Falling Grace. Melissa Shirley

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СКАЧАТЬ open the door to a room decorated in every shade of blue she could have possibly located. Electric blue throw pillows leaned in the corners of the navy colored couch and a pale blue wingback sat behind a dusty blue painted desk.

      “Don’t mind Jack. Sunday is family day.” She air-quoted family day. “He doesn’t work, I’m not supposed to work.” She curled up on one end of the sofa. “Sit.” She waited a beat while I stood chewing my bottom lip. “Grace, it’s a sofa.”

      Even in college, faced with her brilliance, I never trembled at speaking to her. Now, I had a case of the shakes mimicking withdrawal. With a nervous chuckle, I sat at the other end. Facing her, I blew out a big breath, and looked away. Gathering my last smidgeon of courage, I turned back to her. “I know you don’t want to be a part of this case, and I completely understand, but if I had a question, not a legal question, but a question about parenting, would you answer?”

      She tilted her head to the side, her eyebrows drawn to the center. “It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of your case. It’s more I don’t think I can.”

      I discounted her lack of faith in herself with a wave of my hand. “Rory…”

      She pulled a pillow from behind her back and hugged it to her chest. “Your question?”

      I clamped my fingers in my lap. There was only one way to do this. I pulled in a lungful of air and breathed it out with my words. “I read the statements Gabby Quinn made to the police. They went to the movies that night and came home right afterward. Nathan took the sitter home, and Gabby checked on the kids. I think she said the boy was asleep on the couch, maybe, but the little girl was in bed.” My teeth swiped at my lips as my courage waned. “And this is the part I’m stuck on. She said the little girl was in bed with the covers up over her head so only a patch of her hair stuck out.”

      “And?”

      “Well, when I read it, I couldn’t imagine leaving her there with her head covered. Don’t you parents worry about air intake?” I settled back against the arm of the sofa as Rory twisted her mouth from left to right considering the question.

      “I don’t know, Grace. I do, but Jack doesn’t. He is more laid back with it all and says I’m uptight because of Kyle.” At the mention of his name, a dark cloud passed over her eyes. “The truth is she might have relaxed a bit more after her little girl was born. With first babies, it’s all antibacterial soap and not letting them get dirty. With the second kid, it’s more a case of as long as they pick the worms out first, go ahead and let them eat the mud they’re sitting in.” She shook her head. “I would have moved the blanket down and checked on her.”

      “But you don’t consider yourself a normal mom?” To me, her house looked normal, her life seemed as close to perfect as anyone who wished for that life could imagine, even taking into account her past. She had the white picket fence, dreamboat husband, and gorgeous child along with a career that left her time at home with them.

      “I would wrap Haley in bubble tape if I could get by with it…if Jack would let me and I could get her to hold still long enough.” She chuckled, but it lacked any mirth. “I wish I could be more help, but I don’t think I’m the parent you should measure her reactions by.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

      I couldn’t read whether her apology came sincerely and decided to take her at her word even though the ball in my stomach protested. I stood and shook my head, reached down to pat her shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m sorry I interrupted family day.”

      She rose to her full height of five feet and led me to the door. “Don’t worry about it.” She studied me--workout pants, T-shirt gnarled by too many washes in a machine hell-bent on the destruction of my favorite garments. “What are you doing today?”

      “I’m going for a run with Hope, then maybe a little shopping in town.”

      “We can go over her statement tomorrow. Have you talked to Blane about it?” She cocked one eyebrow, and I measured her disapproval in degrees as it took over her face.

      “No. I’m planning on making a visit to his office tomorrow. I want to see what he’ll give up without waiting for a discovery motion.”

      She chuckled and took in my outfit, seeming to dismiss the importance of the Mork-from-Ork logo on my shirt. “I’d go with a tiny skirt and something low-cut.”

      I rolled my eyes. “You don’t think he’ll respect my legal skills more than my fake boobs?”

      “It never hurts to use what you have going for you.”

      “I’ll keep that in mind.” Not that I hadn’t used my surgically enhanced beach body and the wardrobe that highlighted it before. I seldom needed dirty tricks pointed out for me.

      * * * *

      When I returned to the apartment, Hope had commandeered my bed and snored loudly while drooling onto my pillow. I shook her twice before pulling my hair back and heading out for a thinking run. Some of my best contemplating happened with Bon Jovi pounding in my ears and my feet smacking against pavement in time to the beat.

      I drove my car out to the lake at the far edge of town and took off on the path that circled the water’s perimeter. The place was mostly deserted, and I made my second lap before another jogger joined me.

      Jamie.

      Blane had that cool, dangerous glint, a swagger missing from Jamie’s confident, not cocky gait.

      I popped out an ear bud as I sprinted to catch up, then bumped him with my shoulder. “Hey, Jamie.”

      “Well. Grace Wade.” He stopped and I turned, jogging in place. “How did you know it was me?”

      I smiled and stopped. “I don’t know. I think I just picture Blane on a treadmill in a gym.”

      “You’re very observant.” He grinned and the world became a tiny bit brighter. “There are marked trails in the woods if you get tired of lapping the lake.”

      Trails? Into the woods? “That’s a little too scary movie for me.”

      “I’d have thought you fearless.”

      I laughed and stopped moving my feet. “Not so much. Spiders, snakes, darkness. Pick a phobia.” His chuckle vibrated through my body. “I guess you’re not afraid of anything?”

      “Fear is just a prelude to courage.”

      “You should stitch that on a pillow.” And if he could stitch it with that accent attached, I would decorate my apartment with them.

      Sweaty, with my hair plastered to my forehead, I walked away toward the grass at the edge of the path and sat down, wishing for a towel and something to make me a bit more presentable. After a big gulp of water from my bottle, I patted the ground at my side. He shook his head and wagged his finger at me. “Come on, pretty. I think we should run.”

      “I’m already two laps up on you. You run. I’ll relax.” I flopped backward, the plush lawn tickling my neck.

      He eased down next to me and pulled up a handful of grass, then tossed it out one blade at a time.

      “Something on your mind?” I leaned up on my palms СКАЧАТЬ