Page 61 of Safe in Shadow
Chapter Twenty-One
“With all of the improvements you’d recently made, the new valuation for the insurance was 2.3 million dollars—and the land is still yours. What do you intend to do with it?”
Grace and Nyx sat across from Mr. Silverman on a lazy July afternoon. It beat sitting across from insurance adjusters, police officers, firemen, arson inspectors, detectives, and the very, very nervous state contractor who’d approved the sprinklers and wiring.
“So... That much money is actually in my account?”
“Not all of it. Not yet.”
“I... I think we’d like to buy a property closer to town. In town. And we’ll figure out something to do with the land when it’s done—um—being evidence.”
“I was thinking... The James Cameron Memorial Park sounds lovely,” Nyx crossed his legs and sat back, the picture of a very pale business tycoon with poetic hair.
Grace tore her eyes away from him. She’d never been one for celebrity crushes, but Nyx looked like that British actor with the dark hair and the pale skin, the one who played that trickster in the superhero movies.
I have my own superhero now, she thought. She took Nyx’s hand. “I think the Cameron Memorial Park is even better. In honor of Silas and James,” she said softly, squeezing his hand between both of hers. Now that he was with her all the time and his life force was derived from living human energy, notsome dark supernatural energy, Nyx stayed solid as long as he wanted—and visible to everyone. (Although most people didn’t notice the occasional supernatural side effect, like shadows misbehaving around him, or his arms suddenly becoming long and narrow to reach something across the room.)
“And your money? You’ll have to repay a portion of the state grants if you don’t intend to honor your end of the bargain.”
“I actually want to table the bed and breakfast idea and go right for the senior assisted living. I was talking to Craig and Minerva Macpherson. He’s a social worker, and she works in the geriatric department at the hospital. They said there used to be a nursing home in town, Pine Hall, but the roof of the old place caved in during a snowstorm in 2020, and nothing has ever been done on that site. Is that correct?”
“It is. No developers or investors wanted to build there.”
“We do. Hilltop Home. Not house.Home.Hilltop Home is going to have twenty little apartments, and day programs for seniors, and I—” Grace knew she was rambling, and she didn’t care.
“You seem very sure of this plan,” Mr. Silverman said.
“She is. Mrs. Yerchenko is going to be our first resident,” said Nyx.
“That’s right.” Grace tapped the desk. “I was told Silverman First Fiduciary holds the deed to that land?”
“We do.”
“How much?”
“Well...” Mr. Silverman smiled and reached for his phone. “The town’s been putting any unspent money in the senior services budget into an account to aid in the rebuilding. I thinkI might be able to get you a very good deal, Miss Sanderson. Let me make a call and draft a letter of intent. I—”
“I think maybe that part should wait until later in the day. You’re open until four, right?”
“I can stay open until five for you. But if you don’t want to sign the letter of intent, I don’t see what difference a couple of hours will make?”
“Oh, I want to sign it. I just don’t want to have to sign it again when my name changes this afternoon.”
“Come again?”
“We have a meeting with a justice of the peace that Alban Wymark recommended. This afternoon, I’ll be Grace Sanderson-Cameron.”
“ARE YOU SURE THIS ISN’Tgoing to backfire?” Grace whispered to Officer Walsh, one of their three witnesses.
“State-issued identification and birth records were used to get your license. The judge isn’t going to argue with the license. Besides, Nyx is as solid as I am. He’s as visible as any other vamp or shifter walking around with a secret to carry.”
“How could they reissue a birth certificate that never existed?” Last-minute doubts plagued her. Oh, not about her choice to marry the person bound to her for eternity, but about getting arrested for fraud or something like that.
“The house burning to the ground has its uses. Most fire victims need reprints of their stuff. Not only that, we have a very sympathetic records clerk—a member of the paranormal community.”
Grace let out a shaky breath and clutched her bouquet of sunflowers more tightly to her simple white skirt and sky bluetop. “I asked my parents and siblings to show up. I don’t know if I hope they do, or if I wish they’d stay away. What is taking Nyx so long?”
“Give him time. When he’s excited, he does the shadow thing. Alban just texted me from the men’s room. His feet keep going to his shadow setting, and his shoes are falling off.”
