Finding Gracie's Rainbow (27 page)

Jackson nodded his head as
he figured out what Gracie wanted to do. They walked into the
house, and Jackson told them that Mark had called again. “I’m
taking Gracie home.”

“
But. . .” Kim looked like
she was in shock.

“
She won’t be alone, Kim.”
Jackson spoke before Kim could dispute their decision any further.
“She needs to be around Bea’s stuff.”

“
Stay with her, Jackson,”
Steven looked at him seriously before glancing over at his sister.
“If you hear anything at all, you let us know. We love you,
Sis.”

Gracie nodded as she hugged
her own mother before following Jackson out the door. They walked
into Gracie’s house well after dark so Annie and Garrison were
already asleep.

Jackson looked over at
Gracie. “You should really go lay down.”

She walked to Bea’s room
and sat down on her daughter’s bed, picking up the worn teddy bear.
Jackson stood in the doorway and watched.

“
He's evil when he doesn’t
get his way, Jackson.” Gracie mumbled as she looked at Bea’s brush.
She loved brushing out Bea’s hair before she went to
bed.

Jackson sat down on the bed
beside her as he watched her trying to be brave. “Let it out.” He
hugged her. “You don’t have to be brave right now.”

“
I can’t cry anymore.”
Gracie was pensive as she admitted that to him. “I’m mad. I'm
frustrated, and I feel lost.” She turned the teddy bear over in her
hands and noticed that one of its eyes was missing; fingering the
empty spot, she looked up at Jackson. “You mean a lot to her,
Jackson.”

“
I know.” Jackson finally
acknowledged what he had always known. “She told me once that she
wished I was her father.”

Gracie smiled for the first
time since that morning. “She told me that, too. I never had the
heart to discourage her from feeling that way.” She stood. “I want
my daughter back.”

“
Me too, now, please go
lay down.” Jackson watched as she left Bea’s room, “And leave your
phone on.”

“
I was going to.” Gracie
took a pillow and blanket from the closet and then put them back up
when Jackson had started to reach for them.

“
Gracie?” Jackson let his
arms fall back to his sides as he looked at her puzzled.

“
I have a king-sized bed.”
Gracie noted his look, but wasn't thrown off her train of thought.
“Just keep on your clothes.”

“
Thank you, I think.”
Jackson followed her down the hall.

“
Don’t mention it. I just
can’t ask you to sleep on that hard couch again.” Gracie went to
her bathroom and slipped on a set of sweat clothes before slipping
underneath the covers. “Tomorrow is the last day of school.” She
held the teddy bear close to her as she tried to close her
eyes.

She tossed and turned as
sleep evaded her while thoughts of Bea and Mark swam in her
mind.

“
Gracie.” Jackson turned
over to lie facing her. “You need to try to sleep. You ain't going
to be any good to her or yourself if you don’t.”

Gracie sat up in the bed.
“I need to walk.” She threw off the covers and slipped into her
tennis shoes as Jackson turned on the lights. “I have to do
something.”

“
Fine, we’ll walk.” He
stood and walked right into Annie as he strolled through the hall
in the dark. “We're going for a walk.”

Annie was looking at him in
wonderment. “Did I miss something?” Annie watched as Gracie came
out of her bedroom.

“
I’ll tell you about it
later.” Jackson watched as Gracie walked in a trance around them.
“It's the kind of story you’re used to.” He caught himself looking
at Bea’s room.

Annie watched them as they
exited the front door and then went to check on Garrison. She
noticed that Bea’s door was open and peeked into the room. Turning
on the light, she noticed that the bed hadn't been slept in. ‘What
had Gracie been holding?’ Annie asked herself as she looked around
in the little girl’s room. ‘The teddy bear.’ The clock beside Bea’s
bed was reading three thirty. Annie walked out of the room,
wide-awake, and tramped into the kitchen as her mind wheeled. She
turned on the coffee pot and listened to the quietness that
surrounded her.

Why hadn’t she picked up on
anything earlier? She had seen the expression on Kim’s face when
she had stopped off at her house to pick up Garrison. She had
watched the whole family get into the car and tear out of the
court. Annie had assumed that Bea was with them.

She stepped out on the
front porch and watched as Jackson walked up and down the court
with Gracie. They walked to the edge of the driveway as Gracie
tried to walk away again. Jackson put a firm hand under her elbow
and led her back to the house.

Annie held the door open
for them as Gracie walked in first followed by Jackson.

He looked at the clock and
then at Annie. “Have you figured it out yet?”

“
Not enough. Bea’s not
here, and Gracie is walking around like a zombie.” Annie studied
her roommate. “I think I would like to be informed.”

“
Bea was taken by her
father on the school playground.” Gracie whispered as she looked
down at the stuffed animal she hadn't put down since she had been
home.

“
Garrison didn’t say
anything about what happened at school?” Jackson glanced over at
his cousin as he stifled a yawn.

“
Come to think of it,
Garrison didn't say much of anything all evening.” Annie had
thought he was quieter than usual, but hadn't pried. “You haven’t
slept, that much is obvious. Have you eaten anything?”

“
What if he doesn’t feed
her?” Gracie walked into the kitchen and started to take everything
out of the cabinet as they watched her. Jackson walked over to her
and took her hand, noticing the tears had come back.

“
You can’t think like
that, Gracie. Not now,” Jackson walked her over to the couch and
made her sit down. “There has to a silver lining
somewhere.”

Gracie just stared at him.
“There is no silver lining. There’s no rainbow.” She stood up
angrily. “There is money, and Bea is worth everything I got.” She
threw the phone down and held her hand out for the check that
Jackson had taken from her earlier.

Jackson shook his head as
he picked Gracie’s phone back up. “Let’s go get sleep first.” He
pointed down the hall towards her bedroom.

“
No!” Gracie sat back down
on the couch and stared at the blank television screen. “Did they
issue an Amber Alert?”

“
I’m sure they have.”
Annie talked to her in the soothing voice that she used at work.
She heard the alarm going off in her bedroom and left them long
enough to turn it off.

Gracie had turned on the
television, and she saw Bea’s school picture appear on the screen.
“Oh, my God, this didn't have to happen to her.”

Jackson walked back over
and turned the television off as he looked down at Gracie. “I have
to be at work in four hours. If I go to sleep now, then I might
actually be able to pull it off.”

“
I’m not stopping you.”
She stood up as Annie watched them.

“
Yes, you are.” Jackson
was growing ill with her as he took her free hand and led her down
the hall. “Now lie down and go to sleep. He won’t call again until
the afternoon.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Take your
shoes off and lie down.”

She frowned as she found
herself following his instructions. He pulled the covers over her
and laid beside her after turning out the lights.

~

Addison was frowning as she
listened to the messages that were left on the voicemail during her
lunch. Carolyn Young had left a message for Gracie to call her back
as soon as possible. She looked over at Gracie’s office and saw Mr.
Foster talking on the phone.

She stood and walked to the
office doors. They hadn't heard from Gracie, and Carolyn had been
very excited about the message. Addison knocked, marching into the
office after he had waved her in. She sat down nervously while she
waited for him to finish his call.

“
I’m sorry. The New York
office doesn’t seem able to manage without me.” Salem looked over
towards Addison after he placed the phone in its cradle. “What can
I do for you?”

“
Carolyn called and left a
message for Gracie to call her back ASAP.” She paused as he watched
her. “It has something to do with Bea.”

Salem raised his eyes. “So
why haven’t you called Gracie yet?”

“
You told us not to
disturb her.” Addison was frowning as she looked at the picture of
Bea that Gracie kept on her desk. “And I did try to call her. She’s
choosing who she talks to today.”

“
Get Carolyn on the
phone.” He stood as he started to think. “I don’t guess you have
the number for Gracie’s boyfriend?”

“
Gracie doesn’t have a
boyfriend.” Addison informed him as she stood to go to her own
desk.

“
The one that picked her
up at the restaurant?” Salem could have sworn that he had seen
something flash in between them.

“
Jackson? They’re just
friends.” Addison had remembered Jackson’s number the first time he
had called.

“
Fine. Do you have
Jackson’s number?” He was growing impatient with her.

“
Yes, sir,” she had
memorized the number the first time that Jackson had called the
office. She started to walk out of the office.

“
Call Carolyn from here,”
Salem barked as he walked over to the conference table and sat down
drumming his fingers while he waited for her. “You're wasting time,
Addison.”

Addison quickly dialed
Carolyn’s number and had put the phone on the speaker before the
agent answered. Addison quickly told her that Gracie wasn't
there.

“
I was told only to talk
to Gracie.” Carolyn admitted as she sat at her own desk across town
from them.

“
Mrs. Young, this Salem
Foster,” Salem looked at the phone wishing he could talk to her in
person. “If you have any information about Bea, you need to start
talking.”

“
Susan Cameron, the one
that had stolen Gracie’s manuscript called forty-five minutes ago.”
Carolyn looked at the notes she had taken.

“
And?” The agitation in
his voice was not unnoticed as he prodded her along.

“
She said that Bea was
fine.” Carolyn sat straight up in her chair as she continued. “She
also mentioned that she was on house arrest, and it was funny how
the police hadn't figured that out yet.” She paused. “Susan wants
them to get Bea before Mark lays a. . .”

“
Enough said.” Salem
stood. “Thank you, Mrs. Young.” He looked over at Addison. “Call
her friend while I call the police.”

She started dialing
Jackson’s number as Salem had walked over to Gracie’s desk and
called the police.

Jackson looked over at his
partners after Addison had called. They had heard the entire
conversation and offered to see the rest of his patients for
him.

He sped over to Gracie’s
house only spotting Kim as he walked in the doors. “Where is
Gracie?” He wanted to smile over the news he had just received, but
he knew it wasn't over yet.

“
She’s in Bea’s room.” She
watched as Jackson hurriedly walked towards the room.

He glanced over at Gracie.
“You need to get dressed.”

She looked over in his
direction. “Why?” The depression in her voice was deep as she
questioned him.

“
They found Bea.” Jackson
watched Gracie jump off the bed.

“
What are you waiting on?
Let’s go!” Gracie started for the front door as Kim stared at her.
“I don’t care what I look like, Jackson. I just want to see my
daughter.”

“
I don’t know exactly
where to go yet. They're supposed to be calling you.” He noticed
that she still clutched the phone tightly. “I’ surprised
that…”

It started ringing causing
Gracie to jump. She answered the phone and wrote the address on her
hand while Jackson watched her. She looked up at him and smiled.
“We know where to go now.” She grabbed his hand and started to walk
out the door again.

Jackson frowned as she told
him the address, “My own apartment complex.” He started to drive
like he was in the Indy 500, and they were in the parking lot as
they watched detectives and undercover cops enter the apartment
building opposite of Jackson’s.

“
They’ve been here for a
while, and I didn’t even know.” Jackson was watching as he thought
aloud. “Mark could've been watching when you came over Friday to
use the pool.”

Gracie sat there quietly as
she waited for somebody to retrieve her daughter from the
apartment. Hope was in her heart and her eyes as Jackson took one
of her hands.

He watched as his own
friend carried Bea out towards them from the building. “There she
is.” Jackson mumbled as he felt the relief sweep over his
body.

“
Can I get out?” Gracie
was impatient to touch Bea, to make it real.