Saving Grace

33

Grace burst through the front door, stormed into her living room.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed, grabbing the door handle before it could smack into the wall.

"He's lying," she said, ripping open the linen press doors. "He's going after Jack."

"Grace, he promised he wouldn't," I insisted, despite the fact I'd come to the same conclusion.

"He's not going to stop." She pulled out a large black suitcase. "Which means I have to find him first."

I bit my lip, took a step towards her.

"Grace," I murmured. "Please. Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" She snapped, turning to face me. "Don't try to stop him? Don't try to save Jack? You know, you say you're sorry, but all you do is defend Godric and advocate Jack's death."

She grabbed the suitcase by the handle and headed towards the stairs.

"Even if you did leave," I said, following her. "You can't stop Godric. He's one of the most ruthless, well-resourced killers ever born. You'd never find Jack before he did."

"See, that's where you're wrong," she claimed, dragging the suitcase up the first step. "Godric is currently using all those resources to find Jack, but I already know where he is."

I paused, looked up at her as she struggled to pull the heavy case up the steps.

"What do you mean?"

She gasped, dropped the suitcase handle. She shook her head.

"We were together for a year. Trust me, you get to know someone."

"Then where is he?"

"Like I'd tell you."

She grabbed the handle again. I leaned forward, grabbed the other end and lifted it. She paused, looked at me.

"I want to help you," I whispered. "Not harm you."

Grace sighed, shook her head.

"I don't know exactly where he is, but I know where his properties are. He's got a heap of them – a warehouse on the outskirts, an apartment in the city, a beach house two towns over. I haven't got keys for all of them, granted, but he's bound to be at one of them. And I have to find him – not before he finds me, but before Godric finds him."

"Grace," I sighed. "I don't understand. After everything he's done to you, why are you protecting him?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Richie, I don't have time for any self-help soul-searching."

"It's just a question."

"It's none of your business."

"I'm in this now, so it is my business."

"Well, I'm not telling you," she snapped. "I'm already two steps behind Godric, Jack can't hide forever, and you are trying to interrogate me in my own house. You want to help? Fine, good, help. But if you're going to be a nuisance, then get the fuck out."

I paused, eyes locked with hers. She was right. If we were going to do this, if we were going to find Jack first, we didn't have time for a Q&A. So, I bit my lip, gripped the suitcase and helped her carry it up the stairs.

© A.G. Travers 2018