Truth (70 page)

The dessert celebration proceeded with equal
poise. Claire stayed dutifully by his side and said and did
everything to continue their charade. After all, this gathering
contained people they didn’t know. It was Claire’s experience that
information can be leaked at any moment by any source. To everyone,
they appeared the happy couple trying for reconciliation.

When the waiter offered glasses of
champagne, Claire smirked as Tony asked for non-alcoholic. Even he
drank the disgustingly sweet bubbly grape juice. It didn’t make up
for his initial reaction, but it did incite a genuine smile on
Claire’s lips.

On their way back to the estate, Tony
detoured to a secluded back road. The June night was warmer than
the one before, and the stars were bright. Although she didn’t know
where they were going, Claire didn’t ask. She remained reserved,
answering questions, and continuing courteous conversation. Finally
after a bumpy dirt road, Tony stopped the Mercedes. His headlights
faded into the darkness illuminating a meadow. “Do you know where
we are?”

Claire looked from side to side. Beyond the
meadow were trees, but they were no more distinctive than any other
trees. “I don’t.”

He got out of the car and walked to her
door. After opening it, he extended his hand and asked, “Will you
please walk with me a moment?”

Claire looked down at her shoes. They too
were from his closet of clothes, Casadsi platform pumps with a very
thin four inch heel. She wasn’t sure of their cost, but from
experience she was certain they weren’t intended for hiking. “I
don’t think my shoes are meant for...”

“
I don’t give a damn about
the shoes.” His polite invitation gave way to the emotions he’d
been suppressing all evening.

Claire shrugged and accepted his
outstretched hand. Her facade once again in place she replied, “Of
course, Mr. Rawlings, I’d be delighted.”

They took a few steps when Claire stumbled,
falling into Tony’s strong embrace. She straightened and secured
herself. “Have you figured out where we are?” He asked.

“
I really don’t
know.”

“
This is where I brought
you the day I apologized for your accident.” Claire’s back
straightened and her chin rose indignantly. He added, “I meant
every word that day.”

“
Tony, I don’t want to
talk about...”

“
I have done some things
in my life I’m not proud of. I never in all of my life considered
having a child.”

Claire turned to look at his face. The faint
glow of the moon saved them from total blackness and shadowed his
features. He continued, “I can run businesses, I can make deals,
and I can multi-task better than most.” His volume increased,
“Nothing frightens me. I can take on an entire board of directors
and know that tomorrow they will all be jobless. I have eliminated
adversaries and obstacles.” He turned toward his ex-wife, “This is
totally new territory.”

Her facade melted, “I know, it scares me
too.”

“
Do I?”

His question surprised her. Claire
considered her answer and spoke, “I’m afraid of what you’re capable
of doing. You made a point of showing me your control over my
friends’ futures.” She reached for his hand. “But of you –
personally -- not anymore. There was a time. But I’ve changed and
you’ve changed. No, I’m not.”

“
I don’t want you and this
baby living in California.”

“
I know. But Tony, I can’t
go back to the past.”

“
To here?”

“
No, I love
here
. I won’t go back to
your supreme control over my every move. I can’t. And I can’t allow
that kind of life for our child.”

“
Our
child.” He repeated as he gently touched her
midsection.

Claire nodded, “I went to the doctor on
Wednesday. She did an ultrasound. I saw the image of our baby and
his heart beating. The sound of his heart reminded me of my lake,
here. From that moment on, everything felt right.”

“
You keep saying
him
?”

She mused, “I have no idea
of gender.
Him
sounds better than
it
, don’t you think?”

Tony thought about her words. Finally he
said, “You know you’re very good at pretending. I knew it before,
but tonight you were perfect at every turn. I felt your anger, yet
you appeared perfect. How do I really know how you feel?”

“
How do I know how
you
feel? Or that you
won’t do something to me like you did before, with the attempted
murder thing.”

Tony lowered his lips to the top of her
head, “I guess we need to trust one another.”

“
Can we do that?” Claire
asked.

“
I don’t know.” He
answered, as he took her hand and helped her back to the
car.

On the ride home Tony
asked questions and Claire answered. No one else knows about the
pregnancy. She wanted to see him and decide what she’d do. However,
from the moment she saw the ultrasound, Claire knew,
not having
this baby was
not an option. She told him about the sickness, what she’d thought
was food poisoning and the bacon. He asked when she knew. It was
Sunday, less than a week ago. She did a home pregnancy test.
Wednesday she saw the doctor and Thursday she flew here.

At the bottom of the stairs, Claire said
good night to Tony.

Before releasing her hand, Tony said, “I
would like to join you, just to talk.”

“
Not tonight. I’ve got a
lot to think about.”

He didn’t argue.

When she reached her
suite, she closed the door and collapsed on the soft sofa. The
vibration in her purse caught her attention, three missed calls
from Harry. If it were one, she could wait until morning, but three
needed attention. There were no voice mails, but she did have a
text message, simply saying:
CALL AS SOON
AS YOU CAN
.

Harry answered on the first ring.
“Claire?”

“
Yes, what’s the
matter?”

“
Amber’s condo was broken
into tonight.”

Claire’s heart stopped, “Is she all
right?”

“
Yes, she was out with
Keaton.”

“
How did it happen? I
thought security had been tightened?”

“
It has. Now it’s been
stepped up another notch.”

“
Did they catch the
person?”

“
No, whoever it was got
away. Security noticed the breach. Do you think Mr. Rawlings is
responsible for this, too?”

Claire sat straighter, indignantly she
replied, “No.” Her mind whirled; he wouldn’t do that, would he?
“Besides, he’s here.” She hastily added, “In Iowa, not here in this
room.”

“
Well, the thing is –
whoever it was tore
your
room apart. Drawers dumped, closet torn apart. We
won’t know until you come home and do inventory, but so far we’ve
determined the only thing missing is your laptop. Or do you have
it?”

As the blood left her face, she felt
violated, “No, I have my tablet, but my laptop should be on the
desk.” Her once strong voice quivered, “They only disturbed my
room?”

“
Yes.”

Love comes when
manipulation stops; when you think more
about the other person than about his or her reactions to
you.
When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be
vulnerable.
- Dr. Joyce Brothers

Chapter
47

Reality began to focus as Claire’s blissful
dreams gave way to the intermittent beeping of her iPhone. She
tried to push the sound of her unanswered text messages away and
stay in her warm safe cocoon. Undaunted, the beeping continued.
Blindly, Claire reached next to her on the large ornately carved
four poster bed, for her iPhone. It was where she’d left it, after
falling asleep talking to Amber until very late, Iowa time. Claire
concentrated on the time: 7:35.

She assessed her body. How
did she feel about waking this early? After a few moments she
determined neither her body nor her baby were protesting. Claire
focused, reading the text messages. The first from Amber:
IM GLAD WE TALKED. SEE YOU SUNDAY.
The next from Tony:
IF
YOU ARE FEELING UP TO BREAKFAST, MEET ME ON THE PATIO AT 8.
Claire wondered if that was an invitation or a
mandate. Either way, her presence was requested in less than a half
an hour.

Making her way to the
bathroom and washing her face, Claire decided
, If Tony wants to see me this early, this is what he
gets
. She wrapped herself in the pink robe
and made her way to the patio. The morning summer sun rose in the
southeast, beginning its ascent considerably earlier than Claire.
Therefore, by the time she arrived to the patio, it was making its
way over the trees and illuminating the brick terrace with its
morning brilliance. As soon as Tony saw Claire through the French
doors, he moved his coffee cup away and stood.

“
Good morning, I wasn’t
sure you would wake for my text.”

“
Good morning,” she
smiled, “I did.” She sat, at the seat complete with a place
setting, obviously for her. Immediately, Cindy was beside
her.

“
Ms. Claire, would you
like some coffee or some tea?”

“
Tea, thank you,
Cindy.”

Cindy scurried away toward the kitchen,
leaving Tony and Claire alone in the warming fresh country air.

“
How are you feeling this
morning?” he asked with concern evident in his tone.

“
I’m feeling well, which
is surprising, thinking how early this is in
California.”

Tony smirked, “I think you’re getting used
to being in Iowa. It probably isn’t a great idea to keep changing
time zones; maybe you should stay here.”

Claire smiled half-heartedly. “I don’t think
that would resolve any of my current issues.”

“
Oh, but you’re mistaken.
It would be ever so helpful.” Tony reached for the bowl of fresh
fruit. “Would you like some fruit?”

After Claire spooned some fresh melon and
grapes into her bowl, she asked, “Why did you summon me here so
early?”

He reached for her hand, “Claire, why do you
think everything has double meaning?”

She swallowed a mouthful of juicy fruit and
replied, “Because, I know you.”

Tony laughed, “Better than most.”

“
What’s your
plan?”

“
I wanted to discuss the
day. I plan to work from home this morning and was hoping we could
spend time together before the wedding.”

“
I told Sue I might be
available to meet her and Sean this morning in Iowa City. I think
I’d like that.”

Tony sat back and contemplated. Finally he
said, “Eric can drive you.”

She tried her best to keep her defenses at
bay, “I was thinking -- perhaps you have a car that isn’t worth
half a million, that you’d let me borrow for a quick drive into
town?”

Claire watched Tony’s mental and physical
wheels turn. She knew she’d sent his controlling impulses into
overdrive. The muscles in his neck intermittently protruded as his
jaw clenched and unclenched. She drank some orange juice and
enjoyed the show.

Finally he asked with a smirk, “Are you
enjoying yourself?”

Claire grinned, “Immensely, thanks for
asking.”

Clouds darkened his expression, “The last
time you drove away...”

“
This time I am talking to
you about it,” she interrupted. “I want to meet Sue for coffee. I
will return, and you and I will go to the wedding -
together.”

“
I thought coffee made you
ill?”

Claire smirked, “Coffee is an aphorism for
getting together. I can guarantee I will not be having coffee.”

“
Getting together? About
what?”

Claire sat straighter. “This is what I don’t
want.”

“
Concern Claire -- that is
what I have. After all, someone broke into your condominium last
night. Don’t you think you should be concerned?”

Cindy brought eggs and toast to Claire and
sat them in front of her. After Claire thanked her, she left. Her
attention returned to Tony. “How do you know about that?”

“
So you aren’t
surprised?”

“
No. I spoke to others
about it last night. And I suppose I’m not surprised you
know.”

“
Others?”

“
Yes, Tony – friends,
Harry called. I spoke to him and to Amber. They are both
well,
thank you for
asking
.”

“
Why are you not more
upset?”

“
I was initially, but now
I think you’re responsible.”

His spine straightened.
“Claire, why would
I
have someone break into
your
condo?”

“
I don’t know. Whoever it
was took my laptop. The only secret information on there is about
you.” Claire continued to eat.

Tony sat his cup of coffee on the table,
“Me?”

“
Yes, I’ve been trying to
reconstruct the information from the box I received. I’ve spent a
lot of time looking up information about your grandfather and
father. It’s on my laptop.” Claire watched as his jaws once again
clenched and unclenched.