Page 26 of Girl Betrayed

Her head shook from side to side so vigorously her black hair covered her face, blurring out her features.

“That’s enough,” Jake bellowed. He shook Dana off and pushed his way into the room. “Bring her out of it now, or I will.”

19

Claire blinkedup at the three concerned faces staring back at her. For a moment she felt the calm that came right before truly waking. But then as always, reality slammed back into place, evaporating the escape of dreams.

“I remember,” she said. “I remember what happened.”

“Tell us,” Dr. Dvita encouraged.

“Don’t push her,” Jake barked.

“I’m merely doing my job, Agent Shepard,” Dr. Dvita replied.

But Jake refused to back down. “Yeah, well all I see is someone who’s being bullied and pushed beyond her limits.”

“It sounds like something you’re familiar with, Agent Shepard. But I’ll warn you, it does no good to deflect your own suppressed trauma onto others.”

Jake looked like a kettle about to whistle. Claire wanted to hug him for jumping to her defense. Her Secret Agent Man. Always there to protect her. If she could retreat into the safety of his arms she would, but it hurt too much.

“Jake,” she called, stopping his advance on Dr. Dvita. “It’s okay. I need him to push me.”

Looking wounded, Jake exhaled, but returned to his seat.

Claire had never been good at letting people in. And this was why. She couldn’t turn her empathy off. She absorbed the injured expression on Jake’s face like a cloud of toxic fumes. It hurt her tenfold, and she’d yet to find the proper release.

Maybe her parents were right. She was damaged; destined to spread her darkness to everyone around her. The words Claire overheard her mother speak all those years ago returned as if she was there in the room.“There’s something wrong with her. The way darkness infects her. It isn’t right. If we’re not careful, she’ll infect us, too.”

They’d been right to cut her out of their lives. And if Claire really cared about Jake and Dana, she’d do the same. But letting go was so hard.

Look at what she’d already cost them. Her weakness had nearly gotten them both killed in the Card Killer case. But here they were, still by her side. Still trying to help. She didn’t deserve it.

Dana crossed the room and sat on the couch beside Claire. “Can I get you some tea? Or do you want to lie down in the guest room?”

Her friend and mentor reached for her hand, but Claire pulled away. It killed her to do so, but if she let Dana in now, she’d never be strong enough to make things right.

“It’s okay,” Claire said. “I don’t need to rest. I remember what happened last night. I want to get it out while it’s still clear.”

Jake sat down across from her, his ever-present little notepad already in hand. “Start from the beginning.”

20

Jake puthis pen down and shook out his hand cramp.

Claire had recounted the night with alarming detail, right down to the moment she saw the whirling red and blue police lights.

“It’s my trigger,” the girl said sheepishly. “The police lights. They remind me of Sadie and the Grave.”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Dana replied, clutching her teacup like it was the glue holding her together.

Jake knew the feeling. He wanted to finish his report and send Dr. Doom packing so he could wrap Claire and Dana in his protection and keep the wickedness of the world away. God knew they’d experienced more than their share. But since that wasn’t going to happen, he cleared his throat and did what he could to ease Claire’s worries.

“You did good, Claire. I’ll pass this description on to the police.”

“You think it’ll help?”

“Height, build, clothes, weapon … it’s a slam dunk, kid.”

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