Saving Grace (Bear Creek, Texas)

“They were transferring him to a permanent prison location when the bus crashed and several inmates escaped, including James. Your parents got the news this morning but wanted me to tell you so you wouldn’t be alone when you heard the news,” Flo explained. “Bill called the sheriff right away and he is in contact with the Michigan State Police right now. Did you ever tell James about us or visiting here?”

Grace sat on a stool at the counter and thought back to her six-month relationship with James. “He has family in Dallas and I did mention you, but I told him I hadn’t been here since I was a teenager. What if he comes here? I have to leave!”

“Don’t panic, honey. The police are protecting your parents at home. They think he’ll go there first to look for you and they are prepared,” Flo explained in a calming voice.

Grace took a deep breath, trying not to let the fear and panic she was feeling overtake her. She needed to call Jackson. He would help her think of what to do. “Can I call Jackson?”

“Sure, honey. Use the kitchen phone,” Flo said firmly. “Don’t worry, Grace. It’ll be okay.”

Grace dialed Jackson’s number with shaky fingers, anxious to hear his strong voice, knowing she’d feel better then. Ida answered the phone, not sounding very happy.

“Ida, it’s me, Grace. Is Jackson nearby? I really need to talk to him,” Grace asked in a worried tone.

Ida’s voice changed to hesitation. “Um, oh yes, he is here, honey. Let me go get him.” Ida laid the phone down on the counter unaware Grace could hear everything. “Jack, it’s Grace on the phone. It sounds very important.”

Grace heard a female voice answer in a scathing voice. “Tell that little hussy Jackson is too busy with me right now.”

It was Kelly’s voice. Grace knew her whiny voice anywhere. What was she doing there at Jackson’s? A pain shot through her chest as she hung up the phone, not waiting for Ida to tell her he was busy. She stood there in shock for a few seconds not noticing the tears falling down her face. Was Kelly the reason he had gone to Randy’s last night? None of this made sense. She knew Jackson cared about her, but what if he was still struggling with feelings for Kelly, too?

“Grace? What’s wrong, honey?” Grace looked up into Bill’s concerned face. “Did something else happen?”

“I called Jackson but he was with Kelly,” she whispered, still having trouble comprehending it. She went and sat on a stool with shaky legs. It was all too much for one day. This was a nightmare!

Flo gasped loudly and scowled. “That no good, cheating son of a bitch! I knew he hadn’t changed.”

“Forget him Grace, we have other things to worry about. The sheriff wants to see us right now,” Bill said furiously. “I told Ben we were on our way.”

Grace nodded and numbly followed Bill out the door to the sheriff’s station. This all couldn’t be happening. This morning she had been happy and falling in love with a wonderful man that made her feel safe. All that was gone now—again.

She sat in the sheriff’s office numbly listening to the sheriff talk about the information he had found out from the Michigan State Police, but she didn’t hear the conversation going on in her presence. Her mind was stuck on the pain, the betrayal of Jackson and Kelly being together at his house. Jackson had said he was over Kelly, but he had loved her not too long ago. Maybe he wasn’t over her like he thought. Maybe he had only used Grace to forget Kelly and now Kelly wanted him back. There were just too many thoughts going through her head, giving her a headache and an ache in her heart.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Bill growl. “Forget Jackson Hawthorne, that lousy two-timing cheater!”

Grace looked at Bill’s angry face and the sheriff’s worried expression. They were both looking at her as if waiting for an answer.

“What?” she whispered, wondering what she had missed by being lost in her own thoughts. “What about Jackson?”

“The sheriff thought the ranch would be a good place to hide in case James comes this way,” Bill stated, looking very irate with the sheriff.

Grace shook her head standing up and putting her hands on her hips angrily. “No way! He is obviously not over Kelly if she is hanging out with him at his house, and I refuse to be there to see those two together.”

Ben looked at Grace sadly. “Jack is a stupid fool. I heard he picked her up from Randy’s last night but I had hoped he learned his lesson. Okay never mind, Jackson’s place is a bad idea. The police think he’ll head to your parents’ place and they will catch him there. But just in case, I have his picture and I’ll spread it around to the motel, bar, and local businesses. You’ll be safe here, Grace. This is a small town and a stranger will be noticed quickly.”

Grace shivered with cold and fear. Safe? She didn’t feel safe right now. She felt empty and shattered. After they left the sheriff’s office she went upstairs to her apartment and took a sleeping pill so she could sleep and forget this day ever happened.

Chapter 11

Jackson had had a hell of a day already and it wasn’t even noon. He drove into town to the hardware store but his mind was on Grace. He planned to stop by the café and see her and explain what he had been doing with Kelly. Kelly had called him drunk from Randy’s and pleaded with him to talk to her. He really didn’t want to listen to her whining but he also couldn’t let her drive as drunk as she sounded. If she got into an accident he’d feel terrible, so he reluctantly drove to the bar, amazed that he hadn’t thought of his once-favorite hangout in a long time.

He picked Kelly up from the bar and drove her home, seeing her inside of her apartment, then he planned on leaving. Instead Kelly had grabbed onto his belt to prevent him from walking out and had cried all over him, refusing to let him go. She said Grace got her fired from her job out of jealousy and Eddie had broken up with her because he found someone new. He wasn’t surprised about Eddie. He was a player and Kelly knew that from the beginning. As for Grace, he found it hard to believe she would purposely get Kelly fired. There had to be an explanation. Kelly wasted no time in trying to seduce him, taking off her top and trying to kiss him, but he wasn’t even tempted. He didn’t want her back. Kelly finally realized Jackson was serious about them being done and started cussing at him instead and hitting him. He went home with a headache and Hannah told him Grace had called, but it was too late to call her back. Then in the morning, Kelly showed up at his house, pleading with him again to take her back. She swore she had changed and would be a faithful girlfriend this time around. Once upon a time he might have fallen for her crocodile tears but he was so over Kelly. Grace knew Kelly was there at his house and he felt bad about that, but it had taken him some time to convince Kelly he was done with her and she better not ever show up at his house again. She had left cussing up a storm and squealing tires in the gravel, but he hoped he was rid of her once and for all.

He walked into the café but didn’t see Grace. Only Jane and a new girl he didn’t know. Bill walked out of the kitchen walking toward him, shooting daggers at him. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here young man. Haven’t you hurt Grace enough? And just when I was beginning to think I had judged you wrongly.”

“I haven’t done anything to Grace,” he answered, feeling puzzled and looked around the restaurant. “Where is she?”

“This is a small town, Jack. We know you picked up Kelly from the bar and took her home and she was at your house when Grace called. Leave Grace alone! The last thing she needs right now is an unfaithful asshole making her empty promises. That girl has been through hell already.”

Bill’s angry voice was causing people to look, so Jackson decided to leave and come back later when Bill’s temper cooled down. Once he was in his truck, he took out his cell phone and called Grace’s apartment but he there was no answer.