"No matter what happens, no matter what schemes and tricks Sinclair tries, we will be with you one hundred percent." Then shaking off the emotion in her voice she reminded Nate that time was of the essence, therefore he didn't have time to see Grace before he left, but she did want him to triple check the locators of his stepfather and the other lackeys.
Pulling up the information, and wishing that they had been able to get cameras in more places, Mimi and Jack seemed happy enough that it was safe for Nate to leave for the cabin.
"They are not going to go quietly, and there will be more we have to deal with before it's all over. So I want you to be even more careful than usual. If you get even the slightest hint of something being wrong, get yourself back to town, as publicly as possible."
They all knew how high the stakes were and that they could not afford to make any mistakes, so Nate drove with extra care. He took a different route, one that involved more back roads, to reach the cabin.
He pulled his truck into the garage, taking a few minutes to cover up the vehicle with some old sheets. He checked the trackers again, noting there had been some movement but nothing that alarmed him as none were near the cabin's location.
He got to work, and although he was in a hurry that didn't stop him from running a few extra systems scans, which proved to be an inspired idea. It made a time sensitive situation more so, yet ironically meant he couldn't rush through the remedy to the specific problem he had found.
Using a new prepaid cell phone he sent coded messages to Jack and Mimi, receiving prompt responses. Somewhat predictably Jack's reply was to the point, while Mimi's held a slew of profanity that Nate was learning the older lady used when exceptionally angry. Given the information that she had just received, he couldn't blame her for swearing, although some of her word choices were extreme, as too were the threats she sent in a follow up message.
Leaving his security system to run a remote sweep and scan of both Jack's and Mimi's computer networks, Nate packed a bag with enough clothes and necessities for his stay at Mimi's. The whole time his head was running through some of the things his stepfather or his minions had done that still made no sense. Not the bigger things, rather the smaller, almost petty things that seemed so trivial in the grander scheme of things.
Then there was Maddie. A girl was missing, and who knew what she might be suffering as an impostor lived her life. Nate tried to ignore the small voice in his head that asked a question he couldn't even bring himself to ask, knowing the answer might just make him snap.
Then there was also the role his mother may have had in all that had happened. Just how aware was Amelia of all that was taking place in her home, in her hometown. It was a never ending cycle of questions, of memories that never would be forgotten and Nate just needed it all to be over.
The chains of the past had to be torn away and destroyed so that he could finally start living, not merely existing.
The sound of an alarm pinging on his computer, had him rushing back to his office, his heart beating rapidly at what appeared on the screens. Not only was there a police cruiser on his land, but he could also see that Officer Camden was behind the wheel.
A quick check revealed that the man was not in his assigned department vehicle, rather one usually driven by a different officer, one who he had always believed was not corrupt, and who could be seen on screen sitting in the passenger seat, looking exceptionally annoyed. The use of another car had Nate wondering if Camden had discovered the tracker that had been placed on both his work vehicle as well as his private car.
He cursed out loud, it would have made his life just that little bit more simpler if he had been able to track the phones of the minions, but that had not been something he or any of his contacts had been able to do within the time frame available to them.
He watched as Officer Camden got closer to the entrance to his driveway. It should look as if it was closed off, with no access to anyone not traveling by foot. Nate was just relieved that he had taken the precaution to use the other exit road, as there were no fresh tire tracks where the cruiser was currently parked.
He used the zoom features to focus on the other officer, whose name escaped him at the moment. He took a screen shot to show Mimi and Jack, then couldn't help but laugh at how whatever his colleague said to him made Officer Camden look as if he'd been forced to eat days old donuts.
It was apparent that he was getting an earful from his coworker, and while he had no doubt that Camden would have preferred to snoop around some more, whatever pretense that had been used to get them there was no longer working.
As they drove off, and Camden sure did have a lead foot, Nate added yet another task to his list of things to do, namely finding out the identity of the other officer as well as discovering if they might be a person they could trust to do their actual job or was just another Sinclair lackey.
It was with a great deal of relief that he watched the car disappear from sight, and he took the time to follow the car all the way back to town, using the Silver Glade Police Department traffic cameras.
He sent the screen shot and the car details to one of his contacts, marking it as urgent, requesting as extensive a background check as possible.
He also added a message to say that things were in motion should his contact need to take extra evasive measures. It was probable that Sinclair would be out for revenge on anyone he suspected of helping Nate.
Updating Mimi and Jack about the unwelcome guest, he asked them if they thought that his stepfather was making a move, or if Officer Camden; in an attempt to stand out from the crowd, was working on his own initiative.
The inclusion of a new face was worrying Nate slightly, but Mimi sent him back a reply instructing him to get his tasks done and then to get himself back to Jack's house, as there had been a slight delay in town.
Trying not to be concerned about Mimi's message, he was again grateful to his grandfather for encouraging his interests in strategies, trade-craft and good old fashioned espionage. It ensured that he knew to only keep copies of documents at the cabin, that the originals were kept in a secure location with a number of security measures in place.
Nor did he have anything in the cabin that could not be easily replaced, including all his computers, and that while it was possible for the cabin to be lost to him, it could always be reclaimed or rebuilt at a later stage.
He knew what was important, what needed to be protected and that sacrifices would have to be made along the way.
With the last of the scans and checks completed, followed by an automatic deletion or encryption where appropriate, should anyone access any of the computers or the network itself, not only would they not find anything useful, but the longer they searched the more time his counter program would have to attack and infiltrate the unauthorized intruder.
He made quick work of making the cabin ready should anyone try to gain entry without his permission. A part of him hoped one of his stepfather's minions would try, if only so that he could see them attempt to deal with his welcoming presents.
With one last walk through to check everything was as it should be, he left the cabin, taking a route back to Jack's house that was meandering, but would expose anyone following him.
Arriving at Jack's house with no signs of any unwanted company, Nate parked his truck in the garage, out of sight of any prying eyes. He walked towards the back patio door, coming to a sudden stop, as in spite of the evening chill, Mimi sat on the swing seat.
His anxiety levels immediately spiked. He could just about see Jack through the glass of the door, his mentor was standing at the kitchen table, his back to the patio.
"Tell me." He didn't care if he was blunt, or if his voice lacked respect and as always Mimi treated him like an adult and didn't delay in speaking.
"I need you to reach deep, find whatever reserves you have left that will keep you from going maverick. Then I need your promise that no matter what you hear when
you step into the kitchen, that you still have enough trust in Jack and I, to stand by our side and wait to act. You need to know that the games will end. Tonight."
Nate could only stare, his mind racing through all the possibilities of what could have happened since he'd left, none of them making him happy. It was then that he noticed the worry in Mimi's eyes, the rigidness in Jack's body. He could do this, he had survived before, he'd been alone then, but now he had people by his side.
"I'm probably going to need help keeping my word, but I promise to trust you both." Mimi nodded.
"Thank you Nate." She stood and he noticed that she was carrying a walking stick so he rushed forward to escort her inside. If anything the chill in the house was colder than outside.
He felt Mimi's hand on his arm and as she had suggested he dug deep. It almost wasn't enough for what happened next, but somehow he held on.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
"They have taken Grace."
Four words. Four whispered, gut wrenching words. The rest of the world faded away as the words echoed around his head, over and over again. They spoke of all his failures, his broken promises, his inability to keep someone he cared deeply for safe.
The room briefly came back into focus, his gaze landing on the boy who had delivered the message, who had helped those who had stolen Grace away. He saw the tear tracks on the boy's face, the skin that was drained of color, and the expectant look in his eyes as he awaited his punishment.
And still those four words were all Nate could hear.
His fury was like an out of control fire, and if he had been alone or unprepared then it would have consumed him, and anyone in close proximity would have been scorched. Jack was still, giving Nate the time he needed, Mimi was right beside him, within touching distance but still giving him the space he so desperately needed.
He had the odd thought that if he reacted badly then she wouldn't hesitate to use her newly acquired walking stick as a weapon. There was a gasp from the last person in the room, someone he had never imagined would be a witness to his rage.
As far as Nate knew, he'd maybe exchanged a grand total of one hundred words with Dylan McGinley, most of them sarcastic during that mock advice session. He knew little about him outside of the basics.
He'd heard stories from Grace about his behavior and attitude over the years, how she had once thought that they were friends, only to be abandoned and then harassed by him in recent weeks. Dylan had never once tried to convince his cousin to alter her treatment of others, yet he had exposed her cheating to the whole school, while keeping Grace's name a secret, which was, in Nate's opinion more than a little strange.
As far as he was aware he had been friends or maybe just friendly with Dylan when he was younger, as he doubted that the other boy was ever the sporty type. Not that it really mattered. Not after the bombshell Dylan had dropped. Nate's instant reaction had been to rush upstairs, to see for himself that she wasn't there, but Jack had blocked the way.
"They are watching the house." The words filled him with dread. Jack's voice dropped even further, "he's bugged, two mics that we know of." He knew he looked skeptically but he didn't interrupt again, just let Jack speak.
"Dylan has sworn that Grace is safe, that she will be protected because of how important she is, and that no one will harm her while she is away from us. We need to focus on why she has been taken."
At this he took a step back, obviously he was missing something but it was getting harder to control the flashback that was threatening to consume him.
"Nate they took her because of me, not you." From far away he heard the words, and with great effort forced himself to repeat them until the meaning became clearer.
"So far as we can tell, he hasn't figured out how close you are to Grace. By keeping your distance at school, Sinclair doesn't realize the leverage he has." There was no mistaking the disgust in Jack's voice when he mentioned Nate's stepfather or how Grace was being used as a bargaining chip.
"We've been told to expect a call at seven, so we have half an hour to listen to what Dylan has to say. Now is it safe to let you go?" It was only then that Nate saw how he had been restrained in such a way that it wouldn't cause a trigger.
"Two more minutes." Even with a time crunch he knew how crucial it was for him to be in control.
"Let's do this." Jack must have heard what he was waiting for in his voice, so he stepped back, then they both returned to the kitchen, taking seats at the table, where Mimi and Dylan were having a conversation.
He noticed that at some point their guest had been given pen and paper, and that his spoken answers often varied from what he was writing. Nate was impressed at how together Mimi was, not over thinking things, just using a simple method to get the details they needed.
It also showed her faith in her son, knowing that he would be able to offer reassurances to Nate, while also quelling the sparks of rage until a more suitable time was available for them to be unleashed, which if he had any say in the matter would be in the very near future.
"Hi Dylan, I'm not sure if we have ever been properly introduced," his words could be interpreted in a variety of ways and he took a certain sense of satisfaction at seeing how the other boy gulped nervously.
"Did you know that Dylan here is a good friend of Grace's? And a great admirer of her art?" Mimi said conversationally, while her eyes flicked to the pages in front of Dylan, and what was written there:
** "I'm trying to protect her" **
Nate wondered if that meant Grace or his cousin Maddie and he wasn't sure how he could find out. He watched as Dylan added more words,
** "Both of them." **
This was underlined heavily and the look Dylan gave him spoke volumes, yet Nate still needed more proof.
"Art can be pretty controversial though, some people feel the need to censor certain pieces, alter them, that kind of thing," Nate declared.
"Sometimes it's necessary though, audiences can be skittish about the message someone is trying to tell them, especially if the artist is too daring or truthful." There was a slight shake in Dylan's voice, possibly due to the conversation being listened to by unknown outsiders, and also trying to hide a message in a way that whoever was listening in would not be alerted.
"What's that quote from that old film? 'You can't handle the truth?'"
"Old people often fear the truth, so much so that they refuse to see what's staring them right in the face. It must be some kind of automatic flaw that kicks in once a person hits their forties." Nate played to his role of being a belligerent teen, winking at the other boy; who looked like he might faint.
"For shame Nate Henderson. If you think people in their forties are old I dread to think what your opinion is of my generation." Mimi perfectly played her role of cranky grandmother, giving both boys looks of encouragement.
"You, Miss Riley, are eternally young and so you have nothing to worry about."
"You should respect your elders Nate, even if they are not infallible."
"Did you eat a dictionary or something McGinley? You sound like an old man." The sniping banter came naturally, and would not seem out of place.
"Maybe you could take a page from Dylan's book here; apply yourself to your studies, then there would be no complaints from your teachers." Nate felt, rather than saw Jack move closer so that they could both read the message he had been writing.
** "I know that she is not my cousin. At first they just thought that because I was a kid, and the rest of the town had accepted her, there wouldn't be a problem. Then when I asked questions they told me that I was mistaken, but there are some things you can't fake. Like memories, specific details that only kids would think important. I asked once about my aunt, why she doesn't live in Silver Glade anymore, I learned not to ask again." **
"Why do teachers always think that they know better than their students. And then parents just accept what they say, no questions asked. I mean in this
day and age, you'd think they would look for new answers." Dylan looked puzzled, not following but Nate was still aware that whoever was listening would be expecting him to behave in a certain way.
The minutes were counting down to when the call would come and he wanted to leave; to start looking, but that might raise suspicions that they couldn't afford. He still wasn't sure if he trusted Dylan was being entirely truthful and then he spotted it, the raised skin, that could only mean one thing.
"So do you have a date with Grace or something? I thought that we had scheduled a tutoring session." The change in subject felt a little sudden and badly done, but Nate saw the realization in Dylan's eyes.
"She sure needs help," a minute pause, "with math." Dylan's reply sounded as if he was being bitchy towards Grace, but his message was clear.
"She really has been struggling, calculus can be a killer you know? Jack felt as if Nate here might be able to tutor her, but so far that's not worked out all that well. I think she is a bit intimidated by him. I don't suppose you know anyone who might be available?" Mimi drawled.
"Well my Dad says that it is best to learn by yourself, that it's never too early to stand on your own two feet." Nate felt as if he had been struck, his vision blurred and he was racing back to the time he'd last heard those words, the face of the speaker hidden by a mask.
He could vaguely hear that Mimi continued to gather information as he did his best to regulate his breathing. A glass of water was placed in his hands, and he took a few small sips, only spilling a small amount of liquid due to his trembling hands.
Once again; with more effort than he liked, he pushed back the worst of the memories. If a man; and he used that term loosely, could act that way towards an unknown child, there was little to stop him from doing the same, or worse, to his own son.
Chasing Shadows Page 24