Saving Grace (Available in paperback and eBook-SAMPLE)

Chapter 6

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Ten minutes later, Matt pulled into a parking space, put the car in park, and shut off the engine. He started to reach for the door handle and stopped when Grace grabbed his arm. Quickly glancing her way, he saw her face was deathly pale and her eyes were wide with fear. Sympathy rose within him. He took her hand and held it gently in his. "You're going to be-"

"It-it happened o-over th-there," she croaked, pointing at a shady corner of the parking lot. "I can see it all in my head."

"Don't think about it." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Look at me." Slowly, she turned her head and looked at him. "You're safe. He's not going to hurt you again."

"I wish I was as confident as you are," she whispered. "He sounded so sure of himself, Matt. What if he-?"

"Don't play the 'what if' game," he interrupted. "It's a waste of time and energy." He gazed into her eyes. "Trust me, Grace. You're going to be fine. Take a minute to pull yourself together and then we'll go in."

"Let's go in now." She gathered up her purse and briefcase and opened the car door. "I don't want to stay out here another minute."

They stepped out of the car and moved toward the building. As they hurried up the walkway, Matt scanned their environment, looking for any signs of trouble. He didn't see any. As they were nearing the entrance one of the doors opened and Chuck marched out. Realizing that Grace hadn't met him yet, Matt made the introduction and then asked him how the search went inside.

"The building's clean," he said. "Go on in."

"Call me if anything comes up."

"Will do," Chuck promised.

Matt opened the door and ushered Grace into the building. The hallway was empty this early in the morning. Students wouldn't start arriving for at least another twenty minutes. He followed her down the long hallway, lined with lockers on both sides. They turned the corner and he spotted one of the janitors cleaning the glass on a trophy case. Tall with an average build the man was in his late twenties with short brown hair and brown eyes. He turned those eyes on Matt and Grace as they approached.

"Good morning, Glenn," Grace said to him.

"G-good m-morning, Ms. Hud-Hudson," he stuttered.

"Glenn, I want you to meet a friend of mine," she said. "His name is Matt Bolton. Matt, this is Glenn Jamison."

"Nice to meet you, Glenn."

"Y-you t-too." He motioned at the case. "I-I h-have t-to w-w-work."

"We'll go away and leave you alone then." Across the hall from the trophy case Grace unlocked and opened the door. She switched on the light and moved to her desk, laying her briefcase and purse on the desktop. "Will you be staying in here with me?"

"No." Matt's eyes traveled around the classroom, "but I will be nearby should you need me. Tell me what period you have Kevin Russo."

"First," she replied as she removed a grade book and folders from her briefcase. "Why do you want to know?"

"He's my nephew."

Grace raised her head. "Really? Well, maybe you can tell me what's bothering him. I sense something isn't right. I've tried talking to him, but he won't open up to me."