Chapter 126 - The Pieces of the Puzzle (1/2)
She can't believe what she's seeing: Gabriel acting like a child, cooing and making baby talk to the puppy. He acts like he's holding an actual human baby, showing the puppy around the suite, giggling when the puppy licks his face.
”He's so cute,” he says. ”Where did you get him?”
”It's a 'she' and her name's Samantha,” Claire says. ”Bought her at the park.”
”Really? Somebody's selling dogs at the park?”
”I guess I just got lucky. It was serendipitous.”
A shadow passes over Gabriel's face, remembering why he's here in the first place: because Claire wasn't around when he tried to pick her up. ”What came over you, vanishing on me like that?”
Claire gazes out at the city skyline. There's still no sun. Everywhere are clouds and grayness. ”That's what I need to speak to you about.”
Gabriel puts the puppy on the floor. Sam is freaked out when her feet touch the carpet; she sniffs at it, probably surprised at the new surroundings. But her instinct kicks in soon, as she begins exploring the suite, like a school kid on the first day of summer. ”You sound serious,” Gabriel says.
”Dead serious,” she says. ”Because I was almost killed. Or at least severely harmed.”
Gabriel cups her face in his hands as Claire's tears starts streaming. ”Jesus, what happened, love?”
She gazes into his eyes, trying to fathom the future. If only she could see the consequences. If only. ”How was lunch with Miguel?” She wipes her tears with the back of a hand, and turns to look for Sam, who has disappeared.
Gabriel follows her with a look that says, ”What the hell?”
”I'm not sure about Miguel,” Gabriel says. ”He also didn't show up.”
Claire stops in her tracks. ”Did he call you up?”
”No,” Gabriel says, exasperated. ”I was even thinking earlier that you guys may be up to something, because both of you were missing.”
”He didn't even leave a message? Texted you?”
Gabriel shrugs. ”Tried calling him up, but his number's out of reach. What do you think happened with him?”
”He's probably in hell, with all the evil ones.”
He laughs drily. ”How do you mean? Did anything happen to you without my knowledge?”