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worker. The second reason is, I want to know if you or she has an ex who might not be happy with your relationship.”
“I confronted my ex when I was still in Houston. After she pleaded with me to go to the police, I believed she was innocent. I can give you her name; I doubt she’ll mind speaking with you. I don’t know anything about Tristan’s exes.”
The detective’s eyebrow shot up at the revelation. “How long have you been involved with this woman?”
Claire’s face flushed with anger. She was embarrassed because she realized that she really didn’t know that much about Tristan’s past lovers. “We’ve been together for a few months, and I don’t think I like where this is going.”
“Why not?” the detective asked pointedly.
“Are you including my girlfriend as a suspect, just because we haven’t been together that long?”
“I’m just covering all the bases.”
“If a straight woman came in with the same complaint, would you suspect her boyfriend?” Claire fought hard to keep her anger at bay.
“Miss Murray, it’s my job to suspect everyone around you. It doesn’t matter to me what the sex of your lovers is. There have been cases where we have overlooked the obvious,” the detective stated kindly.
“I didn’t meet Tristan until I moved to Baton Rouge, so you are safe to cross her off the list,” Claire asserted calmly. “My employee Mike is the only plausible suspect in my mind because I worked with him on other accounts in the Houston area.”
The detective jotted notes on a tablet. “Let me run these for prints, and I will forewarn you when we go to question Mike. I promise we will do it away from the office and do our best to avoid causing you any embarrassment at your place of business.”
Tristan finished her work in record time and was happy to be headed home. She missed Claire in the short time they were apart.
She marveled that she had not had the compulsion to run from Claire anymore. She’d purged her soul of the hurt that she had harbored for years and now felt free to let someone in. For the first time in her life, she wanted someone to be there when she woke up each morning, and that someone was Claire. Nearly all her dark 133
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secrets had been revealed, and she knew she had one more hurdle to cross before Claire could truly be hers.
Claire eventually relaxed and spent a lot more time than she planned going over all the details with the detective. When she returned to Tristan’s place, Claire was surprised to see that Tristan had already beaten her there. She wondered if Tristan would be angry that she didn’t include her in the plans to go to the police.
When Claire opened the door, the smell of spicy food cooking filled her sinuses. Making a beeline for the stove, she lifted the lid to find seafood gumbo simmering. “Don’t even think about digging in yet, missy. It needs another hour.” Tristan laughed as the startled blonde dropped the lid onto the pot.
Tristan gave her a peck on the cheek. “Where have you been, honey? You didn’t leave a note, and I was beginning to get a little worried.”
“I had some errands to run. I got the laundry started, then I went out. Did you get caught up on your paperwork?” Claire asked, changing the subject.
“Yep, I did, and I rushed home because there is something I really want to talk to you about.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you got home. I’m all ears now.”
Tristan poured Claire and herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. “I was thinking about this on the way home today, Claire. I have to tell you ... I ... umm ...” Tristan’s nervousness was evident, and Claire reached across the table and took Tristan’s shaking hand into her own.
“I’ve never discussed this with anyone, and it’s so hard.” Tristan bowed her head, struggling with what she knew must come next.
“Is it about your mother?” Claire asked, trying to help.
“No, it’s not about her at all. Claire, I love you with all my heart.
Will you move in with me?” Tristan blurted out in a burst of words, knowing if she didn’t get it out quickly, she would lose her nerve.
Claire tucked her fingers underneath Tristan’s chin and lifted slightly until Tristan’s nervous eyes met her own. “Are you really 134
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in love with me, Tristan, because I am head over heels in love with you.”
Tristan smiled faintly. “I’ve never been truly in love, so I have nothing to compare it to. I can tell you, though, that I’ve never felt anything like this in my entire life.”
Claire jumped up from her chair and settled on Tristan’s lap. “I love you, too, sweetie, and I would love to move in with you.”
Tristan buried her face in Claire’s chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
“I do think we need to discuss a few things, though,” Claire said as Tristan looked up at her. “If you’re ready, I’d like you to tell me about your mother. I know it’s hard to talk about, but I want to know how to deal with Mallory should she ever show up here again.”
Tristan nodded and reached for her cigarettes. “Up until recently, I’ve never told a soul about my childhood.” She painfully explained the same things about her mother that she told Lucy. It was still a struggle but less of an effort this time around. Claire openly wept as Tristan relived the trauma.
“How could anyone treat her child that way?” Claire asked as tears poured down her face.
“I would like to know the answer to that and a million others. I think part of it was she was jealous of the relationship I had with my dad. We were always so close, and she was always left out, mostly of her own choosing.” Tristan wiped her eyes. “I’m a grown woman now, and I can’t let the ghosts of the past rule my life. My first step was allowing you to get close to me, and I am so glad I did.”
“Tris, while we’re bearing our souls, I need to tell you the truth about what I did today. I went to the police with the pictures and letters. The detective is going ...”
“You did what?” Tristan jumped up from the table, nearly throwing Claire to the floor. “Why ... Why did you go behind my back?”
Claire was shocked by Tristan’s reaction. “Baby, I didn’t go behind your back. I decided on the spur of the moment, and I went before I lost my nerve. Besides, I felt it was something I needed to do on my own.”
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Tristan stood staring at Claire, her eyes easily conveying the hurt and betrayal she felt. Claire got up and took her into her arms.
“I’m sorry, love. If I’d known that it was this important to you, I would have taken you with me.” She felt Tristan’s arms encircle her, but her body remained rigid. Claire closed her eyes and silently prayed that she had not set their relationship back by her misjudgment.
Claire spent the evening trying to make it up to Tristan. Tristan verbally accepted her apology, but Claire could tell there was something brewing behind her brown eyes. Later that evening as they lay in bed, both trying to sleep with the specter of hurt feelings hanging heavily upon them, Tristan confirmed for Claire that she did indeed still want her to move in. It was her first attempt to get back to the happy decision they made earlier in the day.
“If you would prefer, we can use your sofa, and I can move mine into the storage room. Whatever belongings you have that you would like to see in this house, feel free to tell me where you want them, and I will move my stuff out of the way. I want this to look and feel like your home, too, Claire. All I ask is that you leave the storage room to me. It hurts to go in there. That’s the real reason I have it locked. Dad’s stuff is in there.”