Terri Reed - Chasing Shadows

“Ah, so you just don’t want to be embarrassed by your old grandmother.”

Trapped, Kris shook her head. “You calling him a boy would be embarrassing. But I’m never embarrassed by you.”

Sadie squeezed her hand. “At least you aren’t. Your mother, on the other hand…very embarrassed.”

Kris frowned, hating that her parents weren’t as loving toward Sadie as she’d wished they’d be.

The doorbell rang, sending Kris’s heart pounding. Taking deep breaths, she walked slowly to the door though her feet wanted to rush. But she wasn’t going to let Sadie see her eagerness to see Gabe. Eagerness born out of curiosity to know what he’d found out, not because she longed to see him again. Or kiss him.

Wait a sec! Where had that thought come from? She flashed to when he’d pulled her into his embrace and shielded her from view with his body. Okay, so maybe she did want to kiss him. But only to see if kissing him as a grown-up would be different than when she was a naive girl mooning over a handsome uniformed police officer.

She tugged on the hem of her shirt and smoothed a hand down the silky fabric covering her stomach, wishing she could as easily smooth her nerves. With a smile she hoped didn’t look too eager or too contrived, she opened the door.

Gabe held a bouquet of colorful flowers in his hand. Kris blinked back the sudden mist in her eyes. When was the last time a man had brought her flowers?

A very long time.

Gabe smiled but didn’t offer her the flowers. “Hi.”

Should she reach for them or wait until he presented them? “Hi, yourself. Come in.”

She moved aside so he could enter. He slid out of his overcoat and hung it on the peg beside the door. He was so tall and good-looking in his navy slacks and red shirt stretching over his chest and flat stomach. His honey-blond hair had been tamed, revealing the slight graying at the temples. She resisted the urge to reach up and release the riot of waves.

Gabe headed straight for Sadie and, to Kris’s amazement, handed her the flowers. Even as disappointment cascaded through her, her heart sighed at the sweet gesture. Sadie’s face lit up with delight as she gathered the blooms close and breathed in.

“These are lovely,” Sadie said, her eyes watery. “Thank you, young man.”

“You’re welcome,” Gabe replied. His gaze sought Kris.

For a second she thought she saw a question in his eyes. Was he seeking her approval? She smiled and nodded her thanks and was gratified to see him relax. Interesting, and something to definitely think about later. But she had some other questions and wanted answers.

“So, what happened with Frank? Did you arrest him? Did he admit to selling pills? Did he do something to Carl and Lena?”

Gabe held up a hand. “Hey, there. Slow down. I did bring Frank in for questioning. He said the pills were over-the-counter stuff he was giving to a friend who couldn’t afford any. He claims not to know anything about Carl or Lena. And since we haven’t established anything has happened to Carl or Lena, or that the pills in the photo aren’t what he claims they are, I had to release him.”

Kris’s shoulders dropped. “Well, what have you found out about Carl and Lena?”

“Not much. I visited the retirement center again and spoke with Ms. Faust. She’s sticking to her story that both left on vacation. I saw their rooms, still full of their stuff. Ms. Faust said she’d fax over their itineraries as soon as the center’s computer system came back online. Apparently they’re shut down for some upgrades.”

Sadie sighed, though her eyes looked troubled. “Maybe she is telling the truth. I mean, she wouldn’t risk lying to the police, would she? I’m just a senile old woman who is reading too much into things.”

“But you found Carl’s wallet in Frank’s cart. What did he have to say about that?” Kris asked.

He shrugged. “Found while cleaning the dining hall and was going to turn the wallet over to Ms. Faust but it disappeared.”

Kris hated thinking that they’d really been chasing the shadows of Sadie’s imagination. But that’s how it looked. And by the sympathetic look in Gabe’s eyes, he thought so, too.

Needing to lighten the mood and distract Sadie, Kris said, “These are such beautiful flowers, Gabe. It was very thoughtful of you. Let me put them in a vase.”

Sadie handed over the flowers with shaky hands. Kris put them in a green ceramic vase and added some water before setting them on the coffee table. “Perfect. How about we go get that ice cream?”

Gabe met her gaze, approval flashing in the warm depths. “Good idea.”

“Sounds like a very good idea,” Sadie agreed as she struggled to stand.

Kris and Gabe both rushed to help. As they left the apartment, Gabe supporting Sadie, he said to Kris, “Who knows, I might even try a new flavor today.”

Kris arched a brow. “It will be good for you.”

Once they reached the street, Gabe jogged over to his black vehicle to move it closer to the curb for Sadie.

“He’s a keeper, Krissy girl,” Sadie said, with a grin.

“Grams!”

Sadie gave a delicate shrug of her thin, hunched shoulders. “I’m just saying.”

Heat burned Kris’s cheeks. A keeper indeed.

Later that night as Kris worked in her studio printing off the latest batch of photos for a sportswear ad campaign, her phone rang. She glanced at the clock. Who’d call at this late hour?

“Hello?”

There was a brief moment of silence before Sadie spoke in a hushed, frantic voice. “Krissy, there’s something strange going on here. I saw a body being wheeled into the infirmary. You have to come quick!”

Kris tried to let the words register. “Is an ambulance there?”

“No, Krissy. There’s no ambulance. Would I have called you if there was?”

“I suppose not,” Kris muttered.

Was this just another shadow in Sadie’s mind? Sadie probably had a nightmare and was confusing her dream with reality.

But she sounded so upset.

“I’ll be right there.” Kris hung up, quickly dressed, then grabbed her purse and ran out the front door to the old Honda Civic parked at the curb. She started the engine and as the motor heated up, she used her cell to dial Gabe.

“Hello?”

“Hi, it’s me.”

“What’s wrong?”

Warmed by the sudden edge in his voice, she said, “Sadie just called me all upset. She…” What? Saw a dead body? “I’m on my way to see her.”

“It’s kind of late for visiting hours,” Gabe commented.

“Yeah, well, Sadie needs me.” She decided to be straight with him. “She thinks she saw a dead body.”

“I’ll meet you there. Don’t do anything until I arrive.”

Emotion clogged Kris’s throat. “Thank you.”

She hung up, glad to know that Gabe was on his way.

At this late hour, Kris saw only one other vehicle on the road as she drove to Miller’s Rest. Thankfully, the van that pulled up behind her and whizzed past as she rounded the bend right before the retirement center wasn’t a police car, or she’d have been ticketed for sure.

Kris didn’t usually break the speed limit, but Sadie’s agitation formed a ball of concern in Kris’s chest. Sadie was relatively healthy, but you just never knew. Kris’s heart squeezed tight.

She parked and hurried toward the front entrance. She glanced around, expecting to see the security guard patrolling the grounds.

“Psst. Over here.” Sadie waved from a side entrance. She wore the thick terry robe Kris had given her for her eightieth birthday this past fall and rubber-soled bootie slippers. Her gray hair was a mess, as if she’d just rolled out of bed.

Kris hurried over. “Shouldn’t this door be equipped with an alarm?”