October 11, 2023 – 12:34 PM
Lin had just turned toward the hallway when Claire spoke.
"Wait."
Lin stopped.
Claire still had one hand wrapped around the strap of her bag.
She looked embarrassed.
Not frightened this time.
Just embarrassed.
"Could I ask you something?"
Lin glanced at Lucas.
Then back at Claire.
"Sure."
Claire swallowed.
"Could I stay?"
Lin's eyebrows rose.
"You heard what I said."
"I did."
Claire nodded quickly.
"And I understand why you're worried."
She looked toward the windows.
"But if I leave with Lucas today, they'll know where I've gone."
Lucas's expression tightened.
"Claire..."
She turned toward him.
"You know I'm right."
Lucas didn't answer.
Claire looked back at Lin.
"I don't need a room."
"I don't need special treatment."
"I can sleep anywhere."
Lin folded her arms.
"That's not the issue."
"I know."
Claire took a breath.
"The issue is that whoever is looking for me might follow me here."
Lin's eyes narrowed.
"Exactly."
"But they're already looking for Lucas."
That stopped her.
Claire continued carefully.
"If they are already watching him, then leaving together might not make anything safer."
Lin looked at Lucas.
He didn't argue.
That bothered her.
"You agree?"
Lucas nodded slowly.
"She's right."
Lin stared at both of them.
"Wonderful."
She walked toward the kitchen window.
Outside, the property looked peaceful.
The barn.
The pasture.
The road.
The hotel.
Everything she'd spent weeks building.
Her security plan had always been based on controlling who entered the property.
Now she had two people standing in her kitchen with a problem that might already be connected to the people watching Lucas.
Lin turned back.
"How long are you asking to stay?"
Claire hesitated.
"A few days."
Lin immediately shook her head.
"No."
Claire's shoulders dropped.
Lin held up a finger.
"You don't understand."
Claire looked at her.
"A few days becomes a week."
"A week becomes two."
"Then suddenly I'm running a refugee center."
Claire almost smiled.
"I understand."
Lin sighed.
"One night."
Lucas looked at her.
Lin continued.
"One night."
"Tomorrow you leave with a plan."
Claire's eyes widened slightly.
"You'd really let me stay?"
Lin nodded.
"One night."
Claire's relief was immediate.
"Thank you."
Lin pointed at her.
"Don't thank me yet."
Claire stopped.
"There are rules."
"Of course."
"You stay in the guest room."
"You don't wander around the property alone."
"You don't touch equipment."
"You don't enter the warehouse."
"You don't go near the security room."
Claire nodded.
"Understood."
Lin looked toward Lucas.
"And you stay with her."
Lucas nodded.
"Obviously."
Lin gave him a look.
"I mean it."
"I know."
"If she leaves the property, you tell me."
"Yes."
"If somebody contacts you, you tell me."
"Yes."
"If you see anything strange—"
Lucas interrupted gently.
"I tell you."
Lin nodded.
"Good."
Claire looked down at her bag.
Then quietly said,
"I really am sorry."
Lin studied her.
"For what?"
"Dragging you into this."
Lin shrugged.
"You didn't."
She glanced at Lucas.
"He did."
Lucas sighed.
"Fair."
Claire smiled faintly.
Then Jake appeared in the doorway again.
"Is Claire staying?"
Lin looked down at him.
Claire smiled.
"Just tonight."
Jake immediately brightened.
"Good."
He looked at Lin.
"She can sleep in my room."
Lin laughed.
"Absolutely not."
Jake frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you sleep like a windmill."
Jake looked at Lucas.
"I do not."
Lucas nodded.
"You do."
Jake crossed his arms.
"Daddy does too."
Lin looked at Lucas.
He gave Jake a betrayed expression.
"We're not discussing my sleeping habits."
Claire laughed.
Lin couldn't help smiling.
For a moment, the situation felt almost ordinary.
October 11, 2023 – 12:51 PM
Lin watched Claire set her bag beside the guest-room door.
One night.
That was the agreement.
Simple.
Clean.
Manageable.
Then Jake appeared at the end of the hallway carrying a small plastic dinosaur.
He looked at Claire.
Then at the dinosaur.
Then back at Claire.
"Do you like dinosaurs?"
Claire crouched down.
"I do."
Jake held out the toy.
"This one's a T. rex."
Claire examined it carefully.
"Very impressive."
Jake nodded.
"He's mean."
"I can tell."
Jake considered her answer.
Then handed her the dinosaur.
Claire blinked.
"What's this for?"
"You can borrow him."
Lin watched Jake carefully.
That was not something he usually did.
Jake guarded his toys like they were classified military equipment.
Claire smiled.
"Are you sure?"
Jake nodded.
"You can have him tonight."
Claire looked at Lin.
Lin shrugged.
"Congratulations."
Claire smiled.
"Thank you."
Jake looked pleased.
Then he pointed toward the guest room.
"That's where you're sleeping."
Claire nodded.
"I know."
"If you need anything, you tell me."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
Jake continued.
"Daddy doesn't know where everything is."
Lucas, standing behind them, looked offended.
"I know where things are."
Jake turned around.
"No, you don't."
Lin covered her mouth.
Claire laughed.
Lucas sighed.
"Apparently I've been replaced."
Jake ignored him.
He took Claire's hand.
"Come see the horses."
Claire looked at Lin.
Lin gave her a helpless smile.
"You have been selected."
Claire laughed.
"Apparently."
Jake pulled her toward the back door.
Lin followed.
Lucas came behind them.
Outside, the afternoon sun had warmed the pasture.
Jake immediately began explaining everything.
Which horse was friendly.
Which one was stubborn.
Which chicken belonged where.
Which camera was pointed toward the barn.
Which gate was never supposed to be left open.
Lin listened.
Claire listened even more carefully.
When they reached the fence, Jake pointed toward one of the horses.
"That's Daisy."
Claire smiled.
"She's beautiful."
"She likes apples."
"I'll remember that."
Jake nodded.
"Don't give her too many."
Claire looked impressed.
"You know a lot."
Jake shrugged.
"Daddy taught me."
Then he looked at Lin.
"Lin knows too."
Claire smiled.
"I can tell."
Jake seemed pleased with that answer.
He leaned against the fence beside Claire.
Lin watched them.
It had taken Jake less than ten minutes to decide Claire was safe.
Children were strange.
They didn't care about complicated histories.
They cared whether someone listened.
Whether someone laughed.
Whether someone gave back the dinosaur.
Claire passed the toy back to Jake.
"I'll keep him safe."
Jake frowned.
"No."
Claire looked confused.
"No?"
Jake shook his head.
"You keep him."
Lin smiled.
"I think you've been adopted."
Claire laughed.
Jake nodded seriously.
"She can stay."
Lucas looked at Lin.
Lin immediately pointed at Jake.
"Don't look at me."
Lucas smiled.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Claire laughed again.
Jake stayed beside Claire as they walked back toward the farmhouse.
He asked questions constantly.
Where she lived.
What animals she'd seen.
Whether she liked pancakes.
Whether she'd ever ridden a horse.
Whether she liked superheroes.
Claire answered every one.
Never rushing him.
Never brushing him off.
By the time they reached the porch, Jake had taken Claire's hand again.
Lin noticed.
So did Lucas.
He looked at his son.
"Buddy, Claire probably needs some rest."
Jake frowned.
"But I want to show her the cameras."
Lin laughed.
"That's your father's fault."
Lucas sighed.
"I regret teaching him about surveillance."
Jake looked at Claire.
"Fifty-nine cameras."
Claire smiled.
"That's a lot."
"I know where most of them are."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"Most?"
Jake grinned.
"I'm still learning."
Claire looked down at him.
"Maybe you can show me tomorrow."
Jake's face lit up.
"Really?"
"Really."
He squeezed her hand.
"Okay."
Lin felt something shift.
Jake wasn't simply being friendly anymore.
He had attached himself to Claire.
The realization made Lin glance toward Lucas.
His expression was softer than usual as he watched his son.
Lin understood immediately.
This wasn't going to make asking Claire to leave tomorrow any easier.
Jake suddenly looked up at Lin.
"Claire can stay another day, right?"
Lin froze.
Lucas looked at her.
Claire immediately shook her head.
"Jake—"
But Jake continued.
"She likes horses."
Lin sighed.
"That's not a reason."
Jake thought about it.
"She likes pancakes."
Richard's voice came from behind them.
"That's a stronger argument."
Everyone laughed.
Lin looked at Claire.
Claire looked genuinely uncomfortable.
She wasn't asking.
She wasn't manipulating Jake.
That somehow made it worse.
Lin crouched beside Jake.
"One night."
Jake's smile disappeared.
"But—"
"One night."
He looked disappointed.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
He took Claire's hand again.
"I'll make it a good night."
Claire smiled.
"I'm sure you will."
Lin watched them walk inside together.
Then she looked at Lucas.
"He's attached."
Lucas nodded.
"I know."
Lin sighed.
"That's going to make tomorrow difficult."
Lucas looked toward the doorway.
"Probably."
Lin glanced at him.
"Don't make it harder."
Lucas met her eyes.
"I won't."
But as they followed Jake and Claire inside, Lin already knew one thing.
Tomorrow was going to be much harder than she had expected.