Murky Waters

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The following months yielded no envelopes for Claire. She and Tristan breathed a sigh of relief. For the most part, Claire wanted to believe that whoever had been tormenting her had simply moved on.

Detective Salmetti had been in constant contact with Claire, giving her updates on how the investigation was progressing. She had talked to Mike, as well, and he feigned shock and surprise that she had implied that Mike was a suspect. Until the next envelope arrived, all they could do was wait.

Tristan tried her best to convince Claire to fire Mike herself or file a formal complaint to her superiors. He had been smart and laid low. He was polite and cordial when he spoke, but his eyes conveyed what he really felt.

Tristan had been sent to one of the boats and was not expected home until later that night. Claire walked into the deserted parking lot after leaving work a little later than she had planned. She was in no hurry to go home to an empty house. When she arrived at her Jeep, she found Mike leaning against the driver’s side door, preventing her from getting into her vehicle. Claire felt her chest tighten and glanced around, hoping to see if anyone else was nearby.

Claire cleared her throat and tried to sound casual as she spoke.

“Mike, what are you still doing here?”

He glared at her for a moment before answering. “Is it true, Claire?”

“Is what true?”

“Is it true that you are the new conquest of the bitch we work for?” Mike spat.

165

Murky Waters

“Frankly, it is none of your business who I see, and I will thank you not to refer to her in that manner,” Claire said as she shakily stood her ground.

“Claire, you could do so much better than that. She has a reputation for screwing anything that moves. I cannot believe you would lower yourself by having anything to do with her. By the way, is that her way of marking you as her own?” he asked, pointing to the necklace hanging around Claire’s neck. “I noticed that she wears one just like it.”

“I’m not going to stand here and justify anything for you, Mike.

My private life does not concern you in the least. You need to keep your nose out of the rumor mill and more on your job. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to go home,” Claire said, hoping that he would step aside.

Mike’s feet were firmly rooted to the spot. He stared at Claire with anger flashing in his eyes. “You let me send you flowers and spend countless hours fawning over you, and you give it up to that sorry-ass bitch.”

Claire was acutely aware that the situation was spiraling out of control. She looked around again to see if anyone was nearby, and the panic rose within her when she saw they were alone. “Mike, I’ve been patient with you, even though you continued to ask me out after we discussed that it was not a good idea. You’re not leaving me a whole lot of choices here; please don’t push me to file a complaint against you.”

“File a complaint?” He laughed in her face. “Do you honestly think Suarez will do anything to me? The policies regarding sexual harassment are simply something they have put on paper to make everyone believe they take the issue seriously. I’ve already dealt with that before. Don’t you remember Charlotte? She was foolish enough to complain about me, and Suarez turned her inside out.

By the time they finished with her, they had her convinced that she was the bad guy. It’s still a man’s world, and we will always have the upper hand.

“Oh! And don’t think for a minute you are going to tag me with any stalker charges. It was a big mistake sending that detective to talk to me, Claire. I told her just how you are, and you no doubt led some poor bastard on just like you did me. Your kind always flirts and calls it being friendly, but when a man shows you any 166

Robin Alexander

attention, you run screaming foul. Frankly, I think you like the attention.”

Regardless of being alone with Mike, Claire felt every fiber of her being grow hot with anger. “You’re the one with the problem, Mike. You prey on women who are polite and friendly to you.

Deep inside, you know you’re not worthy of a decent woman, so you turn polite gestures into something vile in that deranged mind of yours. You know what the problem really is? You’re a weak and pathetic excuse for a man, and you know it! Now, get your pudgy ass out of my way!”

“Fine, Claire!” Mike hissed through clenched teeth. “You’re a lot smarter than I gave you credit for. Screwing the boss is a good way to secure your position with the company. Too bad it didn’t work for me!”

He stepped away and watched Claire fumble nervously with her keys. Once inside, she locked the doors and looked back at Mike, who still stood next to her Jeep staring daggers at her.

Claire sped out of the parking lot with Mike looking on. Her hands were shaking so much she could barely hold the steering wheel. She drove toward Tristan’s house in a state of confusion.

She picked up her cell phone and called Tristan, taking a deep breath to calm herself as Tristan answered. “Hey, Tris, do you know what time you will be home?” Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“I’m almost there. Is something wrong? You sound upset.”

Tristan felt her heart pound.

“Tris, I don’t know what to do,” Claire said as she started to cry.

“Mike was waiting for me when I got to my car this afternoon. He said some things that were really upsetting.”

“Okay, just calm down,” Tristan said, trying to remain calm herself. “Where are you?”

“I’m on the interstate not far from the turnoff to your house,”

Claire whimpered as tears rolled down her face.

“I’m a mile away from the house. I’ll stay on the phone with you until you get there. Did he hurt you, Claire?”

“No, but, Tris, I’m so scared. He was so angry with me.

Apparently, he knows now that I am seeing you, and he was pissed. He thinks I led him on,” Claire cried into the phone.

167

Murky Waters

“Baby, did he threaten you?” Tristan asked, trying to keep her anger from her voice.

“No. He was angry that I was seeing you and accused me of securing my position with Valor by sleeping with my boss.”

“Just come home to me, Claire. We will call the police, and tonight, we are calling someone at Suarez. I want someone in our office Monday. He will no longer be on our account, and if I have my way, he will be in the unemployment line.”

As Tristan drove down her driveway, she could see the headlights of Claire’s Jeep coming up behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. She jumped out of her truck and pulled Claire into her arms, feeling her tremble uncontrollably. Gently, she took Claire’s hand and led her to the house. Once inside, Tristan had Claire sit down at the kitchen table while she poured her a glass of wine.

Claire was hesitant to repeat what Mike had said about Tristan, but she knew she could not leave out any details. Remembering the conversation nearly word for word, Claire told Tristan everything that was said. She watched nervously as Tristan’s neck and face flushed with anger.

“Tristan, I don’t want to upset you further, but I don’t think we have anything to take to the police. He didn’t threaten me. He simply confronted me about my relationship with you. We have no proof it is him sending me those pictures other than his behavior.”

“Don’t protect him, Claire!” Tristan said harshly. “Regardless of whether he is the one who has been stalking you, what he did tonight was wrong and inexcusable. I have sat back and done my best to let you handle him, but I can’t do it any longer. If you don’t want to go to the police with this, that is your decision, but Mike will not work at Valor if I can help it.”

Tristan had gotten up from the table and was pacing around the kitchen as she spoke. Claire knew better than to argue the point with her. Tristan was right after all; something had to be done, and quickly.

“Okay, I’ll file a formal complaint with my manager Monday and see where it goes from there,” Claire said, hating that she was at the center of the controversy. She had failed in handling Mike and dreaded having to admit defeat.

168

Robin Alexander

“No, Claire, we are not going to wait and see what they decide to do. We will force their hand in this. I don’t want him working on this account. On Monday, he will be removed and should be terminated.” Tristan softened her tone when she saw the look of despair on Claire’s face. “I know this is difficult for you, but I love you, Claire, and I can’t sit by anymore and watch this. If I do, it will be as though I’m condoning it.”

“You’re right. You’ve been right all along. This was my first position as a full-fledged manager. I just wanted everything to go smoothly.”

Tristan knelt in front of Claire’s chair. “You’re an excellent manager. Even if I weren’t in love with you, I would have to admit that you’ve done a wonderful job on our account. I respect that you wanted everything to go well, and aside from the problems with Mike, you have accomplished your goal.”

“What are you planning to do?” Claire asked as she wiped her face.

“I need to talk to Cam about this. He deserves to know,” Tristan said as she continued to kneel in front of Claire, holding her hand in her own.

“How much are you going to tell him? I don’t want him or Lucy to know anything about the photos, Tristan. This whole thing is way too humiliating. What if word of this gets out to the rest of the company?”

“If you don’t want me to say anything about the pictures, I won’t, but I do have an obligation to tell Cam about the incident that took place today. He needs to be in on the meeting with Suarez on Monday,” Tristan said, trying to be reassuring.

“I agree he needs to be involved, but I am not ready to tell them anything about our suspicions regarding Mike. This whole situation is embarrassing enough. I’ll make a report with Detective Salmetti. I want her to handle that part of it.”

Tristan sighed. “Fine, we will only tell Cam about what happened tonight. Should you receive any more packages, we’ll have to seriously reconsider. I’m sure Mike’s going to be very angry with us after Monday, and I don’t want any repercussions as a result.”

Claire listened as Tristan spoke with Cam. Tristan had to remind him repeatedly that Claire was indeed all right and that Mike never laid a hand on her. After Tristan finished speaking with Cam, she 169

Murky Waters

encouraged Claire to try to eat. It was a few hours later before Tristan could get her to relax and nibble a sandwich.

That night as Tristan slept, Claire curled up close to her. Feeling Tristan’s warmth and closeness made Claire feel secure. Even with Tristan near, the house alarm set, and the patrol cat lying at their feet, Claire stared into the darkness for hours before sleep claimed her.

When Tristan awoke the following morning, she lay next to Claire, looking at the tense lines across her face. She knew that Claire had not slept much. She was keenly aware that Claire had been restless for most of the night. She slipped out of bed, leaving Claire to sleep as long as she could.

Tristan padded sleepily into the kitchen followed by a very hungry orange feline. After she got the coffee going, she filled Ralph’s bowl and watched as he ate. When the coffee brewed, she poured herself a cup and went into the sunroom with Ralph close on her heels.

She sat quietly on one of the wicker chairs and sipped her coffee while smoking a cigarette. She watched as the smoke rose and thought that when things calmed down, she and Claire would really have to consider giving up the habit. Now was not the time, though. It calmed her nerves as she stared out the windows surrounding the room. She wondered how much more the love of her life could take before she simply cracked under the pressure.

With all that had been going on lately, Tristan had been too busy to struggle with her inner turmoil. She was learning to cope with her feelings of apprehension and fear. Some mornings, she would lie in bed watching Claire as she slept, silently regarding the woman who lay next to her. Tears of regret would fill her eyes when she thought about what she had put Claire through. She wondered how Claire would react to knowing the depths that she had sunk to in her past. Even with all of Claire’s love and compassion, she wondered if she was deserving of someone so special.

Ralph stirred and let out a soft meow when Claire walked into the room clutching her own cup of coffee. She sat in the chair opposite Tristan and smiled weakly as she lit a cigarette. The dark circles beneath her eyes were a testament to her lack of rest.

170

Robin Alexander

“Baby, why are you up so early? It’s obvious you barely slept last night,” Tristan asked gently.

“I don’t know, really. I just couldn’t sleep after you got up.

Besides, I didn’t want to sleep the whole day away. My alone time with you is pretty limited, and I’m determined to take advantage of it when I can,” Claire said as she smiled at Tristan.

“I have been sitting here thinking about what we could do today,”

Tristan said before taking a sip of her coffee. “I think I have come up with the perfect idea. We’ll shower and dress, then go out for breakfast. Then, we’ll spend the day indulging in your favorite hobby.”

Claire smirked. “What exactly are you thinking is my favorite hobby?”

“Shopping,” Tristan replied, and Claire laughed. “We can go out to the outlet mall and see if there’s anything there you can’t live without. Then, I thought we could go to the mall and maybe pick out a new comforter for our bed. You know, something that represents both our tastes. I’m thinking that might make you feel a little more at home here.”

Claire reached over and placed her hand on top of Tristan’s. “My love, you couldn’t make me feel any more at home than you already have. It’s your presence that makes this place feel like my home.”

Ralph decided to include himself in the conversation by coughing up a hairball next to Claire’s feet. Claire swore he did it because their sweet conversation sickened him. He watched as his pet cleaned up the mess and listened to her grumbling.

After they successfully drained the coffeepot and shared a shower that left them content and happy, they set out for the outlet mall. Claire felt like doing the driving, so they took her Jeep. She watched Tristan out of the corner of her eye as Tristan squirmed to get comfortable in the passenger seat. “You don’t like being chauffeured, do you, dear?” Claire asked with a grin.

“I suppose it’s a control issue. I like to be the one in the driver’s seat, but don’t worry about me over here.” Tristan squirmed a little more as she slid the seat back to make more room for her long legs.

Claire merged onto the interstate and shot off like a rocket, driving like she was in the Indy 500. When she came up behind a 171

Murky Waters

slower car in the left lane, she began to grumble. “It’s the long slender peddle to the right. Step on it, chucklehead!” When the car did finally move over into the right lane, Claire pulled alongside and glared at the driver. “I just wanted to catch a glimpse of a total moron,” she growled. “Claire, honey? You doing all right over there? You seem a little tense today,” Tristan said as she hung on for dear life.

“Nope, I’m fine. I always drive like this. When you drive in Houston traffic, it tends to make you a little aggressive,” Claire said with her eyes glued to the road.

Tristan reached over and took Claire’s hand into her own.

“What’s really on your mind? You know you can tell me anything.”

Claire glanced over at her and said, “It’s nothing, love. I’m okay, really.” After a moment, Claire sighed. “I dread having to face him Monday morning.”

Tristan lifted Claire’s hand to her mouth and kissed it gently.

“You will only have to face him for a little while. He will not be coming back to work at Valor, and after our meeting, he will be escorted off the premises.”

Claire’s tension seemed to ease as the day went on. She was especially excited about the new comforter they bought for their bed. Of course, the change called for new drapes and a few other items to coordinate the look. She was glad that they brought her Jeep because it was stuffed full from their shopping adventure.

She laughed to herself remembering Tristan’s excitement when they left for the regular mall. Tristan made a beeline for the small pretzel stand near the food court. Claire watched in amusement as Tristan nearly inhaled a soft pretzel. Her eyes fluttered shut as she took the last bite. Claire figured she would need a cigarette and a nap after the way she enjoyed the snack.

They decided to have dinner at one of the many seafood restaurants that peppered Louisiana. Claire marveled at Tristan’s appetite as she consumed nearly an entire seafood platter by herself. Claire thoroughly enjoyed her platter of fried catfish and fries, as well as the hushpuppies that were continually brought to the table. For dessert, they dined on cheesecake and coffee until they both felt like they would explode.

172

Robin Alexander

After arriving home, they were too miserable to simply sit in front of the TV, so they laundered the new linens and decorated the bedroom with their purchases. Tristan presented Ralph with a new cat bed in hopes that he would take to sleeping in it instead of hogging their bed.

He circled it, giving it a few sniffs. Claire thought he looked like he was scowling. In fact, he was. If his pet thought for one minute he would sleep in that monstrosity instead of her bed, she was dead wrong, though it might prove useful for storing his belongings. He still mourned the loss of his beloved catnip toy that had mysteriously disappeared.

“Tristan, why did you buy him that? He doesn’t look too pleased with it,” Claire said with a laugh.

“I was hoping he would sleep in it instead of on the new comforter. He nearly ruined my last one making his biscuits.”

Claire looked at Tristan curiously. “Making biscuits?”

“Yeah, you know ... when he flexes his claws back and forth, it looks like he is kneading dough, so I call it making biscuits.”

Claire laughed and kissed Tristan as she went to get the new linens from the dryer. Tristan looked down at Ralph, who was staring back up at her with an indignant scowl on his orange face.

“Come on, try it at least once, you little fuzzy bastard,” Tristan said as she tried to stuff him into the bed. Ralph squirmed from her grasp and went off to contemplate his revenge.

Claire and Tristan made the bed together and stood back to admire how it changed the appearance of the entire room. “I think we should christen the new sheets,” Claire said with a wink. “I feel the need to mark my new territory.”

Tristan cast her a sideways glance. “Mark your territory, huh? If you plan on peeing a circle around this bed, Claire Murray, you’ll have to sleep in Ralph’s bed.”

Tristan chased her into the bathroom, where they decided to share another shower. Just as Claire had desired, they christened the new sheets by making love until the early hours of the morning. Claire lay with her head on Tristan’s shoulder after they were both sated, enjoying the feel of the crisp linens and the warm body next to hers.

173

Murky Waters

Sunday morning bright and early, Cam and Lucy arrived for their long-standing breakfast date. They were pleasantly surprised to see that they would be eating in that rainy morning. Claire and Tristan had risen early, and due to the weather, decided to cook breakfast instead of going out.

Cam hated to bring up the issue with Mike during their time together, but he felt it necessary to get the unpleasant things out of the way first. “Claire, I have been thinking a lot about this thing with Mike. I agree totally with Tristan. Because of his conduct and his unwillingness to alter his behavior, it would be best if he moved along. Tomorrow morning, I want you and Tristan to come to my office before going upstairs. I think it’s best we meet with the Suarez division manager in my office first.”

With this agreed upon, they spent the rest of the morning enjoying each other’s company. Claire had been lovingly accepted into their inner circle, and she felt as though she was part of a family again. She watched the love of her life intently as she spoke with Cam and Lucy. Claire was amazed at all the wonderful things this woman had brought into her life.

174

Robin Alexander