She was smiling broadly when she entered the auditorium. There was so much going on that it took her a moment to get used to the noise after the silence outside. Tom was dressed as a rather thin Santa Claus, and Jade couldn’t help but laugh. He caught a glimpse of her and as if reading her mind, he pulled out the waistband of his Santa suit and stuffed a pillow inside.
“Hello, dear.” Jade was startled to hear Aunt Ernestine’s voice behind her. The old lady was sitting in one of the chairs set aside for the audience. She looked almost regal, as if the rehearsal was a command performance just for her.
Jade smiled, leaned down and kissed Ernestine’s wrinkled cheek. “This is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Just checking on things.” Her sharp eyes pinned Jade. “I understand you went out with Tom last night.”
Jade was taken aback, and Ernestine laughed. “I know just about everything that happens in this town Jade. Surely you know that by now.”
“If I didn’t before, I sure do now.” Jade grinned. “Quick, what color underwear am I wearing?”
Ernestine ignored her. “Tom Weatherby has been a good principal. He’s a great sportsman and has created a superior physical education program here in New Crescent. I was very pleased when he came to me hoping to make a new start in our town.”
“I didn’t realize you knew him. The kids sure like him.”
“Yes, they do. He seems invested in this community. He lost his wife five years ago. I don’t think it’s been easy for him.” She shook her head. “He is not for you, my dear.”
Jade frowned, taken aback by the uncanny old lady’s blunt statement. “I didn’t think he was. We went out one time. We’re just friends.”
Ernestine sighed. “Good.”
Ignoring her cryptic remarks, Jade watched the dress rehearsal.
Now that she had someone to talk to, Ernestine didn’t waste the opportunity.
“Gillian spoke to Henry today. She’s got a sketchy description of the creature, but it’s unlike anything even I’ve heard of. Right now Gillian is trying to sift through the impressions in Henry’s mind. It may take a while, but he’s being very accommodating. Is it any wonder? Gillian often manages to leave a little peace behind when she communicates psychically.” Jade could remember her own feeling of solace after connecting with Gillian and nodded. Ernestine smiled at the children on the stage and continued to speak. “She will make progress, but not right now. You might need a little of Gillian’s special brand of therapy some day soon. You watch yourself, Jade. There are many people here who love you.” She shook her head ruefully. “When you’re in a family you have to take the bad with the good. With love comes obligation. The men in your life will want to protect you from what you need to do. You must be strong and follow your destiny.”
Startled at the turn their conversation had taken, Jade shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
“I’m not exactly sure what my destiny is, Aunt Ernestine. I’m just trying to live my life by my own moral code.”
Ernestine smiled serenely. “You’re a good girl, Jade.”
Jade raised an indulgent eyebrow. “So are you.”
The old lady smiled and patted Jade’s arm. She turned her head towards the stage where a group of children wearing sunglasses danced to the Beach Boys’
Little Saint Nick
. This was not your run of the mill Christmas pageant.
* * * *
Tom didn’t keep the kids too late since it was a school night, so Jade congratulated the children on an inspired Christmas pageant. She said good night, made a solemn vow to buy tickets to the show and was back in her car by 9:30. Ernestine declined Jade’s offer to drive her home saying that Tom had promised to take her.
The school parking lot was dark. The snow had stopped and all was silent. Even the wind was resting. Jade shivered, not from the cold, but from the darkness. Deciding it was best not to distract the young performers, Jade had left Rags at home. So without the loyal little dog she had to rely on her pathetic human senses. For a moment she regretted turning down Tom’s offer to walk her to her car. She searched the black night for signs of danger and moved quickly. Frowning when she noticed the car parked too close to hers, Jade realized she’d have to enter by the passenger side.
She walked around the car.
“Well if it isn’t little Jade Adams.” The voice made her jump.
Her heart in her mouth, she turned to see Roger Paitken leaning against the bumper of her car.
Irritated, she snarled at him. “You shouldn’t sneak up on a woman like that, Roger.” She’d never liked the man even when she’d been a child. At least six years her senior, Paitken looked decidedly dissipated. Jade could remember that years ago some girls had thought him attractive, but he had a bad reputation with women and Jade didn’t need to be told to stay away from him. The smell of alcohol on his breath destroyed the fragrance of the night and her lip curled back in revulsion.
He said, “I heard you were back in town, thought I’d check out for myself how you turned out.”
In a soft voice Jade said, “I always knew how
you’d
turn out.”
Moving surprisingly quickly for a man inebriated, Roger grabbed hold of Jade’s thick braid and pulled her against him. Startled, Jade reacted instinctively. Her elbow speared the soft flesh of his stomach, and he grunted. Staggering off balance, he let go of her hair, and she whipped around and faced him, fearless and calm.
This time when she spoke her voice was firm. “Crawl back into your hole, Roger, before I neuter you.” She heard him cough and mumble something unintelligible. The rage in his bloodshot eyes made her skin crawl, and she opened her car door and slammed it shut behind her. As she crawled over into the driver’s seat, Roger pounded on the window.
“Girls like you are gettin’ gutted in this town these days.” He taunted her. She put the car into reverse and hit the gas, but before she sped away, she heard just a little more of what Roger had to say. “I could make you bleed…”
What he’d said shocked her. ‘Who talks like that?’ she wondered. Roger Paitken was certainly filled with hatred. Was it possible they’d been wrong? Could Roger have killed those women? She shook her head. No, the idea was ridiculous, he was pathetic not devious. But still, when she parked her car outside the house she almost sprinted to her front door. And the first thing she did once safely inside was call Travis. He was the Sheriff after all.
“So what’s up, Jade?” He didn’t bother to say hello. Call display had indicated who was calling him.
Jade smiled ruefully. “Hi Travis. First let me say that everything is fine.” She hesitated, and Travis waited. “I just had a very strange encounter with Roger Paitken.”
“What did he do?” Travis’s voice was sharp.
Jade told him about what had happened outside the school. She finished by saying, “Do you think Roger is capable of murder?”
“Wouldn’t that be easy? Roger Paitken is disemboweling people. Horrible, but simple. I wish it were that easy.” His voice was filled with meaning. “I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. These murders have been committed by something strange and unnatural. I guess in some ways Roger fits the description.” He laughed without humor. “But Jade, we both know he’s not responsible.”
Reluctantly Jade agreed. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Travis hurried to say, “That doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore what he did to you tonight. Do you want to press assault charges?”
“No. I took care of him.” Jade was rather proud of that fact. Here everyone thought of her as vulnerable, even fragile. How wrong they were. She could take care of herself.
Travis’s voice was filled with pride when he said, “Atta girl.”
Jade almost laughed. She knew Travis would be chatting with Roger Paitken that night, but she couldn’t spare the smallest smidge of pity for him.
* * * *
Still and dense, the night held its secrets. Predators stalked their prey silently in the accommodating darkness. Life and death. Mother Nature could be thought cruel to those who hadn’t bothered to try to understand her. There was a purpose for all her creatures, even those most rare and wild things. Deep in the forest where even darker shadows fell, human became beast. His feet barely touched the ground as he ran, covering a vast distance. Without a single conscious thought, but with intense feeling, he conquered the darkness. The forest was his heart, his soul…his life. It was all he had left.
When Jade woke the next morning, she greeted the day with enthusiasm. She’d see Sam today.
Stop it,
she admonished herself. What was she doing? Was she so pathetic that she could only be happy if she could expect to see some man every day? Jade rejected that thought and resolved to get past these new, but very strong feelings.
At the clinic, she walked to Dodger immediately. He was bright eyed and communicative. He befriended Rags immediately. He still didn’t remember much of what had happened the day he’d walked into the bear trap. Jade shuddered at what he must have suffered and for how long. Time was different, more fluid for animals, so she found it difficult to figure out the length of time Dodger had spent trapped. Sam would probably be able to make an educated guess based on his wounds, but it didn’t really make a difference. Dodger was recovering, and that’s all that mattered.
Both Jade and Dodger started when they heard a commotion outside by the stables. Jade’s first thought was, ‘what’s wrong now?’ and she resisted the impulse to follow the sound. She wasn’t the only person working today. She’d leave it to someone else for once.
“Well, hello there, Jinx. Did you miss me?” Sam lounged in the doorway, his crooked smile as engaging as it ever had been. Fleetingly, Jade wondered if he’d practiced it in the mirror when he was a kid because he had it just right. His features were so perfectly balanced the crooked smile added just the right touch of dynamic tension. A designer would notice the nuance and be impressed.
Jade just looked at him. He lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me I’ve been gone so long you’ve forgotten me? Please don’t tell me I’m that forgettable. You were gone for years yet I never forgot you.”
She blinked soberly. “I’m assuming your question was rhetorical.”
Sam frowned. “Uh oh, what have I done? Am I going to have to hire a decorator for that dog house I’m going to be living in?”
She giggled in spite of herself. “Welcome home, you big goof.”
“Finally. Now was that so hard?”
She ignored him, not trusting herself to speak. She’d missed him, and he’d only been gone a day. How pathetic she’d become.
“What’s wrong Jade? Has something happened?” He was concerned.
She snapped out of it. “No sorry. I was just distracted. How are your parents?”
He laughed. “You’re too good to be true, Jinx. You’re even concerned about the welfare of Satan and Cruella De Ville.” He shook his head. “They’re fine, and you’re far too generous to them. They didn’t ask after you.”
“So? I have no responsibility for their behavior, but I do my own.” She looked at him seriously.
“You have to have children some day. You really should pass along your life philosophy. It could save this doomed planet.”
“I’ve never known you to indulge in hyperbole. Sam Daniels, you really missed me, didn’t you?” The idea made her smile wholeheartedly for the first time since he’d walked in.
He laughed. “Guilty as charged.” He looked around the room with a critical expression. “It doesn’t look like Christmas here at all. We need to do some holiday decorating. Come see what I brought.”
She followed him into the reception room. It was filled with boxes of lights and red, green, gold and silver decorations. Her smile widened and became a joyous laugh. “This is wonderful!”
“I’m glad you like it. We’ll all decorate together then we’ll draw for our secret Santa.” Sam had caught the Christmas spirit and made it his own.
Bemused, Jade said, “I never knew you liked this kind of stuff.”
He shrugged. “My parents kind of sucked that out of me. We didn’t do any of our own decorating and forget about handmade stuff. Cruella hired a new interior designer every year. You should have seen the atrocities. Have you ever seen a brown and orange Christmas tree?” She shook her head. “Count yourself lucky.”
“It can’t have been easy for you as a child.” She felt sorry for the little boy he had been.
“In a way, but I had Chase, Reggie and Travis…and you for a time.” He grinned. “Now that we’ve got you back, we’re going to make this Christmas one we’ll never forget.” He called out to everyone who worked at the clinic. They all gathered in the reception area.
“Okay, guys. It’s bonus time.” He happily handed out envelopes to his entire staff and for the rest of the day they brought Christmas into the clinic.
Ever conscientious, Jade slipped back to check on Dodger. After a few minutes, Sam found her there and blocked her exit.
“Weren’t you wondering about your Christmas bonus?” He leaned against the door jam looking smug.
“I haven’t worked here long enough to deserve a bonus. I didn’t expect one, but by the looks of it you were pretty generous. Impressive.”