Sincerely, Red

Chapter Twelve

Well, at least my mouth was working again.

"She killed my daughter!" Maria screamed into Tim's ear. "I'll kill her! She won't get away today."

"Calm down," he said, annoyed. "You'll wake the dead with that racket."

I stared at him shock.

"You should probably head on home, Olivia," he muttered, constraining Maria. "Claire's probably going to get back soon."

"Why are you here so early?" I found myself breathing out, taking cautious steps away from both Carters. "Why isn't Claire with you?"

"The client called to say he wouldn't be there for the appointment today," he answered too quickly. Then, as if to justify himself, he added, "His wife's in labour. She's having a baby."

I didn't speak a single word.

"Claire was further ahead, because I stopped to get petrol on the way," he continued. "I'd say she was about half an hour ahead of me, but she drives quite fast so she'll probably be home soon."

He was using Claire as a threat.

My mind seemed to be registering things as short, quick statements, leaving warnings as soon as they faded.

"You should go home," he said, wincing when Maria clawed at his cheek. "You're only making this worse and I doubt Claire would be happy to know you were out here. Does she even know that you've left?"

"If Claire knows anything, she's hiding it," Maria accused. "Or maybe she doesn't know anything, because Olivia has been hiding it all this time. But I know the truth. I know everything!"

"See?" Tim said, gesturing to the shrieking woman. "She's getting more worked up. I think it's best that you leave right now."

I nodded, walking backwards quicker than I already had been.

"Olivia!" Tim called out behind me, but I ignored him.

I turned around and began to sprint back the way I'd come.

All the way home, the wind pushed me on, digging into my back and eventually dragging me along for the rest of the journey. The entire time, I thought of Maria Carter's face- an insistent reminder of the connection I had with this mess. In my mind, she was cold and calculating, with her red hair blowing breezily in the air behind her.

Of course, Tim seemed to star in the mini screen inside my head as well. Taking centre stage after her, he brought tumultuous waves of fear that stayed with me the entire way through. I still couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly that he did to scare the crap out of me, but a sinister sense of dread was practically glued to his name.

I continued thinking as I ran up the driveway into Claire's house, panicking when I realised that I didn't have a key. Fear was clawing at my mind now, like Maria Carters' own hands would have done, and I felt as though something was going to creep up behind me.

There wasn't a single person around and what Claire called the 'neighbours' were about five minutes away.

Just as the realisation of my own (constant) stupidity dawned on me, I saw a familiar van, with the initials 'DA' painted across one side. The fear of being alone with danger hot on my heels rapidly disappeared.

I blew out a breath.

David was here.

He whistled to himself as he got out, dragging a bust of Claire's head along with him. You could see the tip of her nose being scraped across the gravel, as he clumsily held it upside down.