The Shadow Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

kitchen counter. “Coffee’s hot. Can I get you some?”
    “I’ll get it.”
    “Did you sleep?”
    I take a mug from the cabinet. “I didn’t wake up once all night.” Wondering why I’m still so exhausted, I pour coffee into the mug, then add half-and-half and two packets of sweetener. “Has Dr. Trujillo called?”
    “No. Wyatt stopped by a minute ago on his way to school. He said Dr. Trujillo wants you to call the clinic at eight.” She glances at her watch. “Just five more minutes.”
    I sit in the chair next to her. “Where’s Mom? She isn’t still sleeping, is she?”
    “She’s outside in your dad’s workshop.”
    “Doing what?”
    “I’m not sure. She was up making coffee at five thirty so I got up, too. She took her cup and said she was heading out there. She seemed skittish as a colt, so I didn’t question her.” Addie shakes her head. “Poor thing.”
    “I’ll check on her after I call the vet,” I say. Setting my mug down, I push back from the table and reach for the phone book on the counter behind me.
    “Will you eat some breakfast?” Addie asks.
    “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
    She catches my attention and holds it as I’m opening the phone book in my lap. “I’m not going to tell you that you’ll get over this, because you won’t,” Addie says softly. “I still miss Dave like crazy, every single day. And even though it’s been more than twenty years since my folks passed, I still miss them, too. But with time, the pain will ease up and you’ll find yourself remembering the good times with your dad instead of the accident.”
    I prop an elbow on the table and cover my face. “It shouldn’t have happened,” I cry. “It didn’t have to. I could’ve stopped it if—”
    “Don’t, Lily.” She squeezes my shoulder. “Blaming yourself won’t change a thing. The accident wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen.”
    She’s wrong, but I can’t tell her that. If only Iris had given me a clearer idea of the danger ahead before we left, I would’ve told Dad that I didn’t want to go. “Thank you for being here, Addie,” I say, wiping tears from my cheeks. “You’re the best.”
    I find Dr. Trujillo’s number and call him while Addie busies herself in the kitchen. When I’m off the phone, she asks, “Is everything okay?”
    “Cookie was in a lot of pain last night. He’s doped up and resting now. Dr. Trujillo wants to keep him another day or two for observation.” My voice wavers. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
    Addie folds a cup towel and lays it on the counter. “I know you’re disappointed.”
    I press my lips together and nod. Putting the phone book away, I cross the room, and take my coat from the rack beside the door.
    “Lily.” Her solemn voice stops me. “I hate to bring this up, but the funeral home called. You and your mother will need to let them know what to do. If you want to have a service, and—”
    “I’ll tell her,” I whisper.
    A cool breeze blows through my damp hair, causing me to shiver as I step outside. The sky is a bright blue. The sun is shining, the thin rays slowly melting the snow away.
    I start across the small meadow at the back of the cabin, headed for Dad’s shop. It’s so strange that nothing looks any different out here. Dad is gone, yet his blue van is still parked at the side of the shop, waiting for him to load it with the cabinets he was supposed to deliver to someone in Pueblo next week.
    I pause in front of the building. On the other side of the double garage door that serves as the shop entrance, I hear a scraping noise that makes me think Mom’s dragging something heavy across the floor. Wondering what she could possibly be doing, I try to pull the door up, but it’s locked. Knocking, I call out, “Mom? Open up.”
    In a muffled voice, she says, “I need some time alone, okay?”
    “What are you doing?”
    “Sketching.”
    I stop tugging on the door handle.