Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

Claire checked her appearance again in the mirror before Dr. Klein arrived. When she woke up the following day after playing cards with Ryder, he disappeared and Shadow sat in the living room.

The electrician ordered supplies and gave her an estimate for rewiring parts of the house. Matthew searched for wireless cameras to place in her home. After hearing stories of how people hacked them, she refused. The camera idea paused until the wiring was completed.

Chase contacted the electrician and offered an incentive to add Claire as a top priority. Everyone knew if Chase asked for a favor, they repaid them ten-fold. Not necessarily by money but in the form of exclusive business opportunities. Kassie offered contracts for the long winter months when businesses slowed. Sometimes, it saved a contractor from closing up shop.

A knock indicated her company arrived and she hurried to answer the door. She smiled as she greeted Dr. Klein and allowed him inside. He handed her a beautiful bouquet.

“Thank you for the flowers; let me put them in a vase. What do you want to drink?” she asked as she placed the carry-out bag on the dining table.

“I’ll take water with lemon if you have it.” Dr. Klein smiled and handed her a box of candies.

“I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home.” She walked into the kitchen, leaving the candy on the counter. Pulling out a vase, she filled it with water. She poured Dr. Klein’s drink and added a lemon wedge then a glass of tea for herself before returning to the dining room.

Claire entered to discover Dr. Klein missing. She walked into the living room when she heard a noise from her office. She hastened her steps to find him browsing through her book collection.

“I’m sorry. I wandered in here and was unable to resist seeing how you added to your collection. Do you still have the book I gave you?”

She smiled and reached toward the shelf above him, pulling out his gift. Dr. Klein smiled.

“You remain the best intern I ever worked with. We missed you when you left,” he confessed to Claire.

“It’s sweet of you to say. How’s the new batch of interns?” Claire asked as she walked him back to the dining room.

Dr. Klein shook his head as they sat down. “Sometimes it worries me. These kids stay glued to their phones. They rely on technology for everything. Don’t get me wrong, technology has done wonders in the medical field. Sometimes, it feels like it misses the human component and they miss critical cues when observing a patient. They want to list the information and then deduce the prognosis. It’s nothing like when you interned for us.”

“I’m afraid it shows our age.” She giggled. “I imagine they’ll find their way like all of us did. I can’t imagine what the senior colleagues thought of your generation and mine when we walked through the doors.”

Dr. Klein laughed. “I agree. Now, tell me how you’re doing.”

“I’m healing wonderfully. I still get a bit dizzy, but it’s improving. I can’t read for long, which disappoints me greatly. The specialist refuses to let me return to work even if I agree not to check the files. I’m sure the next three weeks will fly by.”

“What do you do now with all your spare time? You seemed to furnish your house beautifully after living in your tiny apartment in Seattle.”

“Some of it came from storage. This is my mother’s dining table. After Kilner visited, my bosses furnished my living room and replaced it again when I came home to discover my house vandalized.”

“Oh my gosh, Claire. When did it happen?” Dr. Klein asked, surprised.

“It happened about a week ago. Luckily, I wasn’t here when they entered. I’m not entirely without blame. I forgot to turn the alarm on.”

“Do they know who vandalized it?” he asked, concerned. “I didn’t think Serenity experienced much crime.”

“No. They think some teens they’ve dealt with before did it,” she confided.

“Have you thought of returning to Seattle? This place doesn’t seem like the town you described to me in the emails,” he expressed his concern.

Claire laughed. “It’s a wonderful place and I love it here. They treat me like family. They showed up after everything happened and cleaned up the mess. My friends refused to let me bend over because of the dizziness. I sat in my office, inspected my books and sent some to Seattle to see if they might be repaired.”

“Did they take anything?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing to my knowledge.”

“Your book collection’s rare and extensive. Did you catalog each one as I advised? They could sell one of those books alone for a ton of cash.”

“No,” she admitted guiltily. “I forgot. I planned to do it when I moved. Life became hectic. I took on a new patient and we do special theme nights at the hospital. I only unpacked a few days before David Kilner arrived.”

“Did he say how he knew where you lived? It seems odd he knew exactly where you were,” Dr. Klein asked thoughtfully.

“No. The team’s investigating it,” Claire stated.

“The team?” Dr. Klein questioned.

“Oh, yeah. Serenity Securities works on the mountain. They’re helping investigate David Kilner and when he escaped. I’m sure they’ll reach out to you soon. Did you check to see if you received anything from him?”

“I forwarded my mail to my office while I stayed with my mother. You know how slow snail mail runs. I’m still receiving items. I’ll alert you if anything shows up. Then, you can alert the security people. I take it they provide security for you with all this happening?”

“They’re keeping an eye on things. Be sure to let me know,” she stated as she finished the last of her pasta. “Thank you for bringing lunch. It was delicious.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Dr. Klein gathered their take-out garbage and placed it in the bag.

“How about I make some coffee for us? I ordered cupcakes from the local bakery. We can enjoy them in the living room while we chat.”

“It sounds perfect.” He rose to take his plate to the kitchen when someone knocked.

“Leave the dishes. I’ll take care of them after our visit,” Claire called behind her.

Ryder turned to face her as she opened the door. He eyed the car in the driveway before glancing back at her. She didn’t bother to answer the question in his expression. If he cared, he wouldn’t have left her home and disappeared.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“May I come in?” he replied, lifting his brow.

“Do you need to?” she gritted out.

“Do you have a problem?” Ryder scanned the area behind her.

“Nope. I’m perfectly fine.” She started to shut the door, tired of playing his game. His hand shot out and stopped it.

“Claire Bear.”

“Ryder.”

He rolled his eyes and appeared to count to ten. “May I come in and talk to you for a moment?”

“I have company,” Claire stated.

A growl came from Ryder’s chest, warning her she tested his patience and almost making her giggle. Claire moved to the side and allowed him to enter.

“We finished lunch and moved to the living room if you want to join us for coffee and cupcakes.” Claire shut the door and turned toward the kitchen. Ryder peeked inside her office and then into the living room. Discovering a tall man with glasses and a dark blue suit sitting in his favorite recliner, he walked inside.

“Hello. I’m Ryder, a friend of Claire’s.” He extended his hand.

The man stood and clasped Ryder’s offered hand. “I’m Dr. Gregory Klein, a colleague of Claire’s.”

She returned to the living room, carrying a tray of cupcakes, petit fours and three cups of coffee. Bowls of sugar and creamer accompanied them.

“I see you met Ryder,” Claire stated cheerfully.

Ryder scowled at her as he regarded the physician. He appeared a bit older than her, but not enough to matter. Dr. Klein’s dark curly hair appeared perfectly styled and the suit seemed expensive. The car outside in the driveway proved the doctor led a comfortable lifestyle.

Did Claire want this type of life? She followed the rules and wore expensive suits. He knew her lingerie came from exclusive stores. Ryder didn’t particularly mind the latter. He witnessed her wearing T-shirts and shorts to fit in with the teens. She kept a nice collection of vintage tees with his favorite bands in her closet.

He sat on the couch beside Claire, who frowned in his direction. She passed her colleague a cup and a plate with his selection.

“Ryder, do you want a cupcake or petit fours?” She directed her attention to him.

“I’ll take a cupcake,” Ryder said harshly.

Unlike the careful placement of Dr. Klein’s cupcake, she picked his up and slammed it down on the plate while plastering a fake smile. Claire almost appeared scary.

“Thank you,” he snarked at her before directing his attention to Dr. Klein. “Claire tells me you worked together on the Kilner case.” Ryder ignored the searing glare coming from Claire’s direction.

“Yes. We worked together to put him away. I’m sorry I ever allowed her near his case.” Dr. Klein pushed his stylish glasses up his nose.

“Did you need something, Ryder?” Claire asked sweetly.

“I came to talk to you about the festival tomorrow. My friends fly in around 1100 and I thought you might enjoy joining us for the day. I can pick you up,” he added.

“I’m already attending the festival. Hopefully, we’ll see each other there,” Claire informed him while she sipped her coffee.

“I hope you don’t plan to drive. It’s against the rules,” Ryder reminded her.

“I’m aware of my limitations,” she gritted out. “Gregory, can I get you anything else?”

“I can use a refresh on my coffee. Then, I’m afraid we’ll need to cut the visit short. I want to ensure my arrival occurs when my mother appears her most lucid.” Dr. Klein smiled at Claire.

She rose and refilled his coffee and Ryder watched the scene playing out before him like a stolen version of a movie from the sixties. Couldn’t the dude pour his own cup when the pot sat on the table before him? Irritation flowed through him.

Claire sat beside him, not bothering to ask if he wanted anything else. Of course, he refused to allow her to pour him another cup, but she could’ve at least asked.

She set her plate on the table. “Next time you come to Serenity, I’ll take you up the mountain. You’ll enjoy touring the facility and seeing how it runs.”

Ryder’s cup slammed heavily against the wood. “Do you still reside in Seattle? I’m new to the area. Do you have any restaurants you might recommend? I’m a foodie and love trying new things.”

“I’m a fan of seafood. I enjoy Pier 66 for fresh fish. There’s a wonderful place near my home on Freemont Street.”

“Do you like seafood?” Claire asked.

“I joined the Navy, didn’t I?” He threw her way.

Dr. Klein chuckled. “I’m afraid I’ll take my leave. I’m planning another surprise trip in two weeks to see how the staff reacts when they don’t expect me to arrive. I can bring lunch again and tour your mountain.”

“You know where to find me,” Claire quipped. “Let me know when you’ll arrive and it’s a date.”

Dr. Kein stood and nodded toward Ryder. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Claire walked the man to the door while Ryder sat back, mimicking the good doctor. It seemed petty, but he didn’t care.

Claire entered the room, and he witnessed the fury in her eyes as she crossed her arms.

“Why did you come here? Did your phone stop working? There’s no need for you to come to my home. I’m aware of how much you abhor it. You loathe it enough to slink out at night without a word. I woke up to find Shadow in your place,” Claire seethed.

Ryder held his hand up to stall her rant and to explain himself. “I know I owe you an explanation. Can we put it on hold for a minute? How do you plan to come to the mountain tomorrow?”

“If it’s any of your business, I’m coming with Bryanna and Saint,” she spit out.

“Claire Bear, listen, I know I left, and it was a shitty thing to do. I’m not sure if I can explain why I did it. I needed some time to think about some things. I want Melody, Tex’s wife, to meet you. She always supported me and never complained when Tex dropped everything to see me.”

“I’m sure we’ll run into each other at some point.” Claire didn’t budge.

He swallowed. “Geez, I’m an ass. I’m sorry.”

“Ryder, I’ll see you tomorrow. I appreciate the apology.” She sighed.

He walked before her and tilted her chin to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I needed time to sort a few things out. Plus, I spent some time with Scott.”

“It’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Claire responded softly.

“Do you plan to attend the Halloween party? The kids seem stoked. I swear they’ve hidden shit all over the hospital to make the staff scream. Kassie put her foot down when she opened her fridge to find a severed head dripping with ketchup. She’s got a set of lungs on her. I heard her on the next floor. It woke the babies up and then Catherine turned livid. Those two act super scary when pissed. Some older redhead showed up and laughed hysterically before gathering the teens together and plotting something. I don’t know her, but Shadow seemed scared of her.”

“Victoria and Ivan must’ve arrived in town. They’re close with Kassie, Chase and the team. Some of her men help secure the mountain. Wait till you meet her husband.” She laughed.

“Are you coming to the party?” Ryder asked again when she avoided his question.

“Yes. I’m in charge of chaperoning from 1800 to 2000.”

“Can I help you?” Ryder volunteered.

“I’m sure Kassie can use more hands on deck. Check with her. Ivan’s punishing his men by making them spread out, watching for horny teens searching for secluded areas.”

“He punishes his men? Who is this guy?” He jerked his head back in question.

Claire grinned. “Victoria and Ivan are something you need to witness for yourself. They come with teams of men and whatever they say goes. If he finds any slackers, he punishes them. I believe last time, they picked flowers and spent an afternoon making snowballs for a snowball fight between the couples.”

Ryder’s face scrunched as he tried to picture a bunch of men picking flowers and making snowballs.

She chuckled. “Wait until tomorrow and then you’ll understand.”

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he murmured.

“Till tomorrow,” she answered softly.

Ryder began to lean in for a kiss when she stepped back. Hurt flashed across her face before she masked it with a smile. Guilt rolled in his gut. He didn’t intend to cause her discomfort. He wanted to talk to Whiskey before Tex arrived. Now, Ryder seemed to have blundered his chance with Claire.