Chasing Shadows Read online

  The doctors had tried to be optimistic at first, that her parents had been responding well to treatments. Neither ever regained consciousness, and died within twenty four hours of each other. Jack had been by her side the whole time, but he could not take away her associated memories of that experience.

  When Grace had been told she was going to be kept in overnight, Jack had promised to stay with her, ignoring the well meaning nurse who said that Grace was old enough to be there by herself. Not knowing her history there seemed no point in correcting the staff, who must have thought she was behaving childishly. Still the fact that every time a member of staff had woken her throughout the night, and Jack had been there, sitting in an uncomfortable chair, it had given her a much needed sense of security.

  On the one occasion that Jack had stepped out of the room to take a phone call, the same well meaning nurse had asked some strange questions. Inquiring if Grace felt safe. If anyone close to her had hurt her. If Jack was under any additional or unusual stress. How his moods were. When was the last time she had seen a doctor. At the time Grace had still been feeling groggy from the combination of strong pain medication and the headache caused by her concussion, so the nature of the questions didn't really register.

  Nor did she see the looks from the nurses who helped to change her into a hospital issued gown. She had thought at the time that she had seen flashes of light, but dismissed it as a side effect of her injury. Saturday morning, there had been a few more routine tests. More questions about how she had been hurt.

  Grace was purposely vague in her answers. She hadn't really lied, just omitted some details. Her doctor explained that her head wound wasn't as deep as originally thought. Even though she'd required stitches, there should be no visible scar for which she was grateful. He explained the care routine she would need to follow as she healed, reminding her to seek medical assistance if she had any of the symptoms mentioned in the information pamphlets they were giving her.

  Once all of her results were back Grace was allowed to go home, or rather to Mimi's house. She had insisted that Jack keep his on call slot, that his mother would look after her, and all Grace wanted to do was to rest in anything other than a hospital bed.

  It had taken her more time than she would have liked for all the paperwork to be done, for her prescription to be filled and for the doctor to explain that Grace needed to be careful as she was more at risk for injury, should she get hurt again. She would need to see her own doctor on Monday afternoon for a further assessment, which meant no school until she was given the all clear to return.

  It had been such a relief to reach Mimi's home. Even though it was a somewhat grand house, as the older houses in Silver Glade were, there was no denying the sense of comfort and peace that Mimi had created. There was an eclectic mix of furnishings in the various rooms, some more formal, but the heart of the house was the kitchen.

  A few years ago she had renovated the space to include a cosy seating area, from which visitors could watch from the comfort of what her adopted grandmother called a daybed, but was really a slightly fancy sofa, as she cooked up a storm.

  When she had arrived that morning, Mimi had been waiting with a gentle hug, and then sent her to get comfortable in her room upstairs. Grace didn't think she would sleep, but after a quick shower, and changing into fresh pajamas, she couldn't deny that she was feeling tired.

  Lying in what she thought was the equivalent of a soft cloud, she couldn't resist the lure of sleep. She never heard Jack check in on her before he left for work, or Mimi peeping in an hour later. She probably could have slept forever, and at first it was a real struggle to open her eyes, such was the lure of further sleep. Eventually though she became more aware of her surroundings, of the sunbeams that gave her room some natural light.

  A glance at the bedside clock showed that she had been asleep for about four hours. Taking her time, she sat on the side of the bed, waiting for the slight spinning to stop. Once she felt as if she could move safely, Grace made her way to the bathroom, trying not to look at her reflection in the mirror when she washed her hands, then brushed her teeth.

  She would have liked to brush her hair, but was unwilling to risk reopening the cut or accidentally pull some stitches. Instead she smoothed it out with her hands as best she could, then used a clip to keep it back from her face. Once she was finished, Grace moved slowly downstairs, and into the kitchen where Mimi was putting the finishing touches to a meal.

  "Hello lovely," Mimi spoke softly. "You need to eat something before you can take your pills."

  "Some soup would be amazing, but not too much," Grace replied, even though she wasn't all that hungry. She was shooed towards the lounge, where a fire had been lit. Grace noticed that there was only low lighting on, and soft classical music could be heard through the sound system.

  "There you go lovely," Mimi brought a tray with a small meal for her patient, as well as two different packets of medication. "One is for the pain, the other is an antibiotic for that cut on your scalp." There was an easy silence in the room, as Grace enjoyed her food, then took her medication. She was finally beginning to feel more like herself, the rest from her sleep along with her meal having helped to revive her.

  "Your color looks much better," Mimi clearly agreed with her. "Now I know you are meant to be resting as much as possible, but that McGinley boy won't stop pestering me. Are you feeling up to a short visit?"

  "You mean Dylan? Here?" He was one of the last people Grace wanted to talk to, but it would raise questions that she didn't want to answer if she said she didn't want to see him. She was sure that the anxiety in her voice had already given the older woman some indication that she was reluctant to talk with her friend.

  "You're right, a visit is probably not advisable, not right now, but maybe you could call him. Only for a few minutes to reassure him and then you can sleep again." Mimi had gathered up the dishes, looking pointedly at the phone that chose that moment to ring again.

  Grace knew she had to take the call, but at least if Mimi was not in the room, then there was a chance that she would only hear one side of the conversation. That should be enough for her to keep her secret, for the time being anyway. Mimi was determined when she wanted to be, and it was unlikely that she fully believed Grace's version of events.

  "Hello." She hated how weak her voice sounded.

  "Grace, so nice of you to pick up your phone." Dylan's voice seemed to sound even more high pitched, not to mention belligerent.

  "Mimi said you wanted to speak with me?" She wasn't in the humor for the conversation, she just wanted the boy to get to the point.

  "I have a message for you, from Maddie. She wanted to make sure you remembered all you were told on Friday." Grace couldn't believe what she was hearing.

  "I'm feeling much better, thanks for asking Dylan," She thought that she heard some whispering in the background of wherever the call was coming from.

  "Just so long as you don't say or do anything you might regret, Maddie will let this be the end of your punishment." Her friend had either missed the sarcasm in Grace's reply, or was ignoring her.

  "I'm not sure when I'll be back to school, so it's not something you need to worry about," She had heard footsteps in the hall, but she thought that there was nothing out of the ordinary in either her words or tone, should anyone have heard her speak.

  "It's probably for the best if you can stay out for the week, give Maddie some more time to calm down. Any bruises you have will just remind her of what you've done."

  Grace could not believe what she was hearing. Dylan couldn't possibly be saying that she was at fault for how Maddie had acted. This time there was no missing the whispered conversation on the other end of the call, clearly someone had forgotten to hit the mute button on the speaker.

  Seeing that Mimi was outside in her garden, therefore out of hearing distance, she hung up without further reply. After the way he had abandoned her to face his cousin
alone, and now this pathetic attempt at intimidation, Grace was done with their friendship.

  She would rather spend her days alone than be surrounded by two faced people. Life was too short to have to deal with this kind of insane drama. She just had to get through senior year and then leave the cliques of Theodore Roosevelt High forever.

  "You're looking a bit pale Grace, are you feeling okay?" Mimi must have walked into the room when she was day dreaming.

  "I might have a power nap, it worked wonders earlier. Maybe give the pain meds a chance to kick in as well." It looked like her companion wanted to say something else, but changed her mind, just waiting until Grace had reached the guest room again.

  "You know that you can tell me anything. If you need help I'm here for you. Even if you feel like you can't tell Jack." Grace hated how worried Mimi sounded. Hated the way she felt trapped by not being able to tell the truth, but knew all too well the very real consequences of speaking out.

  "Every thing's fine. I'm sorry I scared you and Jack." She hoped that the sincerity of her words could be heard.

  "Try and get some rest lovely. Remember you are never alone," and with those words Mimi left Grace, her footsteps growing quieter as she went downstairs.

  Grace waited for sleep to come, but every time she closed her eyes it was like she was watching a video replay of her attack by Maddie. She heard the cruel words that had been thrown at her. Dylan's warnings from earlier was also on a constant loop, only this time they were said in Maddie's own voice.

  At some point she must have fallen asleep, but it wasn't a restful sleep. She woke feeling disorientated, a dull ringing in her ears. The room had grown dark in the time she had been sleeping, the shadows cast by the trees outside made Grace shiver. She had an overwhelming feeling that things were about to get so much worse, like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and one wrong move would see her falling over the precipice.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Have you ever had a moment in your life where everything seems to stop, when all your focus is locked on to one person. Like the scene from a movie or TV show when the action on screen freezes or goes into slow motion only to suddenly speed up just in time for something monumental to happen.

  Watching Jack's ward, his mystery girl, Grace, look with terror at him was one such moment for Nate. He felt as if he was having an out of body experience as he watched Jack rush forward to try and catch her before she fell, the loud crack as her head made contact with the staircase seemed to echo around the entrance way.

  It was that sound that snapped Nate out of his head and back to the present. Rushing over to offer help, he tried to ignore the blood that was sweeping on to the carpet, knowing that the last thing Jack needed was having to deal with two unconscious teens. He tore off his button-down shirt, using it to try and stem the bleeding, listening to the older man as he tried to rouse Grace from her faint.

  "Jack, we need to go now. We can be at the hospital before the emergency services get here." Nate tried to inflect as much confidence in his words, hoping that his mentor would agree. "I can drive if you want, although your car is probably more comfortable for Grace."

  "No I'll drive," Jack insisted, and that was how Nate found himself carrying the still unconscious Grace to the car, holding her securely in his arms while her guardian broke every speed limit to get to the closest hospital in the shortest amount of time.

  He could only listen as Jack called the emergency department to let them know they were en route, as well as the brief conversation he had with Ms Riley, who said she would meet them there as soon as possible.

  He looked down at the girl in his arms, gently moving some of her hair away from her face where it had fallen, unable to resist the sudden urge to press a kiss into the crown of her head.

  "Wake up Sleeping Beauty, please," he whispered to her, so softly that Jack, who was concentrating on the road didn't hear. "Everything is going to be okay."

  For the rest of the journey Nate continued to speak in hushed tones, hoping that somehow his words might bring some comfort to Grace, who remained motionless for the entire journey.

  When they arrived at the entrance to the emergency department, a medical team was waiting for them. As gently as he could, Nate moved so that Grace was not hurt during the transfer from the car to the gurney. He grabbed the car keys from Jack, allowing the man to follow his ward into the hospital. It was only after he had parked, that Nate noticed the blood that now covered the Henley undershirt that he always wore. Grace's blood.

  Feeling the warning signs of a panic attack, Nate once again concentrated on the exercises he had been given. It took him longer than he would have liked to push back the panic, focusing on his breathing, on being aware of where he actually was instead of being dragged back to the past.

  He made a mental list of what his next steps needed to be, again thanking Jack for this particular advice. When the panic had receded enough, Nate looked around the car, spotted his bag on the passenger side, as well as his dark hoody. He could wear that into the hospital building to check on Grace.

  He also had his wallet so he could call an Uber back to Jack's house to get his truck. Looking at his phone Nate saw he had several missed calls from his mother and stepfather, which he deleted as he locked up the car and made his way to find Jack and Grace.

  At the admissions desk he was told to take a seat, not being related meant they wouldn't tell him anything except that Grace was currently being seen by a doctor. If he wanted to wait he was welcome to, but only family could sit with the patient.

  Nate thanked the nurse, stopping off at the restrooms to wash his hands, trying not to focus on the blood on his skin, or the red tinged water. He found a free seat in the corner of the waiting room, that was relatively quiet for a Friday evening.

  Needing to stay busy while waiting for an update, Nate opened one of his assigned books for his AP English class, but it was difficult to concentrate on the antics of a playboy when there was still no news on Grace.

  "Why are sitting out here Nate?" He looked up to see that Ms Riley stood in front of him.

  "It's family only," he replied. "Have you seen Grace, or Jack?"

  "She is being settled in one of the private rooms now, she has to stay here tonight. The poor girl was stuck like a pin cushion," although her words might have seemed flippant, he could hear the worry in her voice.

  "Can you please give Jack his car keys for me? I can text him the parking bay information."

  "Don't you want to see Grace for yourself? You did help to get her here, and she will want to say thank you." He paled, the last thing he felt she needed was to see him, not when he had already given her such a shock that she had fainted with terror. He struggled to compose himself, felt the panic begin to claw it's way back into his head.

  "Nate, look at me, now," as if from a distance he heard the sharp tone of Ms Riley's voice. "That's slightly better." He could see the curiosity on her face but hadn't the words to explain his reaction.

  "I want you to stay here, while I return Jack's keys. Then I'll drive you back to the house." Nate began to protest, but one raised eyebrow from Ms Riley silenced him.

  The journey back to Silver Glade seemed to take no time at all, although Nate was glad that Ms Riley didn't try to make conversation. It wasn't an awkward silence though, something that Nate was also grateful for. As the car came to a stop, he realized they hadn't gone to Jack's house.

  "Come along, I don't know about you but I need a hot drink." Somehow he found himself following Ms Riley from the car and into her home. As he took in the space before him he heard the sounds of a kettle being filled with water, then a match being lit.

  Making his way into the kitchen he was stunned to find himself so immediately at ease in the space, in a way few houses had ever made him feel. He watched as Ms Riley moved around the kitchen, gathering supplies before directing him to take a seat at the island. She refused his offers of help,
and was soon sitting beside him, after setting steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies on the counter-top. Again there was an easy silence as Nate took a small sip of his drink, the heat from the mug warming up hands he hadn't even realized were cold.

  "Thank you for everything you did to help Grace and Jack this afternoon," Ms Riley's words broke the silence. Before he could protest, she spoke again.

  "What I would like to know Nathaniel, is why you go pale every time I try to thank you." Thrown momentarily by the use of his full name, something only his grandfather had used, he tried to think of how best to answer. That led him to picturing Grace as she fell and his hands began to shake. The mug was taken from him, but Ms Riley gave him time to compose himself.

  "At first I thought it might have been the blood. Given everything that has happened, it would be understandable. But I think it is more than that." Nate couldn't answer, it felt as if his throat was locked, any words he might have said trapped.

  He didn't want to disappoint the lady who had been one of his grandmother's closest friends, and was one of the few people that his Gramps had trusted.

  "You do know that even small head wounds can seem much worse, that the bleeding can be disproportionate to the actual wound?" Nate tried to take this information in. He really should have been paying better attention in the few biology classes he had taken before it had been decided that it was not the right subject for him and he'd been excused from it.

  "But this is something more I think," there was a speculative tone to the older woman's voice. "Do I need to guess or can you trust me to listen to you?" Nate knew he had be honest, could only hope that Ms Riley, knowing all that she did about him, about his past, would try to understand.