Chasing Shadows Page 11

  Jack had excused himself to make some calls, reminding Nate they had some work to do later. Ms Riley was in her green house, so he and Grace had worked in a companionable silence to clean the kitchen. She seemed to be at ease in his company, so he believed that their tentative friendship was intact.

  He had been happy to discover they had three shared classes, even if they couldn't talk in public it was always good to have a friendly face in the room.

  They had just finished up as Ms Riley returned, she sent Grace to rest, reminding her about her limited screen time. She had offered him a smile before leaving the room, something that had not gone unnoticed by her grandmother.

  He remembered waiting for the lecture, for the warning to stay away but as always the older lady surprised him with her words.

  "Guard her heart like your own," and then she had started a conversation about something else entirely, ignoring Nate's attempts to question her original statement. There had been no accusations, no threats of shotguns, and for that he was glad.

  He had spent the majority of the day either with Jack or Ms Riley. All three trying to guess what his stepfather and his cronies were planning, how he might take preventative measures to stop them. There was a debrief about the 'interview' with Officer Camden, and then much to his amusement Ms Riley had decided that she would call Mrs Camden after all.

  Nate wanted to run some information through his computer systems, to see if he could get access to the security cameras in the school in case the true culprit had been careless enough to be captured on screen.

  Jack had wanted him to stay another night, had worried about him being by himself in his house in the woods, but Nate had reassured him that he would be okay. That he would drive carefully via the back road behind Ms Riley's house so that no one would see him.

  It was even more apparent that Officer Camden was prepared to ignore laws if it meant he could target Nate, and win favor with his stepfather. Since they still didn't know if the officer was working alone in order to prove his usefulness to Sinclair; or if he was following some plan devised by his stepfather; or if he was collaborating with others who had been recruited, Nate didn't want to tempt fate.

  Until he knew otherwise, the majority of the town was under suspicion. He was sure that those with malicious intent would not be able to stay concealed in the shadows, and when they revealed themselves he would be ready.

  Grace had been sleeping when he was leaving, not that she had been avoiding him. She and Ms Riley had made lunch, as well as some cookies for Nate to bring back to the cabin with him. He had even found a small amount of time to go through a little of her last math test with her, assuring her that she wasn't that bad, just needed a little help to fully understand the basics which she had never quite been able to grasp.

  He had left her camera in the lounge for her, along with a note reminding her he still needed the model of the lens he needed to replace. Jack had walked him to this truck, checking that all the lights were working, just in case any overenthusiastic police officer stopped him.

  His mentor seemed hesitant about something, it was like he wanted to ask or say something but couldn't for some reason. Nate didn't push the issue, knowing the older man would speak when he was ready.

  The sound of a car engine drew Nate from his thoughts, back to the present. From his place in the car park, he could see an expensive foreign model sports car driving into one of the reserved spaces. Even with the distance that separated them, he could see that it was his former tutor Ms. Fields.

  He had known that she worked here, that even though he was not in any of her classes, there was always the chance that their paths would cross on campus. He suspected that she was still on his father's payroll. Anyone who could witness the obvious ongoing physical abuse of a child; and not report it, would have no trouble continuing to take payment from the person responsible.

  Sure it would have been risky to speak out, but even an anonymous tip to the right people would have been better than her silence, her compliance. She could have found a way to speak to his grandfather; but she hadn't, and Nate no longer cared why.

  He did wonder how she might react when they met, would she try to talk to him, try to justify all that she had not done all those years ago. He wondered if she had ever known that part of the reason he was able to escape was because of her.

  He had faked interest in how cars worked, the difference between driving a manual car versus an automatic. He had made a bet that she couldn't teach him how to drive, flattering her out loud while cursing her in his head.

  By the look of the car she drove now, Ms Fields didn't appear to be short of funds, even on a teacher's salary. He would need to run another, more focused background check on her, and soon. If there were any weaknesses or discrepancies then Nate was prepared to use them, but he really didn't want to have to sink to the same level as his stepfather.

  The teacher would have her chance to make her arguments in court for why she should not serve jail time. At the very least Nate didn't think he was wrong to want to see her lose her accreditation as a teacher.

  He used a side door to reach his locker, biting back a curse when he saw that his lock had been cut, and a school issued one used as a replacement. There was nothing of any real worth in the locker, but he had told Principal Carter that he would not tolerate any efforts at power plays.

  As he didn't have the combination that meant a trip to the school office, or he could just not use the locker for the time being. His book bag wasn't overly heavy so Nate decided to head to the library before the first class of the day.

  He noted that for a building that had supposedly been vandalized there was no smell of fresh paint or bleach, no tell tale signs of damage.

  The posters for events that had been on the walls the previous Friday appeared untouched. So why then had the school actually been closed? Who was supposed to have seen the damage? There was more going on, and he needed to figure things out as soon as possible.

  The halls were slowly filling with students, and Nate heard the whispers as he walked passed them. He wasn't particularly bothered; there was only one person at school who's opinion mattered to him, the one person he couldn't speak with or be seen with, but he would definitely be looking out for her. Maybe in time the interest in him would die down, but he wasn't holding his breath for that happening any time soon.

  Reaching the library, he spoke with the faculty member there and collected his card. He was somewhat impressed with the selection of books and journals on offer to students; noted with interest the top of the range computer equipment and made a mental note to look at the finances of the school again. In theory Theodore Roosevelt was a public school, but based on what he had seen, they must have one hell of a booster club.

  A glance at his watch told Nate it was time to get to his first class, AP Mandarin. He had been surprised to see the class was offered, but then again many of the founding families were involved in the running of multinational corporations.

  His grandfather had stressed the importance of expanding his range of languages, and while he had struggled at first, he was now confident that he could hold his own with a native speaker. He could have tested out of it already, but he hadn't wanted too many free classes.

  The teacher was someone he didn't immediately recognize, the woman seemed friendly enough, making no comment other than to tell him that there was a free seat in the last row of the room. After that first class the day seemed to fly by.

  There were the predictable whispers, from both students and faculty alike. Some random footballer had attempted to challenge Nate in the hall before his last class of the day, trying to press the matter when an audience had gathered to watch.

  He had ignored the footballer, while resisting the urge to laugh at the look of disappointment on face of Principal Carter who just happened to be there at the exact time a punch had been thrown at him.

  Of course the older man had ju
st walked away when Nate had dodged the hit and not even acknowledged the actions the other student.

  Any feelings of levity disappeared when Nate saw Ms Fields sitting at the teacher's desk of his AP English class. She didn't look all that happy to see him either and her voice was low and weak when she addressed him.

  "Mr Henderson, you are late." The second bell rang just as she spoke, causing her to flush. "Take a seat beside Ms Andrews." She pointed in the direction of the only free seat in the room, beside Grace.

  Nate moved slowly, dropping into the seat he had been assigned, not looking directly at his friend, knowing instinctively that the teacher was watching him closely. If this was some kind of test or trick, then she had made a mistake.

  "Mr Winters is sick so I shall be taking his classes for the moment. I believe you are reading 'The Great Gatsby', is that correct?" Before anyone could confirm this, two students walked into the class, too busy talking to care that they were late.

  "Dylan, Maddison, please try to be on time in future." Ms Fields didn't really sound as if she was annoyed at the disturbance, again watching Nate for any reaction he might have to the newcomers. Truthfully he was more interested in the way that Grace's posture had changed.

  She seemed to be on edge, her body filled with tension. She was staring at her book as if her life depended on it, and she was pale. While Nate wanted to ask her if she was okay, if she was suffering from lingering side effects of her concussion, he knew he couldn't.

  "I can't believe you have to share a room with him," he heard the fake whisper from the boy who had been late. What was his name, Dylan? Ms Fields remained silent, no reprimand for speaking out of turn, again she was watching her former student.

  "Can anyone tell me the themes of 'Gatsby'?" No one spoke; the atmosphere in the room thick with tension and anticipation.

  "Well he was a liar right?" Dylan spoke. "He wanted people to like him so he pretended to be someone he wasn't. No matter who got hurt."

  "Do you agree with this assessment Mr Henderson?" Ms Fields asked.

  "I think the book is overrated to be honest," Nate made sure he sounded bored. He knew that Dylan had been trying to goad him, that the teacher had been expecting a reaction, and he refused to play their games.

  The class felt never ending, but he was more worried about Grace than whatever taunts were thrown his way. It seemed to him as if every time Dylan spoke it upset her, and on the one occasion Maddie had contributed, she had actually flinched.

  The bell rang eventually, and Nate took his time to gather his things, watching how she hurried from the room, as if she were being chased. He decided to text Ms Riley, to let her know that Grace had seemed unwell, that maybe she had returned to school too soon.

  "A word Mr Henderson." He remembered that particular tone, the one Ms Fields used when she was trying to be strict. "I don't appreciate your attitude in class. I would have thought that someone in your position would try to avoid attention as much as possible."

  "If you recall, I never was a fan of the book and that hasn't changed." He paused, considering his next words. "It might interest you to know that I have changed, that I expect more from my teachers, expect more from the adults around me. It would be such a shame if you failed again in your duty of care to a student."

  Then before she could say anything else, Nate left the classroom. He glanced around looking for Grace but there was no sign of her.

  Making his way out to the car park he could see the football team and cheerleaders on the playing field, the rest of the students were gone. So there was no one there to witness his reaction on reaching his truck and seeing the damage that someone had done to it in his absence.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  It had taken an hour for a recovery vehicle to arrive; Nate was unwilling to call the local garage, so even though it meant a delay, he preferred to use a company he trusted. Since he happened to own the tow company he knew that he could rely on his truck being seen to quickly with no need to worry about the quality of work that would be done.

  He had ordered a full maintenance service, needing to know if the vandal had tampered with any part of the truck. He had left one camera in place, just as insurance, and once back in the privacy of his cabin he would run the footage.

  From his initial assessment while he waited, it looked as if a Taser had been used to puncture all the tires, and he suspected the butt end of a gun had been responsible for the broken mirrors and windows.

  Nate had called Jack, letting him know that he was without transportation for the time being. He would walk to the Riley building but would be late for his appointment. Hating that he was delaying Jack's evening, when the man was already devoting a lot of time to his case, he tried his best to contain his temper.

  He didn't trust his stepfather not to have eyes on him, wanting to have witnesses should Nate act out, or react in any way. The football team, cheerleaders and faculty had left, some of them looking strangely at him, then laughing when they had seen his truck. It had seemed as if one of the players had considered stopping, had wanted to speak with him, but then changed his mind when one of his team mates had called him.

  There had been something familiar about him, but it had been so long since he had mixed with anyone his own age, that he was drawing a blank. Maybe he would look in the yearbook to see if he could match a name to the face.

  Aside from Grace, he had been the only student all day not to have looked at Nate with fear, curiosity or disdain.

  The walk to Jack's office didn't take too long, and was thankfully uneventful. The last thing Nate wanted was to have to deal with another run in with the oh so friendly Officer Camden. Letting himself in to the building with the key Ms Riley had given him, he was surprised to hear raised voices, one of which belonged to Grace.

  She was arguing with an older woman, someone Nate had seen in passing on one of his previous visits. He had actually seen her staring at Jack, almost as if she was working up the courage to approach him. Of course when he had mentioned this to his mentor, the older man had quickly denied it.

  "Dr March," Nate said to himself, remembering the name.

  He could see that the conversation between Grace and the doctor was getting more heated, that whatever Dr March was saying it was not what his friend wanted to hear. He briefly wondered if he should approach them, try and diffuse the situation, but as it was a public space he needed to keep his distance.

  Sighing at the futility of it all, and cursing his stepfather for continuing to control his life, he moved towards Jack's office. He was half way up the stairs when he heard Grace shout, then the slamming of a door and then slow footsteps on the stairs just below him.

  He waited, then found himself moving when he heard Grace crying. He couldn't not try to comfort her, she looked so small, trying to hide the fact that she was upset enough to cry.

  Slowly, so as not to startle her, he took a seat beside her, then he reached out with his hand. She looked up but stayed silent as he tangled their fingers together, an unreadable look in her eyes.

  Unable to help himself, he wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. She seemed so lost, so unsure and Nate wanted to hurt the person who had made her feel that way.

  "Do you want to talk my Belle?" He asked quietly. Grace shook her head. "How can I help?" Nate kept his voice soft.

  "Stay with me, please." Those four words, though whispered, couldn't hide her pain.

  "As long as you need." He knew that trying to get her to share anything else just then would be pointless. The fact that she trusted him to just sit by her side, to share this moment with him, it spoke more to him than any words she might have said.

  He felt his phone ring, but he decided to ignored it. More time passed and the worst of her crying jag was finally over. He felt her head rest on his shoulder, and he knew that she had tired herself out. After a few minutes, he realized that she had actually fallen asleep.

  Carefully h
e moved so that she was cradled in his arms. Minding every step he took, he made his way to the next floor, noticing at once the alarmed look on Jack's face when he came into view.

  "Let me put her on the sofa in your office," he whispered, not wanting to wake Grace. He made sure that she was covered with the fleece throw, and then with a last glance in her direction he stepped into the reception area. Jack had waited patiently, watching from a distance, while speaking on the phone.

  "Mom will be here in a few minutes, then you and I need to talk." For once Nate couldn't tell what was going on in the mind of his mentor. His tone was sharper than usual. Had Jack discovered something that they could use against his stepfather? Surely he didn't think that Nate had done something to harm Grace? He must have shown his fears on his face because Jack was beside him in a moment.

  "Nate, we trust you. I trust you." There was an urgency to Jack's words, spoken quietly, yet they still offered some reassurance to him, and he felt guilty for his doubts.

  "Stop it Nate, get off the roller coaster before it throws you off." There was a strictness to the instruction but it was enough to break through the emotions that constantly threatened to consume him.

  The conversation was put on pause when Ms Riley appeared, her concern apparent.

  "Oh my child, you are stronger than even you know." Then without another word she enveloped Nate in a hug that he didn't know he had needed. It had taken years for him to get to the stage where he didn't flinch at unexpected or unannounced touch. It had been one of the longer lasting side effects of the years of abuse at the hands of his stepfather and his friends.

  He was not completely healed; he wasn't even sure if that was possible, but he was determined to overcome his fears. Reluctantly he stepped back, his attention returning to Jack who began to speak.

  "As you're so late I'm afraid we will have to miss our appointment." He noted at once the use of a code phrase they had agreed on, if either believed the building had been compromised.