Chasing Shadows Read online

  The stairs were a challenge for her, and while she wanted to take a strong painkiller and then a bath, Grace wasn't sure either was the best option at the moment. Not based on how she'd needed to use the banister to pull herself up the stairs.

  As her headache was getting worse, Grace knew that she had no choice but to call someone for help, and soon. Unfortunately she had left her phone in her bag which was downstairs, which meant she would need to navigate the stairs carefully. It was with some relief that she heard the front door opening, just as she prepared to sit on the bottom step, all her energy used.

  She heard her name being called as if from a distance, saw two figures in the haze that seemed to have covered her vision. Her head, no her whole body felt so incredibly heavy that it was impossible for her to stay upright. There was a brief moment of sharp pain and she knew she was falling, then everything went black.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The day was turning into a complete cluster fuck as far as Nate was concerned, and it wasn't even nine o'clock in the morning. First there had been that crazy chick taking pictures of him. When he had grabbed the camera from her hands she had looked shocked, as if not expecting that reaction.

  He knew his voice had been harsher than it needed to be in the situation, but the sooner the locals learned not to mess with him the better it would be for everyone. When she had refused to delete the photographs he had felt the control he kept on his temper begin to fray, so leaving was his only option before he did or said something that he would later regret.

  The look of horror he had seen in her eyes as he turned to walk away almost made him stop, to give her another chance to apologize, but then he had heard voices approaching and Nate knew it was time to stage a strategic retreat.

  He would keep the camera safe, and find a way to return it to it's owner. Hopefully it would give his mystery girl time to understand that he wasn't willing to have his privacy invaded, even if this town seemed to think he owed them.

  Thankfully the car park was still relatively empty, although closer to the football field he could see a number of vehicles, could hear the sounds of an early morning practice. Nate tried to picture who was on the field, wondered which of his former friends might be playing. In an alternative life he could have been out there, working with a team, maybe even being scouted for college teams.

  Nate had no time to dwell on what might have been. It served no purpose only to remind him of what he had actually lost. He had no need for college ball, had no intention of pursuing further education once this year was over. Nate just needed to finish out the school year, per his grandfather's request, maybe pass some A.P. classes and then get the hell out of Silver Glade, never to return again.

  The sound of breaking glass drew his attention once more to the camera he held in his hand. Fuck, he had broken the lens that was attached to it. He would have to have it fixed or replaced. Sitting in his car, he examined the camera closer, cursing when he realized that it was an old school one that took film. His mystery girl had tried to tell him, but he had been so focused on getting rid of any pictures that he hadn't listened.

  Wait a minute, she wasn't his mystery girl, even if that was the second time his inner voice had emphasized the 'his' when he thought of her. Okay so she had been cute, Nate wasn't blind. "But you are a liar," his inner voice taunted him. Not cute then, but not classically beautiful either. There was just something about her, something Nate couldn't, or wouldn't define.

  Now when he thought about her eyes, the distinctive shade of gray had been replaced, so that it was only the sheen of tears in them that was visible in his memory. Knowing that he was responsible for upsetting her, for making her so afraid that she almost cried, was like a punch to the gut.

  Nate of all people knew the pain of others not taking the time to hear him out. He understood the frustration of not being believed because people had already made up their minds, to the point that they couldn't even be bothered to pretend to listen. Nate wanted to walk back into the school building and seek her out, offer her a sincere apology and return her camera with the promise of a replacement lens.

  However, as much as he wanted to immediately correct his mistake, he knew that showing anyone, especially a girl, any form of attention, would only draw her into the wreck that was his life. It might even put a target on her back if the wrong person saw them talk, saw them interact in any way.

  If his mystery girl decided to report the incident to Principal Carter, and she would have every right to, then Nate could have given the man the excuse he was looking for to suspend him.

  As more cars began arriving Nate knew that if he was to escape, then he needed to leave now. There was nothing he could do just then that might solve the issue, not without causing further damage. Since he didn't even know his mystery girl's name, or what class she was in, there was no guarantee he would find her again.

  She must have been a transfer student. Something that was extremely rare in Silver Glade, and there had been nothing familiar about her to suggest she might be a younger sister of one of his old friends. Maybe he might be able to speak with Ms Riley, Jack's mother.

  She was a straight talking, no nonsense lady, who knew everyone who had ever set foot in Silver Glade. She could tell you any facts about your family, how they were connected to others in the town, going back at least three generations.

  That was one of the reasons she had been the chair of the Historical Society for as long as Nate had been alive. Surely Ms Riley would be able to help him. She never rushed to judgment and had been a trusted friend of both his grandparents.

  Feeling a little calmer, Nate drove away from the school. He was careful to drive within the speed limits, and had almost reached the building which housed Jack's practice, when flashing lights appeared in his rear view mirror. Pulling to a stop, he watched as one of the town's middle aged deputies dragged himself from the patrol car.

  He activated the cameras that he had installed in the cab of his truck, it might seem as if he was paranoid, but with his history, not to mention his stepfather's reach, it was always better to be safe rather than sorry.

  Rolling down the window before being asked to, Nate recognized the man who stood glaring at him.

  "Good morning Officer Camden," his tone was polite even as his body tensed.

  "Papers please," the officer replied, ignoring Nate's greeting. Handing them over, he wondered what would happen next.

  "I know it's been a while since you've been in town boy, but the high school is five miles from here. In the opposite direction." Officer Camden spat out the words. "It would be a real shame if I had to book you for truancy your first day back."

  It was clear to Nate that the man was on the payroll of his stepfather, just another lackey hoping to get a reaction from him. He was determined not to give either the officer in front of him, or his darling stepfather what they wanted.

  "I have a medical appointment, in the Riley building." He kept his tone polite. He wished that he had texted Jack, to let him know he was on the way, then there might have been someone waiting outside for him.

  "Not surprised you need a shrink," Officer Camden sneered. "Not that even the good doctor can fix what's wrong with you." Gripping the steering wheel tighter Nate focused on the light that showed the camera was still recording all that was being said.

  "Is there a problem Joey Camden?" Nate was relieved to hear the voice of Ms Riley, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere.

  "It's Officer Camden Ma'am," the man in question did a poor job of hiding his annoyance at not being addressed by his title.

  "Nonsense, you will always be little Joey Camden to me. Although maybe you should stay away from the bakery for a while, otherwise I will start calling you Doughy Joey again!" Nate almost laughed out loud at the look of outrage on the officer's face at the taunt, but he knew better than to draw attention back to himself.

  "Come along young Henderson, you know how I disl
ike it when my coffee is cold." He watched as Ms Riley turned to his stepfather's lackey, looked him up and down with a look of contempt.

  "Officer Camden, you are delaying my whole day. Kindly move yourself so that Nate can leave his truck. Your grandmother would be ashamed of you!" For a moment it looked as if the officer was going to argue, then changed his mind. He stepped back, allowing Nate to get out of the truck and close the door, before moving into his personal space.

  "You best be careful boy, Ms Riley won't always be there to rescue you." Officer Camden hissed before he spun around, walking towards his patrol car without a care in the world.

  "Don't you just hate wannabes with a power complex?" Ms Riley was by his side, giving Nate time to calm his breathing, and relax his hands that he had somehow held by his side. He was glad that he had not used his book bag as an improvised weapon, although it had been an exceptionally close call.

  Locking his truck, he allowed himself to be escorted to the door of Jack's office, accepting the hot mug of coffee, in hands that only shook a little. He could hear the brief conversation between Ms Riley and Jack, but the words seemed to wash over him.

  "Nate, take a seat, and try and focus on your breathing. You've had an adrenaline spike and I don't want the drop to affect you too badly." Jack's voice was low and soothing. The doctor didn't speak again until Nate had been able to get a handle on his breathing and taken a few sips of the strong coffee in his hands.

  "Take your time. Make your list, and then we can work through it." He liked how Jack had found ways that worked specifically for him, for how his mind worked. Sure there was some psychology used, some vague science that Nate would never understand, but neither had there ever been any threats to have him medicated.

  Jack was all about mediation wherever possible, then finding methods that worked for individual patients, rather than a one size fits all cure. In their first session he had been reassured that, as a general rule, Dr Riley only ever prescribed drugs when absolutely necessary, and never as a chemical restraint. Given his past, Nate was always wary of medication of any kind, and he knew that his grandfather had warned Jack that it might be a potential trigger.

  "I was a jerk to this girl at the school, completely overreacted, probably terrified her. I know I need to find a way to say sorry, to make amends. But I'm worried that if I speak to her, or if I'm even seen near her, then it will make her a target for Charles." Nate paused, shame at his earlier actions sweeping over him.

  "I had to get out of there, the place was practically deserted and I still managed to make a mess of things. Never even made it to a classroom before I ran." His words faltered for a moment.

  "Figured I'd drive here, regroup, then I had a run in with Officer Camden. Which was about as much fun as it sounds. He is definitely on Charles' payroll. The cameras should have caught everything though. Ms Riley was amazing. I need to thank her for her help."

  Jack stayed quiet for a minute, something that Nate appreciated. There were never any rushed judgments from the good doctor. Nor did he jump in with a diagnosis without first considering all the evidence. Sometimes Jack's attention to the smallest details could be annoying, but Nate had quickly learned that it was all part of the process, and could help prevent mistakes being made. Like accusing innocent mystery girls of being spies. Before he could begin another round of self-recrimination, Jack cleared his throat.

  "We always knew that it was going to be stressful returning. I repeatedly asked your grandfather if he was sure that you needed to be here. I know you still don't understand his reasons, but his heart was in the right place." Jack paused, and to Nate it looked as if he was debating his next words.

  "Obviously there is much I can't share with you, at least not yet, but you need to know that your grandfather had faith in you. Believed that by returning to Silver Glade, you could get some closure on the past, which would allow you to have the future you deserve."

  At his raised eyebrow, Jack laughed. "I know that's more psycho-babble than you want, but it's the truth. However if the situation becomes too much for you, if you really think that being here is going to be harmful then we can go to plan B."

  "I really wish that were true, that I could get in my truck and leave Silver Glade and never look back," Nate began. "That I never bothered to come back, but you and I both know why I'm here. It's not about the money or the house here. I know that Amelia made her choice years ago. Most days I can even accept it." It had taken eight months of video calls with Jack for Nate to be able to say those words, and mean them.

  "Here's the thing, there are somethings that just won't stay buried. I kept my promise, I stayed away. They didn't keep their side of the bargain, wanted more, no matter the cost. That has to stop. I just need your help not to go crazy or do something I can't undo." Jack gave him a few minutes to regain his composure, for which he was grateful. He also appreciated the fresh cup of coffee that was handed to him.

  "Okay so tell me about the girl at school, it can't be as bad as you implied." Nate was again struck by Jack's belief in him. He continued to speak, about the girl whose name he didn't know, how he hoped Ms Riley might be able to help him find her, so he could then approach her away from school. He talked about how the school had made him feel claustrophobic.

  Jack listened to him, kept the conversation moving, offering suggestions and identifying triggers they may not have previously considered. After the session was over, Nate was encouraged to spend some time in the relaxation suite that was on the third floor of the building. There was also a reminder that there was a yoga class starting in a couple of hours; this was a running joke between the men but Nate was happy that his smiled response was genuine.

  The day seemed to fly by, and as it did, Nate felt the giant knot of tension, that was his constant companion, begin to loosen. He was willing, more than willing actually, to put in the work required to help him heal. There were going to be challenging days ahead and he needed to have the means to cope with them, and not feel so dependent on Jack. It was all about finding balance.

  At some point Ms Riley had brought him some food, and although he wanted to ask her about her relationship with his grandparents, or start an inquiry about his mystery girl, it seemed as if the older lady had other things to discuss with him. Namely how he felt about reorganizing the store room. Ordinarily he would have tried to find a polite way to decline the task, but after her help that morning, he felt as if he needed to repay her kindness. That was where Jack found him later, surrounded by boxes of stationary.

  "Are you still interested in the tutoring job? If you are we could stop by the house, and I can introduce you to Grace?" Nate remembered the stories he had heard about Jack's ward, who was struggling with math.

  "Of course, it's not like I am rushing back to the house." Although the words were spoken as a joke, Nate couldn't help the bitterness that crept in when he thought of returning to his childhood home. He shook his head, as if he could get rid of the negative thoughts that still remained.

  "I'll lock up and then you can follow me, it's not that far from here." He drove carefully on the way to Jack's house. He half expected to be stopped by another patrol car, but luckily the journey was uneventful.

  Jack seemed somewhat amused by the way a small blue car was parked, taking up more space than it should have due to it's angle. He seemed less amused when he saw the car door was ajar and one of the headlights was smashed.

  Nate was only a few steps behind Jack as he opened the front door. He heard the concern in the older man's voice as he called out the name of his ward. Nate could only watch in horror, as his mystery girl took one look at him, then crumpled to the floor, a look of sheer terror on her face.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Grace woke with a start, the feeling that someone was watching her unsettling enough to disturb her sleep. She took in the familiar sight of her room at Mimi's house. When they had first moved back to Silver Glade, the house that Jack had bou
ght was still under construction, so for the first nine months, they had lived with his mother.

  Wanting to make Grace feel at home, Mimi had taken care with how the room had been decorated. With it's light lavender walls, a multitude of filled bookcases and a stunning view of the forest that bordered the town, it was a small slice of heaven. She had quickly fallen in love with the vintage sleigh bed, that Mimi's grandfather had made, along with the various blankets and throws that others in the Riley family had made over the years.

  Deciding that it was probably time to get up, Grace moved cautiously in the bed, any sudden movements made her head ache, and she was trying not to have to take any of the strong pain medication she had been prescribed at the hospital.

  Fighting back a wave of nausea, Grace tried, unsuccessfully, not to think about the fact she'd had to be rushed to hospital on Friday afternoon. There had been numerous tests, then a mandatory overnight stay for observations. Grace was still struggling to remember all that happened.

  What she couldn't forget, would probably never be able to forget, was the look on Jack's face when she had started to come round after fainting. She never wanted to be the one to cause him any pain, to be responsible for the unshed tears that glistened in his eyes. She could never properly thank him for how he had never left her side, had been there from the moment he found her at the bottom of the staircase.

  She had a vague memory of the journey to the hospital, and was very puzzled about how Jack had managed to drive safely while also holding her hand. There had been lots of bright lights, bloods had been taken and honestly Grace was glad that some things were still fuzzy.

  Hospitals were most definitely her least favorite place in the world. Not that Grace thought many people enjoyed being there, but in her own case she could not avoid the fact that all her previous visits had ended the same way, with the death of a loved one. First her grandparents on her mother's side, who had died when she was very young. Then there was the heartbreaking time when her parents had both been admitted following a road traffic accident.