Chapter Eleven

Despite having a restless night sleep, Eli was surprised to see Clare humming quietly in the kitchen of her home when he awoke. Her spirits were high, and that was a good thing. Eli didn't quite know the effect this Declan Coyne had had on Clare's life, but it was clearly showing now.

"What's for breakfast?" Eli asked conversationally, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Just some eggs and a little bacon." She hummed in reply.

"You're in the best mood I've seen you in since well..." The sentence trailed off. She hadn't been happy when she first saw him. She was glad, sure, but not happy. She was pleasant the morning after, but that was before Jake showed up and nearly killed him.

Eli had to admit he hadn't see her this happy since they were in high school.

Clare flashed him a smile over her shoulder before turning back and stirring the eggs some more. "In a long time, I know." She began humming again, undeterred.

Eli smiled. Although he was still not a religious man, he suspected that Clare must have had a conversation with her Lord last night while he was asleep. It obviously put her in a better frame of mind and he wasn't going to do anything to ruin that for her. Anything he said might shatter this peace that she's found in the aftermath of all this. He didn't want to be responsible for that, too.

He was already responsible for so much.

When Clare was finally finished with breakfast, he decided he needed to know how she had managed to reverse her spirits. He himself was still feeling guilty about the whole mess, but here she was as happy as he'd ever seen her. So, around a mouthful of eggs, he asked: "What's made you so happy?"

Clare blinked innocently a few times, and then giggled. "Our child, naturally."

Eli managed to keep his face expressionless, although he'd almost completely forgotten that she was pregnant. How could he forget that?

"Do you feel anything yet?" Eli asked curiously. Perhaps that's what she was feeling so happy.

"Nothing, yet." She said, her grin widening. "But I know he's in there."

The finished the rest of the breakfast in relative silence. It was a comfortable silence; Eli had to admit. When Clare stood up and took both their dishes to the sink, Eli glanced at the clock.

"Go get ready and I'll do that." He offered.

Clare turned around, thinking he was joking, but saw the serious expression and nodded. Her smile had only wavered a little bit, but it was back. "Okay. I won't be long."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips as he approached the sink and she almost skipped away. Eli chuckled, shaking his head. Her good mood might start to rub off on him. One of them needed to be focused for the consultation. Who knew what Declan could be able to do? If anything?

He cleaned the dishes with ease and Clare returned about five minutes later. She was dressed in a light, breezy summer dress. "Do you think this is appropriate?" She asked, glancing at him.

"It's just a consultation." Eli said softly. "I'm sure that's just fine."

"But it's Declan." She said, her features softening to a level he hadn't see before. "He's agreed to see me; to hear my case. To see if there's anything he can do."

Eli was tempted to remind her that the was agreeing to see them just to see if he thinks there is anything he could do. If there is in fact nothing he could do, they would have to look elsewhere for help.

But Eli couldn't say that to her now. Not when her hopes were basically soaring and her mood the best he's ever seen it. He couldn't remind her of reality. He wouldn't be the one to bring her down. He would leave that to Declan. That was his job, after all.

"Do you want me to drive?" Eli asked as Clare was once again scrutinizing her appearance in the mirror.

"Sure." She replied, holding out her keys over her shoulder. Eli took them and gave her back a gentle rub, kissing the back of her neck. "You look beautiful." He whispered against her warm skin. She smiled; knowing this was her cue to stop wasting anymore time.

"All right." She said, giving herself one last nod. "Let's go."

"Get the hell away from me!"

Kyle smirked, standing on the threshold of the door he had just unhinged with a single thrust of his shoulder. He pretending that her being unhappy to see him upset him. "Aunt Helen. Why are you so upset? I just wanted to see how my favorite aunt is doing."

Helen, whom he had accidentally hit with the door as he burst through it, lay on the floor. There was blood trickling from a wound on her forehead. "Stay away from me!" She cried, trying to pull herself away.

Kyle entered the house. "I just wanted to ask you a question." He said, walking over to her. "Just one simple question. Maybe ten minutes of your time. Was that too much to ask?"

He glanced at her face for the first time and could see the terror in her eyes.

"Don't be afraid." He said comfortingly. "I just want to know where Clare kept the evidence she had on Jake. That's all."

Kyle had predicted this, and Helen did exactly what he thought she would.

She played dumb.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about." She said, forcing herself to look into his eyes.

"Almost believable." Kyle sneered. He reached behind him and pulled out the same gun that he had threatened Glen Martin with and held it to Helen's forehead. "Now, tell me where it it and you won't be hurt any further. I might even help you clean up and make it look like an accident."

Helen shuddered before breaking out into sobs. "I-I really don't know where it is! She would be the only one who would know!"

Kyle's grip on the gun tightened and he pressed the muzzle harder against her forehead. "Don't lie to me, Helen! Where is it!"

The only thing she could manage from the point on were incoherent sobs that quickly got on Kyle's nerves. He finally removed the gun from her forehead and stood up.

"Looks like I have one more place to visit." He mumbled to himself, turning on his heels and leaving Helen on the floor.

He was sure she would tell the police it was an accident.