Beyond the Shadows Read Online Free PDF Page A

to the kitchen to check out her meager supplies. Forced to exist on convenience food for the last week, she craved fresh produce. But after spending most of her time at the hospital, food shopping languished way down her list of priorities. As a result, the cupboards were bare. The contents of the fridge were no better, containing half a bottle of milk past its use-by date, and a few apples in the crisper. Hardly a satisfying choice.
    She shut the fridge with a sigh. Two choices stared her down—go to her parents for breakfast and while away some time, or go out and do a spot of shopping. The idea of stopping in to see her folks held great appeal. She hadn’t caught up with them in over a week and a visit with them always grounded her, helped her stay sane. Since most of her friends either were married with children or had moved away, she spent social occasions with her parents.
    At the thought of her mother, the woman’s perceptive gaze flashed into her head and she groaned. No, she’d be safer to go shopping instead. She’d only end up blurting the whole sorry mess, and she wasn’t quite ready to admit how she felt about Nate to anyone. Then she might be forced to do something about it.
    With her mind made up, she threw on a pair of shorts and tank top, applied a light layer of mascara to darken her long blonde lashes, and inspected herself in the mirror. She snorted at her reflection and shut the door of the make-up cabinet with a snap. Why was she prettying herself up? There were a few hours left yet before she collected Nate and she doubted he’d notice the effort anyway. Besides, she reminded herself, he saw her as just one of the guys. A subtle layer of makeup wasn’t going to change his opinion.
    Humidity smacked her in the face as she yanked open the door and stepped outside. The Rimu door had swollen with the moisture in the air, resisting her attempts to close it. She put her shoulder into it, sighing, mentally adding the job of taking it off the jam and slicing a sliver or two off it to her list of things to do.
    One of the cons of owning an older home was that there was always something to attend to. In her opinion, the pros like native timbers, quirky spaces, and personality, far outweighed those negative traits. She locked up and straightened, grimacing as her shirt uncomfortably gripped her skin. Five seconds outside and she was perspiring already.
    “Sub-tropical climates—gotta love them,” she muttered and ran lightly down the steps. A chorus of cicadas accompanied her to her garage, the sound of summer. The overgrown hedge proved to be a haven for the creepy bugs. She shuddered and increased her speed. Some thought they were beautiful with their transparent wings, fat bodies, and long legs that rubbed against each other to make their sound, but she wasn’t one of them. They just gave her the heebie-jeebies.
    Feeling like a fool, she hastily checked her shoulders and back for any rogue passengers. Only after she found none did she relax and climb into her car. The thought of being trapped inside a vehicle with one of those things didn’t bear thinking about. Been there, done that, and she was still paying off the consequences on her credit card. With a practiced hand, she backed down the long driveway and headed off. Her stomach growled again. She put her foot down.
    Free time had been a rarity since she’d joined the force all those months ago, and she reveled in it now. She turned up the radio when she heard her favorite band sing a song about feeling good, and she sang along, her spirits rising along with the temperature outside. At that moment, all was good in the world and it was a good reminder to focus on the present. It was all she could control. The future would look after itself.
    A free spot materialized in front of her as she turned into the mall’s parking lot, and she zipped into a space. She’d take it as a good omen for the day ahead. The air-conditioning inside was a welcome