Finding Gracie's Rainbow

by Deborah A. Price

  “I thought you were coming over here to spend time with Bea.” Gracie stood and looked panicked. “What are you trying to tell me?”

  “I told you before how I felt.” Jackson stood and looked at her. “Maybe if I don’t see you for a while I can make myself believe that you're just a friend, but I can’t do that if I see you every day like I have been.”

  Gracie started pacing the floor as she glanced at him a couple of times. “Maybe that would be best.” She felt tears start to sting her eyes, and she couldn't figure out why because she was the one that just wanted to be friends from the beginning. She looked up, and he noticed her eyes.

  “Gracie?” Jackson walked over to her, and she put her hands up.

  “I need to go for a walk.” Gracie walked out the front door and started walking around the court as Jackson stood in the door and watched her.

  “Aren’t you going to walk with her?” Annie had come back into the house and heard what Jackson had told her.

  “No.” Jackson sighed as he took his keys out of his pockets. “I'm going to get the last load of your stuff. Stay here with Bea while Gracie walks.”

  Chapter 10

  Carolyn Young looked up as Gracie walked into her office with Addison. She smiled as they shook hands. “What do I owe this pleasure?”

  “As I mentioned on Saturday, the last manuscript you sent me was my own.” Gracie sat down in the chair that Carolyn pointed to and Addison sat down beside her. Gracie studied the agent whom she trusted. She had never noticed how gray her hair was or how her eyes were filled with laughter even when she was serious.

  Carolyn was serious as she talked to Gracie. “I do remember you telling me that.” She picked up a piece of paper. “I've just found the contact information. Susan Cameron is the name you want.”

  “I’ve never heard of. . . Wait a minute. Cameron?” Gracie stood up. “That’s Mark’s new wife’s name. I thought she was in jail.”

  Addison was watching as Gracie started pacing the length of the office while rubbing her temples in an effort to ward off a headache. Gracie walked back over to them and looked at Carolyn. “Can you set up a meeting?”

  “When and where?” Carolyn highlighted the number written on the paper in front of her.

  “Here and whenever you can.” Gracie listened quietly as Carolyn called Susan to ask for an appointment with her. Addison wrote down the time while Gracie started pacing the floor again.

  Carolyn looked up at Gracie after she placed the phone back in the cradle. “I know you'll probably be here with the police.”

  “Fifteen minutes after your meeting begins. I don’t want her getting suspicious.” She stood still as she talked to the agent. “I never even missed it until you sent it to my office.”

  Carolyn pointed to the chair as Gracie still stood. “Sit down, Gracie.” She waited until Gracie sat down before she started speaking to her again. “Your manuscript grabbed my attention.” She held up a hand when Gracie started to speak. “I’m not done.” Carolyn stood and asked Gracie a very simple question. “Were you not interested in it enough to take it home over the weekend?”

  “I guess so.” Gracie glanced over at Addison, who was smiling. “But that was before I realized that it was mine. I wrote it.”

  Carolyn pointed to the stack of books lying on the table beside her. “You approved all of those manuscripts for the company you work for and in my opinion, there isn't but a couple of stories there that holds a candle to the one I just read of yours.” She smiled then, “Even if I couldn’t read the last two chapters.”

  “I never wrote the ending.” Gracie watched as Carolyn studied her. “Which is why I'm going to ask you why you sent it to me.”

  “There are two chapters written in a code, and I want to know what they say. What is the rest of the story, Gracie?” She had copied the story and handed Gracie the last two chapters. “I thought I was on my way to finding out if we had worked something out with Susan.” She noticed that Gracie was frowning at her.

  “The work is not complete.” Gracie handed the chapters back to her. “Those chapters wrote in code are something else altogether. We'll see you tomorrow at the meeting.” She shook Carolyn’s hand after she stood.

  “Gracie, I really want to know the ending.” Carolyn walked them out to the door.

  “I’ll think about it.” Gracie walked out of the office with Addison.

  “I thought you didn’t have time to write.” Addison was smiling as they walked towards Gracie’s car.

  “I don’t.” They rode to their office in silence as Addison was trying to figure out a way to convince her boss to finish the story she started.

  Gracie told no one in her family about what she had just found out or of her plans to meet with Susan Cameron the next day at Carolyn’s office.

  Annie was watching her after they had put their children to bed. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “Nothing.” Gracie looked over at her. “I just have an important meeting, and I'm going over it in my head.”

  “You could practice on me.” Annie stood, picking some of Garrison’s cars off the couch. She already figured out that Gracie liked everything put up at the end of the day.

  “Maybe I'll just go for a walk.” Gracie knew that Bea was already asleep by then. She found that even though she didn't have the privacy, she was used to that there were advantages of having a roommate. “Unless you're going somewhere,” she added before walking to the front door.

  “Not tonight. Go on.” Annie watched as she opened the door before calling Jackson to check in.

  ~

  Gracie made sure to carry her boxed up manuscript along with her CD, which had the date of when her story was complete. She met up with the police officers in the main parking lot before walking into the office building with Addison.

  Carolyn was watching for them and smiled as Gracie was shown into the office by her own assistant.

  Susan looked up as Carolyn openly greeted the new arrivals. She studied the woman who looked like the pictures in the apartment that she had helped her husband break into. She watched with amusement as the police officers came into the office with Addison. She knew then that she had been busted and there was nothing to blame besides her own greed.

  Susan was prepared to stall as she played innocent by asking why there were police in the office.

  “You took something out of my apartment.” Gracie wasn't in the mood to play the game that Susan had just started.

  “And you can prove this.” Susan was not disputing what Gracie said.

  “I can more than prove it.” Gracie looked over at Carolyn after she studied Mark’s wife. She looked like all the rest of the women whom Mark had cheated on her with. A big chest and no brains. Gracie smiled as she unboxed the original manuscript. “I have three ways that I can prove it even though all I really need is one.”

  Addison watched as Gracie held one of the papers towards a fluorescent light showing the McBride watermark, “My maiden name.” She then took out the CD that she copied the story to and had Carolyn load it into the computer showing that it had been done four years ago.

  Susan still wanted to stall. “That was only two, where’s the third?” She knew that Mark would be in the office in less than five minutes.

  “I said all I needed was one.” Gracie looked over at Carolyn before she took out one of the chapters that was still in her code. She decoded one sheet as they all watched her.

  Carolyn looked up and waved the officers to them. “Gentlemen, she's all yours.” They watched as Susan was read her Miranda Rights.

  Susan smiled when she saw Mark walk up to the doors of the office. “Hey, officers, that guy out there helped me steal her story. He was the one that carried it out of the apartment.”

  Gracie turned around and saw Mark sneering at her. “Nothing is ever simple, is it?”

  Addison watched the panic come into Gracie’s eyes. “They're going to arrest him, too.”

&n
bsp; “On what charges?” Gracie asked packing her box. “On her accusation? That would be too easy.”

  “How about the restraining order you have against him?” Addison asked as she took a copy of it out of Gracie’s briefcase. She handed it to the nearest officer who gladly escorted him out behind his wife.

  Carolyn picked up the paper that Gracie had decoded if front of her and read it before Gracie turned around. “Brilliant.”

  “What’s brilliant?” Gracie asked before she spotted the paper that was in Carolyn’s hands.

  Carolyn handed her the paper. “Seriously, Gracie, I want the rest of the story. Does your Princess find her happily ever after?”

  “I wrote that for my daughter and nobody else.” Gracie was being stubborn as she shoved the paper into her briefcase that was still open. “If I have time, I might write it and answer your question.”

  “I'm not giving up that easy, Gracie.” Carolyn was smiling at her as Gracie shut her briefcase angrily.

  “There are other authors out there that are dying to be published. Why don’t you concentrate on them?” Gracie smiled as she shook Carolyn’s hand. “Thank you for letting us attend your meeting.”

  “Only too glad to help.” Carolyn watched as they left. “I’ll let you know when the court date is.”

  “Court?” Gracie turned around towards her as she hadn't thought about their being a case.

  “You were witnesses.” Carolyn turned to walk to her desk.

  Addison watched as Gracie turned back around and started to walk over to where she was. They had walked out to the parking lot before Addison spoke up. “Why do you not want to publish your story?”

  “Because I’m happy doing what I'm doing.” Gracie answered her. “And I wish you’d drop it. End of subject, so don’t bring it up again.”

  “I won’t have to. You heard what Carolyn said as clearly as I did.” Addison was laughing at her as they started to drive away.

  “As far as I'm concerned the box will stay locked up in the trunk of this car.” Gracie was relieved when they finally pulled up at their own office. True to her word the box stayed in her car as they walked in. “Let’s do some work. If I'm not mistaken there’s a magazine that’s due in six hours.”

  “Slave driver,” Addison was quiet as she watched Gracie walk off to her own office.

  Gracie sat behind her desk and looked at the page that she had decoded while they were at Carolyn’s. It had surprised her that she was able to decode as quickly as she did. She swiveled the chair to look out towards the pond and closed her eyes as she thought. What had she been doing four years ago to have written that? What had caused her to write down those feelings that she had buried deep inside herself? She was interrupted as her cell phone broke the silence that she had let envelope her. She answered the phone after looking at the caller ID. “Jackson?”

  “How are you doing, Gracie?” Jackson had missed not going over to the house last night.

  “I'm doing fine, but you didn’t call about me, did you?” She let her voice go cold as she answered his question.

  “Did you just open the freezer? I thought I caught a chill there.” Jackson frowned into the phone. “But you're right. I just called to see if I could take your daughter out tonight.”

  “Are you that desperate?” Gracie smiled into the phone. “Because if you are I'm sure that Steven can set you up with somebody.”

  “Funny.” Jackson was relieved to hear a hint of laughter in her voice.

  “Do I need to go over the rules with you to refresh your memory?” She had grown serious again as she added. “Home by eight and absolutely no junk food.”

  “I know the rules, Gracie. I’ll pick her and Garrison up at your sister’s house around four thirty.” Jackson said as he prepared to leave his doctor’s office. “Call Kim and let her know that I have your permission.”

  Gracie stared hard at the phone after Jackson hung up. Addison walked up to the office doors and knocked before she entered. “What did the cell phone do?”

  Gracie just looked up at her. “I didn’t hear you knock.”

  Addison frowned. “You also didn't hear me buzz your phone at least three times.” She handed her the message that she had written down and watched as Gracie read it over.

  She laid the paper down. “Call her back, Addie. I made up my mind about that, and I'm very serious.” Gracie picked up the paper and crumpled it. “And tell Carolyn that I can be just as stubborn as she can.”

  Gracie stood and watched as Addison picked up the phone and talked to Carolyn. She started to pace the floor knowing that her friend would come back into the office after she hung up.

  Glancing at the clock, Gracie grabbed the briefcase and walked out of the office doors. She noticed the look that Addison shot in her direction.

  “I told you I wasn’t going to talk about it anymore.” Gracie said as they walked out together.

  “And Carolyn told you that she wasn't going to give up easily.” Addison smiled. “The problem is that you're both mules.”

  “Heehaw,” Gracie said sarcastically as they walked out the door. “Let’s make a deal right now. Okay?”

  “That depends on the deal,” Addison stopped at her car.

  “You and Carolyn can stop butting heads about that stupid story and leave me alone about it.” Gracie looked at her not as her boss but as a friend.

  “What’s in it for me?” Addison asked as she opened her door.

  “I’ll buy you supper at any restaurant of your choice.” Gracie left after Addison nodded in agreement. “Then I'll see you tomorrow.”

  ~

  Gracie went into her house, walking to the kitchen as she tried to shake the quiet. She walked out the back door and checked on the puppies, smiling when she saw them sleeping near the swing. After walking back into the house, she grabbed a soda and looked around when she started thinking about the box that was residing in her trunk.

  She put the unopened soda down at the table and sighed. Gracie knew she was going to look at the story. Maybe she would even decode it for the challenge. She went out to her car and had the trunk opened when Sammie rode her bike down to where Gracie was taking out the box. “What’s going on, Sammie?”

  “I have lots of homework. Thank goodness there are only three more weeks of school.” Sammie propped her bike while she talked. “Mom wanted me to ask if you would like to join us for supper.”

  “She could’ve called.” Gracie slammed the trunk shut as Sammie grinned.

  “She could have but where exactly is your phone?” Sammie asked as she looked at the business dress Gracie was wearing.

  “Shut up in my briefcase, of course.” Gracie answered. “Tell your mom that I'll be up in fifteen. I want to change clothes first.” She took the box and walked into the house and down the hall placing it on the bed before going into her closet to grab a shirt and shorts.

  She walked up to Kim’s house feeling grateful that she didn’t have to spend the evening at her house by herself. “It’s too quiet.” She complained when she sat down at the table with her sister. “You get used to the yelling, screaming, and barking and all of a sudden a quiet evening at home turns into a bore.”

  “And all of that noise will be back. Enjoy the quiet while you have it.” Kim was listening as Gracie chatted with Sammie, but she could tell that Gracie had something else on her mind as they were completing their meal. “Do you have something on your mind?”

  “Just thinking about some work that I brought home.” Gracie stood and watched as Kim fixed Annie a plate. “That would be a way to enjoy the peace.” She took the plate and carried it with her after she thanked Kim for the meal.

  She walked down to her house thinking about deciphering her own code. She couldn't remember what she had written. She also knew that when she didn’t want anybody reading what she wrote that she would use that code. The book she had written for Bea just needed an ending and the two chapters that were in the box were not a part of th
at story. It had actually been part of something else; Gracie just had to remember what.

  She took the two chapters out of the box and settled down at the kitchen table to start working on them. She never noticed that Annie had walked into the house and was watching her as she quickly decoded one page. She paused to study the words that appeared on the paper as she started chewing on the pen. Gracie frowned as she took another sheet out quickly jotting those words with a different pen.

  Annie didn't move a muscle as she could see the concentration on her roommate’s face. It was very entertaining as she watched Gracie take the pen out of her mouth, looking at it strangely before walking over to the trashcan.

  “Is it safe to talk now?” Annie smiled as Gracie literally jumped out of her skin.

  “I guess it is.” Gracie started putting the papers together still thinking about the pages that were decoded. “Kim sent you a plate of food if you're hungry.”

  “What is all that?’ Annie looked at the papers that Gracie had stacked neatly together.

  “Just some work that I brought home.” Gracie picked up the stack. “I figured that since it was going to be quiet here, I'd try to get some work done.”

  “That sounds like fun,” Annie heated the plate up in the microwave. “Jackson hasn’t brought our kids back yet?”

  “He knows that Bea has to be home by eight.” Gracie looked over at Annie before walking to her bedroom to hide the papers. “I trust Jackson with her.”

  “I know.” Annie took the plate over to the table and watched as Gracie walked back into the kitchen.

  Gracie looked curiously over at Annie after she sat down at the table with her. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Shoot.” Annie placed her fork down as she answered.

  “Why did you stay with your husband if he was beating you?” Gracie watched how Annie’s eyes clouded over. “You don’t have to answer if you don't. . .”