Chapter 2 - CLICK
“WHERE DID YOUR PAYCHECK GO?!”
Claire stood in the bathroom doorway because Dean had followed her there after she asked in the kitchen.
He grabbed her arm.
Then—
CRACK.
Her shoulder hit the mirror.
Glass fractured behind her.
Claire dropped to the floor.
Dean shouted:
“STOP QUESTIONING ME!”
Linda and Frank appeared almost immediately.
Claire looked at them.
“He just hit me!”
Linda looked at the broken mirror.
“Then clean it up.”
Frank handed Dean a beer.
“Don’t let her stress you out, son.”
Claire stared.
No surprise.
No fear.
No question.
Dean drank.
Pointed at the floor.
“You heard her. Clean it.”
Claire slowly knelt.
Her hands shook.
Dean and his parents kept talking behind her.
Not whispering.
Mocking.
Linda:
“Always dramatic.”
Frank:
“Should’ve learned by now.”
Claire wiped her tears.
Then reached into her pocket.
Black keychain.
Her fingers closed around it.
CLICK.
One press.
Recording.
Dean kept drinking.
CLICK.
Second press.
Alert.
Linda noticed.
“What are you hiding?”
Claire froze.
Dean turned slowly.
“Claire.”
He stepped toward her.
“What are you doing?”
Claire looked up.
Fear disappeared.
Not because she was safe yet.
Because evidence was leaving the room.
Dean reached toward her.
Claire pressed one final time.
CLICK.
Dean froze.
Not because he knew exactly what the device was.
Because Claire smiled.
Very slightly.
Then her phone, hidden in her pocket, vibrated three times.
Signal sent.
Dean looked at Linda.
Linda looked at Frank.
Frank said:
“What did she press?”
Claire stood.
Dean grabbed for her hand.
She stepped back.
“Don’t.”
He laughed.
“Or what?”
Then sirens sounded far away.
Dean’s face changed.
Linda went pale.
Frank stopped drinking.
May you like
Claire looked at all three.
“That.”
