Luke.
“Maybe you should make a happy one after all this miserable true crime.” Would he ever grow tired of taking a lens to the darkest side of humanity?
He raised his eyebrows. “Documentaries are not typically considered a ‘happy’ genre.”
“I guess that’s why I don’t watch them,” she teased. “Except yours of course. Are these ready to go out?” She picked up a plate of waffles in one hand and strips of bacon in the other.
“Don’t drop them,” he said sternly, waggling a spatula at her.
“I won’t.” She bumped the backdoor open and stepped outside.
The sun was shining. Fresh, hot waffles were in hand. Her family and friends were gathered around her. The only thing that was missing was?—
“Claire Aurora Hartley!” Alice Alejo’s voice boomed across the yard. A suitcase lay on its side in the grass. Roy stood behind her, eyeing a hole in Luke’s fence.
“Mom!” Startled, she nearly dropped the plates. She set them down on the table and hurried to embrace her mother. “What are you doing here?”
“Both of my babies are involved in a dangerous FBI sting operation and I don’t even get a phone call?”
Charlie sheepishly approached and hugged Alice on the other side.
“We didn’t want to worry you. Besides, for once we weren’t really the ones in danger.”
Alice reeled like Charlie had punched her. “Not in danger? Charlotte, you were working for a homicidal cult leader for two years.”
Charlie waved a hand. “It’s LA, Mom. Everyone’s a homicidal cult leader.”
“And you,” Alice said, rounding on Brianna. “You poor, dear girl. How are you?” She perched on the six inches of space that was left on the picnic bench and drew Brianna into a tight hug.
Luke, who had apparently heard the commotion and came outside, shook Roy’s hand and began a conversation about the fence. Alice sprayed something over Brianna, which must have settled on Nicole because she woke up with a violent sneeze. The gate that led to the street opened suddenly. Claire grabbed a butter knife off the table and jabbed it in the direction of the gate.
“Morning, everyone,” a sweet female voice said. Heather nudged the gate open and tugged a wagon laden with coffee drinks and pastries behind her. “Boss,” she said, handing Claire the first cup.
“Heather! I’m so glad to see you. What brings you out at this hour?”
“Mindy briefed me on what happened last night. I thought you could use some comfort food.”
“You are a godsend.”
“Let’s hope,” Heather said with a smile as she tugged the wagon over to the table and began unloading.
What a day. ESA’s leader turned out to be a rapper whose most quotable song chorus included three separate references to women as “hoes.” Her entire family—including stepparents—was gathered together for brunch. Alice was fussing over the illegitimate love child that ended her marriage. Their brand-new employee was showering them with thoughtful carbs. It was a truly bizarre day. And yet, it was just about perfect.