Free Chasing Shadows by Valerie Sherrard

nothing stands out as reallyimportant. I’m not sure where to look or who to talk to next. It’s just too bad that Nadine’s landlady is so wacko, or she might be able to help. Unfortunately, she’s out of touch with reality. All you ever get out of her are songs or quotes from old Julie Andrews movies. It’s amazing she’s even coherent enough to collect the rent! I just don’t know what to do next, but I have to figure out something, or any chance Nadine might still have could be gone.”
    Suddenly, Greg leaned forward so that his nose was almost touching mine and he was looking right into my eyes.
    â€œSorry to change the subject, but this is the way things are,” he said, pausing to kiss me ever so gently. “This situation could be nothing at all, or it could be really serious. Either way, it matters to me because … I love you. Okay? I love you, and I don’t want anything to happen to you. So, we’re going to have to get some kind of deal going here where I can feel comfortable that you’re not putting yourself in places where you could get hurt.”
    Happiness shoved aside everything else for just that moment, and I found my eyes misting over as I threw my arms around Greg and told him that I loved him right back.
    I could barely get myself to concentrate on what he was saying after that, though I vaguely heard myself agree to the precautions he was suggesting.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    I didn’t know Leo’s last name or where he lived or anything, so I was pretty proud of myself when I thought of a way to find him. Remembering that he worked out at the local gym four times a week, I went over and watched the door from a bench across the street. Nearly ready to give up for the day after a few hours had passed with no sign of him, I was really excited that my plan had worked when I finally spied him going in.
    I’d only seen him briefly a couple of times before, but I spotted him right off. He walks with a pretty noticeable swagger, and it seems nearly impossible for him to keep his hands out of his hair, which is a kind of unnatural blonde colour. He’s one of those people who are constantly running their hands up and through their hair, a trait I’ve always found kind of annoying and conceited. I mean, who needs to fix their hair practically every minute?
    It hadn’t been my intention to actually talk to Leo if he showed up that day. I’m not entirely sure what my plan was, but that wasn’t it. It’s just that when he came back out of the gym, especially when I’d been sitting there all that time waiting, with little to do aside from think about what questions I’d ask him
if
I ever got a chance to talk to him, well, all of a sudden I could just see the opportunity slipping away.
    It wasn’t easy explaining that to Greg later on. I tried, but he was just not seeing reason at that particular moment. In fact, he was making way more of the whole thing than was necessary, if you want my opinion.
    Anyway, as I was saying, when I saw Leo coming back out of the gym, a kind of panicked feeling came over me. What if he was indeed the one responsible for Nadine’s disappearance, and he decided to take off? I might never have another chance to talk to him. And, in any case, what was he going to do to me, right there on the street with any number of witnesses passing by?
    â€œUh, hi. Leo, isn’t it?” I asked, sidling up to him.
    He turned with a smile that faded when he saw how young I was. I realized his first reaction had been to assume I was hitting on him. Gross!
    â€œYeah?” His voice wasn’t that friendly.
    â€œI’m Shelby,” I said, nervousness building. “I, uh, worked with Nadine at The Steak Place.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œWell, I just wondered if, uh, you’ve seen her lately.” I watched his reaction carefully, but if he was carrying around any guilt, he sure kept from