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Once again, my heart completely shatters. I don’t even fight it when I’m stuffed into the car.
The female agent gets into the driver’s seat. She looks at me through the rearview mirror and turns on the engine.
“We have a few people collecting your things. You’ll be moved out by dusk.”
I nod and sink into the back seat as the car pulls away. Aura Creek shrinks smaller and smaller behind me, until it’s just a speck in the rearview mirror. A tiny blip in my life. Just a short fantasy that was nice while it lasted.
25
EMILE
It’s been a whole day since Clarissa or Shauna — or whatever my ex-neighbor calls themself now — has been gone from next door. I’m currently standing in front of one of my bay windows pretending to be looking beyond the cottage rather than through the windows, which I can’t stop peeking in despite myself.
I know Clarissa/Shauna won’t be there, but I still find myself hoping to see her exit the broken steps for one of her signature jogs. The whole idea makes my teeth grind together.You never even knew her. Not really. Let it go.
“Absolutely not,” I say as my phone buzzes in my back pocket. I’m pretty sure it’s Marcel, who for his part has been more than accommodating.
Just scrap the whole sailing trip and go to Cabo,he’d suggested when I called to tell him what had happened on the water. The goons had come out of nowhere, leaving me no time to register their motivations. I roll my eyes and shake my head as I send Marcel’s umpteenth call to voicemail.
What did the goons after Clarissa/Shauna think would happen with such an over-the-top display of revenge? Though Marshall Todd, which is a job title still too incredible to wrap my head around, had recognized his mistake, the damage was done. And permanently. Both to me, Clarissa/Shauna, and my boat. Well, not really my boat. Most of the scrapes are on me, complete with a few bruises from when I’d dodged the myriad bullets darting our way.
It’s like those idiots wanted to get caught or something.I read Marcel’s text, thinking the same thing but keeping my face flat and expressionless. I’d already told him the story on multiple occasions, as well as a couple of local reporters.
Aura Creek’sDaily Tidingsnewspaper is still covering the situation. This morning’s edition came with a great shot of police pulling the limp and sopping wet would-be killers from the water before they could drown. Even still, none of the three goons on the boat have woken up from what commentators are calling ‘napping with the fishes.’
“Does this mean you’re safe?” I ask my question into the window and frown. There I go, being concerned for someone else’s welfare besides my own. Those people had guns for crying out loud.
“And no self-awareness,” I add as I pace back and forth. Maybe if I picked up jogging, I could avoid the nervous energy threatening to consume me.
It’s not the nervous energy,my mind tries telling me.It’s the unanswered questions that are causing the nervous energy.
“Oooh, what an observation.” I don’t know why I’m being sassy to myself, especially when all I want to do is tell myself I followed her lead. It wasn’t just about me getting to know Clarissa.
Do you think they have someone on the inside or something?Marcel’s message makes me jump, even though I’d just heard the loud ding of my notifications mere seconds ago. I almost text him back to explain the menu fiasco again and Agent Todd’s foolishness, but I know Marcel’s heard it already.
It was just such a close call! And who mistakes a menu for a file? Maybe the other agents you saw were onto Todd, too?I, of course, told Marcel all of what I knew about the situation, though I’ve kept my mouth shut when it comes to the press. I don’t even know how I feel about outdriving a trio of mobsters shooting at me and someone I care about, so how can I comment?
It wasn’t Todd being dirty, just foolish.I send it immediately, then frown. I always fall into Marcel’s talking traps. I hear his ringtone and roll my eyes. Guess I walked into that one.
“I already told you, Marshall Todd was the one who called. I think he told on himself and maybe that’s why the other two agents showed up.” I don’t bother to say hello. Marcel and I need no greetings.
“But you don’t know that for a fact?”
I scoff into the phone and hope he hears. “Why are you asking me? I don’t know anything for a fact. All I know is three people are in comas and I’m too bruised to sail.”
“Do you feel like a hero? People aren’t in witness protection for no reason.”
I shake my head in the negative, even though Marcel can’t see me. “I feel like a fool. She could even be lying about why. For all I know, she could have tried to kill the hitmen. She could be one of them. Who knows?”
“Does Clarissa seem like a killer to you?”
“Her name’s not Clarissa,” I correct, my heart as still as the breezeless afternoon. I once again peek over at the cottage and grimace at my lack of self-respect. Did I really care about her so much that I’m willing to pine even now? It’s never taken me more than about an hour to get over a girl.
“Shauna, I’m sorry,” Marcel replies.
“How were you supposed to know what her real name was? You’re not a psychic. Nothing to apologize for.”
“No, I mean you. That’s what you should say when you find her. ‘Shauna, I’m sorry.’”
