Chapter 27
Adam
The job I had to do was to talk to Woodcroft about how we could help Claire more.
I had no clue just how much everything was affecting her, and I should have.
It makes me feel like a complete asshole.
Apparently, that rubs off on Woodcroft because he didn’t realize how much of a limbo she’s been in.
To be fair, he has a lot on his plate, and taking care of one woman isn’t at the top of his priorities.
But he knows a guy who knows a guy who is going to send over a couple of super-cheap apartment options in my area. I’d love for her to just move in with me, but I also realize that’s not what she wants.
I also picked up a phone for her on the way back to the safehouse.
Nothing crazy, but it’s access to the outside world.
Something she really hasn’t had in months.
Not to mention access for me to make sure she and the baby are okay if I’m not in the area.
Emergencies happen all the time, and I won’t be caught out without a way for her to get in contact with me.
God, we’re such dumbasses. Lex should have said something. He knew she was completely alone and didn’t tell any of us.
No, I can’t blame him. He was doing what he always does for someone in WITSEC. It isn’t his job to place people back in the real world.
The drive back to the house from the office is a drag, full of traffic and too much time away from Claire.
I haven’t pushed her for more although I’m dying for it.
Today opened my eyes to the fact that she probably isn’t remotely ready for a relationship.
She hasn’t faced anything that’s happened over the last few months, and I think it’s hitting her full force.
The truth of that was very apparent today at the MET.
I’ve only been thinking about how much I want her and to be in her life in any way. Add in the fact that we’ll be parents sooner rather than later, and I’m ready to jump in headfirst. I didn’t even stop to think about how life has looked for her recently.
That stops now.
My goal now is to help her get back into society and doing whatever makes her happy for a living, and get set up for the baby, all while trying to get to the bottom of all these stolen artifacts.
I did say that I wanted out of undercover assignments.
As I walk back into the house, I realize just how late it is. Claire is crashed out on the couch, with a notebook over her torso like a blanket. I grab the blanket that’s off to the side of the small couch and replace the notebook with it. While I’m closing the notebook, a few words catch my eye.
I know I shouldn’t. I know it’s an invasion of privacy, and yet my eyes don’t get the memo.
I read the list she made. One item, I managed to cross off for her.
Then I continue on about her travel blog.
Ideas about how to navigate it if she can’t revive it.
Thoughts about what to turn it into. New interests.
All of it is a jumbled mess of lists that I can’t stop reading.
What makes my heart stop in my chest is: 5.
Tread carefully with Adam. I don’t want her to ever feel like she needs to tread carefully with me.
Maybe I’m coming on too strong? Maybe she just doesn’t like me like I do her?
Maybe the trauma of all things Oscar Cano is too much for her to look past?
I wouldn’t blame her in the least. She might just be focused on the baby, which would make sense too.
I spend the rest of the night coming up with more over-the-top plans in order to help her cope. They get more and more exaggerated the darker it gets outside, and before I know it, the soft rays of the sunrise break through the front window.
“What time is it?” Claire’s sleep-laden voice startles me.
“Early,” I murmur.
She groans and curls up in the blanket before falling asleep again.
I slump back in the chair I pulled over from the dining room. I need sleep, but my brain is so wired I’m not sure I can leave this spot.
Flipping back to the first list Claire made, I pull out my phone.
Me:
Do we have any contacts for affordable housing? I had Woody on the trail, but I know he’s busy.
Lex:
Is this for whom I think it is?
Juliette:
I’m sure I can dig up something.
Woodcroft:
Be careful with this, Adam ...
Me:
She’s been sitting in this godforsaken safe house for six months. She isn’t technically in WITSEC, so let me help her restart her life. We have a fucking baby coming in four months. I’m trying my best here.
Lex:
Fuck. I didn’t think about that. I dropped the ball.
Me:
No, you didn’t. You treated her like she was in WITSEC because that’s what you know.
Juliette:
I don’t think she fits the criteria for some of the shelters I’m seeing. Does she have savings? Can we help get her set up in a place?
Me:
I have no idea. I’d rather help her since we’ve been holding her here for so long.
Woodcroft:
Get her set up with a place. I’ll pay for first and last months.
Me:
I can handle it if you can find me a place.
Woodcroft:
Just set it up. We can figure out logistics later.
Juliette:
On it.
There. At least one more thing I can help her with. My team never fails to back each other up. One ask, and it’s done.
With more solutions comes more clarity, and I slip into a restless sleep before the sun fully rises.
I wake up slowly. My eyes blink open to see the blinding sun coming through the windows.
Once my eyes focus, I see Claire lying on the couch with her Kindle.
“Morning,” I rasp.
“Good afternoon.” She smiles over the device.
“Damn, sorry I slept so late.” My hand swipes down my face as I sit up.
“You needed it. I have a feeling you didn’t actually sleep last night.”
I give her a sheepish grin but don’t answer her.
“You hungry? I have a sandwich made in the fridge.” She nods to the kitchen.
“That’d be great. Thank you for making that.” I’m up before she can untangle herself from the blanket and grab the food she made for me. “I do have something to talk to you about.”
“Uh-oh. I’m being kicked out.” She gives me a sad smile.
“Absolutely not. You’re welcome here as long as you need. But, uh …” I run my hand across my neck. “I saw your list.”
Her eyes shift to the notebook on the makeshift table.
“And I may have gotten you something, prior to even seeing the list,” I add, fumbling the entire conversation.
“Adam …”
“Listen. Just take it. I want to help. Call it selfish because I want to know all the things baby related, and this is the way that happens.”
“You’ve done far too much already,” she says.
That makes me laugh. “I haven’t done anything.
I should have done more from the get-go.
I’m sorry it took me six months to even find you.
” Setting my sandwich down, I get up and grab the phone from my bag.
“Here.” I hand it to her and watch as she immediately breaks down in tears.
“Shit, I fucked up.” Frantically looking around, I try to come up with something that will stop her crying, but I come up empty.
“No, God no.” She sniffs. “This is so incredibly nice and thoughtful, and thank you so damn much. I cry at everything; just get used to it.” She stands up and rushes over to me.
Arms wrap around me, squeezing me hard, as her tears soak my T-shirt.
And now I feel like even more of a piece of shit for not doing something sooner.
“Don’t thank me. You shouldn’t have just been here alone for six months.”
“Not like I had much else to do.” She chuckles, but I don’t find it funny.
“So, what’s the plan for the day? Need any help with your lists?” I gesture to the notebook.
“Um … Actually, yeah, that would be great. Have you heard form Masie yet?”
“Nothing yet. I expect it to take her a while honestly. There’s not a ton of information known about those artifacts past a certain point, so I’m not sure she’ll get us any answers. We’ll see, though.”
“Sometimes, I wish I went into something history related like that.” Claire lets out a happy sigh.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I mean, there are so many incredible things that happened and so many incredible artifacts, stories, and systems that came from them. I always think about how awful it is to just lose cultures over time.”
I try to hide my smile, but I’m unsuccessful.
“What?” she asks.
“Why don’t you shift your blog from traveling to history and artifacts? I happen to know a wonderful researcher who could help get your foot in the door.”
“Masie? You think she would help me?” There’s a twinge of excitement in her tone.
“Oh, totally. I bet you could help her organize too.” I chuckle.
“Somehow, I don’t think she wants her office to look any different. But maybe, when she’s done with the stuff we got from Cano, I’ll talk to her.”
“Good plan.”
Claire spends the next three hours setting up the phone and working on something that I don’t understand for her blog while I get to sit back and watch her in action.
This is how I imagine her if we had met pre-Oscar shit.
I wish I could say she was less jaded, but there’s still that sadness in her eyes that may never go away.
But for today? I did something good for her. It’s a start to righting some wrongs and hopefully getting closer to her.