tried to call three times throughout
the night, to no avail. She must have turned off her phone. By 9:30
the next morning he’d gone way beyond worry. He wondered as he
drove if they’d even let him in the building.
His heart raced. He held his breath as he
pulled into the circle drive; exhaled deeply in relief when he saw
the man Claire called Charlie. He’d been there the night before.
Seen how upset she was. Perhaps he’d listed to reason.
“ No sir. Been on duty since
6:00. No way she could have slipped past. She’s up there, sir. Just
not taking your calls.” The doorman raised questioning eyebrows to
Garrett.
Garrett shook his head. The old man was
guarded, protective. How could he convey the urgency without
letting him know his fears? A quick mental rundown told him he
couldn’t.
“ Look,” he told him, “Claire
was very upset last night. I’m worried she may have… she was pretty
shaken and talking irrationally. I thought a good night’s rest was
in store for her but since I can’t get a hold of her… I’m a
psychologist. I should have known better… can you let me in to
check on her? We’ll believe the best, but ease our minds,” he
implored the gentleman.
“ If you’re wrong… she could
have me fired on the spot.” Charlie’s eyes showed concern as he
wrestled with his job and with Claire’s well being. She had been
pretty emotional the night before. She’d also been acting
differently as of late, but not in a bad way; more like the old
Claire instead of the over zealous party girl, bringing home
strange men at all hours. Charlie felt confused. He studied the
face of the man before him; a face filled with concern, compassion.
Even if he was wrong, especially if he was wrong, that was exactly
the face Claire needed, whether she realized it or not.
“ Come on,” he told Garrett.
“Follow me.”
“ Thank you,” Garrett said
quietly as he obeyed.
Charlie nodded, “Jack! I’ll be right back.
Cover for me, will you?” he hollered to a younger man working in
the lobby.
The two men were silent as they rode up the
elevator. Any other time Charlie would have been filled with small
talk and Garrett would have welcomed the insight into the finer
details of the grand building, but not then.
Charlie fumbled with the key when Claire
didn’t answer their knocking. His face was washed with concern as
the lock finally gave way and Garrett pushed past him. He pointed
to the door that let to the bedroom when Garrett turned back and
scrunched his shoulder indicating he was lost.
Garrett stopped at the door and closed his
eyes as his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach. He opened
them and slowly surveyed the scene before him; the half-empty wine
glass, beautiful Claire, still and lifeless, laid out on the bed
with the pill bottles beside her. His breath began to come in
quick, shallow gulps. He’d known, yet he’d refused to believe…
“ Oh Claire,” he whispered.
“I’m so sorry.
The pain bottled inside for the past 2 ½
years surged through him. A loud guttural “No!” burst forth; a deep
sound that startled Charlie who stared at the scene over Garrett’s
left shoulder. The doorman stepped back, missing a startled Claire
scurrying up and pressing against the pillows in complete fear.
“ Garrett?!” she said as she
took in her surroundings and gained her bearings. Her eyes darted
wildly about; confusion reigned. She looked from a frozen Garrett
to a fearful Charlie who had returned to the doorway at the sound
of her voice.
Claire stiffened, her chin set as her eyes
register absolute anger. “Why are you here? Either of you?”
Charlie began to stammer an apology. “I’m
sorry miss. You were just so upset last night. And when he
suggested… I wanted to make sure you were all right. He couldn’t
reach you and…”
“ Save it!” Claire said, her
voice edged in angry contempt as she shook her head.
“ It’s okay, Charlie,”
Garrett intervened.
“ I
the night, to no avail. She must have turned off her phone. By 9:30
the next morning he’d gone way beyond worry. He wondered as he
drove if they’d even let him in the building.
His heart raced. He held his breath as he
pulled into the circle drive; exhaled deeply in relief when he saw
the man Claire called Charlie. He’d been there the night before.
Seen how upset she was. Perhaps he’d listed to reason.
“ No sir. Been on duty since
6:00. No way she could have slipped past. She’s up there, sir. Just
not taking your calls.” The doorman raised questioning eyebrows to
Garrett.
Garrett shook his head. The old man was
guarded, protective. How could he convey the urgency without
letting him know his fears? A quick mental rundown told him he
couldn’t.
“ Look,” he told him, “Claire
was very upset last night. I’m worried she may have… she was pretty
shaken and talking irrationally. I thought a good night’s rest was
in store for her but since I can’t get a hold of her… I’m a
psychologist. I should have known better… can you let me in to
check on her? We’ll believe the best, but ease our minds,” he
implored the gentleman.
“ If you’re wrong… she could
have me fired on the spot.” Charlie’s eyes showed concern as he
wrestled with his job and with Claire’s well being. She had been
pretty emotional the night before. She’d also been acting
differently as of late, but not in a bad way; more like the old
Claire instead of the over zealous party girl, bringing home
strange men at all hours. Charlie felt confused. He studied the
face of the man before him; a face filled with concern, compassion.
Even if he was wrong, especially if he was wrong, that was exactly
the face Claire needed, whether she realized it or not.
“ Come on,” he told Garrett.
“Follow me.”
“ Thank you,” Garrett said
quietly as he obeyed.
Charlie nodded, “Jack! I’ll be right back.
Cover for me, will you?” he hollered to a younger man working in
the lobby.
The two men were silent as they rode up the
elevator. Any other time Charlie would have been filled with small
talk and Garrett would have welcomed the insight into the finer
details of the grand building, but not then.
Charlie fumbled with the key when Claire
didn’t answer their knocking. His face was washed with concern as
the lock finally gave way and Garrett pushed past him. He pointed
to the door that let to the bedroom when Garrett turned back and
scrunched his shoulder indicating he was lost.
Garrett stopped at the door and closed his
eyes as his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach. He opened
them and slowly surveyed the scene before him; the half-empty wine
glass, beautiful Claire, still and lifeless, laid out on the bed
with the pill bottles beside her. His breath began to come in
quick, shallow gulps. He’d known, yet he’d refused to believe…
“ Oh Claire,” he whispered.
“I’m so sorry.
The pain bottled inside for the past 2 ½
years surged through him. A loud guttural “No!” burst forth; a deep
sound that startled Charlie who stared at the scene over Garrett’s
left shoulder. The doorman stepped back, missing a startled Claire
scurrying up and pressing against the pillows in complete fear.
“ Garrett?!” she said as she
took in her surroundings and gained her bearings. Her eyes darted
wildly about; confusion reigned. She looked from a frozen Garrett
to a fearful Charlie who had returned to the doorway at the sound
of her voice.
Claire stiffened, her chin set as her eyes
register absolute anger. “Why are you here? Either of you?”
Charlie began to stammer an apology. “I’m
sorry miss. You were just so upset last night. And when he
suggested… I wanted to make sure you were all right. He couldn’t
reach you and…”
“ Save it!” Claire said, her
voice edged in angry contempt as she shook her head.
“ It’s okay, Charlie,”
Garrett intervened.
“ I
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