House of Shadows Read online

  “Me too. Let’s talk to Grandma Polly in the morning, and see if we can get her to open up about what’s bothering her. If this is related, we need to know. The more puzzle pieces we have, the more likely we are to figure out what we’re dealing with, and what to do about it.”

  “Alright, let’s do that,” I agreed.

  “I’m going back to bed,” he said. He kissed my forehead, and moved towards the door. “Lock the door behind me, and please. Don’t open it no matter what you hear, unless you call or text me first. Okay?”

  “Okay,” I nodded, and rolled my eyes at the same time.

  Miles stopped, a shadow of something I didn’t recognize in his eyes.

  “Anika… If I put myself in danger… how would you feel about that?”

  I looked back at Miles, and suddenly saw things very differently.

  “I’m sorry,” I said sincerely, moving forward to hug him again. “I am so sorry. I get it now. I do. And I’m sorry. I’d be so upset at you, I’d probably lock you in a room.”

  “I’m glad you understand,” he said, returning my hug. “Maybe I won’t have to lock you in one after all, and maybe I won’t have gray hair before I’m twenty-one.”

  I ran my fingers through his hair.

  “I’ll try not to do that to you,” I said.

  “Good,” Miles said. He kissed the back of my hand, and stepped through the doorway, and into the hall. “Don’t forget to lock up.”

  “I won’t,” I promised.

  Listening to his footsteps fade as he returned to his room at the other end of the hall, I locked the door, and went back to bed.

  It was Monday, and Miles and I were on our way to lunch along with what looked like at least half the students on campus.

  I was enjoying the warmth of the sun on my shoulders, which compensated somewhat for the decided chill in the air. I zipped my jacket and reached for Miles’ hand again, when out of nowhere, a missile struck.

  Not literally, but pretty close.

  “Miles!” squealed a very blond woman, from the top of a grassy knoll. Her clothes were way too tight and way too short to be decent, in my opinion. How did she not freeze to death in this weather!

  Everyone around us stopped what they were doing, and stared in fascination at the bizarre spectacle unfolding before them.

  She came barreling toward Miles just as fast as her stiletto heels would go on the soft grass-covered ground. She had every intention of throwing herself at him.

  Miles reacted faster than I could, I was busy wondering how she managed to squeeze herself into that outfit. A shoe horn, maybe?

  In one fluid motion Miles stepped out of the line of fire, carrying me with him. Blondie narrowly escaped a wipe out as she screeched past us and finally came to a staggering halt, minus one of her heels.

  She turned, and so did we. Miles swung me in front of him, and kept his hands on my shoulders. Any move she made, he countered, keeping me between the two of them.

  I did not have a problem with that. At all. I might have to break more than one of her heels, if she came after him again. In spite of her comical appearance, I had a dark feeling about this woman, sort of like a Red Alert, but different. I didn’t have time to analyze it any further than that.

  “Why haven’t you called me?” she batted her lashes which were so loaded with mascara, I wondered how she kept her eyes open. “After the great date we had, and then not a word…”

  Now I know how Miles felt all those years. I had apparently become invisible.

  “I have no idea who you are,” Miles said firmly.

  Blondie batted her eyes some more and flipped her hair, as she said, “Oh Miles, always joking around! We have something special between us, and you know it.”

  Yeah, ME! His fiancé! I almost laughed.

  “I don’t know you,” Miles said.

  “Oh, you know me alright…” she practically purred.

  We’re being Punk’d, right? I looked around for a camera. This was so over-the-top, the outfit, the acting, the fact that she was older than us.

  The chatter around us was almost completely silenced, as our classmates watched wide-eyed. I saw a few smartphones out, no doubt recording the proceedings.

  Blondie assessed me out of the corner of her eye.

  “After all the time we spent together over the years, just the two of us,” she pouted. “You told me I was unforgettable.”

  “Miles was in an accident which resulted in partial memory loss,” I said, trying to help Miles out.

  “I can help you remember,” Blondie said seductively.

  So THAT’S how it feels to want to claw someone’s eyes out!

  Miles’ hands tightened on my shoulders as I started to step forward. He knows me so well.

  “I do not know you, and I highly doubt that I ever did,” Miles said sternly. “I am absolutely certain I do not want to know you now. This is my best friend and fiancé, and your insinuations are insulting both to her, and to me.”

  I smiled a bit mockingly, I should probably be ashamed to say, and held up my left hand.

  The light from the sun lit my ring. Whoever cut this diamond, they knew what they were doing.

  Miles put his arm around me, and we walked away.

  “I have an idea,” he said in an undertone. “Let’s have lunch off campus today!”

  I laughed.

  I could hardly wait until we rounded a hedge, and were out of sight.

  I threw my arms around Miles’ neck, and kissed him rather passionately.

  “You—were—awesome!” I said, kissing him again.

  I loved how he didn’t let her get away with—well—anything!

  Miles laughed softly.

  “Maybe it was worth it then,” he said, kissing me back.

  Eventually he turned serious though, and glanced over his shoulder in the direction we came from.

  “I have a hard time believing Second-Miles ever knew her. He was all the way across the country at a boys’ prep academy for all of high school, and after that in a coma… he was a kid, for goodness sake. He’d only be twenty, now, like I am. No way did he spend time with her over the years.”

  Miles shuddered at the thought, and so did I.

  “What was she trying to accomplish?” he wondered.

  I looked in the same direction as Miles.

  “I can’t even begin to imagine,” I said. “She gave me a really bad feeling, though.”

  “Yeah, me too!” Miles laughed, not understanding what I meant, and I didn’t try to explain the dark feeling I had. I wasn’t sure I could. He glanced over his shoulder again. “That is one of the strangest things that’s happened in the past year, and that’s saying something. I can’t figure out why she would do that.”

  Miles frowned in thought and we were silent, thinking it over.

  “Note to self,” I said. “Always carry pepper spray when walking with the most gorgeous guy ever.”

  Miles laughed at that. He knew I carried pepper spray when walking Chip, in case another dog behaved aggressively.

  We continued toward the parking lot, and our vehicle.

  “I’m buying you some pepper spray,” I said. “And you better carry it. I may not be around to use as a human shield, the next time some woman tries to throw herself at you.”

  Miles laughed, but I meant it!

  “How did Grandma Polly sound?” I asked, as Miles ended his call. We were walking from the campus library, to our next class.

  “It’s hard to tell. She was cheerful, but at times I thought her voice sounded a little strained. She’s a good actress though, so it’s impossible to be sure. She denies she’s stressed, and is frustrated whenever I try and press her on it, so this time I didn’t.”

  “She does get awfully defensive,” I agreed. “I’m still disappointed we couldn’t get anything out of her when we tried to talk the last time we visited. When I tried to tell her what I’ve seen, she changed the subject, and re-directed, and I got
nowhere.”

  “Yeah, I hoped she would open up. The reason she called though, is to say that she would like to invite your whole family to the castle for Thanksgiving,” Miles said.

  “Really?” I was surprised. “I’ve got several aunts and uncles and cousins, plus grandparents. They add up.”

  “Oh, so… you’re afraid there isn’t room at the castle for all of them?” Miles asked in amusement, and I laughed.

  “Of course that’s not what I meant! My goodness, we could fit all the students on campus into the castle, and probably still have room.”

  “Well, Grandma Polly would like to invite your family. She’s quite determined. I’d like to do that, too… although I’m apprehensive about the shadow you keep seeing.”

  “Well… it’s never approached me. It seems to want to avoid me, if anything, and I haven’t seen it in a while. Since Grandma Polly is adamant that she hasn’t seen anything, and neither has anyone else, and since she’s so set on this... let’s do it!”

  “Okay,” Miles smiled. We reached the building our classroom was in and he held the door open for me, then followed me inside and down the hall.

  “I’ll call Grandma Polly later, and have her call Mom. She’s got all the contact info for my extended family, and I don’t. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!” I squealed, and grabbed his hand. I loved the idea of introducing all of my family to Miles and Polly, and spending the holiday together.

  Miles laughed.

  “I’m looking forward to it, too.”

  We walked through the door and into our classroom and headed for our usual seats, when I realized—Gina was sitting there. Two seats in that row, the only two seats left in the room, and she was sitting between them.

  I stifled a growl, as she waved at Miles.

  To say I was not happy about her creating this opportunity to get between me and Miles, was a major understatement. I didn’t know what else to do but go sit down, though. It was either that, or cut class. I considered it, but Miles led me toward the two empty seats.

  When we reached the end of that row, Miles spoke to the three people nearest the aisle. “Hey, do you mind if we sit on the end?”

  They were good natured about it and moved over, leaving us two seats, and forcing a very unhappy Gina to move down to make room for everyone.

  I held Miles’ hand and smiled, as he put his arm around me.

  “You are the best fiancé ever,” I said softly.

  “I love you,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I don’t want you brought up on murder charges, for so many reasons. It would complicate getting married, for one thing, and I don’t want to spend our honeymoon talking to you on a phone, while you’re on the other side of a piece of Plexiglas.”

  I laughed.

  “I don’t want that either, so thank you,” I said.

  “Any time,” he smiled.

  Chapter 10

  The colorful leaves were in vivid contrast to the blue sky. A fall breeze wafted through them, sending a few more to join the others already on the ground. Miles took my books from me as we left our U.S. History class, so I could zip my jacket. He tucked them under one arm and I tucked my hand in the other, and smiled up at him. He was so considerate, and caring, and—smart! If I took pride in anything in life, it was in being engaged to him.

  “I can’t believe you just did that!” said John, as he walked with us. He wasn’t talking about Miles carrying my books.

  “That was awesome,” said Xander, not even trying to contain his enthusiasm.

  Miles smiled and didn’t comment, and neither did I. But I bet Professor Jones would go home and study, and have something to back up his opinions, before he got the bright idea to challenge Miles to a debate in front of the entire class, ever again.

  Several of our classmates congratulated Miles as they walked past, and several thanked him.

  I laughed and shoulder bumped Miles.

  “You are so smart,” I said.

  Miles lived through so much of our country’s history, and spent the years he was alone studying and learning everything he possibly could, to stave off boredom. He read every book in the castle library, scoured the internet once that became available, and could easily teach the required class we were taking. And do it way better than Professor Jones!

  “The way you cited source after source, that was amazing,” said John, completely impressed. “What do you have, photographic memory? And the way you kept your cool and stayed respectful, in spite of what a condescending jerk he was being…”

  “I was ready to throttle the guy,” I said. “But you handled it perfectly. He thought he had you when he challenged you, but that was exactly what you wanted.”

  “It gave me the opportunity to speak without interruption,” Miles agreed.

  “That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” Xander said with satisfaction. “By the time you were done, he was shamed out of his superiority complex.”

  “Maybe he’ll catch a clue and quit claiming the holocaust was propaganda invented by the Allies,” said Jenny, still bristling.

  “Maybe so,” Miles said. “By the end of class, he had a very different attitude. He asked for a list of the sources I referred to. He wants to look into it further. I said I’d email it to him, since I’ve got another class to get to, and the list is long.”

  “We do have to give the guy credit for being willing to be educated,” I said grudgingly. “Not many people are willing to discuss, which includes listening, when challenged in what they believe. Most become angry and try to silence the opposition through bullying. Not that he didn’t do that at first, he really did.”

  “No kidding,” Xander scowled. “You’ve got amazing self-control, I wanted to deck the guy myself, he was such a condescending jerk.”

  “Professor Jones did eventually back down,” I said. “Chances are, he learned about more than just history today.”

  “That’s true,” Jenny said reluctantly. “He did change his tune. I have a distant relative who experienced the holocaust first-hand though, so it’s a sensitive subject for me. I appreciate you challenging him, Miles. I was too upset to think clearly enough to do it, and I didn’t have all of the sources to back up what I wanted to say, either.”

  “I know too much about history to let a professor try and change it, without saying something,” Miles said.

  “Are you considering history as a major?” asked John. Miles shrugged a little.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t decided what I want to major in, but business probably makes the most sense.”

  “Aw, that sounds so boring,” Xander grimaced.

  “It does, doesn’t it!” Miles laughed.

  Unless someone remembered seeing my jeans-and-a-t-shirt fiancé on the news program announcing that Alfred Sullivan was arrested for attempting to murder Second-Miles, they would never know Miles inherited an estate worth billions. He was a regular guy, and wanted to be seen as one, so his wealth wasn’t something he flaunted or talked about. Jenny was probably the only one that knew.

  Business did make sense for Miles, boring though it was, considering all of the businesses he owned and was responsible for.

  Jenny and I walked with the guys to their next class, on our way to her car.

  “I’ll see you after class,” Miles said, as he kissed me goodbye.

  “Bye,” I said, and waved, as Jenny and I continued on our way.

  “Excuse me,” said a tall blond guy, as he approached Jenny and I. “Was that Miles Bannerman you were just with?”

  I looked at him suspiciously. It was impossible not to, after the interactions we had with other people who claimed to know him, and didn’t.

  “Yes,” I said. “That was Miles.”

  “How is he?” asked the guy. He looked concerned.

  Either he was genuine… or he was a good actor.

  “He’s doing great,” I said cautiously. “Why do you ask?”

  “We were good friends at prep. We wer
e supposed to meet up the summer before last, but I never heard from him. It was like he vanished. He wasn’t answering his cell, which wasn’t like him. I didn’t know what happened, until I heard about it on the news last spring. It was such a relief to know he came out of the coma, but by then his number was disconnected, so I was never able to get in touch with him.”

  “Yeah, he has a different number,” I said. I wasn’t giving out information this guy didn’t already have, because I didn’t know enough to be sure he was legitimate. But, all I was getting was a genuine vibe from him.

  “My name is Paul, by the way,” he said.

  “Hi, I’m Anika, Miles’ fiancé, and this is Jenny.”

  Jenny and Paul said hi, and Paul turned back to me.

  “Congratulations,” he said, “Miles is a great guy.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I sure think so.”

  “He must be doing well, to be in college, and engaged.”

  “He is, he’s doing great. He’s fully recovered, physically.”

  “Would you give Miles my phone number and email address? I’d love to be able to get in touch with him again.”

  “Sure, I can do that. But there’s something you may not know. When Miles was injured, he lost a lot of memories. I hate to say this because of how harsh it’s going to sound, but he won’t remember you. He doesn’t remember anything about the prep academy at all, and even before that, his memories are very sketchy,” I warned him. Paul looked sad, and I felt sympathetic. “But give me your info, you seem like a nice guy. I’ll pass it on to Miles. Maybe you can fill in some blanks by telling him what life was like before the coma.”

  I really hoped this guy was legit. If he was, it could clear up whether or not the bizarre things we heard about Second-Miles, were true.

  Paul wrote his contact info on a piece of paper.

  “Paul… what were Miles’ other friends like? Did he have a few close friends, a lot of friends… what did he like to do in his spare time?”

  Paul smiled at the memories running through his head.

  “Miles was well liked. He was into video games, and skateboarding. He had a lot of friends.”

  I was convinced this guy was genuine.