The Way of Grace (Miller's Creek Novels)

by Bryant, Cathy

  Grace followed the two into a darkened room. In the far corner sat a small wheelchair facing the window, and a tiny, dark head appeared above the back.

  Elena moved in front of the chair, and her face softened as she knelt. “How’s my girl?” No answer. She motioned for Grace to join her. “This is my daughter Jessie.”

  Grace wasn’t prepared for what she saw as she stepped up next to Elena. The girl’s body was twisted and turned in awkward positions, and her head lolled to one side. Overwhelming compassion, not just for Jessie, but for her caretakers, welled in Grace’s heart. She smiled and leaned forward to caress her arm. Hello there, Miss Jessie.”

  The girl couldn’t speak, but managed a half smile.

  Elena chuckled. “She likes you already.” She stood and looked at her mother. “After I show Grace the house, we’re having dinner and a tour of the DA’s office. I’m not sure what time I’ll be back.”

  The older woman looked taken aback. “But we’ve barely s—” She stopped in mid-word, apparently silenced by something she read in Elena’s eyes. “We’ll see you later.”

  Grace stepped into the path of Elena’s stare. “If you need this time with your family, I can do this some other day.”

  Elena waved a hand. “Nonsense. It’s not like we’ll be gone all night. Follow me. I want to show you something.”

  A few seconds later, Grace stood in the center of a gigantic room Elena called a walk-in closet. She pivoted in a slow circle to take it all in. Not only was it bigger than the bedroom she had at Papa’s house, but was packed from top to bottom with clothes and shoes. The mahogany cabinetry, lit with spotlights, gave the room the appearance of an exclusive boutique.

  Elena fluttered an arm around the space. “Isn’t this every girl’s dream closet? If you’d told me ten years ago I’d live in this kind of house, I would’ve laughed in your face.”

  Was she fishing for compliments or showing off? “The whole house is beautiful.”

  A broad smile flitted to Elena’s face. “I hope this doesn’t come across as forward and rude, but I have some clothes I no longer wear. Would you be offended if I offered them to you?”

  Heat crawled to her cheeks and the tips of her ears.

  “Please don’t be embarrassed.” Elena laid a hand on Grace’s shoulder. “I remember my first days as an attorney, school loans to repay, and a woefully poor-paying position.”

  Swift suspicion ripped through Grace’s veins, but she managed to answer in a normal voice. “I’m not offended. I could use some new clothes.” To add to the pile she charged to her credit card last weekend? Where would she put them?

  The other woman smiled brightly. “Great, and while we’re at it, I’d love to take you under my wing. What do you say? Wanna be my protégé?”

  A nervous giggle escaped before Grace could control it. Never had she felt so included, but she couldn’t help but wonder about the unspoken price tag, not of dollars, but return favors. “I’m honored you would offer.”

  “I have some things that will make you look like you dropped a thousand bucks. Let’s start with this section.” She pointed toward one corner of the closet.

  Grace gasped. “But they look brand new.”

  “Most of them are. I bought them and never wore them because I lost weight. I never got around to returning them, but I think they might be your size.”

  Grace pushed aside her reservations and concentrated on the task at hand. The next several minutes were spent trying on various outfits, and her stack of clothes grew larger and larger. “Thank you so much for all this.” Grace pirouetted in front of a three-way mirror in Elena’s bedroom, modeling a slinky pant suit perfect for New Year’s Eve. “It really is too much. I’d be glad to pay you a little out of each check . . . ”

  “Nonsense.”

  Grace peered at her through narrowed eyes. How could she ask the question burning within without offending the woman? “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you doing all this?”

  An uneasy laugh flowed from Elena’s immaculately made-up mouth. “Let’s just say you remind me a lot of myself at your age. But enough of this. Let’s get packed up and head to town.”

  Only a thin line of daylight was left on the western horizon as they left the house. Locked within the cramped confines of Elena’s sports car, claustrophobia descended on Grace. She searched for topics to break the uncomfortable silence. It would be all too easy to sit and ponder questions about Elena to pass the time, but she needed to get to know this woman—for multiple reasons. “Thanks again for the clothes. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay your kindness.”

  Elena leaned her head back and laughed. “I’m sure I can think of something.”

  Grace shifted uncomfortably. Exactly what she feared. When they finally arrived at the DA’s office in downtown Morganville, she almost cheered, so ready was she to be out of the clutches of the black leather interior. Questions spun in her head like a carnival ride. How could Elena afford such a lavish lifestyle, and why was she being so generous?

  Once inside, Grace relaxed somewhat, though the old building seemed to take on a life of its own after hours. Elena’s now chatty conversation contrasted greatly to the uncomfortable silence she’d experienced on the drive in.

  The petite attorney showed Grace around the office complex and ended in her personal office. “And here’s where I work.”

  Tastefully decorated with a cherry desk and credenza, matching barrister bookcases filled with leather-bound law books lined the back wall. The off-white plush pile carpet whispered as they walked across it.

  “Very nice.” Grace spoke the words in a muted voice, no longer surprised by beautiful spaces. Her previous jealousy had waned, replaced by hopelessness.

  Elena raised one brow. “I could see you working in a space like this.”

  Grace shook her head. “I don’t know . . . ”

  “You’d be much more satisfied working for the DA than in defense. And there are ways to supplement your salary to get those loans paid off sooner so you could move out on your own.”

  Goosebumps pricked the flesh of her forearms. “Like what?”

  Elena easily sidestepped the question. “I hope you don’t mind, but I did some checking up on you. Graduating at the top of your law class is a major achievement. I’m glad I’m going to be your mentor.”

  “Thanks.” Overcome by the need to escape Elena’s persuasive and cloying charm, if only long enough to maintain her ability to think straight, Grace glanced around. “Is there a restroom close by?”

  “Yes.” She pointed out her door, across the reception area to a small door. “Right over there.”

  “I’ll be back in a second.” She crossed the reception area, bathed in the same plush carpeting, opened the door, and flipped on the light switch. Her eyes landed on the toilet paper holder. Empty. A quick search in the drawers beneath the sink turned up nothing. She’d just have to ask Elena.

  As she drew closer to Elena’s office door, cracked ever so slightly, the woman’s voice sounded from the other side, hushed and determined. “She’s been here a few minutes. I’m telling you, we have to watch out for her. She’s smarter than you give her credit for. She graduated first in her cla—”

  Elena grew silent for a moment, then came back in, her voice stronger. “I don’t care how naïve you think she is, I’m telling you we’ll have to keep an eye on her. Yes, she’s important to our plan, but this isn’t going to be a cakewalk. You’re gonna have to turn it up a notch in the charm department.”

  The air grew still and quiet again, her heartbeat pounding so loud in her ears, Grace was sure it was audible in the next county. Elena’s words about graduating first in her class lodged in Grace’s brain. Was Elena referring to her? If so, why did she think she think she needed to be watched out for? And who was she talking to? Grace struggled to keep her breathing shallow, tuning her ears to the faintest sound.

  Finally Elena spoke again. “Yeah, well, she�
�s also pretty attached to Andy Tyler, and that’s not a good thing. You know he’s on the list.”

  Her muscles froze, making breathing impossible. Andy on a list? What list? Her brain raced. Elena was talking about her and her connection to Andy.

  “Listen, we’ll have to talk about it later because I need to make another call.” Talking ceased, and faint musical tones sounded as Elena punched buttons. “This is Elena. I can’t talk long. What do you need?” Again a pause. “Just say you don’t remember if the defense asks that question.”

  Invisible hands clawed at her throat, threatening to suffocate her. She brought a hand to her neck.

  “Talk to you later. Bye.” The phone banged against the receiver and a whisper of steps grew louder and closer.

  Grace scrambled across the carpet to the bathroom door, pivoted, and pretended to exit, when Elena called out from her doorway. “Did you hear something?”

  She gave her head a casual shake. “No. What?”

  Elena’s eyes narrowed to cat-like slits. “Nothing. Must have been my imagination.” She stared at Grace a moment longer then headed to the exit. “Right now they’re holding the job opening at my request. It won’t last forever, so you need to give me your answer ASAP. Come on, I’m hungry.”

  The following Monday, Grace once more sat in the Miller County Courthouse, her thoughts on Matt. She’d been more than relieved when he’d showed up at church yesterday and even more pleased when he’d asked her to lunch. Afterwards, they’d walked to the creek and sat near the water to talk, and though he questioned her new hairstyle and clothing, he’d done so respectfully. Her lips curved into a smile. Just knowing that for now he planned to stay in Miller’s Creek made everything better. While it was still too early to tell if things would work out between them, at least now she had the chance to find out.

  Jason shifted positions to her left. Even though Andy still refused to put her on the case, he requested she attend the trial to observe Elena in action to hopefully uncover any weaknesses. The idea was laughable. Elena wasn’t the type to show chinks in her armor. Nor would she make careless mistakes.

  Grace moistened her lips and thought back to her dinner with Elena on Friday night. The other attorney had once more grown quiet and reticent, and more than once, she’d looked up from her plate to find Elena staring at her, almost as if she were scheming up some sort of plan.

  A chair scraped against the floor and brought her attention back to the trial. On the other side of David Simmons, Andy rose to his feet, ready to cross-examine Scott Evans, a witness Elena had called to the stand. “Mr. Evans, you stated previously that you were in the car with David Simmons on the evening of December twelfth of last year. Is that correct?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “And two other people, Gregory Johnson and Michael Bedford, were with you as well?” Andy perused the yellow legal pad he held in his hands.

  “Yes.”

  “You mentioned that David only pretended to be Michael’s friend, that behind his back, David made him the brunt of jokes.”

  Scott Evans nodded.

  “And how was your relationship with Mr. Bedford?”

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “So you never made derogatory comments behind his back?”

  The witness fidgeted a bit before answering the question. “I guess I did sometimes.”

  “So it’s safe to say that you and David held similar views of Michael Bedford?”

  Evans rubbed his cheek. “Yeah.”

  Andy approached the witness stand in a non-confrontational way. “Did Michael hang out with you guys on a regular basis?”

  “Not normally, but it wasn’t unusual for David to invite other people to hang with us.”

  “And what kind of activities did all of you typically enjoy during these times?”

  “Just the usual, playing basketball or football—you know, guy stuff.”

  On the other side of the courtroom, Elena twisted her lips then lowered her head.

  Grace’s spirit quickened, and a frown drew her eyebrows in tight. The witness’s response bothered Elena, but why?

  Andy resumed his questioning. “It’s already been established that you’d all had a few drinks, but on the night in question, how much did you have to drink?”

  Scott Evans practically bored a hole in the back wall of the courthouse. Finally, Evans leveled his gaze to Andy. “I don’t remember.”

  Grace’s pulse blasted off, jack-hammering in her ears, her mind zoned in on the phone call she’d inadvertently eavesdropped on only a few days ago. Elena had mentioned those very words—“I don’t remember.” She stole a quick glance at the prosecutor. She looked nonplussed, like she wasn’t the least bit bothered by the answer. Was Elena guilty of influencing witness testimony?

  Andy grew agitated and strode closer to the stand, his legal pad raised in the air. “Oh, c’mon, surely you can do better than that? Don’t you know how much you had to drink? One? Two? More than that?”

  Evans swallowed hard. “I don’t think I had any more than anyone else if that’s what you’re asking.”

  Grace couldn’t maintain her focus on the drama unfolding before her. Her head pounded, and she raised fingertips to massage the sudden ache in her temple. She had no proof for her suspicions of Elena. Anything she said would be nothing but hearsay, and she couldn’t just go around accusing well-respected members of society without something to back it up.

  A shudder rippled down her spine, sending bumps along the skin of her arms and legs, her mind gyrating with questions. There was more at play here than she understood.

  Why had Elena introduced her to her family, given her several hundred dollars’ worth of clothes, taken her out for dinner, told her about the possible job, offered to be her mentor? Was she just being nice, or was she attempting to buy her off? And who was on the other end of Elena’s phone conversation? More importantly, what list was Andy on?

  Everything around Grace faded away, as she rested an elbow on the rail and spun a strand of hair around one finger. Something was amiss, and it revolved around Elena. And somehow or another, she had to figure it out. Grace released a shaky breath. She had no choice.

  The way grew crystal clear, like fog disintegrated by pure sunlight. Matt would be proud. For once her decision wasn’t based on what others thought of her, but for the purpose of doing what she could to protect Andy, even if it meant going to work, at least in the short term, for Elena.

  In one smooth fluid movement, Jason placed one arm along the back of her chair and leaned closer, his lips inches from her face as he whispered in her ear. “Interesting turn of events, wouldn’t you say?”

  8

  It was all Matt could do to keep from screaming the word “No!” Instead he crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall to see how this scenario played itself out. At least he had to give Gracie credit for moving past trying to please everyone. Unfortunately her decision also made it more difficult for him to protect her.

  Was she finally growing a backbone or was something else at play here?

  She stood rooted in one place, an arm crossed around her waist and the other twitching nervously at her side, her eyes glued to the floor. “I know this is short notice, but it’s something I have to do. Being a prosecutor is something I’ve always wanted.”

  Matt switched his gaze to Andy. He didn’t seem the least bit surprised, but his eyes held disappointment . . . and disgust? There was more going on here. Something he wasn’t privy to. A slow shudder ran down his neck.

  Andy raked one hand through his curly hair, pivoted, then paced across the room and back. “I guess you have to do what you think is best, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Warn her? Warn her about what?

  Gracie still didn’t make eye contact. “I’ll get my things out of my desk.” She spoke the words quietly and left the room. The door closing behind her sounded so final.

  Andy must have felt it too, because he resumed t
he pacing and looked ready to punch something. “I gotta get outta here before I blow.”

  Matt moved from leaning to standing. The only way he’d ever figure out what was going on was to ask Andy, but now was obviously not the time. “How ‘bout lunch? My treat.”

  Andy stopped and brought a hand to his abdomen. “Make it some place with non-spicy food, ‘cause I don’t feel too well.”

  “That’s understandable.” Truth be told, his stomach felt a little punchy, too.

  A few minutes later the two of them were in Andy’s car headed out of town. Maybe a steak from Montana’s would make them both feel better, not just for the food, but to reach some sort of peace over Gracie’s decision to leave the firm. At least one good thing had come of all this. She’d no longer be in close proximity to the James Bond of Miller’s Creek.

  His eyes obscured behind his Ray Bans, Andy remained silent and withdrawn, making it difficult to get a read. At long last he spoke. “I still can’t believe she did this. Ben thought it would happen, but I didn’t think she’d go through with it.”

  “Ben?”

  His brother awakened from his catatonic reverie. “Ben Snodgrass, the older attorney in the firm.”

  Matt thought back to his first day in town. What was it Gracie had said about the man? He struggled to retrieve the conversation, but nothing came.

  They wheeled into the parking lot at Montana’s a short while later. With several minutes remaining before the normal lunch crowd hit, the hostess immediately seated them at a table near the front on the east side, the tantalizing aroma of freshly-grilled steak in the air.

  Andy took a seat facing away from the door and opened his menu. “You okay?”

  “Not really. Gracie’s announcement kind of knocked the wind out of me. I don’t even know why, except that I won’t see her as often as I’d like.”

  His brother raised a hand to his forehead, eyes closed, and rubbed at the furrows gathered there. “I feel the same way. I’m hurt, angry, and honestly a little worried.”