Clara hasn’t told me a lot, and they have had to do a surgery on her from her past. Without medication, her body didn’t work the way it was supposed to, and that line from Ryan haunts me, when he told her she’d never be able to survive anything since she couldn’t even shit by herself.
The damage Andrew caused her so many years ago resulted in scar tissue lining her bowels, and they took it away. With time, she should be as she was. I’ve paid for the best therapists to be with both of the women. It’s the least I could ever do.
Straightening my jacket, I grab the bags I packed from the lists she gave me and park at the hospital. They get to come home today, and I’ve never been happier.
Although we have his name, we do not understand the ties to us or where he is.
George didn’t strike me as an evil man, and I have met a few in my day.
Clara continues to blame herself, and nothing I say can take that away. She thinks she should have known and been able to warn Bailey, but if he’s as good as they say, I don’t think it would have made a difference.
Curt has been working around the clock for me, tracing anything on him, scouring all his resources for some answers. We have been over the decayed barn a few times, but nothing ties him to taking the women or the photos.
Bailey hasn’t expanded a whole lot, and I think there isn’t much to go on. She recognized his outrage, but other than the possibility of abuse, I can’t think of how that’s tied to Clara.
Swallowing all my questions, I walk into the hospital room. Bailey’s bruises have faded a considerable amount, and Clara is almost back to normal.
“Did you walk?”
I smirk at Clara and shake my head. “Sorry, Dragonfly. I had to tie up some loose ends.”
After the first couple days of silence, her witty sarcasm has taken over, and I’ve started therapy myself to understand the situation better and be able to offer whatever she needs. I hand them their respective bags and sit on the edge of her bed.
Clara pulls out the comfy clothes and changes while Bailey hobbles into the bathroom. She has a fracture in her leg and will need to take it easy for a few more weeks. I thought of that while putting the apartment together and hope it meets all her needs.
“Did you find him?” Clara whispers once she’s dressed.
“Not yet, but we will. I’ve increased security at the house and at the diner. I know what you said, and I want to honour you in any way I can, but it’s needed for now.”
“That’s fine. When you find him, can I handle it?” Clara glances at the closed bathroom door and fiddles with the blue hospital blanket.
“Allof it?” Raising an eyebrow, I stare at her.
She stares at me. “Most of it?”
Leaning forward, I brush her bottom lip with my thumb and kiss her forehead. “Deal. I need some of my own hits in there. He took my girl, after all.”
Clara blushes and looks at the floor before glancing back at me. “Yeah, something like that.”
“You’re mine and you know it,” I tell her.
She opens her mouth as Bailey steps into the room, and the moment is broken.
“Ready to go?” I ask them and stand up.
It’s been over a month since they left the hospital, and I think Bailey living in the basement has been good for both of them.
She’s able to feel more independent, and Clara has someone to lean on who gets the shit they went through more than Iever could. I’m glad I could provide both of them that, and the friendship they’ve formed is what they need most.
After the office, I stop by Curt’s place to go over the information he had. We’ve been working closely together, and I feel like we’re narrowing in on George.
I haven’t told her, and as much as Curt eggs me about, there’s no way I want to let her down again.
The moon is full tonight as I drive into the laneway, much later than I usually get home. There are a couple cars here already.
Sending Clara messages has left me feeling unease because I’ve gotten nothing back. Backing into the garage, I head inside and loosen my tie.
Clara, Debbie, and two other women I don’t know sit at the kitchen table we never use.
