Saving Grace (22 page)

His lips curled at the prospect of making the big man question himself.  He promptly stuck his clipboard in his waistband, picked up both gallons of paint, and hurried off down the street before Burke came back out.

Zach laughed as he approached his loaded his rental with Burke’s paint cans.  He couldn’t wait to see his face, when he realized they were missing, so he quickly got in, started the engine, and rounded the corner toward Burke’s carport.

It gave him great pleasure to see him outside staring at the ground in sheer frustration, with his arms out.

He rolled down the window in time to hear him yell, “What the?  Who took my stuff?”

Zach laughed as punched the gas.
I’m coming Grace.  But before I do, I’m going to have a little fun.

Chapter 27

              A soft knock awoke him with a start, from his position on the sleeper sofa.

              “Hey bud,” Chet said softly, as he walked across the floor to sit at the foot of Burke’s pullout bed.  “What are you doing sleeping out here?  I heard you had an attractive visitor.  I thought you’d be in there.” 

Chet pointed to his bedroom door.

              “What are you doing here so early?”  He raised and rubbed his eyes, ignoring Chet’s question.

              “Natalie and I have a golf tournament today, and have to leave early.  We’ve been so busy that I’ve not been able to check in, and I got your voicemail.  You wanted to know about any production on the island?  Since you weren’t answering your phone, I took a chance and came over.”  Chet’s eyes glanced toward Burke’s closed bedroom door, and asked,  “So, do I get to meet her?”

              He grinned at his buddy, and checked the time on his microwave from across the room, which was a bit blurry from his sleepy state.

“Yes.  She’ll be up in a few.”  He sat up, grabbing his T-shirt from off the back of the couch.

“Are you getting modest on me?”  Chet laughed.

“So, you have anything for me?” He ignored his friend, and threw his shirt on. 

“Yeah, there’s a show on the island filming down on Diamond Head Road.”

He sat up a little more straight.  “That’s not too far.”

“Why?  What’s up?  You want to take your mysterious tourist to gawk at ‘da famous?”  Chet laughed.  “Natalie wanted to drive by too.  She’s a regular fan of that show … some actor dude is on it this season.”

“Chad Chambers,” Burke mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“Whoa, dude.  You’re a fan?  I never took you for the girly show type.  This girl must have had some effect on you.”  Chet laughed softly.

Burke’s door creaked open, and Grace stepped out.  Burke was relieved to see she was fully clothed, instead of sauntering out in his boxers.  That was for his eyes only.

“Hey.  Good morning.”  She sleepily smiled, and headed for the kitchen.  The breeze flowed through the main living room, bringing with it scents of tropical flowers and ocean mist.  “I will never get tired of that smell.”  She breathed in.

“You plan on staying long?”  Chet lifted an eyebrow and shot Burke a knowing look, before leaning in to whisper, “Nice.”

Burke frowned at his friend, and nodded for him to leave the subject alone.

Grace smiled in return and lifted an eyebrow in response.  “Maybe.  We’ll see.”

Burke stood to join her in the kitchen, and kissed her on the cheek before starting the coffee.  “Want a cup, Chet?”

Chet checked his watch. “Yeah, sure.  Why not? I have a little bit of time.” 

“Knock knock,” said Chet’s wife, Natalie, as she softly tapped on the back door, before stepping through into the living room.

“Good grief.  Is there no privacy here?”  Burke faked a frown, and then walked across the room to hug her.

“Sorry.”  Natalie shrugged.  “Chet said he was coming over.  I thought it would be okay.  I know it’s early.”

“Sheesh.  You’ve been gone for weeks and now you’re both invading my home. I think you missed me.”  Burke joked, and grinned down to Natalie. 

Grace watched the interaction between Burke and this tall elegant woman, who’d walked into the room. 

She knew Natalie was like family, but she’d never seen him so open with anyone else like this before.  She pursed her lips, and reminded herself that he had a life before her.

“We did miss you.”  Natalie grinned, before letting go of their hug.

“Good.  Hey, now that you’re here, I’d like you to meet …” He paused, not sure how to introduce her.  They hadn’t talked about any terms of their conditions.  She was his girlfriend, but wasn’t sure he could call her that yet. 

He finally settled for her name.  “I’d like you to meet Grace.”

Grace smiled, and rounded the counter to meet Burke’s friends.

Natalie turned away from Burke to shake hands, but froze.  Her eyes went wide with instant recognition.  Her hand slightly shook, so instead she shoved it in her pocket before stammering, “Y-You’re Grace Aundine.” 

Grace grimaced.  The magic of being anonymous was lost.  And although she always took it in stride, at any other time in life, currently it had felt so good to be just ‘Grace’ all these weeks in Burke’s home. 

She nodded in response, knowing that sooner or later, someone would burst her bubble.  She had hoped it would be later.

She graciously stepped forward and stuck out her hand, waiting for Natalie to get over her state. 

“It’s so nice to finally meet you.  I’ve heard a lot about both of you,” Grace said graciously.

“Who’s Grace Aundine?”  Chet whispered to his wife, as he watched her clamor to shake the other woman’s hand.  Not only was he embarrassed at his wife’s reaction, but also that he wasn’t clued in.

Natalie’s normally warm eyes narrowed down on her husband in shame.  How could he be so clueless? 

“She’s the grand-daughter of one of the most powerful families on the east coast, and the most glamorous.  Well, she’s like royalty,” Natalie explained, before turning to Grace to say, “You’ve been reported missing.  There’s a reward out for any information on you.”

Grace bit her lip, and sent Natalie a pleading look. 

“And I’d appreciate it if you’d not tell anyone you saw me.  I’d like to keep under the radar for a while.”

“Well, of course,” Natalie promised, putting her hand to her heart.  “I wouldn’t dare say anything… Burke, you won’t get into any trouble over this, will you?”

He laughed.  “For what?  Harboring a fugitive?  She’s not wanted.”

Chet interjected, looking concerned.  “I think she’s just concerned that someone, who is missing, is staying on our property.”
            Grace understood completely.  “Look if it’s any trouble I can go to a hotel.”

“Absolutely not.”  Burke put a protective arm around Grace.  “Chet, I can fill you in the details later, but Grace is what you might say ‘in hiding’.  She fled a dangerous situation and is laying low for a while.”

“Understood, but do you think going to a television production set is laying low?” 

“Do you know where they’re filming?”  Grace’s throat went dry. 

Natalie and Chet looked to each other with utter confusion.   This looked to be an urgent matter for Grace.

“Yes, I’ve already told Burke the location, but they’re not going to let you just walk on.  Normally all those that go to watch are kept far away from the house.  The security is tight, but …” Chet paused.  He saw how eager Grace was, and decided to help further.

              Chet pulled out his phone, and looked to Burke. “I can reach out to my buddy, who is tight with the security crew that’s working the location.  All I have to do is make a call, and they can be expecting you.”

Grace leapt forward and hugged Chet tightly around the neck.  “Oh thank you.”

“Sure, but since I’m helping you out, do you mind telling me what’s so important over there?” 

Grace swallowed, and looked to Burke, who nodded. 

“My sister … estranged sister … is on the show.” 

Grace throat tightened. The thought of seeing Anne was almost too much to bear, and she couldn’t speak any further. 

Seeing her struggling to compose, he finished for her.

“She didn’t know her sister would be on the show.  It was a surprise, and then after seeing her a few weeks ago, she hooked me into watching it every week.”  He paused long enough to see Chet smirk.  “I’ll take your cheap shots on that later, buddy.  Anyways … once they announced the crew was coming to Oahu.  I promised Grace I’d help.”

Natalie stepped forward, to lay her hand on Grace’s arm. 

“You poor thing.  I’m dying to know …which one is your sister?  Tell me it’s not Tina – because that girl is crazy.”

Grace shook her head, and simply said, “Anne.”

“Anne LaSal - she doesn’t go by Aundine?” Natalie asked, amazed at the new information.

“It’s a long story.”  Grace sighed, as her mind slowly wrapped around the concept of approaching Anne.  She just prayed her sister would want to see her.

“Nat, we’ve got to get to our tournament,” Chet said, checking his watch.

“Ooooh.  I wish I could go with you guys.”  Natalie paused on her way out the door.  “It was so nice to meet you.  Sorry to barge in on you so early.  And don’t worry … mum’s the word.”

Burke watched Chet put his arm around his wife’s waist to push her out the door, and stifled a laugh.  If he knew Natalie, she’d be obsessing about this until she knew more.

“Well, I’m glad I finally got to meet them, but I wish I didn’t have to air all my dirty laundry.”  Grace sighed and plopped down on the bar stool in the kitchen.

“They have such limited time… and are hardly here.  But I know now that Natalie knows you and your story, she’ll be itching for more.”  He saw the look of concern cross Grace’s face.  “Don’t worry.  She won’t say anything.  She may like to be in the know, but she never spreads it to anyone.”

Grace brought her knees up to her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs. 

“Do you think we can go see Anne today?”

He smiled, and pushed a cup of coffee toward her. 

“As soon as you’re ready.”

Grace gave him a weak smile in return.  At that moment, she felt very small, incapable of taking the first step toward seeing her sister. 

After all these years, thinking Anne had left without looking back … to finding out that she tried to make contact but had been cut off.  To now, stepping into a very clear and present moment, in which she might actually see the sister, which she’s yearned for all these years, was too much to take in.

Seeing the fear in her eyes, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder, and kissed her on her forehead.

“Don’t worry.  Everything’s going to be okay.” 

Zach watched the touching scene with spite, from the back corner of the lanai.  Without taking his eyes off Grace, he reached down and yanked a tiki torch from the grass beneath his feet.  

“Surely they won’t miss just one.  I might as well take two.”

He wrapped his hands around the staff of the second and squeezed hard, pulling another up from the grass. 

He watched Burke stroke Grace’s hair, and felt the same rage he held for her back at the hotel, when he struck her across the face.  How he longed to see the pained look in her eyes, as he hit her again. 

I’m right here, Grace.  Turn around.  See me!

Zach narrowed his eyes, taking a step out of the early morning’s shadows, closer to the window.

He smiled at how Grace’s would freeze with fear, if she turned around in that exact moment. Instead, as if her boyfriend could read his mind, he saw Burke’s head turn ever so slightly toward the lanai. 

Zach quickly jumped back under the shadows that cloaked him.  Although he toyed with the idea of being discovered, Zach knew this wasn’t his time, and couldn’t believe how close it cut it to getting caught. 

Stop pressing your luck.
  He heard from the back of his mind. 

Zach frowned up to the twilight that was taking over the dark sky, wondering when the voices would stop. 

They’ll stop when you catch her.  It’s her fault,
he told himself. 

Zach’s gaze, once again, narrowed in on Grace, who had stood to wrap herself around her new man.

To Zach, it was as if she was putting on a show for him.  And, everything inside him was screaming as she laid her hands on her boyfriend’s back, stroking it.  Once more, it took every bit of willpower to stay hidden.