Double Trouble 2: Twisted Sisters

Chapter Sixteen

"How the hell could she have escaped? She is supposed to be monitored."

Dad sighed deeply and said, "I don't have much information. Just that they had taken her out to the garden for some air. Another patient had a fit, and it was all hands on deck. By the time they looked up, she was gone. They searched the whole hospital. No luck. The police have taken over the search but haven't had any luck."

I just sat silently before Dad spoke again. "Christa, the police are going to send officers to your home. Marcus and Jason's as well, to have someone keeping an eye out. They should be contacting the other two right now. I'd alert your job; just have security keep an eye." I said, "Great, now she haunts me at work, and once again, my career is on the line." I rubbed my forehead, feeling the headache coming along.

"They'll find her, sweetie; this is just a precaution." I said, "Excuse me if I don't have a lot of faith in the police. And Clara is not stupid; she won't get caught easily." He didn't have much to say about that one. "I'm sorry, Dad; I'm not upset with you; I'm upset with the whole situation." "I know, baby. Just stay safe, and hopefully, they catch her soon."

I spent a few more minutes on the phone with him before I hung up and steeled myself to go find my boss and explain the situation. Luckily, he was more worried about me than the situation it put the company in. He promised he would have security on the lookout, someone to escort me to my car every day when I left, and a security guard waiting in the garage for me when I came in in the morning. I thanked him profusely and apologized for the trouble I was causing. He shrugged it off, saying you can't pick your family. Lord knows he wasn't wrong about that.

After I met with my boss, I called everyone; Jalissa, Jason, and Marcus. They all had gotten a call from the police telling them to be alert, and it would be officers outside their homes. Even though Jalissa wasn't a target, they worried that Clara would use her to get to me. We all offered each other comfort, but there wasn't anything any of us could do.

Days passed, and Clara had not been found. I was more wound up than ever before. Anxiety was kicking my ass, and nothing anyone said could make me relax.

Every day I left my apartment while the officers conducted shift change. I came home, and they were there. There were also officers outside of my job, and one of the younger security guards would be standing at the doors to the garage waiting for me, and they would follow me out at night. I couldn't leave the house alone often, which was driving me crazy as well. I was really becoming a prisoner in my own home.

I could admit that I was a little scared of Clara; she had tried to kill me before; of course, I'd be wary, but I was angrier than anything at this point. Once again, Clara was interfering with my life because of her issues. I was being punished because she wanted attention and wanted to act out. I no longer wanted to be the object of her obsession and her problems. I was tired of my life being constantly tied to my twin. It wasn't fair in the least.

I had been able to visit with Jalissa at least once during the week. We worked on her wedding plans a bit but mostly talked while she comforted me, and Ashley hung around trying to make us laugh, not that there was anything funny about this situation. I hadn't seen anyone else, not even my parents. They were also being tailed, but more as a place she would run to for protection rather than harm. They were staying home as much as possible, hoping she would come to them, having told her where they were staying on their many visits. They weren't sure if she had processed it but were hoping beyond hope. Mostly they were hoping she wouldn't harm herself or anyone else.

Friday came, and she still hadn't been found. The police had been honest with us, saying that they were holding out hope that she was alive and well, but they had to explore the possibility that they could be looking for a corpse after she had been missing for more than a couple of days. My parents were devastated but still hopeful. I, on the other hand, didn't believe the bitch would die so easily.