Chasing Shadows (4 page)

“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?”

Sadie shrugged. “It didn't go off when I opened it, so I'd say no. Come on.”

“Wait. Gabe's on his way here.”

Sadie's eyes widened. “Who?”

Kris's stomach clenched. She couldn't have forgotten him, could she? “Detective Burke.”

“That's good thinking, Krissy girl. But I have to show you. Now.”

Sadie rapidly shuffled away, leaving Kris no choice but to follow. The darkened center sent a chill creeping up Kris's spine. Dim lights along the edges of the floor illuminated the hallways.

Sadie took Kris to the infirmary. “They wheeled a body in here.”

“A body?” Kris repeated, not sure she really wanted clarification.

“You know. A body under a sheet. A
dead
body.”

Kris swallowed back the distaste that image brought and told herself it was just another of Gram's shadows. A nightmare she mistook for reality. Sadie pushed open the door and Kris peered over her head into the medical room. Glass-paned cabinets lined the walls, a desk with a stiff-backed chair occupied one corner. A gurney had been pushed against the far wall.

Kris sighed with relief. No body. “Well, it's gone now. And who are
they?
”

“Ms. Faust and a man.”

Odd. Ms. Faust hardly seemed the type to go sneaking around at night. “Grams, you probably had a nightmare.”

Sadie's chin jutted out slightly. “I couldn't sleep.”

Kris raised an eyebrow. “So you went wandering.”

“I—”

A door slammed. Sadie shuffled quickly to a window facing the service entrance. Reluctantly, Kris followed. A white van had backed up to the double doors off the
kitchen. The rear doors of the van were open, but at this angle Kris couldn't see the contents. Ms. Faust and two men stood talking.

“Hey, that's the van that passed me on the way here,” Kris whispered.

“I'll bet they put the dead body in there,” Sadie said. “I wish the detective would hurry up.”

“He's probably out front. Come on,” Kris urged Sadie away from the window.

One of the men shut the doors before rounding the vehicle and getting in on the passenger side. The other man climbed into the driver's seat. Ms. Faust waved curtly and disappeared inside the center as the van drove away.

“We better get you out of here before she sets the alarm.”

Sadie's urgent whisper galvanized Kris into panic mode. “Let's get you to your room first.”

“I can take care of myself,” Sadie groused. “You need to leave before we're caught.” She shuffled back toward the side entrance.

With a rueful shake of her head, Kris followed. Just as Sadie reached for the handle, Kris noticed the black box on the wall next to the door. The green light hadn't been flashing when they came in. Now the light seemed as bright as a camera flash.

“Grams, no!”

Sadie pushed the door open and a loud screeching siren filled the air. Kris's warning came a second too late.

Sadie groaned. “Rats!”

“Busted,” Kris said and sagged against the wall.

For the next several minutes chaos reined as the
security guard, the night nurses, Ms. Faust and several blurry-eyed residents flooded the hallway. Ms. Faust turned off the siren. The ensuing peace was welcome.

“What is the meaning of this?” Ms. Faust bellowed, looking decidedly uptight. Her gray eyes flashed behind square-framed glasses. Her brown wool dress hung on her broad shoulders. Her stiff posture revealed her distress.

Before Kris could explain, police sirens and flashing lights brought more chaos. Perfect. Gabe rushing to her aid. How embarrassing.

Her glower deepening, Ms. Faust instructed the staff to take the residents back to their rooms. With the security guard standing watch over Kris and Sadie, Ms. Faust motioned for them to follow her to the foyer.

Two cars came to a screeching halt. One a police cruiser and the other, Gabe's SUV.

Gabe stalked forward. The thunderous expression on his face let Kris know she was in deep trouble.

“D
etective Burke, whaddya doing here?” asked the older of the two officers who'd responded to the alarm.

Gabe held up his hands, palms out. “Just observing.”

Kris flashed him a frown. Great, he was going to stand by and watch her humiliation. He raised an eyebrow in return.

Ms. Faust introduced herself to the officers and then turned to Kris. “Please explain what you are doing here in the middle of the night.”

Sadie spoke up. “There was a—”

“Grams was having trouble sleeping and wanted some company,” Kris interjected, hoping to save them from having to explain everything. She avoided making eye contact with Gabe.

Ms. Faust's hairline rose along with her dark eyebrows. “You know the rules. No guests after visiting hours.”

“I apologize,” Kris said in as contrite a tone as she could muster. Needing to change the subject, she took a more direct approach to the question burning in her mind. “What was that van doing here?”

Ms. Faust hesitated for a fraction of a second. “De
livering food. Now I suggest you leave, Miss Worthington, and let Sadie get her rest.”

Before Kris could stop her, Sadie sidled up to the officers and explained to the two men about Carl and Lena disappearing.

Ms. Faust huffed. “I've already explained to Detective Burke—” she gestured toward Gabe, who stood off to the side “—that the residents in question have gone on vacation.”

“What about the body I saw you wheel into the infirmary tonight?” Sadie pressed.

Kris cringed, wishing Grams hadn't mentioned that. But since she had…Kris watched Ms. Faust closely. A little tick started over her right eye. Was she angry, nervous or guilty?

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Ms. Faust stated.

The older officer hitched up his utility belt, glanced over at Gabe before saying, “We'll just take a look around. Won't take but a moment.”

Throwing Sadie and Kris a nasty glare, Ms. Faust preceded the policemen down the hallway.

Gabe stepped forward and took Kris by the elbow. “I told you to wait for me,” he said in a harsh whisper.

“I'm sorry, but Grams was so agitated. I couldn't wait,” she whispered back.

He released his hold on her and ran a hand through his hair. “Are you trying to make things more difficult for Sadie?”

Guilt and concern gripped Kris by the throat. “Of course not. Help me get Grams to her room, would you?”

Gabe nodded, though his expression said he wanted to be anywhere but there. They flanked Sadie and led her to her studio.

“Grams, promise me you won't do any more wandering about at night,” Kris said as she helped Sadie on the bed.

“Only if you promise to come back tomorrow.”

Tucking the bedcovers over Sadie, Kris said, “I'll be here after breakfast.”

“You do believe me, don't you, Krissy?” Sadie's gaze sought Gabe. “I know I didn't imagine that body.”

The unreadable expression on Gabe's face didn't fool Kris. He didn't believe Sadie.

She hesitated. How did the Bible describe faith? The verse in Hebrews rushed to the forefront of her mind.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Kris stroked back a lock of Sadie's hair. Love filled her heart for this woman who'd taught her about the love of Jesus, who taught her to have faith in God. Shouldn't she put some faith in Sadie?

“I believe you, Grams.” She kissed her papery-thin cheek, then she and Gabe quietly slipped out of the room.

Gabe stopped her in the hall. “You really believe her?”

“Yes, I do. If she saw a body, then she saw a body.”

Gabe frowned. “You said she had a nightmare.”

“She said she wasn't asleep.”

“You're both nuts.” He shook his head, clearly exasperated with her and Grams. Capturing her hand, he said, “Come on, let's get out of here.” Gabe led the way toward the front of the center.

Ms. Faust was at the entrance door talking with the police officers.

“Ms. Faust has decided not to file trespassing charges against you, Miss Worthington,” said the older officer.

Kris gave Ms. Faust a tight smile. “Thank you.”

Ms. Faust inclined her head. “I realize you are devoted to your grandmother, but you must understand that at her age, it's not uncommon for the mind to become confused, mixing reality with fantasy. We may need to consider moving her to a memory care facility.”

“She isn't losing her mind.” Kris ignored the little niggling reminder of the few times Sadie had seemed to be more forgetful. It was one thing for Grams to lose track of a conversation but another entirely for her to make up an elaborate scenario like this. Kris turned to the officers. “My grandmother says she saw a body on a gurney. She wouldn't make that up.”

The young officer's smile was slightly sad whereas the older man's was blatantly patronizing as he said, “I suggest you stick to regular visiting hours.”

Kris ground her molars. The man made the center sound like some kind of prison. Under Ms. Faust's iron fist, the place certainly felt like one. Kris's gaze sought help from Gabe but his stony silence was all she received.

“It's late and I must check on the residents to see that everyone is back in their quarters,” Ms. Faust announced before marching away.

With a police escort out of the building, Kris had no choice but to leave.

But she'd be back tomorrow and she would find out
what was going on in the retirement center. Her gut instinct told her it wasn't good.

Now all she had to do was convince Gabe that she and Sadie weren't crazy.

 

“I can't believe you did that.” Gabe ran a hand through his hair in an effort to control the frustration beating along his nerve endings. “Someday your impulsiveness will hurt you.”

He sat across from Kris in a diner near her loft. At this early hour they had the place pretty much to themselves except for a few other night owls. The familiar sounds of Christmas carols played in the background, the smell of bacon filled the air and the vinyl seats of the booth squeaked every time either of them moved.

“She needed me,” Kris said, her big blue eyes imploring him to understand.

He understood all right. The two women were nut jobs and he'd do well to walk away right now before the insanity rubbed off on him.

Searching her face, he marveled at her loyalty. What he wouldn't give for someone to have that kind of faith in him. But that was a pipe dream for sure. Especially where Kristina was concerned. Even if she had changed since he'd cared for her, they were still worlds apart. That knowledge left a faint disquiet in his gut.

In an effort to distract himself from his thoughts, he picked up the cream container and poured a bit into his coffee.

Kris leaned forward. “Look, I know how this all
must seem, but Grams isn't losing her mind. She's as sharp as ever.”

“Come on, Kristina, you have to be realistic.”

She frowned. “What's that supposed to mean?”

He reached across the table and took her hand. “She's eighty years old. Maybe she's
not
as sharp as you think. You aren't with her 24/7. Maybe Ms. Faust sees more than you do.”

“No.” She tried to jerk her hand away but he held firm.

“I know you don't want to hear this but someone has to say it. She's—”

“She's not senile.”

“Have you talked with her doctor?”

For a moment she stared at him with argument in her eyes but then she dropped her gaze and her shoulders sagged. “No, I haven't.”

He hated to see her defeated but it couldn't be helped. Enabling her and Sadie in this crazy game wouldn't be good for any of them. “I think it's time you did.”

She sighed. “I guess you're right.” She lifted her gaze to pin him to the cushioned seat. “And if he says she's not suffering from dementia, will you take her seriously?”

“I will.” He leaned closer. “And if dementia is setting in, you'll accept it?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Will I have a choice?”

“You always have a choice, Kristina.”

She sat back. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” Knowing she'd appreciate the comparison, he said, “Isn't that what the Bible says? That God gives us free will? Choices?”

The tips of her mouth curved up slightly, though not in pleasure. “Choice is a funny thing, you know. We can choose to walk away from those who love us. We can choose to hurt those close to us. But what choice does that leave for the one left behind?”

He stilled. She wasn't talking about Sadie. She was bringing up their past. His gut clenched. “To move on. To make the most of their life without the person.”

“I certainly have done that, haven't I?”

Regret for hurting her lay heavy on his shoulders. “Kris, look. What happened between us that summer was doomed to fail from the moment we met.”

“What?” Fire flashed in her bright eyes. “You really believe that?”

“Yes. I told you as much then and I still believe it. We come from different worlds.” And she deserved so much better than him. Someone who could fit into her world.

She shook her head. “Not that different. Not anymore. But that isn't the real reason you left me, is it?”

“Yes, it is. I couldn't be the man you wanted, needed. I saved us both a lot of unnecessary pain.”

“Who said you get to decide what I want or need?” She gathered her coat and slid out of the booth to stand beside him with her gaze so full of hurt. “Just be honest. You left me because you didn't love me.”

His heart constricted. Words danced in his head but refused to come out. Even as she turned and walked away, he still couldn't voice the feelings choking him.

He didn't believe in love.

But he'd cared enough about Kris to know he wasn't the right man for her. So he'd done the only honorable
thing he could. He'd said goodbye. He didn't regret his decision. He'd done what was best. For her.

But that didn't mean the pain wasn't as fresh today as it had been then.

 

Kris stepped out into the cold night air and welcomed the stinging sensation of her tears freezing against her cheeks. What had she been thinking to bring up the past? She was over him. Or at least she'd thought she was. But having her suspicion about his feelings confirmed hurt. His silence spoke volumes; he'd denied nothing.

He hadn't loved her. He'd just used her family as an excuse to dump her.

Scrubbing at her cheeks, she sloshed through the snow toward her apartment building, half hoping Gabe would come after her.

Her mind went back to that day eight years ago when he'd broken her heart. They were supposed to have attended dinner with her parents. Kris had taken the liberty of buying Gabe a new suit because she'd ascertained the one he owned wouldn't do. Her parents already had expressed their disapproval of her relationship with a beat cop. She hadn't wanted to give them another reason to hold Gabe in disdain.

But Gabe hadn't appreciated her effort. Instead, he'd refused the suit. The dinner had been a disaster thanks to her parents' veiled barbs. When he'd taken her home, he'd told her the relationship was over because he could never fit into her world no matter how much she wanted him to change.

She hadn't meant buying him a new suit to seem that way, but he wouldn't listen.

And just like that, he had wanted her out of his life.

For months she'd held on to some hope that he'd relent and call but he never did.

Now she knew it was because he hadn't loved her. She wondered if he'd had any affection for her at all.

She should be grateful he'd broken up with her, because the breakup had been the impetus she needed to defy her parents' wishes for her life. Earning a living as a photographer hadn't been the way the Worthingtons had envisioned their daughter's future. But she'd found some happiness.

The sound of footsteps behind her echoed in the stillness and sent a shiver of apprehension skating across her skin. The darkened street held shadows of danger she hadn't noticed before. She quickened her pace and glanced over her shoulder to see the dark outline of a man following her.

She jammed her hand into her coat pocket, her fingers closing around her cell phone. Would she be able to get it out and dial 9–1-1 before the man caught up with her?

The outside door to the building was just steps away. She reaching into her other coat pocket for the keys just as a hand descended on her shoulder.

She screamed and yanked away.