Free Out of the Shadows by Loree Lough Page A

the counter and headed for the foyer. “You’re such a card,” she said, gently patting his head as she passed.
    “Lemme guess…I’m the ace, right?”
    “I was thinking more along the lines of the joker,” she tossed over her shoulder, laughing.
    In the hall, Patrice peeked into the hall mirror, smacking her lips and fluffing her hair before flinging open the door.
    Ten silent seconds passed, fifteen, as she stared at the guest on their porch.
    “Who is it?” Gus called.
    The visitor stood, black boots shoulder-width apart and arms crossed over a broad chest, his masked face shadowed further by a wide-brimmed hat. The steady late-October breeze pressed the billowing folds of his shirt against muscular biceps, set the red-lined cape to fluttering around brawny legs. She’d more or less figured that under the baggy lab coats and sweaters she’d seen him in so far, Wade would be built like an athlete, but she hadn’t expected this!
    Gus rolled up beside her. “Well, pinch my nose and call me a jelly doughnut,” he said, chuckling, “if it ain’t Zorro, in the flesh.”
    Two fingers to his ball-fringed hat brim, Wade snapped off a smart salute, then bowed with an exaggerated flourish. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said, straightening to his full six-foot height, “I parked my ride out back.”
    “Well,” Gus interrupted. “What’re you standing outthere in the wind for? Bring your caped self on in here, man.”
    The oven timer jangled as Patrice closed the door. “Pizza’s ready,” she said, hurrying toward the kitchen.
    “Wait till the kids get a load o’ you,” Gus told Wade as they moved toward the kitchen.
    Wade removed his hat and mask, hung them on the back of a kitchen chair, then sat across from Gus at the table. For the next five minutes, as Patrice sliced the pizzas and set the table, the men swapped stock market gossip and sports scores.
    Halloween had never been her favorite holiday, ever since her brother had been brought to the hospital for the last time on Halloween night, but she’d always gone along with the decorations and the costumes to humor her dad. If only she could adopt her dad’s attitude and hand the whole burden over to Christ. Patrice sighed and said a silent prayer. Maybe this year, things would be different. Maybe this year, the memories wouldn’t plague her….
    Patrice poured iced tea into tall tumblers, while Wade unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and rolled each to the elbow. She watched from the corner of her eye as he slid a slice of pizza onto Gus’s plate, then another onto hers before serving himself. Every bit the gentleman.
     
    “Well, I guess they’ve had their fill.” Gus shook his head. “Kids didn’t give up that easy when I was a boy.”
    “You and Mom never let me stay out past ten o’clock on Halloween night,” Patrice pointed out.
    “Yeah, well….” He chuckled and rolled himself into the foyer.
    “Silenced in the face of logic,” she teased, picking up an empty candy bowl.
    Gus yawned and stretched. “Think I’ll turn in.”
    “Without watching the eleven o’clock news?” She tucked the bowl under one arm and pressed her free hand to his forehead. “You’re not coming down with something, are you?”
    “Nah. All that squealing just gave me a bit of a headache.” He rubbed both eyes. “Do we have any aspirin?”
    It wasn’t like him to ask for pain medication. Wasn’t like him to turn in early, either. Especially on Halloween. Patrice bit her lower lip and frowned. “I’ll fix you a cup of herbal tea, and bring something for your headache when it’s ready.” She kissed his forehead. “You do feel a tad warm…I’m going to bring the thermometer with me.”
    “Okay.” He started rolling down the hall, then turned when he’d made it halfway there. “Thanks for helping out, Wade. Don’t know what we would’ve done without you, seeing as how Molly cancelled on us.”
    Wade drew his sword, aimed it at the ceiling. “It