Chasing Shadows Read online

  "Is there anyway you might reconsider?" To anyone listening it would seem like an appropriate question, but to Jack it was another code, asking for clarification.

  "You're not my only client Nate, and I have paperwork waiting for me at home that need my attention."

  "I appreciate that you're busy. Might you have a cancellation or free space tomorrow?" He almost laughed at the look on Ms Riley's face, clearly neither he or Jack would win any awards with their bad acting.

  Still his question gave the older man the opportunity to move towards the desk, and under the pretense of writing out an appointment card, he wrote a real message for Nate.

  ** Go to Mom's house with her. Will meet you there. **

  "Is this the only time you have, I would hate to miss school and I have car trouble at the minute?"

  "I'm sure there is a bike in the garage, maybe Nate could use that for a while?" Ms Riley rolled her eyes, but played her part with aplomb.

  "You'll need to check it's roadworthy though." She made a 'speed things up' motion with her hand.

  "Works for me, Ms Riley," Nate said. "I'd be more than happy to help if you need anything brought to your car?" He looked in the direction of Jack's office where Grace was still sleeping.

  "How very thoughtful of you. Let's go." He moved as quietly as he could, carefully lifting Grace, waiting to make sure she didn't wake up and alert anyone listening that she was there.

  "I'm parked down the street." Ms Riley pointed towards the underground parking, and Nate nodded his head to show he understood.

  "Try not to be late again Nate, I would hate to think people in town had been right about you all along." Jack made sure to sound annoyed, but the plan had always been for people to think that Nate was wearing on his patience. He would have replied, but Grace began to move slightly, so he walked towards the door Ms Riley was holding open.

  He noted the concern on Jack's face, and knew that he would need to tell his mentor and Ms Riley about the argument he had witnessed between Grace and the doctor. It would be better if she could explain things herself, and he had this gut feeling that was saying she was hiding something big from her guardian and Ms Riley.

  Luckily there was no one around when they reached the car park, and he was able to get in the car still holding a sleeping Grace. The journey to Ms Riley's house was uneventful. He didn't miss the fact that she drove into the garage, staying in the car until the door was fully closed. She opened the door into the house, before opening his door as he still had Grace in his arms.

  She had stirred a little during the journey, before snuggling closer to him. There was something about her unwavering trust that made him feel almost whole. He was glad to see that Ms Riley put on the alarm system after locking the interior door between the garage and the mudroom.

  Low lighting meant that Grace was not disturbed. At Ms Riley's silent instruction he placed the sleeping girl on the sofa in the kitchen; where she would not be woken if they whispered, but they would be able to hear her if she woke up and was surprised by her location.

  "Should we call someone to check on her? Because of her concussion?" He didn't think that she would want to see Dr March, but there were other doctors in town.

  "I imagine she is overtired from her day at school. I should have insisted that she only stay for half a day." Ms Riley moved quietly around the kitchen, preparing sandwiches. She declined his offer to help.

  "I'd rather you tell me what you can, about your day. Jack will be along as soon as possible." He took a moment to gather his thoughts.

  He knew that Jack would be sweeping the office and building for listening devices, then making a big deal about needing to go see his mother, all for the benefit of anyone who might be listening. Then they would debrief about the day.

  He knew it was all necessary but he was just so tired. Tired of the secrets, of the lies. Tired of having to play games, of trying to guess who might be on his stepfather's payroll.

  He wanted for once to be normal. To have the normal concerns of someone his age. Something must have shown on his face for the next moment Ms Riley was by his side again.

  "I wish there was more we could do for you. Sometimes I could swing for your grandfather. His intentions were good, but I think misguided." She paused, "I know he wanted you to have more time before you had to return, that the codicil was different. Before."

  "Before he was told it was months not years he had left?" The cancer had spread before anyone had even become aware of the disease's presence, and then there was nothing that could be done except to make sure that he didn't suffer.

  "The drugs really knocked him for six, but there was this one day; when it was just the two of us, when he apologized. For all that he hadn't been able to do when I was young, for what he was going to ask of me when he was gone." Nate's voice broke on the last word.

  As a wave of grief swept over him, he closed his eyes, trying to stop any rogue tears that might fall against his wishes. He knew that Ms Riley would not judge him, but he needed to be strong so that later, when his task was done, he could find a safe place to cry.

  He felt a gentle touch on his back, then before he had time to look, he knew he was in Grace's arms once again. Maybe, if only for a little while, she could be the one to help him hide from the storms that continued to rage around him.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  "Still not sleeping?" Grace had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Jack's footsteps on the stairs, or noticed when he had first walked into the lounge. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept through the night, and she was really starting to struggle.

  She was just so tired, and it was rare that she actually felt rested. There were times when she couldn't remember her dreams, but they left her with a lingering sense of unease.

  School had never been her favorite place, but the past week and a half had been spent avoiding Maddie and her sidekick. For someone who used to complain about his cousin and her minions, Dylan sure looked comfortable by Maddie's side.

  He was happy to ignore Tess now that he was publicly in favor with his cousin. Grace had tried to speak to Tess just once, but had been told to mind her own business. As far as she could tell Tess was still helping Dylan with the school blog, even with the changes that had been made to it.

  It was now being used as a way to target anyone who Maddie had a grudge against, anyone who had slighted her in even the smallest of ways, no matter how long ago the event had happened. From what Grace could tell Dylan was really enjoying the power trip.

  The spitefulness of the attacks was staggering, and the fact that the supposed faculty adviser had no problem with the material being published, said plenty about how impotent the adults were when dealing with the bullies of Silver Glade.

  She was sure that Dylan was partly responsible for the continuing rumors about Nate. Most students now left him alone, although some of the younger classes still looked at him with fear. Of course there were some exceptions; like the group of footballers who would try to start fights with him, but generally people left him alone.

  Grace thought it was all ridiculous,this apparent attempt to be 'macho men', but she had also noticed that not one member of the faculty made any effort to dispute the rumors or discourage the behavior of the jocks.

  She was fairly certain, that some of what was being published; in the guise of the school's official school blog, was so blatantly inaccurate that the school was guilty of libel. Dylan had included several 'blind items' that had been particularly vicious.

  Yet Nate seemed to take it all in his stride, it was almost as if he had expected nothing less. She couldn't help but feel as if, through her silence, she was complicit somehow.

  "Did you know your mom wanted to call you Jamie, because she loved this film so much?" Jack sat beside her on the sofa. She had been trying to watch a movie, hoping it might help relax her.

  "Really?" Grace loved to hear about her parents, e
specially when they were younger. She was a fan of the early noughties film, the sound track and the rather handsome lead actor. "Would she have called me Landon if I were a boy?" Grace couldn't help crinkle her nose at the thought!

  "You would have been Jamie one way or the other, at least that is what your mom wanted."

  "So why did she change her mind?" Grace was intrigued.

  "Your dad was singing 'Amazing Grace' when you kicked for the first time, and then when your mom was in labor, he sang it again and it helped to calm her down, so she thought it was fate or something."

  She couldn't help but smile at the thought of her dad singing, remembering how he used to sing that song for her when she was younger. She had often questioned his choice, and he had never told her, but now it all made sense.

  "Thanks Jack. Sometimes it's hard, not knowing more about them."

  "Any time you want to know something, you just ask." He paused and she knew he was about to ask her something difficult.

  "Grace I need you to tell me about the disagreement you had with Dr March." She tried not to let her emotions show, but just the mention of the doctor's name made her frustrated.

  "She wouldn't listen to me. Wouldn't believe what I was saying." She rolled her eyes, knowing that she must sound like a petulant teenager.

  "Are you still annoyed that you have limited screen time, I know youngsters these days like to be on-line as much as possible, and you must be missing your photography, but your health is more important."

  Grace felt guilty, and she knew it showed on her face. Rather than tell Jack, or Mimi about the messages on her phone; the emails and voice mails that were growing more threatening, she had lied about still being restricted with her screen time. It was the only excuse she could think of that would explain why she was avoiding her phone and computer.

  She hated lying to Jack, but she didn't know how to tell him about Maddie. It all seemed so crazy, and as more time had gone on she felt as if she was drowning in lies and threats.

  "I can always speak with Dr March if you would like?" That was the last thing she wanted. She knew that the doctor suspected that Jack was responsible for her injuries, and the more she denied it the more the doctor grew convinced that Grace was trying to protect him.

  Nothing she said seem to help the situation and she was just exhausted, her mind constantly whirring with questions and unwanted thoughts. Would Jack hate her for the lies, for not defending him, for not fitting in at school.

  It was times like this; when she felt out of her depth, that she really missed her mom, and didn't that thought make her feel worse. Sure Jack wasn't a biological parent, but he and Mimi had never made her feel as if she weren't family.

  "Grace, please stop crying." Jack's voice cut through her meandering thoughts. Here she was crying. Again. She needed to get herself under control.

  "I'm sorry," she began, hating the weakness in her voice, and then before she knew what was happening the truth tumbled out.

  "There is something you need to know but you're going to be angry and it's all my fault." She struggled to get the words out. Jack was by her side at once, pulling her into a hug, giving her all the time she needed to collect herself. How could anyone think that he could ever hurt her. He was so gentle and patient.

  "Dr March thinks you hurt me." The words spilled out. "There was something in my hospital notes, and no matter what I say she won't believe me. I'm so sorry Jack."

  "Why did you keep this to yourself?" There was no censure in his voice, only concern.

  "At first I was just in shock, like anyone who knows you could ever think that of you. But the more outrage I showed, the more it seemed that she thought there was something to it. Like I was protesting too much." Grace's words seemed to run into one another.

  "The day Nate saw us arguing, it was because she told me if I didn't cooperate with her she would have me taken away. That just because you are my guardian I can be taken away from you."

  She had taken those words as a personal insult, as an affront to the man who had not flinched when he suddenly became a substitute father to a young girl who was mourning the loss of her parents. Or how in her mind, it implied that her parents were mistaken in who they had chosen to look after their only daughter in the event of their deaths.

  It hadn't just been a throw away comment as far as they were concerned; some 'what if'; they had made their wishes legally binding in their wills, drawn up shortly after the birth of their child.

  "Grace, she is obligated to report any worries she might have, to investigate further if she feels there is a legitimate threat to you."

  "Seriously Jack?" She couldn't hide her shock. "How can you defend her like that? There's safeguarding and then there is what she has been doing. You could lose everything."

  "I haven't done anything wrong Grace, I have nothing to hide."

  "Like innocent people haven't ever been found guilty," she couldn't stop herself from interrupting. "And no matter what I tell her, she doesn't believe me. So even with evidence, why would she believe the truth."

  "You could tell her what really happened?"

  "I have told her, it was an accident, at school." Grace knew that her words lacked real conviction, that if he pushed she would probably break down and tell him about Maddie. She felt his gaze on her, not sure what he was seeing.

  "And how have things been at school? Has calculus been any easier?" She was grateful for the change of topic, but still worried about Dr March and her one track mind where Jack was concerned.

  "I think I might actually be understanding things. Nate was right, about needing to go over the basics again." So far they had had two tutoring sessions, both in Mimi's kitchen. She appreciated the way he could explain things without making her feel as if she were stupid.

  "How about the rest of your classes? Everything okay there? Anything you need help with?"

  "Same old really, well except for Ms Field's obsession with Gatsby." At Jack's look of confusion, she continued. "Mr Winter is out sick for a while, so Ms Fields is covering the class. We were due a quiz on 'The Great Gatsby' but for some reason she has decided we need to review it more in class."

  If she never heard about the supposed themes of the novel again it would be too soon. She knew that more than a few students were bored, not only of the book but also the way the teacher was behaving.

  "I don't think she likes Nate." She couldn't understand the teacher's attitude. As far as she knew, Ms Fields, was a relative newcomer to the area. She had been a substitute teacher until the middle of Grace's Junior Year, had seemed approachable but now it was as if Nate's arrival had tripped some kind of switch in her.

  "Has she said or done something to him?" Jack asked, and she thought back to their class the previous day.

  "She calls on him constantly and then dismisses his answers. Then another student will say basically the same thing and be praised. Some students are outright hostile to him, and Ms Fields will ignore it." She paused for a moment.

  She had wanted to speak out, to hold both the teacher and the students to account for what they were doing, but a look from Nate had stopped her. She didn't understand why he didn't want her to defend him, but then again she felt as if there was a lot of information she was missing. "Hasn't he told you any of this?"

  "It's always interesting to hear another person's interpretation of things." It seemed as if Jack wanted to say more, so she stayed quiet.

  "I hope you don't feel as if I've been ignoring you, I know I've been busy and there have been late evenings, but you are my priority. Always." Her feelings of guilt doubled.

  "I'm sorry for keeping things from you. I've probably made things ten times worse for you."

  "It's not an ideal situation, that's for sure, but nothing that can't be sorted out. I'll go see Dr March tomorrow." She liked that Jack didn't sugar coat things, that he treated her like an adult even when she wasn't acting all that grown up.
/>   "Will you talk to the hospital as well?"

  "Probably not, there is nothing to be done to change your notes from your time there." He sounded confident so Grace didn't push the issue.

  "Do you want to tell me why you've been ignoring your phone? Now that I know it's not a medical thing?" Again there was nothing in his voice to suggest he was angry, just curious.

  "I'm just over Dylan and all his drama. He's with Maddie all the time, and the last few messages he sent were just so childish. So I figure it was the perfect time for a digital detox."

  "You could just have blocked his number. I don't like the idea of you not having your phone with you." Even for Jack this seemed a little overprotective. Then again he had never seen either Maddie or Dylan at their worst.

  "I'll get you a new phone, with a new number." This surprised her, but she wouldn't say no.

  She yawned, tired all of a sudden, glad that it was the weekend again.

  "Thanks for not being angry," she stood up slowly. "I'd never forgive myself," she didn't get to finish her sentence as Jack had pulled her into his arms.

  "I'm not angry at you Gracie. I promise you that." She nodded her head in the affirmative. "If you think it would help you to feel more comfortable, we can ask Mom to go with you to any further appointments with Dr March, or see about getting you a new doctor."

  "If your conversation doesn't go well then maybe." She really hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

  "Alright, to Bedfordshire with you!" She loved that he used some of her dad's old sayings. She waited for Jack to turn off the television and lights in the lounge, then they made their way upstairs. She had just reached the door to her bedroom, when he called her name.

  "Your parents would be so proud of you Gracie, how you have dealt with everything. I know things haven't always been easy for you, that there are conversations you would prefer to have with your mom, but I'm always here for you. You always try to see the best in people even when others have written them off. Please don't ever lose that."