Convicted (Consequences)

moved it to his lips. “No one noticed us, Mrs. Rawlings. You can relax.”
    She exhaled and watched her breath create a frozen mist. “I can’t believe we’re going to show up on Courtney and Brent’s doorstep. I’m excited to see them, but what will they say? We lied to them.”
    Tony and Phil’s eyes meet in the rear-view mirror. Claire asked, “What? If there’s something, tell me—I’m sick and tired of secrets.”
    Tony squeezed her hand and tried to explain, “Knowledge is leverage for the law. Right now, I’m wanted and you’ve been harboring me. If the Simmons’ were caught communicating with either of us, they could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive.”
    “Then let’s stay in a hotel. I don’t want to put them at risk.”
    This time, Phil answered, “Claire, they want you there.”
    “But, how? How would they know?”
    Tony replied, “They’ve known since before you and I met up in paradise. Brent’s known you’re alive since the FBI questioned me. The authorities wouldn’t allow him to share. Of course, he told Courtney.”
    “All these months! Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been berating myself over lying to my family and friends. Do Emily and John know the truth?”
    Tony’s tone became businesslike. “If you’d have known—you would have wanted to communicate, and no, it made more sense for the Vandersols to remain in the dark.”
    Claire stared.
    Tony continued, “We’d hoped their pursuit of me and Rawlings Industries would keep them safe—that as long as they were helping to hurt me—we hoped that Catherine would leave them alone.”
    Tears coated Claire’s cheeks as she turned toward the dark, dead landscape. Thankfully, there wasn’t any snow, but each tree along the way was leafless and the fields were empty and dark. Claire wasn’t sure why she was crying. Perhaps it was exhaustion or stress. Maybe it was anticipation at seeing Brent and Courtney and John and Emily again.
    Her thoughts evaporated as her husband’s hand reached for her chin. With his thumb and forefinger, Tony turned her gaze toward him. Through the darkness of the van she saw his clenched jaw. “Can you please be mad at me later? We’ve got a lot going on.”
    Not trying to move away from his determined tone, Claire closed her tired eyelids causing more tears to rush down her cheeks, and explained, “I’m not mad. You’re right—I would’ve thought about calling daily. After Nichol was born, I probably would’ve done it—even if I knew I shouldn’t.” Claire used her gloves to wipe her face. “I’m tired and scared.”
    Tony reassuringly took her gloved hand in his. Phil interjected, “The Simmons know about Nichol, and they can’t wait to meet her. Emily and John aren’t due to arrive until tomorrow afternoon.”
    Tony smiled and said, “We’ll get some sleep and you’ll feel better.” His devilish grin reappeared as he whispered, “Or not sleep?”
    Claire shook her head. “I’m afraid our princess won’t understand the time change. We may spend the night up—in shifts—with her.”
    Still holding his wife’s hand, Tony shrugged, leaned against the vinyl seat, and sighed. “That’s not quite the up I was imagining.”
    Claire’s eyes darted toward the rear-view mirror. Courteously, Phil appeared lost in his own thoughts, unable to hear the whispers which only moments earlier he’d answered. Claire shook her head and peered under the blankets at a sleeping Nichol. With a weary smile, she placed one hand over their daughter, and enjoyed the sensation of her little chest moving up and down.
    For a moment, Claire envied Nichol’s ignorance. As long as she was fed, clean, and loved—their daughter didn’t know the evils that lurked in the shadows. With her other hand, Claire clung tightly to Tony. Closing her eyes, she said a prayer to keep her family safe.

 
     
     
    Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness .
    —Euripides
     
     
     
    Forty-eight hours of traveling took its toll—Claire must have fallen asleep because, when she opened her eyes, Phil was pulling the van into the Simmons’ garage. Even in the dark of night, she recognized the brick drive. Inside the garage directly in the beams of the headlights, Claire saw Courtney and Brent. Her heart leapt. “Oh! I can’t believe we’re really here.” Turning to see Tony’s face, she read a hundred emotions. Happiness or even relief didn’t seem to be the top