October 11, 2023 – 1:17 PM
Tomorrow was much harder than she had expected.
Lin discovered just how hard when she walked into the kitchen.
Jake had pulled a chair beside Claire.
Claire was helping him arrange slices of apple onto a plate.
Lucas stood at the counter making coffee.
Helen was washing dishes.
Richard was reading.
It looked completely ordinary.
That was the problem.
Jake looked up.
"Lin!"
"Yes?"
"Claire likes apples."
Lin nodded.
"That's good."
"She likes horses too."
"I noticed."
"And pancakes."
Claire laughed.
"Apparently my reputation is growing."
Jake nodded seriously.
"You can stay."
Lin sighed.
"We've discussed this."
Jake's shoulders dropped.
"I know."
Claire reached over and gently squeezed his shoulder.
"It's okay."
Jake looked at her.
"But you have to leave tomorrow."
Claire hesitated.
"We'll see."
Lin immediately looked at her.
Claire caught the look.
"Sorry."
Lin crossed her arms.
"Don't give him false hope."
Claire nodded.
"You're right."
Jake looked between them.
"Why?"
Lin crouched beside him.
"Because Claire has somewhere she needs to go."
Jake frowned.
"Where?"
Lin glanced toward Lucas.
He answered quietly.
"Somewhere safer."
Jake looked at Claire.
"You're not safe here?"
Claire opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Lin stepped in.
"It's complicated."
Jake didn't like that answer.
"Everything is complicated."
Richard lowered his newspaper.
"He's got you there."
Lin gave him a look.
Richard hid his smile behind the paper.
Jake returned to his apples.
Claire looked at Lin.
"I'm sorry."
Lin shook her head.
"Don't apologize."
Claire lowered her voice.
"He's a sweet kid."
"He is."
"I didn't expect him to..."
She glanced toward Jake.
"...attach himself to me."
Lin smiled faintly.
"He doesn't do that with everyone."
Claire looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Really."
Lin watched Jake carefully.
"He's usually cautious."
Claire looked down.
"Then I'm honored."
Lin believed her.
That was inconvenient.
Lucas came over with his coffee.
He looked at Jake.
Then Claire.
Then Lin.
"I have an idea."
Lin immediately became suspicious.
"What kind of idea?"
"We don't have to decide everything today."
Lin stared at him.
"That's not an idea."
"It's a suggestion."
"For what?"
Lucas sat down.
"We find out whether Claire's route is actually safe."
Lin's expression changed.
"How?"
"I make some calls."
"And if it isn't?"
Lucas looked at her.
"Then we find another option."
Lin nodded slowly.
That was reasonable.
She hated reasonable solutions.
They made it much harder to argue.
"Fine."
Jake looked up.
"Does that mean Claire stays?"
Lin pointed at him.
"It means the adults are figuring something out."
Jake smiled.
"So yes."
Lin sighed.
"That's not what I said."
Richard lowered his newspaper again.
"He understood the important part."
Lin looked at her father.
"You're not helping."
"I know."
Claire stood and carried the apple plate toward Jake.
"Come on."
Jake followed her.
"Where?"
"You promised to show me the cameras."
Jake's face lit up.
"Yes!"
Lin immediately stood.
"Not the security room."
Jake stopped.
"Why?"
"Because that's off limits."
Claire nodded.
"We'll stay outside."
Jake smiled again.
"Come on."
He grabbed Claire's hand.
They headed toward the back door.
Lin watched them disappear.
Then she looked at Lucas.
"You realize this is becoming a problem."
Lucas took a sip of coffee.
"Yes."
"And you're smiling."
He looked at her.
"A little."
Lin narrowed her eyes.
"Why?"
"Because Jake hasn't been this happy about someone in a long time."
That took the irritation out of her.
Lin looked toward the window.
Jake was already pointing excitedly toward one of the cameras.
Claire was listening like the information mattered.
Lin sighed.
"I know."
Lucas looked at her.
"You like her too."
Lin immediately turned.
"I tolerate her."
His mouth twitched.
"Sure."
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Lucas laughed quietly.
Lin tried not to smile.
She failed.
Outside, Jake's voice carried through the open window.
"That's camera seventeen!"
Claire answered,
"Seventeen?"
"Yes!"
Lin shook her head.
"He's going to give her the entire security briefing."
Lucas smiled.
"At least someone will."
Lin looked at him.
"Was that supposed to be a joke?"
"Maybe."
She stared at him.
Then laughed.
And for the first time since Lucas had arrived home with Claire, the situation didn't feel quite so threatening.
October 11, 2023 – 1:34 PM
Lin was still watching Jake point excitedly toward camera seventeen when footsteps sounded behind her.
Heavy ones.
Measured.
She turned.
The General stood in the doorway.
He glanced through the window.
Jake was now explaining another camera to Claire with the seriousness of a military briefing.
The General looked back at Lin.
"We have a problem."
Lin sighed.
"I know."
He walked into the kitchen.
"No."
He set a folder on the table.
"We have two problems."
Lin looked at the folder.
"That sounds worse."
The General pulled out a chair.
"Claire is one."
Lin crossed her arms.
"And the second?"
He tapped the folder.
"Whoever is looking for her."
Lin's expression hardened.
"Do we know they're looking for her here?"
"Not yet."
"Then why call it a problem?"
The General looked toward the window.
"Because we don't wait for proof when the cost of being wrong is this high."
Lin glanced outside.
A pickup moved slowly along the county road.
It continued past.
She watched until it disappeared.
"What do you want to do?"
The General opened the folder.
"First, Claire stays inside the secured area."
"Fine."
"Second, nobody gives her name or location to anyone."
Lin nodded.
"Obviously."
"Third, she doesn't leave alone."
"Agreed."
He looked at Lin.
"Fourth, Lucas doesn't leave alone either."
Lin's eyebrows rose.
"That's going to be harder."
The General's expression didn't change.
"Then make it easier."
Lin almost smiled.
"You really enjoy giving orders."
"It's one of my better qualities."
He pulled out another sheet.
"I've reviewed the camera footage from this morning."
Lin leaned closer.
"And?"
"Three vehicles slowed near the property."
She frowned.
"Three?"
"One passed twice."
Lin's stomach tightened.
"Did they enter?"
"No."
"Stop?"
"No."
"Then how do you know they're connected?"
The General looked at her.
"I don't."
He tapped the paper.
"That's why we're watching."
Lin nodded slowly.
That made sense.
She looked at the folder.
"What about Claire?"
The General lowered his voice.
"She's frightened."
Lin glanced toward the window.
Jake was showing Claire something near the fence.
"I noticed."
"Fear makes people careless."
Lin looked back at him.
"She's not going to stay here forever."
"Good."
The General closed the folder.
"But while she's here, she follows our rules."
Lin nodded.
"I'll talk to her."
"No."
Lin frowned.
"No?"
"I'll talk to Lucas."
He stood.
"You have enough responsibilities."
Lin stared at him.
That was unexpectedly considerate.
"Thank you."
He gave a short nod.
Then he looked toward the window again.
"One more thing."
"What?"
"Jake."
Lin followed his gaze.
The little boy was still happily talking to Claire.
"What about him?"
"He likes her."
"Very much."
Lin sighed.
"I know."
The General's expression softened slightly.
"That's good for Jake."
Lin nodded.
"But dangerous if he becomes the reason she stays."
That was exactly what Lin had been thinking.
She looked at Claire.
Then at Jake.
Then back at the General.
"We'll keep the adults in charge."
"Good."
He started toward the door.
Lin stopped him.
"General?"
He turned.
"What?"
"If someone really is watching us..."
She hesitated.
"What happens if they come here?"
The General looked at her for several seconds.
Then answered simply.
"They won't get far."
Lin stared at him.
He walked away.
She looked back through the window.
Jake was laughing.
Claire was smiling.
The farm looked peaceful.
Lin knew better now.
Peace didn't mean safety.
It just meant nobody had disturbed the silence yet.