Chapter One

 

Grace jerked upright in bed, looked around, and listened.

“Who’s there?”

Only silence answered.

It was just a dream. She knew better. The voice inside her head was the real culprit.

As far back as she remembered, she had woken tired, as though she had never slept at all. Her caretakers blamed sleepwalking, while experts—physicians and psychologists—didn’t have a clue. She had endured tests for attention deficit disorder, sleep apnea, bipolar disorder, and any other illness imaginable. So she lived with the belief that she wasn’t normal, and no treatment existed for her malady, no miracle cure, no drug, and certainly no magical potion.

When blessed with sleep, she experienced the strangest dreams. At least normal people called them dreams. They weren’t exactly like nightmares, but fantastic adventures that left her euphoric. She’d even given them a fancy title: ESM or Euphoric State of Mind.

Her body didn’t share her exhilaration. She usually woke achy, with unexplained bruises, cuts, or other strange anomalies. This morning proved no different.

Her long, curly locks always looked tousled, and now twigs, grass, and leaves were caught in the tendrils, a tangled hodgepodge Mother Nature had somehow bestowed upon her. Why? How? Yet another mystery to solve.

Can I crack the case? Do I want to? Not this morning.

 

                                                                                                      * * * *

Jack drove to the corner of Main and Cross Streets. While Grace’s morning routine included a jog, the route always varied, but this didn’t stop him from finding her.

Every pore in his body tingled at the mere thought of seeing her in person instead of through visions.

Soon Grace will meet me in the flesh.

The tick of a clock sounded in his head. His heart joined its accelerated beat. He’d get to look into her beautiful blue eyes, hear her voice, see her curly blond hair flowing down her back, and admire her curves. At seventeen, Grace was a real beauty, both inside and out. Having been privy to her thoughts, he knew she was a good person, though a bit insecure from having grown up in the foster care system. Despite this obstacle, she maintained good grades in Madison High School’s accelerated program.

Warnings from within and the sound of her footsteps pounding the pavement brought him out of his reverie.

After watching her disappear around the corner, he took the long way to his parents’ house. Dad worked late hours, so dinner was never on the table until well after seven.

“You didn’t get much of a break between assignments.” Mom placed the plates on the table. “Will you be moving back in?”

“Yes. I’ll be going to high school, again. It’s the only way to meet Grace besides becoming a ward of the state and living at Second Chances.”

“Your father and I attended a fundraiser there recently. We met Seth Mathis and his lovely wife, Sarah.”

Mom looked starry-eyed, and he knew why. Seth Mathis had grown up in Mansfield County, but he’d found fame as an actor in Hollywood. His good looks, charm, and sexy roles had produced adoring fans, including Mom.

He couldn’t blame her. Seth had never forgotten his roots and had even married his high school sweetheart. Although the couple lived in Los Angeles, they visited often and injected time and money into the quaint town, including Second Chances, a shelter for women and children and a home for older wards of the state, like Grace.

“You’d be closer to Grace if you lived at Second Chances.”

“You forget, I can be there in minutes.”

“I never forget. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I know it’s hard for you.”

Mom blinked back tears and waved her hands in front of her face. “Never mind that.” She looked deeply into his eyes. “Where are the boys?”

He tapped his forehead. “Right here. Oliver’s napping, Nathan’s planning his next excursion to the comic book store, and Tobias is hovering. The aroma of Dad’s lasagna has him salivating.”

“I’ll save him a hefty portion,” Dad called from the kitchen.

Tobias edged forward. “Tell Doc I said thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Dad said before Jack could relay the message.

Mom huffed. “You know how I hate being left out of these conversations.”

Jack and Dad said, “I’m sorry,” and Tobias retreated.

“Apology accepted.” She folded the last napkin and placed a fork on top of it. “Where are your things?”

“In my car.”

“What about Sophie?”

“Sophie’s staying with Uncle Charles. I wasn’t sure if she was welcome here.” Mom didn’t like animals. Likewise, his oversize Chesapeake Bay retriever wanted to be the one and only female in his life, barely tolerating Mom’s presence.

Dad came from the kitchen carrying the lasagna. “Speaking of Uncle Charles, I met with him after the board meeting.”

“Let me guess, he’s against my assignment to Grace.”

“He thinks Christina would be a better option.”

Jack couldn’t deny his longtime friend would be a good choice but refused to relent. “You explained my connection to Grace?”

“I did.” Dad set the lasagna on the table and sat down. Mom joined him. “Charles thinks of you as a son, even more after his own son’s rebellion and excommunication.”

“Uncle Charles can’t be responsible for his son’s actions. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”

Dad motioned for him to sit down. “No one’s to blame. You’re the best in your field, and Charles knows that. He just needed reassurances.”

“So, Grace is mine?”

Dad gave him a cautionary glance. “Yes.”

He sighed, sat down, and reached for the lasagna. “I’m starving.”

Mom placed the rolls and butter next to his plate. “You’re too thin.”

“Dad’ll fatten me up now that I’m moving back in.” He scooped a large portion of lasagna onto his plate.

Dad smiled and pointed to Jack’s face. “You’ll have to shave. That five o’clock shadow makes you look older than eighteen.”

“Consider it done.”

“Do you even remember what it’s like to be eighteen?” Mom asked.

“It hasn’t been that long.”

He laughed to himself. He was nothing like a typical twenty-two-year-old, let alone an eighteen-year-old kid.

High school should be a piece of cake. Right?

 

                 Chapter Two

​

“Grace!”

“Peter?” Grace looked around to find she had jogged into town without any memory of it.

She smelled freshly baked bread from the bakery, heard the drip, drip, drip of melting snow from the trees that lined Main Street, and saw Peter Lowell racing toward her.

She delighted in seeing her good friend, having had few opportunities since he had moved out of the boys’ home at Second Chances. Peter truly understood her. All her other friends, even though some of their parents were divorced, had families. While Peter wasn’t a constant presence in her life, Grace knew she could count on him at a moment’s notice and often spent the night at his place when the hormones raged at the girls’ home.

“I’ve been calling you for the last block. You’re in another world.”

“I guess I was. When did you get back?”

“Two days ago.”

“Did you have a good Christmas?” she asked, still getting her bearings.

“Good enough. Hank and I went hunting. No sense hanging around the house—too depressing.”

Grace was glad she’d encouraged Peter to move in with Hank Connors, owner of The Hickory Stables. Hank had lost his wife years earlier and didn’t have any children. The stables was the single place Peter felt at home, so when Hank had offered him a full-time position along with lodging, Peter had jumped on it.

“And you?” he asked.

“I spent most of my break working on projects. Back to school tomorrow.”

“I don’t miss that.” He motioned down the street. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your run.”

“Not at all. I lost track of time. Sometimes I wonder how I reach my destination.”

“Automatic pilot. Let’s get a cup of hot chocolate before I give you a ride home.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll race you.” She took off before he answered, beating him to the coffee shop.

Peter came in panting. “You’re fast.”

“No, you’re out of shape. It’s good to see you.”

He shuffled back and forth. “You too. You’re the one thing I miss.”

“It’s not too bad, is it?”

“I suppose not. I’m happy enough.”

“Ditto.”

Drinks in hand, they found a booth near the fireplace and spent the next hour catching up.

“How’s Lily?”

“Great. She’s around Second Chances more than usual, keeping the kids busy, so she has plenty of time to fuss over me.” She chuckled. “I have to sneak in these jogs because she thinks it’s too cold.”

“The grandmother we never had.”

“She is. She’d love to see you.”

Peter gave a half smile. “I plan to stop by. I have a Christmas present for her, and you too.”

“We should set a date to exchange presents, maybe take Lily to dinner. I’ll talk to her and will let you know.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He looked outside and frowned. Big snowflakes stuck to the window, and an inch of powdery snow blanketed the roads and sidewalks. “I guess we should be getting home.”

They talked and joked while slowly maneuvering along the slick roads on the way to Second Chances. When she extended an invitation to come inside, Peter declined. He’d vowed never to step foot in a halfway house again, and Grace couldn’t change his mind, even for a visit.

She had begun the slippery walk to her building when a car horn honked at her from behind. Lily drove alongside her. “Where have you been?”

“Jogging, and then I ran into Peter.”

“How is he?”

“Same old, same old. He wants us to have dinner to exchange presents and catch up.”

“Sounds good. I’m baking cookies with the little ones if you care to join us.”

“I’ll come over after I change my clothes.”

“Great. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

She arrived at the kitchen before the others and gathered the ingredients, utensils, bowls, and baking sheets. Minutes later, Lily and her entourage burst through the doors, chattering with excitement.

“How about cookies? We’ve almost finished the ones we baked for Christmas. I see Grace has already got things started. Let’s wash our hands before we get to work.”

A round of cheers echoed throughout the kitchen as the children lined up at the sinks to prepare for a morning of culinary chaos. Time flew while they baked and decorated four dozen cookies before tackling the mess. Under Lily’s steadfast guidance, all the kids cooperated without arguing or trying to weasel out of completing the task.

Grace lingered behind, searching for an excuse to stay, though she didn’t need one. Lily was one of the few people who possessed a knack for engaging her in conversation.

“So, have you applied to any colleges?”

“No, I’m destined for community college.”

“Why are you limiting yourself?”

“Money. I won’t be a ward of the state once I turn eighteen.”

Lily shook her finger at Grace. “You always have a place here. Seth doesn’t kick people out. I raised him better.”

“I know. Anyway, community college fits my budget and lack of direction. I can take general studies without racking up debt. It feels right too.”

“Just the same, it wouldn’t hurt to explore other options.”

Grace shrugged. “I’m not used to having options. Until I moved here, my life lacked consistency.”

“Not anymore. How long has it been now?”

“Three years. I came here my freshman year of high school.” She shuddered. “I went to a different school each year of middle school. Attending the same high school for four years has been wonderful. I’m so grateful.”

Lily wiped the tears from Grace’s cheek. “We’re grateful. You’ve become a welcome addition to our family.”

Family. She had never been this close to having one. She’d become a ward of the state when she was just a toddler. Her curly blond hair and bright blue eyes had enticed young couples seeking a child, yet something had always prompted them to return her, like a present that wasn’t what you thought it would be. Eventually, she put up a wall and refused to interview prospective parents, resigned to life in the foster care system, until Second Chances offered her a room. Arriving here had felt more like her umpteenth chance. Nonetheless, she had taken it, grateful to find a place that felt like home. Lily had helped make it possible.

Lily tapped her nose. “So, you’ll be staying with us?”

“Yes.”

An inner voice snickered, and a feeling of uncertainty possessed her. Eager to flee her inner turmoil, she blurted out, “I have to go. I just remembered I have a project due after winter break.”

Lily’s confused “goodbye” resounded down the hallway as Grace raced to her room.

The same odd feeling had consumed her morning jog. A nagging sense things weren’t right somehow. Things weren’t what they seemed. The world played tricks on her, from the tangled cornucopia of twigs and debris in her hair to the inexplicable absence of time while jogging.

Life had become a series of interrupted spaces. She remembered a few things, yet gaps plagued her; unexplained absences or voids in time that hinted at some kind of black hole. Too many of her comings and goings remained a mystery.

She dismissed these peculiarities. Why obsess over something she didn’t understand? Instead, she tried to focus on one of many projects assigned over winter break. Her efforts failed.

She fell asleep amidst books and papers and woke to the light from the computer screen illuminating the room. She had slept the afternoon away. Or had she? One stroke through her hair brought a fresh collection of sticks, branches, and brambles, and her body glistened with beads of sweat.

So much for ignoring the proverbial elephant in the room. Mine’s more like a prehistoric mammoth—extinct, but here nonetheless.