Unfinished Business (The Shades of Northwood 3) Read online

THE SHADES OF NORTHWOOD 3:

  UNFINISHED BUSINESS

  Wendy Maddocks

  ©2012 by Wendy Maddocks

  Other works by Wendy Maddocks

  Stand alone novels

  Twisted evil

  Into the darkness

  Short story collections

  The thrill of the Chase

  A Shade too young

  The Shades of Northwood series

  Running shoes

  Circle of arms

  Unfinished business

  Kiss at midnight

  Circle of the Fallen series

  Angels of America

  Poetry collections

  When I was young

  Before the dawn

  Screenplays

  RISK

  Non-fiction

  Student: dazed and confused

  Where we left…

  “I’m ba-ack!”

  Dina was allowed home a few days later, even though the hospital had advised against leaving so soon. There were forms to sign and prescriptions to collect – pain pills and ointment for her scars. She moved straight back into the big room with Jaye despite Katie offering to swap in case she wanted her own space. But the offer was declined – Dina said she never wanted to spend so much as a night alone again. Katie wondered how much she remembered of her time in Room 4. She didn’t like to ask though.

  “You missed tryouts the other day,” Adam reminded Katie the following Monday morning. “Decided to give them a miss this year?”

  “Just putting them off for a while. Work’s keeping me busy.” She put her hands together in a praying pose and fluttered her eyes at Leo. He rolled his eyes at her – not one for light-hearted mockery when it came to his religion, but he was starting to learn that the girls only did to get a reaction – and stalked over to cut and put ketchup on her bacon sandwich. Even the most basic things were impossible when you were one hand down. “I wanted to ask… am I still on for a free self-defence class? You know, when I’m all healed up.”

  “What happened to the one on one tuition thing?”

  She shrugged and tried not to blush as Lainy bounded into the kitchen obviously exciting after getting off the phone. “Still hoping but, you know, team player and all that.”

  “Well, if you’re up for personal training, I could teach you a few things, cast or not.”

  “Oh, I can’t keep it in any more!” squeaked Lainy, the words coming out like one long word. “You’re all here now and I can’t wait for the house meeting tonight.”

  “Lainy,” Katie said. “Breathe. In, out, in, out-“

  “Shake it all about. Shake it, baby, shake it. But be careful not to wake it.”

  “Not helping, Jaye. Also, doesn’t make sense. Now, why the hell are you excited at this time in the morning? It’s disturbing.”

  “Well, that was Dr de Rossa on the phone. We were talking and… how would you guys feel if I went back to nursing? It’s only a few shifts a week so I can still be here a lot. But I seem to be patching one of you lot up all the time so I figured… why not get paid for it? I was quite good back in the day and then it was… I had to stop, but I miss it every single day.”

  “I think it’s a great idea. You should definitely go for it!”

  After a long pause, which Lainy was too hyper to notice Adam muttered “I think we should talk,” then started to clear up.

  Chapter one