Finding Gracie's Rainbow

by Deborah A. Price

  After Kim stepped outside, Paige excused herself and walked to Gracie’s bedroom.

  “Go away.” Gracie looked up at her from where she lay.

  “I can’t.” Paige sat down on the bed next to her. “You have a date tonight.”

  “So?” Gracie laid her head back down and stared at the ceiling.

  “You didn’t even tell me about you and Jackson.” Paige was smiling at her as she tried to make Gracie think of something else.

  “It's been a rough week.” Gracie finally sat up with her knees folded upward as she looked at Paige. “A really rough week.”

  “Well, if you're serious about not talking to Jackson about what you just told us, then we need to think happy thoughts.” Paige pushed a curl from Gracie’s face. “Where are you going?”

  “Red Lobster, we're taking Annie and Christian. Oh, my God.” Gracie jumped off the bed as Paige stared at her.

  “Annie and Christian?” Paige felt like there was a lot she had missed since Monday. “Who is Christian?”

  Gracie peeked around the bathroom door. “Christian is the detective friend of Jackson’s that brought Bea back to me.” She came out of the bathroom smiling. “I think Annie has a crush on him, and she has no idea what we have planned.”

  “So you are setting her up on a blind date?” Paige was laughing, “You little minx.”

  Gracie frowned as she walked into her closet to pick out a dress. “Jackson told her that we needed a chaperone and, of course, Bea agreed with him.” She brought out a pale blue dress. “Too business looking?”

  Paige nodded and walked into the closet to look over Gracie’s clothes. “You need to go shopping.” She peered out at Gracie. “Don’t you own anything that doesn’t say you're strictly business?”

  “Why would I?” Gracie was watching as Paige finally brought out the pale pink jumper. “I guess this will work.” She laid it on the bed. “Would you like me to do your hair?”

  “I was just going to throw it up in a bun.” Gracie always wore it that way because of all of her curls. She watched as Paige wrinkled her nose. “Why not?”

  “You have gorgeous hair, Gracie. Stop acting like you're off to spend the evening in the office.” She went into the bathroom and grabbed Gracie’s brush. “Maybe it's time for a new style. I’ll come over tomorrow and cut your hair.”

  “I'm just going out with Jackson.” Gracie looked over at her before Paige started to brush out her hair. “He's seen me a lot worse.”

  “Just Jackson,” Paige chuckled as she thumped Gracie on the head. “And it’s about time, too.”

  “Why don’t you bug somebody else?” Gracie stood after Paige had finished with her hair. She took the brush and placed it back into the bathroom. “Have the kids even ate lunch yet?”

  “Not that I know of. Annie left, and Kim's keeping an eye on them while I'm in here.” Paige was standing at the door as she talked.

  “Kim is here?” Gracie looked shocked after she walked back into the room.

  “Yes, I called her.” Paige walked out the door as Gracie stood next to her bed.

  “Great. She's going to start asking questions.” Gracie said to herself as she started to walk out towards the living room. “How long has Annie been gone?”

  “Not long, she was just going to drop something off at her office.” Paige smiled as she saw Kim bring the children from outside to wash. “She has plenty of time before the date.”

  ~

  Annie was staring at her boss as she dropped the file on his desk. “Finished.” She mumbled as she started to walk away.

  “Susan wants to talk some more.” The gray haired, pudgy man across the desk spoke up as he took the file into his hands. “And she'll only talk to you and that detective guy. Oh, what is his name?”

  “Christian Lavern,” Annie answered him. “When did she want to talk, Mr. Greene?”

  “Today,” he answered as he noticed the impatient glare that he had received from Annie. “I tried to call your phone but it kept going to voicemail.”

  Annie looked at her phone, puzzled as to why she wasn't receiving her calls. “I have somewhere I have to be in two hours.”

  “Maybe it won’t take that long.” Mr. Greene handed her the file back. “Let’s just see what she has to say.

  “Yes, sir,” Annie took the file and called Gracie from the phone in the office to tell her that she had something to take care before she could go back home. She drove to the jail, noticing that Christian was already there waiting on her.

  “It’s about time you showed.” Christian was looking angry as he stood to walk down to the interrogation room.

  Annie glared at his retreating figure. “I just found out and for your information, I was taking the day off.”

  “I wish that made a hill of beans.” He didn't look back at her as he continued to walk, opening the door for her when they reached their destination. “I have somewhere I have to be, and I want to get this over with.”

  “And I do, too.” Annie retorted as they watched Susan being escorted into the room with by a deputy.

  Christian looked at Susan as she sat down after Annie sat down at the table with them. “Mrs. Cameron, we were told that you wanted to talk to us.”

  “Yes, sir,” Susan looked at them with her velvet blue eyes. “I need to tell you that Mark knows someone here that is working in his favor.”

  “Do you know who?” Christian didn't like what she had just told them.

  “All I know is that it's a judge. He never talked to him by name.” Susan looked over at Annie. “That is why Mark keeps getting off so easy.”

  “We need to find out who this judge is.” Annie looked over at Christian as she spoke. “He never had the judge work in your favor?”

  “I was trying to get arrested. I should’ve been arrested.” She frowned as she answered Annie. “It’s a heck of lot safer in here than where I was.”

  Annie looked over at her startled. “Did you not realize that there are agencies to help women in your situation?”

  “He would've found me.” Susan plainly stated while they both listened to her. “You've heard my testimony. This is the only part that I hadn't told you.” She paused as she looked up at the camera that was filming the interview. “I slashed Gracie’s tires because he said if I didn’t I would pay for it when we got home. I helped tear up her apartment and steal the manuscript because of the same reason.” She looked down at the table. “I sent the manuscript in because I wanted to get caught. I never knew that they would put me on house arrest in that apartment keeping me a prisoner to Mark’s anger.”

  “I'm betting he helped do that, otherwise you would've been placed in a cell.” Christian was studying her. “There’s a little girl and a mother who are glad that you were there.”

  “I didn’t want him hurting her. He made me have an abortion.” Susan was frowning as she remembered. “I would've made a great mother.”

  “Thank you, Susan.” Annie stood after they had finished talking to her. “You’ve been a great help.”

  Christian opened the door for Annie after the sheriff had escorted Susan back to her cell. “Maybe they'll cut her a deal.”

  “I hope so.” Annie glanced down at her watch. “I'd better go or Gracie is going to hurt me for being late.”

  Christian watched her walk away before calling his boss to give him all the information he had just received. He was going to have to rush himself if he was going to make it to the restaurant on time.

  Chapter 16

  Annie looked up from her menu puzzled when Christian sat down beside her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same question, Mrs. Roberts.” Christian looked over at Jackson wanting to know what was going on. “Jackson invited me to thank me.”

  Annie glared at her cousin. “The chaperone bit was a ploy-wasn’t it?” She looked from Jackson to Gracie. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go home now.”

  “You can’t, and I do
mind.” Jackson informed her as he looked down at his menu. “I invited you before I extended the invitation to Christian.”

  Gracie looked up and placed her menu down. “We wanted to thank you, too.” She wasn't saying anything about their conversation earlier that day. “For being there when I was going through what I did at the beginning of the week.”

  “So this isn’t a set up?” Christian looked at both them while interrogating them like they were criminals.

  “Is that what you think?” Jackson was laughing on the inside even though he looked very serious as he talked. “How about you guys take it as you want, and then we can enjoy this meal. What are you having, Gracie?”

  “The lobster of course,” she answered with a mischievous grin. “And I think I’ll have a strawberry daiquiri to drink.”

  “I don’t think so, but nice try.” He tilted his head to the side as he laughed at her. “I won’t buy you one.”

  “Fine.” Gracie was smiling as the waitress came over to them. “I didn’t really want one anyway.”

  Annie was actually smiling as they placed their orders. “You might hear something if you let her drink.”

  Gracie wrinkled her nose, and they relaxed enough to have a conversation during the rest of the meal. Jackson looked over at Gracie while Annie had left to freshen up, and Christian had told them good night. “Maybe you were mistaken.”

  “Maybe and maybe not,” Gracie stood after Jackson had laid the tip on the table. “You would almost think they hate each other.” She walked out towards the doors where she met up with Annie.

  “That was fun,” Annie said under her breath while they waited for Jackson. “How about we don’t do that again.”

  “We had no idea that you didn’t like him.” Gracie whispered as Jackson made his way over to them. “But it was better than being the ‘third wheel’ as you called it.”

  “Just a step above,” Annie agreed as they walked out to the parking lot. “I’m ready to call it a day.”

  “So what did you have to take care of before dinner?” Gracie was curious as she looked back at Annie from the front seat.

  “I had to attend a meeting with Christian.” Annie laughed at the expression on Jackson’s face. “This is the first time I've worked with him on a case.”

  “And I don’t need to guess about what case. Do I?” Gracie had already figured out that it was about Bea.

  “I think you know.” Annie was thoughtful as she thought about what Susan had told her and Christian at the jailhouse.

  “I don’t.” Jackson drove up into Gracie’s driveway.

  “Bea’s case,” Gracie answered not wanting to talk anymore about it. “Home sweet home,” she opened the door and was on her front porch before Jackson opened his door.

  He looked over at Annie puzzled. “You've been assigned this case?”

  “Yes, Jackson.” Annie had watched Gracie as she had run away from the conversation. “And you know that I’m very tight-lipped about work cases, so don’t ask.”

  “I won’t.” He would get Gracie to talk to him later. “After you,” he swept his arm forward in front of Annie as they walked up to the door.

  Gracie walked back out the door after they entered. “I'm going to pick up Bea and Garrison.”

  “Would you like some company?” Jackson had started to turn back around.

  “No, I wouldn’t.” Gracie answered while she continued to walk towards Kim’s house. She walked into the house and looked at her sister. “I'm going to sit here for a few minutes.”

  “You haven’t told him. Have you?” Kim looked over at her from where she had been watching television.

  “Not exactly,” Gracie played with the vase of flowers that were in front of her as she talked. “I feel like I'm suffocating.”

  Kim studied her as they sat there in silence for a few minutes. “And there is something else.”

  “How do you keep doing that?” She looked astounded as she asked.

  “I know you, baby girl.” Kim stood and walked over to the couch where her sister was sitting. “And when you get ready to talk about it, I’ll be right here as always."

  “Annie has been assigned to Bea’s case.” Gracie informed her sister. “She asked a few questions, and it upset me. That’s basically it, in a nutshell.”

  “And I'll be here when you get ready to talk about it in more detail.” Kim knew that it went deeper with Gracie. It always did. “How was dinner?”

  “I guess it went alright.” Gracie was smiling. “Annie didn't appreciate Christian being there, and I think that the feeling was mutual. They're working the same case.”

  “Cue the twilight zone music.” Kim laughed as Gracie had finished telling her about the way that the two had acted towards each other.

  “I guess I'd better go before Jackson comes up to see what the holdup is. Where are Bea and Garrison?” She stood as Kim called them.

  She walked them home and started yawning after Bea started to take her shower. It had been a long day, and she was trying to give Jackson a hint that it was time for him to leave.

  He watched her for a few minutes before getting up to kiss her good night as Annie watched. She turned to Gracie after she heard his car pulling away. “It’s only nine o' clock.”

  “And I'm tired.” Gracie shot her a look not wanting to go into her actions any deeper. "Vacation has a way of wearing one out, and I haven’t caught up on my sleep from Sunday and Monday yet.”

  Annie narrowed her eyes. “I'm so sure that’s all there is.” She stood and walked into the kitchen. “You're afraid that he's going to ask you questions.”

  “No, I’m not. He can ask all the questions he wants, but I don’t have to answer them. At the moment, I wish I hadn’t answered yours.” Gracie was upset as she talked. “Do me a favor and forget the answers that I gave you.”

  “It isn’t as simple as that.” Annie grew serious as she talked. “Everything you told me is going to be brought in to court if he fights yours and Susan’s testimony.”

  “Everything?” Gracie choked as she asked. “How does my testimony, if that’s what you want to call it, have anything to do with why he kidnapped my daughter?”

  “I told you it goes to character.” She answered while growing impatient with the conversation. “Susan told us something else today that will help, but I can't discuss that with you until I get the word from my boss.”

  Gracie stood and turned towards her roommate as she heard the water cut off in the bathroom. “So you’re going to destroy my character in order to get to his.”

  “I don’t have to destroy yours. He already has.” Annie was watching her pace in the living room. “I didn’t want this case, Gracie. I'm too close to the people that it involves.” Annie walked out of the kitchen and looked directly at Gracie. “It was forced into my hands, and I'm glad that you didn't have to deal with a stranger about what happened to you."

  Bea came out of the shower and looked at them strangely as she heard very serious grown-up tones. She walked off to her room, and Gracie followed her, picking up the brush as she did every night. Gracie walked out the room after she had tucked her in.

  Annie was talking to Garrison as she spotted her, and she held up a hand. She sent Garrison to bed and then looked over at Gracie. “Christian would like to set up a meeting to talk to you.”

  “Have him call my office Monday morning.” Gracie started walking towards the hall.

  “He wants to talk to you tomorrow.” Annie informed her. “If you don’t want to talk here you can go to his office.”

  “You aren't involved in this one?” Gracie asked her as she had sat down on the couch.

  “I am, and he asked me to set it up.” Annie picked up an empty soda can and pulled the tab off. “I only told him I would try.”

  “I didn’t realize that you worked weekends.” Gracie was studying her as she picked up a toy car that was left on the coffee table.

  “I guess it depends on who you work w
ith. I told you he was married to his job.” Annie stood. “You have time to think about it. I'm not going to call him until tomorrow. Night.”

  Gracie handed her the car and stood up herself as she thought. She opened the back door and sat outside in one of the deck chairs looking up at the stars twinkling merrily in the sky. She didn't wish to think about it; she wanted it to be over and done with.

  Standing up, Gracie walked back into the house locking the door behind her before heading down the hall to her bedroom. All of a sudden, she was wide awake and spotted the papers that she had left laying on her desk. She walked over and sat down; decoding every line on every page making sure to read it back to herself.

  Chapter 17

  “We're here though.” Annie retorted while Gracie watched the sparks shooting between them. “We both have kids that we have to take care of unlike yourself.”

  “Look, if you're gonna be working with me, then you need to manage your time better, kids or not.” Christian looked over at Gracie. “How are you and Bea doing?”

  “We’re doing fine.” Gracie couldn't help but notice the animosity between them wondering just how far off the mark she had been. “What did you want to meet about? I do have other things to do.”

  “As we all do.” Christian glared at Annie as he talked to Gracie. “I just need to go over some points with you about what you told Mrs. Roberts yesterday.”

  “She’s my roommate so call her Annie.” Gracie told him before she went on. “And I don't feel a need to discuss what I told her yesterday to you or anybody else.”

  “Alright, I can see that we're both used to being in command but this is an investigation, and we need cooperation from all parties.” Christian sat on the edge of his desk. He threw a hand in the air when Gracie started to protest him. “Yes, you are involved, and I would rather not have your daughter being questioned so I'm talking to you.” The look that Gracie gave him could have killed him, but it just amused him as he stood and added. “Jackson said you were tough, but I don’t think he gave you enough credit.”