“I am not leaving.”
“Claire.” The finality in Tony’s tone, the way he said her name, the one syllable, could easily be translated: Not now Claire. I’m handling this. Leave now.
Claire shot Catherine a do not touch me look and walked to the other side of the desk. She didn’t intend to make a scene in front of everyone, but she wasn’t leaving without answers. Standing beside Tony she said, “Catherine, Eric, and Clay, could you please excuse us for a minute. Mr. Rawlings and I need to speak privately. I would assume he’s not done with you, so please stay close. This won’t take long.”
Everyone in the room turned to Tony. The tension was palpable. Finally, Tony clenched his teeth and proclaimed, “Do not go far. I’m not done. Clay make some calls. After Ms. Claire and I have finished, I want answers.”
Everyone hurried from Tony’s office as Claire turned toward her ex-husband. She’d seen the intensity of his eyes before. However, she knew the blackness was meant for someone else. She wanted to know who. “What’s happening?”
“How did you hear? You were at the pool.”
“How could I not hear? Everyone in a three mile radius could hear you. Tell me, what’s so important to bring you home early from work? The sooner I know, the sooner you can continue your meeting.”
“Damn it, Claire. I don’t want you worrying.” He paced to the window and back. “Besides, who in their right mind would come in here while I’m teetering on the edge of sanity? Did you see how fast they all left?”
Claire smiled as she placed her hands on lapels of his dark suit. “No one. Just ask my family, I’m definitely not in my right mind. And if I’m correct, the only thing that can get you this worked up is something about me.” She turned and picked up the package. It was addressed to Claire Nichols Rawls with the estate’s street address. “So, I don’t get to open my own mail anymore?”
“Seriously, some asshole found you here, knows our address, and you want to complain about opening mail?”
She turned and faced him. With her spine straight and chin up she kept her voice calm, “No, it scares the hell out of me, but anyone can learn this address; it’s public record. The stupid press has told anyone who wants to listen that I’m living here.” She lifted the box, “What was in it? And how many packages or letters have come that I don’t know about?”
“It was a silver baby rattle, engraved.”
“Where is it?”
“Clay bagged it. He’s having it processed for finger prints. Hopefully the asshole touched it.”
“Engraved...what did it say?”
He seized her shoulders and pulled her close. “Claire, let me handle this. Show me you have faith in me.”
Her face tilted upward, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” She kissed him. “What did it say?”
“Baby Nichols-Rawls.”
“That isn’t so bad, considering the way it was addressed. Why didn’t you want me to know that?”
He directed her to his large leather chair. She obediently bent her knees, and he said, “That wasn’t all. Under the name it read: R.I.P.”
She couldn’t hide the shock or fear suddenly flowing through her. Protectively her hand covered her midsection as her body began to tremble. “Oh my god, Tony...”
He knelt before her, his voice now soft, “I told you once before, too much information isn’t good for you. Will you please learn to trust me and enjoy the bliss I’m trying so hard to provide?”
“But... that has to be considered a threat. Can’t you take it to the police?”
“We are. But what will they do that we aren’t already doing?”
When his arms encircled her, she lost her fight with tears and took comfort in his lingering embrace. When a semblance of calm prevailed, she said, “I’m going to lie down. Will you please come to our room when you’re done with the others? Or are you going back to work?”
“No, I’m staying here. I’ll be there as soon as we’re done.”
Later he explained the new cards and packages began arriving to the estate mid-July. The first was a congratulations card about a baby. Sometimes they were flowers, sometimes presents. The notes were always addressed to Claire Nichols Rawls and the sources of origin would range from the west to east coast. Even the font changed on the cards. The benign contents made it difficult to involve the authorities, but the recent change in text now had the police’s attention.
During the first week of September, Tony needed to take a ten day trip to Europe. He asked Claire to join him again and again. Her growing anxiety caused by the spontaneous deliveries made Claire question every decision. She didn’t know if it was safer to stay within the gates without Tony or to be with him overseas. She chose the familiarity of the estate.
The first attempt to unlawfully enter the estate occurred three days after Tony left. Though initially concealed from Claire, when she finally learned the details, she learned Clay thwarted the failed attempt. No perpetrator was caught, but, thankfully, a possible threat was adverted, and a previously unknown kink in their security was identified.
The next incident occurred as Clay drove Claire back to the estate one warm afternoon. Keeping her gaze toward the tinted window, the changing leaves of the vast countryside went unnoticed as Claire’s mind reviewed her busy day. They’d traveled early to Iowa City where Clay escorted her to her doctor’s appointment. She thought wistfully about the doctor’s words. If she and Tony chose, with the assistance of an ultrasound at her next appointment, they could learn the gender of their baby. Claire smiled wondering if they wanted to know. Yes, they occasionally joked about their green-eyed daughter, but did she want to know? One thing was for sure, if the answer was yes, she didn’t want to attend that appointment without him.
“Claire.” The finality in Tony’s tone, the way he said her name, the one syllable, could easily be translated: Not now Claire. I’m handling this. Leave now.
Claire shot Catherine a do not touch me look and walked to the other side of the desk. She didn’t intend to make a scene in front of everyone, but she wasn’t leaving without answers. Standing beside Tony she said, “Catherine, Eric, and Clay, could you please excuse us for a minute. Mr. Rawlings and I need to speak privately. I would assume he’s not done with you, so please stay close. This won’t take long.”
Everyone in the room turned to Tony. The tension was palpable. Finally, Tony clenched his teeth and proclaimed, “Do not go far. I’m not done. Clay make some calls. After Ms. Claire and I have finished, I want answers.”
Everyone hurried from Tony’s office as Claire turned toward her ex-husband. She’d seen the intensity of his eyes before. However, she knew the blackness was meant for someone else. She wanted to know who. “What’s happening?”
“How did you hear? You were at the pool.”
“How could I not hear? Everyone in a three mile radius could hear you. Tell me, what’s so important to bring you home early from work? The sooner I know, the sooner you can continue your meeting.”
“Damn it, Claire. I don’t want you worrying.” He paced to the window and back. “Besides, who in their right mind would come in here while I’m teetering on the edge of sanity? Did you see how fast they all left?”
Claire smiled as she placed her hands on lapels of his dark suit. “No one. Just ask my family, I’m definitely not in my right mind. And if I’m correct, the only thing that can get you this worked up is something about me.” She turned and picked up the package. It was addressed to Claire Nichols Rawls with the estate’s street address. “So, I don’t get to open my own mail anymore?”
“Seriously, some asshole found you here, knows our address, and you want to complain about opening mail?”
She turned and faced him. With her spine straight and chin up she kept her voice calm, “No, it scares the hell out of me, but anyone can learn this address; it’s public record. The stupid press has told anyone who wants to listen that I’m living here.” She lifted the box, “What was in it? And how many packages or letters have come that I don’t know about?”
“It was a silver baby rattle, engraved.”
“Where is it?”
“Clay bagged it. He’s having it processed for finger prints. Hopefully the asshole touched it.”
“Engraved...what did it say?”
He seized her shoulders and pulled her close. “Claire, let me handle this. Show me you have faith in me.”
Her face tilted upward, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” She kissed him. “What did it say?”
“Baby Nichols-Rawls.”
“That isn’t so bad, considering the way it was addressed. Why didn’t you want me to know that?”
He directed her to his large leather chair. She obediently bent her knees, and he said, “That wasn’t all. Under the name it read: R.I.P.”
She couldn’t hide the shock or fear suddenly flowing through her. Protectively her hand covered her midsection as her body began to tremble. “Oh my god, Tony...”
He knelt before her, his voice now soft, “I told you once before, too much information isn’t good for you. Will you please learn to trust me and enjoy the bliss I’m trying so hard to provide?”
“But... that has to be considered a threat. Can’t you take it to the police?”
“We are. But what will they do that we aren’t already doing?”
When his arms encircled her, she lost her fight with tears and took comfort in his lingering embrace. When a semblance of calm prevailed, she said, “I’m going to lie down. Will you please come to our room when you’re done with the others? Or are you going back to work?”
“No, I’m staying here. I’ll be there as soon as we’re done.”
Later he explained the new cards and packages began arriving to the estate mid-July. The first was a congratulations card about a baby. Sometimes they were flowers, sometimes presents. The notes were always addressed to Claire Nichols Rawls and the sources of origin would range from the west to east coast. Even the font changed on the cards. The benign contents made it difficult to involve the authorities, but the recent change in text now had the police’s attention.
During the first week of September, Tony needed to take a ten day trip to Europe. He asked Claire to join him again and again. Her growing anxiety caused by the spontaneous deliveries made Claire question every decision. She didn’t know if it was safer to stay within the gates without Tony or to be with him overseas. She chose the familiarity of the estate.
The first attempt to unlawfully enter the estate occurred three days after Tony left. Though initially concealed from Claire, when she finally learned the details, she learned Clay thwarted the failed attempt. No perpetrator was caught, but, thankfully, a possible threat was adverted, and a previously unknown kink in their security was identified.
The next incident occurred as Clay drove Claire back to the estate one warm afternoon. Keeping her gaze toward the tinted window, the changing leaves of the vast countryside went unnoticed as Claire’s mind reviewed her busy day. They’d traveled early to Iowa City where Clay escorted her to her doctor’s appointment. She thought wistfully about the doctor’s words. If she and Tony chose, with the assistance of an ultrasound at her next appointment, they could learn the gender of their baby. Claire smiled wondering if they wanted to know. Yes, they occasionally joked about their green-eyed daughter, but did she want to know? One thing was for sure, if the answer was yes, she didn’t want to attend that appointment without him.
