Thorns for Clover

*Chapter 7*

“Don’t make this hard, Clover.”

The man said it like they knew each other.

Like he’d said it a hundred times before.

Clover’s back was still against the door. The wood was cold through her wet shirt.

Her phone buzzed again in her pocket.

`Clover?`

She didn’t look down.

The man set her photo down on the table. Careful. Like it was fragile.

Her and her sister. At the beach. Last summer. Before everything went to hell.

“You look happy here,” he said. “You don’t look happy now.”

“Who are you?” Her voice came out smaller than she wanted.

He smiled. Not mean. Tired.

“You don’t remember me?”

Clover shook her head. Once.

“Liar.” He stood up. He wasn’t tall. But the room felt smaller with him in it.

He walked to the window. Closed it. Rain dripped off the sill onto the floor.

“You remember me fine. You just don’t want to.”

He turned. “I’m Eli. Your brother’s friend.”

The air left her lungs.

_Eli._

The one who was supposed to be in jail.

The one her brother was trying to get away from before he died.

Clover took a step back. Her heel hit the doorframe.

“You need to leave.”

Eli laughed. Soft. “And go where? They’re watching your building, Clover. Both exits. They’ve been watching since you testified.”

Her heart slammed.

“No one knows where I am. I changed my name.”

“You changed your name,” Eli repeated. He picked up her mug. Drank from it. “But you kept the same coffee order. Two black. Same diner. Same booth every Tuesday.”

Clover’s stomach dropped.

He knew about the diner.

He knew about Nolan.

Her phone buzzed again. Violent this time. Ringing.

Unknown Number.

Clover didn’t move to answer it.

Eli’s eyes flicked to her pocket. “You gonna get that?”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “But if it’s him, the guy from the diner...”

He leaned forward on the table. “You should tell him to run.”

The ringing stopped.

One new voicemail.

Clover’s hands were shaking again.

Eli watched her. “They followed you tonight. I saw them. Two blocks back. That’s why I came in first. To warn you.”

“Warn me?” Clover whispered. “You broke into my house.”

“I saved your life.” Eli’s voice went flat. “Again.”

Outside, a car door shut. Down on the street.

Both of them heard it.

Eli’s head snapped to the window. His whole body changed.

“Get down.”

Clover didn’t think. She dropped.

Footsteps. On the stairs. Heavy. Fast.

Not Nolan’s.

The knock on her door was three hits. Hard.

“FBI. Open up.”

Eli looked at Clover. Really looked at her.

“Did you call them?”

She shook her head. Tears in her eyes now. “No.”

“Then we have a problem.”

He moved fast. Grabbed her wrist. Not rough like Nolan. Desperate.

“Back door. Now.”

Another knock. Louder.

Clover looked at her phone on the table. The screen lit up.

New text from Nolan:

`Open the door. I’m outside.`

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*End of Chapter 7*