Convicted (Consequences)

movement slowed, her pressure released. Never in his life had he experienced such an amazing sensation as that of a new life moving beneath his touch. Smiling down at her, he said, “Claire, thank you. That was unbelievable.”
    Blushing, Claire replied, “It is, maybe my little one is excited about a place to call home—even for a little while.”
    Phil couldn’t help but respect the woman he’d come to know. “It’ll take some travel time, but we’ll be there soon.” Looking down at her packed luggage, he asked, “Do you need anything before we leave? I can go to a shop before we call for dinner, or we can go out together.”
    Focusing once again on the world around them, Claire shook her head. “I do need a few things, but first I’ll need to sit down and make you a list. If we’re traveling early, I’d like to get some sleep; maybe you can go after we eat?”
    A few hours later, Phil left the suite in search of the items on his list. With each step and the turn around each corner, his clandestine skills worked overtime. Claire’s story about Harrison Baldwin didn’t make sense. He didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was, but the entire encounter worried him. He’d worked too hard to create an untraceable trail, and it wasn’t like he was new at this. Claire was right; contacting some California cops would not suddenly unlock the secret to their location.
    Walking along the slab streets illuminated by lamp light, Phil’s thoughts continually looped back to Claire’s child. He wanted Claire safe. Now, after the experience of feeling the baby move, he was suddenly concerned about the kid as well. Phil knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to assure that both Claire and her child made it to paradise unharmed. Knowing his own history, nothing was beyond the realm of possibilities—Phil would willingly lie, steal, cheat, or kill to fulfill his quest.
    Scanning each new location for Harrison Baldwin, he wondered, would one of those actions be necessary when it came to him? Claire assessed Catherine London to be her main threat. Phil contemplated, could it be more involved? He’d done a background check on Harrison and Amber for Mr. Rawlings; however, he had to admit, he took the preliminary information at face value. Phil ascertained, he’d get Claire settled; then he’d look further into the backgrounds of the nice siblings who took Claire under their wings.
    Phil’s pocket vibrated.
     

     
    Claire was nearly ready for bed when she heard the knock on the door to the suite. Reaching for her phone, she sent a text:
    “ IS THAT YOU? WHY ARE YOU KNOCKING?”
    Before she received a response, the second round of knocks echoed through the suite. Cautiously, Claire moved to the peep hole. The lump in her throat grew as she saw Harry with flowers and a sign that read:
    CAN WE PLEASE TALK?
    She debated her movements when the phone within her hand vibrated. Looking down, she read:
    “ IS WHAT ME? NO! DON’T OPEN THE DOOR. I DON’T CARE WHO IT IS! I’M ON MY WAY.”
    The next time she peered through the hole, Harry’s sign had changed:
    I HAVE SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL YOU—PLEASE?
     

     
    Wondering how he’d located her again didn’t pass through her mind, and what he wanted to tell her didn’t seem as important as the look on his face. It was the sadness. She’d left him in Palo Alto. They’d said goodbye at the hospital, but she left without seeing him again. Then yesterday, she’d allowed the stress of her escape to overpower her feelings of friendship—he was her friend— wasn’t he? They’d been together, he helped her start a new life, and he’d been encouraging and supportive—up until Tony came back in the picture.
    Claire placed her hand on her stomach. Their baby wasn’t moving. What was her little one trying to say? Should Claire take the advice of her child and be calm? After all, tomorrow she and Phil were leaving. If she didn’t talk to Harry tonight, would she ever again have another chance?

 
     
     
    Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.
    —Horace Mann
     
     
     
    Phil wasn’t far from the hotel, and his list from Claire wasn’t complete. Without a doubt—none of that mattered. Getting back to Claire was his only thought as he pushed through the crowded streets. His stomach clenched with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. All at once, he was back in Palo Alto