Hidden Shadows (The Shadow Series Book 1)

TWENTY-THREE

It had been an interesting, entertaining, and needed time of retreat for Jenna and the kids in the two weeks they'd been at the cabin, but she was glad to be heading home today.

Even if home would not offer sanctuary.

The rest, the isolation, had physically taken her from the horrors of home, but she didn't think anything could take the fear until Leigh's attacker was caught. Until Jenna knew the person lurking in her shadows was caught.

But she couldn't hide forever. Couldn't put her life on hold for possibilities, so home she'd go.

Home where a policeman was posted and an escort to and from work and while dropping off or picking up the kids was available at her request. If she didn't have that assurance, didn't have the security of Cooley being a phone call away, of Ben being at her doorstep with one word, she probably would've hid forever.

At least until she could guarantee her children's safety.

She was stubborn, could be hard to cajole and convince, and she knew it. There was a defiant part of her that wanted to stand up, yell, provoke, bring this person out of the shadows and take whatever they had to throw at her. She hated they had the satisfaction of disrupting her life, causing her fear, bringing her tears. But she had her children. And she couldn't allow any ignorance or impulsiveness on her part to endanger them in any way.

Hauling her half empty suitcase up on the bed, she began folding clothes, packing them neatly while she considered all that had happened in the last fourteen days.

In light of the circumstances, Dr. Vick had taken the clinic to part time hours and allowed Jenna to cancel her appointments for the weeks she'd been absent. She'd checked in occasionally, kept tabs on patients through Molly.

The Youngs had finally had their baby. A girl. They named her Grace Taylor.

Four births from the Pregnancy & Nutrition class.

Dozens of applicants for an additional front desk position in the wing.

Taryn had also been calling, repeatedly, apparently desperate to speak with Jenna. Once again, Jenna had referred her out, this time with the absence of patience or politeness. Though the police had cleared Taryn as Jenna's stalker with what they called 'solid alibis,' Jenna wasn't convinced.

She knew they'd been working hard, following leads, tapping out all the sources they could. But they were still coming up empty-handed. No progress with the photo—could've come from any home printer, no prints—and no leads on the note—any number of people, staff, patients or off-the-street, were able to come in, scribble some words that could pass as Jenna's. Reviewing the security footage of that day was taking hours and hours of manpower, plus, with the hundreds of people coming and going, there were literally hundreds of possibilities to evaluate. Even crossing one off the list took time, investigation.

Of course, the clever and infuriating prowler knew, or caught a lucky break, that there was no video at Molly's desk or down that staff hallway.

Perry's death was also going unsolved. No witnesses, no neighbors reported seeing anything strange, suspicious, or out of the ordinary. Just a typical day . . . except for the poor, sweet bird who'd been killed.

Though Cooley hadn't said, Jenna knew the case hinged on Leigh. What she saw that night, who she saw. And incredibly, Leigh was still hanging on. She hadn't made it to consciousness yet, but she was alive, and right now, that's what mattered.

While Jenna wanted her to wake and her memory to break this thing wide open just as much as anyone—actually, more—Leigh's survival alone would be an answered prayer.