Bequeathed

Twenty-Two: Prey and Predator

Claire sits in her car admiring the spindly trees that line the parking lot. Is she making a mistake? Is she poking the bear? The phone calls haven’t started; she isn’t plagued by the feeling that she’s being watched. She hasn’t seen William since the police officers escorted him out of her building. It’s possible that the officers have driven fear into William. It’s also possible that the end she saw for herself was merely a nightmare, a product of midnight noodles and an active subconscious. But Claire can’t forget the details, all the details that are exactly as she saw them. And Claire can’t forget the feel of the bullets. She’s tried to reroute her path, tried to cheat death, but a different path doesn’t assure her that at the end of this new road, she won’t feel the bullets that riddled her body. She pulls out of the parking lot, unsure where to go next. Where does William live? Where does he work? She doesn’t even know where he goes to the gym.

While they were married he’d worked out at home. He was in shape, he must have been working out before. Claire thinks back to her nightmare marriage with William. He had dug roots into her life. He had been so comfortable treating Aunt Bev’s house as his own. That should have been Claire’s first warning that he wanted more. Why settle for a few million when he can reap much more? Claire makes a mental note to contact Mr. Simms. It’s too late to amend the prenup; she’s sure William won’t agree to a postnup. She’ll create a will. Claire will do whatever it takes to survive, but in the event that she dies. She wants to ensure that William won’t receive any more of her money.

Claire swings by Best Burgers. She parks a block away and watches from across the road. She slips behind trees and stoops next to cars while keeping an eye on the restaurant’s glass doors. She strains her eyes, neck, and thighs trying to observe everyone who enters and exits the restaurant. Twice she sees men exiting, who have statures similar to William’s. Both times Claire falls to her hands and knees, her heart pounding in her chest as the men approach the car behind which she has sought refuge. Neither men are William. Claire exhales audibly. She’ll head to the only other place she can link to William.

Claire swings by a*****e and picks up a few burner phones and a pair of binoculars. Claire drives to the abandoned building where her rooftop wedding was held. She parks, shielding her car by the far end of the building.

“My old car would have been better,” Claire mumbles as she cuts off the engine. Luxury cars in this part of the city, aren’t a one in a million sighting, but they’re certainly conspicuous.

Claire waits. And waits.

The sun sets over the river, burning the water with an orange glow before it dips below the horizon. A car pulls into the parking lot, then another. A man emerges from the first car. Claire holds her breath then exhales her disappointment. Another near miss. Another William look alike. Her mind is clearly filled with thoughts of her murderer. It seems she sees William in every man.

The second car door opens. William steps out. This time it is William. She is sure of it. William stretches his arms to the other man, trying to pull him in for a hug. The other man swats William’s arms away. The brother. William and his brother are engaged in a heated exchange. William’s hands are in the air moving swiftly; he looks as if he’s pleading. William pats the space between them, trying to hush the tension. Claire wishes she could hear what the argument is about. She surveys the grounds, searching for a nook to which she can steal, hide, and eavesdrop on the brothers' conversation. Her car door opens and her jaw drops.

“Why are you paying me, if you’re going to play baby P.I.”

“You were…you were taking too long. I had to do something.”

“This isn’t how I work. If you’re going to interfere, it’s best you do this yourself.”

Claire bites her lip. She wants to set Andrew’s mind at ease, tell him that she will no longer interfere. She also wants to learn more. Her eyes drift to the argument.

“You’re amateurish meddling is going to alert him to the fact that we’re poking around,” Andre says. “I won’t have your lapses on my conscience.”

Claire wonders if Andrew had her murder on his conscience in the few moments between her death and his. Claire turns her full attention to the argument brewing outside. She hears her door open; her eyes are still glued to her window.

“I can see you’re going to be a problem for me,” says Andre. “I’ll send you a bill for the I’ve worked so far, but you’re on your own.”

Claire redirects her attention to Andrew. “I’ll back off.” I won’t. You’re good, but I don’t trust you. I can’t leave my fate up to you. Claire paints a smile on her face. “I promise I’ll back off.” Her smile cracks at the corners.

“A little parting advice,” says Andrew, “and this one will be free. Don’t underestimate these guys. They’re too close to some very shady people.”

Fear returns to Claire. A fear. far greater than any dread she’s experienced since her rebirth. She felt it when she had seen William’s gun. Like her, this fear has been reborn.

“I’ll email you the information that I’ve gathered so far,” Andrew adds. “After I’ve received the agreed-upon payment.”

Andrew leaves Claire shaking behind the wheel of her car. She rests her hands on the steering wheel, trying to steady them; they vibrate against the leather. No longer interested in the conversation between the brothers, Claire breathes, watches, and waits for them to leave. She can’t allow herself to be consumed by this fright that Andrew has renewed inside her. She has been certain of the danger surrounding William, but doubt has been keeping the undiluted dread at bay. Fear has indeed been niggling at the back of her mind, but each time it unnerved her, Claire spoke to her fear, quieted it. She has been sheltering a little hope that what she saw was only a very bad dream. A part of her had desperately hoped for Andrew to come up empty, to tell her that William is without spot or blemish. What is she going to do with Andrew’s half confirmation? How can Claire protect herself from William?

The heated exchange finally ends. The brother speeds off, leaving behind, William and a cloud of dust. Claire waits for William to leave. The dust cloud dies; William remains rooted in the parking lot. He’s arguing as feverishly as he was before, except now he is alone. He kicks up more dust, picks up something off the ground, and throws it at the building. Claire starts when she hears the glass shatter though she had seen William launch the thing at the building. William is still. He faces the section of the building he has damaged. Claire watches, waits for him to leave. William falls to his knees. Claire presses her binoculars into her face to see William on his knees. Is he crying? The front of the building is well lit, still, it’s hard for Claire to tell. She watches William until he gets up and he too drives away.