Free Hidden in Shadow Pines by Nancy Roe

a moment to look me over. “You look just like she did at your age.”
    “Bernice Zaget and Francine Stovall think so too.” I hadn’t met Bernice yet, but she was the devil woman in my mind, the person responsible for my current condition. The person who’d seen me on the streets of Darden. I clenched my fists. Saying her name made me feel frustrated, but while looking in Gloria’s eyes, I released my fingers and relaxed. “I’ve never seen a picture of my grandmother. Do you have any?”
    Gloria patted my arm, just as she had done in the hospital—a warm, friendly touch. “I might. I’ll check when I get home later tonight.”
    This was the first time I’d been excited about anything in the last few days. I blurted out, an octave higher than my normal voice, “Could I stop by tomorrow?”
    Gloria giggled. “I leave for work about seven-fifteen. Would you be able to stop by around seven?”
    Reaching inside my purse, I pulled out the map and a pen. “Where do you live?”
    “I’m less than two blocks from Jaime’s house.” Gloria pointed her finger at the small square on the map marked Pettit .
    I drew a circle around her name, then folded the map and put it back in my purse. Feeling a little embarrassed, but wanting to know the answer, I asked, “What did I say at the clinic while I was sleeping?”
    Gloria grinned. “You mumbled about Jack and a bomb. Escaping the terrorists. Saving a billionaire with a star and a skeleton. It made no sense at all.”
    I chuckled. “Jack is a character in the novel I’m writing. I guess I was trying to come up with a good storyline.”
    “Good luck saving someone with a star and a skeleton.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    Friday, August 9, 2013, 4:30 p.m.
(day 4 in Shadow Pines—late afternoon)
    I returned to Jaime’s house at four-thirty. Exhausted from the long walk, I decided to take a short nap on the couch.
    I jerked awake. In my dream I’d been running from a pack of wolves and one had just leaped on my back, throwing me to the ground. Rolling on my side, I heard hushed voices. I closed my eyes and listened. Jaime was talking to a man whose voice I didn’t recognize.
    Jaime said, “I told you never to come to the house by yourself.”
    “She’s been a busy girl today.”
    “I have to work. She doesn’t. I can’t be her babysitter 24/7.”
    “Maybe she needs to accidentally fall down the stairs. Break a leg. Then she can’t wander all over the place.”
    “Are you kidding me?” Jaime’s voice cracked.
    “Do what I say or you know what happens to you.”
    A door closed. My heart raced. A man wanted to hurt me. I remained still, keeping my eyes closed. Jaime couldn’t know I’d overhead the conversation.
    Jaime let out a high-pitched scream. I sat up and turned to find Jaime standing in the dining room.
    Jaime gasped, putting her hands over her mouth. “I didn’t know you were here.”
    “I feel asleep on the couch. The scream woke me. Everything okay?” I hoped I sounded concerned. I really wanted to hear what kind of response she would come up with.
    Frozen in fear, Jaime slid her hands down over her chin. “Spider. Saw a spider. Hate spiders.”
    “Did you kill it?”
    “I didn’t kill anyone.” Her eyes widened. I pretended not to notice her slip of the tongue.
    Getting to my feet, I said, “Where’d the spider go?”
    “Oh…in the kitchen.” Jaime pointed to the refrigerator.
    I walked in and surveyed the kitchen. “Well, I guess it’s gone now,” I said.
    Jaime still hadn’t moved. “Good.”
    Standing in front of the island, I asked, “You want me to start dinner? I make a mean goulash.”
    “Sure. That’d be great. I’m going to change.” Jaime rushed down the hall and closed her bedroom door.
    I’d have to be very careful what I said or did around Jaime. Someone didn’t want me snooping. And that person wore Stetson cologne.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    Saturday, August 10, 2013, 6:45 a.m.
(day 5 in Shadow Pines—early