Shadows of Jane

by Amy Hale

  She gave him a sad smile. “It’s okay. Maybe you’re just out of practice.” Then, she turned away from him and entered the building.

  Colt continued to look at the door as it closed behind her. “Yeah, kid. Maybe you’re right.”

  Jane had been resting peacefully when she was awoken by a noise. She bolted upright in bed and tried to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She reached over and turned on a small bedside lamp.

  Climbing out of bed, she stood and surveyed the room to find the source of the noise, but nothing obvious stood out to her. Everything appeared to be in order. The only place she couldn’t see in this tiny room was inside the closet.

  As she moved toward it, she felt apprehension building up inside of her. She had no idea why she felt so afraid. It didn’t make sense, yet her terror was very real. She forced herself to grip the doorknob, but her fingers were trembling so badly that she wasn’t certain they would work properly. As her hand closed around the cold metal knob, her mind flashed back to a dark room with small windows.

  She saw herself inside with her hand on the knob, struggling to get the door open. She banged on the wood panels and screamed at the top of her lungs, but no one seemed to hear her cries for help.

  Then, she heard the voice of a girl behind her.

  “It’s no use. They won’t let you out.”

  “What? Why are we locked in here?”

  The girl was on a small cot, mostly hidden under the covers.

  Jane couldn’t get a good look at her. “Who are you?”

  The girl pulled the blanket down just a bit, and Jane could see vivid green eyes staring back at her.

  “That’s what you have to figure out.”

  Jane shook herself out of her dreamlike state and realized she was still holding the closet doorknob in her hand. She had no idea what had just happened, but it scared her almost as much as opening the door.

  Slowly, she turned the handle and opened the closet. To her relief, the closet was empty.

  In fact, it was too empty. Looking down at the floor, she noticed that what few clothes she owned were in a pile but still on their hangers. One or two hangers were still hooked on the bar, swinging wildly.

  Speaking out loud to only herself, she said, “What the…how did this happen?”

  She carefully reached down and picked up each item, hanging it back in place in the closet.

  Once that was done, she shut the door and returned to her bed. She tried to sleep, but it was not meant to be. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was a little girl on a cot, hiding under a blanket.

  Colt had stopped by the shelter a couple of times since Jane moved in about a week ago. He was afraid if he stopped by daily, people would think they were an item.

  Colt wasn’t a commitment kind of guy, so he didn’t want rumors to start. And he sure as hell didn’t want Jane to get the wrong idea. Yet he found it difficult to stay away. In total honesty, he could admit that he was attracted to her, but he was drawing the line there. She didn’t need a loner like him making her life worse. She deserved better.

  Dr. Weston had mentioned to Colt that he guessed she was in her early twenties, so it wasn’t like he would be breaking any laws if he were to hook up with Jane. At times though, she certainly seemed much younger, much more innocent than any twenty-something he’d ever met.

  Regardless, he promised himself that he’d do the right thing for once in his life. His attraction for her would go no further than his mind, including the occasional vivid dream.

  After a particularly crazy day at work, Colt was a bit on edge and needed a drink. He drove to The Rusty Hinge and found a seat at the bar.

  He was downing his second beer and thinking about Jane when she suddenly seemed to materialize before his eyes. He put his beer on the bar and rose to his feet. Without even thinking, he walked toward her.

  Jane was standing near the door with her newest friend Carol, a volunteer at the shelter. They were both decked out in form-fitting dresses that accentuated every curve. Jane’s auburn tresses were coiled in a loose bun at the base of her neck with stray tendrils falling near her temples. At five-seven, she was taller than most of the women there, but she was still shorter than Colt’s six-one stature.

  In his eyes, she looked like a goddess.

  As he approached, Jane’s eyes widened with surprise.

  “Hello, ladies. Can I buy you a drink?”

  Carol blushed, but she was thrilled that the notorious Colt Henderson was paying attention to them even if it was mostly for Jane’s benefit. He was considered to be quite a catch by most of the single ladies within a fifty-mile radius. The problem was keeping him once you’d caught him because he never stayed put long. Carol secretly wondered if Jane would be the one to achieve the impossible.

  Colt walked the ladies to the bar, one hand on the small of each of their backs. “Anything you want, it’s on me.”

  Carol turned to Colt. “That’s very nice of you. Thanks!” Then, she addressed the bartender and ordered a gin and tonic.

  Jane had no idea what to order. She didn’t even know if she liked alcohol. Carol had suggested this whole girls’ night out, but Jane had her reservations. Dr. Weston had seemed positive that she was at or above legal drinking age, but since she didn’t have any ID, she hadn’t even been sure that they’d let her in.

  Carol had loaned Jane the clothes and worked some magic with her makeup and hair. Then, suddenly, she no longer looked like a teenager. Carol had remarked that Jane was stunning and would easily leave the bar with a date, but that didn’t really appeal to Jane. If she wanted to impress anyone, it would be Colt, but she hadn’t expected to run into him.

  Yet there he was with his hand possessively planted on her back, offering to buy her a drink. She felt a small sliver of happiness rise in her chest.

  Jane looked at all the various liquor bottles lining the wall behind the bar and shook her head. “I have no idea what to order.”

  Colt smiled at her. “Let’s start you off with something easy. You like cola, right?”

  She nodded her head. “Yes, I do.”

  “Great. You’ll like this then.” He turned toward the bartender. “James, rum and Coke for the little gal here.”

  James poured her drink and passed it across the bar. “There ya go, miss. Anything else I can get for you?”

  He flashed her a smile, and she got the impression that he might be flirting a little.

  Colt paid James for the drink and gave him a glare. “She’s good for now.”

  Jane took a sip of the rum and Coke, and she was pleasantly surprised. “Wow! That’s really good!”

  Colt couldn’t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm for something so small. That was one thing about Jane that had drawn him in. She had all these obstacles to overcome, yet each new discovery would bring her joy, and that joy was infectious.

  Carol had already found someone to dance with, and she was out on the floor, leaving her mostly empty glass behind. Colt directed Jane to a small table near the back, and then he ordered another round from a passing server. Jane was just finishing up her drink when the second one arrived. She handed her empty glass to the waitress and smiled as she took a gulp of the next one.

  “Whoa, slow down there. If you aren’t accustomed to alcohol, you don’t want to overdo it,” Colt warned.

  “Oh, right.” Jane was a little embarrassed. She didn’t want him to think she was a lush or something. She just really liked that drink combination.

  Colt turned out to be very right. Before the hour was up, she’d finished her third rum and Coke, and she was feeling a little light-headed. She excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, located near the pool tables in the back, and then she carefully made her way to the correct door.

  At least, she thought it was the correct door.

  When she pushed open the door and stumbled in, a large man was standing at a urinal, just zipping his fly. He turned to her and smiled.

 
“Oh, I’m so very sorry. I thought this was the ladies’ room.”

  “No problem, baby. You don’t need the ladies’ room. I’m happy to share.”

  He took a few steps closer, and she realized he reeked of beer and cigarettes. Despite being buzzed, she knew that this was not a good situation, so she took a step back, coming up against the closed door. As she turned to pull the handle, the man grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth.

  “No need to scream or struggle. I promise, you’ll enjoy this,” he said.

  He pulled her to the other side of the restroom while she kicked at his shins. He pushed her against the wall, and she panicked. She couldn’t get free, and fear took over her entire being. Closing her eyes, she saw a swirling black mass continually changing shapes behind her eyelids.

  When she felt him touch her breast, she screamed internally. At the same time, the full wall-length mirror and two small windows in the restroom shattered into thousands of tiny shards, flying around them as if swept up in a whirlwind. The man shouted as glass embedded itself into his back, and he let go of her, ducking to the floor as he covered his head.

  Jane opened her eyes to see him cowering in front of her, blood running down his skin in various places. The floor was littered with sharp fragments, and other pieces were stuck in the wall, but she was completely unharmed.

  Colt knew Jane had had a little too much to drink, so he decided to check on her. He pushed the door open to the women’s restroom and looked around. When he realized she wasn’t in there, he was confused. Then, he heard a commotion coming from the men’s room, and he went in to check it out.

  The man Colt knew as Max uncovered his head and looked around the room, clearly in shock.

  He glanced warily at Jane as he stood up. He then turned to Colt and pointed at her. “She’s a witch or something! She made this happen!”

  Colt strolled inside, kicking aside glass as he walked. He noticed Jane was visibly shaken. “She’s not a witch. But you’re a drunk and an idiot. Get out of here before I kill you myself.” As Max scooted past him, Colt grabbed his shirt and stared him in the eyes. “If you ever tell anyone that she’s anything other than a lady, I’ll hunt you down and gut you like a fish. Got it?”

  Max crossed his chest with his index finger. “Whatever you say, Colt. I swear!”

  Colt let go of his shirt, and Max scampered out of the room as quickly as possible. Jane was still up against the back wall, and Colt could see she was still scared.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here. You’re safe.”

  She blinked for a moment, as if she was trying to determine if he was real or a mirage, and then she ran to him.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s get out of here.”

  He led her to the bar and paid their tab. While he waited for his change, he motioned for Carol to join them.

  As she approached, she noticed that Jane was upset. “What happened?”

  “She had a little run-in with a drunk. I’m gonna take her home.”

  Carol hugged Jane. “I’m sorry, honey. I’ll be around tomorrow if you want to talk.”

  Jane gave Carol a sad smile. “Thanks.”

  Colt pocketed his wallet and grabbed Jane’s hand. Once out in the parking lot, he found his motorcycle and handed her the helmet. “Here, put this on.”

  As she strapped on the helmet, Colt started the bike and gestured for her to climb on. Jane crawled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. She didn’t have a clue as to what had just happened in the bar, but it scared the hell out of her to think she might have been the cause.

  WHY IS LIFE SO COMPLICATED?

  AND WHERE DOES ONE BEGIN?

  Colt pulled his bike into the garage attached to his small two-bedroom home and shut off the ignition. Jane carefully slid off the side, and then he followed, taking the helmet from her to put it away.

  Looking down at her, he could see that she still seemed shaken from the incident at the bar. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, are you okay, sweetheart?”

  Jane looked up to his face, tears resting on the edges of her lashes. “I will be. I’m just…confused.”

  Colt pulled her in for a hug. “I know. We’ll figure all this out together, okay? I promise.”

  She attempted a weak smile. “Thank you, Colt. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  He gave her another squeeze and they both entered the house. He froze when he heard his stereo click on, blaring Metallica. He turned to Jane. “It’s okay. It’s just my brother, Brett. He must be home for the weekend.”

  Walking into the kitchen, he tossed his keys into a bowl, and then he grasped Jane’s hand and led her into the living room. Colt’s twenty-one-year-old brother was sitting on the couch, sipping a beer and looking surly. It was exactly what Colt had expected to see. Brett only listened to metal when he was in a pissy mood—usually after a breakup.

  Brett looked up, and his eyes went wide. He jumped to his feet and hit the remote, turning off the music. “Colt! Sorry to barge in! I just thought I’d stop by and see what you were doing. It looks like you’re busy, so I can come back later.”

  Colt knew Brett thought he was bringing home his latest one-night stand, but he felt compelled to correct his brother. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone thinking badly of Jane. “No, it’s fine, Brett. I was hoping to introduce you two anyway.” He turned to face Jane. “Jane, meet my brother, Brett.” Then, he faced his brother. “Brett, this is Jane.”

  Brett seemed to choke for a moment. “This is Jane?” He looked her over once more. “Holy sh—”

  Colt held up a hand, interrupting that thought. “Not in front of the lady, Brett.”

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry, Jane. It’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Colt.”

  Jane seemed surprised by that admission. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Brett.”

  “Would you like a drink? I just put some beer in the fridge.”

  “No, thanks. I’ve had enough tonight.”

  “Oh. Well, I think Colt has some tea or orange juice in there, too.”

  Jane gave Brett one of her genuine smiles, the kind that made Colt’s heart skip a beat. He suddenly found himself wanting to smack his little brother. Colt had no idea what hold this woman had on him, but it seemed to be wrapping around him like a noose. To be honest though, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to escape it.

  Jane clasped her hands behind her back as she cleared her throat. “Some juice would be nice.”

  Brett nodded and practically ran into the kitchen.

  Colt rolled his eyes. He motioned to the couch and waited for her to take a seat, and then he sat beside her. He took one of her delicate hands in his and gave it a slight squeeze. “We’ll talk whenever you’re ready. No pressure, okay?”

  She simply nodded.

  Brett entered the room with a glass of orange juice and handed it to Jane. She took a sip and then placed the glass on the coffee table, her hand shaking slightly.

  Noticing that small detail, Brett gave Colt a knowing look that said, I see you need alone time. “Well, I think I’m gonna hit the hay. It’s been a long day. Good night, Colt. Hope to see you again soon, Jane.”

  “Good night,” Jane and Colt said in unison.

  Once Brett had shut the bedroom door, Colt turned to Jane. He watched her take another sip of her juice as she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she seemed to have some of her resolve back, but he could still sense the underlying fear, too.

  She took a deep breath. “Colt, I don’t know what happened.”

  He tried to keep his anger in check. He wanted to kill Max for scaring her. And if Max had touched her at all, Colt planned on killing the man slowly.

  “Did he hurt you? Did he…” Colt struggled to say it out loud. The idea of Max touching her in any way made his temper rise.

  “No! I mean, not really. I think he would have hurt me, but th
en…it happened.”

  “It? You mean, the glass?”

  She nodded, placing the juice back on the table. “I don’t know, Colt. I was so scared. I couldn’t get away. I closed my eyes and felt an intense fear that I could almost see in my mind. The next thing I knew, glass was exploding everywhere.”

  Colt frowned. “That is kinda odd, but I’m sure there’s an explanation of some kind. Maybe a minor earthquake?”

  “In one room?”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t make sense. Could have been the building shifting or a strong wind?”

  They both knew he was grasping at straws.

  “I don’t know. But other things have happened, too, Colt.”

  “Like what?”

  Jane reminded him about the bag and then told him about the closet and her strange vision.

  Colt had no idea how to respond to that. It sounded like something right out of a science-fiction movie. And he sure as hell wasn’t a scientist, so he couldn’t explain it even if there were a reasonable explanation.

  Jane leaned back and blew out a puff of breath, causing a tendril of red hair to flutter away from her face before landing over one eye. Without thinking, Colt reached over and tucked it behind her ear. She looked into his eyes and felt a tiny flutter in her chest. She was warm and tingly, and she was sure he was going to kiss her. She gave him a shy smile and closed her eyes as she leaned forward ever so slightly.

  Colt almost responded in turn, but at the last minute, he stopped himself. What am I doing? He really liked Jane. He didn’t want to mess up their friendship, and he knew a kiss would be the beginning of the end. Besides, he had convinced himself that she was like a little sister he needed to protect. Currently, he wasn’t having little-sister thoughts about her, and that frustrated him.

  He sat back and cleared his throat.

  Jane opened her eyes, and her cheeks reddened with embarrassment, which was easily obvious on her porcelain skin. He inwardly groaned. He felt bad that he hadn’t kissed her, but he knew he would have felt bad if he had. There was no way to win.