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  SUMMARY

  Family. A group of people you are related to by blood or love.

  Nora Schaeffer has come home to her family after twenty years working around the world as a photographer for National Geographic. She’s welcomed into the open arms of her father and siblings.

  Family. A group of people who support you, lift you up when you fall.

  Shannon, the youngest of the four Schaeffer siblings, has vanished, leaving her five-year-old daughter, Bella, terrified and alone. To help find Shannon, Nora has no choice but to turn to the dark-haired specter who has haunted her for twenty years. Along the way, she finds her own long-dead heart and uncovers chilling family secrets beyond imagination.

  Family. A group of people who will stick together to hide the rotten soul at its core at any cost.

  Who will live? Who will die? Who will be the most damaged? And who will learn to love again?

  damaged

  damaged

  kim pritekel

  Sapphire Books

  Salinas, california

  Damaged

  Copyright © 2018 by Kim Pritekel. All rights reserved.

  ISBN EPUB- 978-1-939062-46-8

  This is a work of fiction - names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without written permission of the publisher.

  Editor - Nikki Busch

  Book Design - LJ Reynolds

  Cover Design - Treehouse Studio

  Sapphire Books Publishing, LLC

  P.O. Box 8142

  Salinas, CA 93912

  www.sapphirebooks.com

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Edition – May 2018

  This and other Sapphire Books titles can be found at

  www.sapphirebooks.com

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to those who survived, prevailed and soared.

  Prologue

  Then what?” the five-year-old asked, green eyes wide with excitement at the story she was being told.

  “Well,” Shannon said, sitting at the child’s bedside, her hand resting on top of the tiny body tucked beneath the covers, her voice hushed, “when they got to the top…they found the pencil!”

  “They did?” the child whispered in awe.

  “They did. And what they found was a golden pencil.”

  “So Peter can do his homework!”

  “Exactly!” Shannon cuddled the child and rocked her, leaving a kiss on her head. “You sleep well, dear, sweet Bella,” she said quietly. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Mommy,” the girl said with a jaw-cracking yawn.

  Smiling and filled with love, Shannon tucked in her only child and left the tiny bedroom in the two-bedroom apartment, closing the door, the cloud nightlight painting the room with a soft white hue.

  Heading down the short hallway to the bathroom, Shannon shed her robe, walking nude until she reached the tub. She turned the knobs until the water temperature was what she wanted before tugging up the stem to send water streaming down from the finicky showerhead. She nearly growled as she stepped into the tub, throwing the flimsy plastic shower curtain closed behind her. She hated that she had to essentially run around the tiny space to get wet. But, eventually she was able to smooth back her short, bottle-black hair and begin her washing.

  A quick shower later, she stood in front of the mirror, yet again naked, preferring to air dry as she began the intricate dance of makeup and hair. She had been shocked to hear from him and wanted to look her best. She smelled good, would look good, and at the end of the day, she knew she was good.

  Standing back from the mirror, ignoring how shadows from two of the five burnt-out light bulbs made her look, she saw herself in the mirror surrounded by bulbs, ready to head out on that stage. She grinned, admiring the red slash of her lipstick. She used to love her smile, but she hadn’t had a lot to be truly happy about in a while. As she closed her lips, she also closed the door on the questionable choices she’d made from time to time. She hoped he wouldn’t notice or mind. She hoped he still saw what he did on that stage seven years before.

  “You’ve got this,” she murmured, a smoky-eyed wink backing her claim.

  Looking in on Bella once more, she stepped into her stilettos and grabbed her handbag, keys, and cell phone then headed out.

  Chapter One

  “Jesus, who told her that was a good idea?”

  “Jamie, if you make me tell you one more time, I’m going to kill you, okay?” Nora Schaeffer said, looking up from her camera, a sickeningly sweet smile on her lips.

  “God, you can be such a grouch.” He followed her out of the venue and to the elegant landscaped yard where the wedding party was gathering. “But come on, Nora,” he whispered, shrugging her heavy camera bag higher onto his shoulder. “That dress is awful.”

  “Shut it,” Nora growled.

  After the wedding, Nora and Jamie got some dinner and she dropped him off at his downtown Pueblo apartment, handing him a check for his work that day as her assistant. Leaving Jamie, she headed out to what was referred to as “The County,” the farmland area of Pueblo, Colorado where families had lived and farmed for generations.

  As she took a right on Thirty-Sixth Lane, right across from Pueblo County High School, she headed on deeper into farmland, a small smile coming to her face as she thought of her home. Since she’d been a child, there was a particular house she’d always loved and had dreamed about one day owning. She took several more turns before she was on her own street—a dirt road to keep her Jeep constantly covered in dust—and a picturesque old farmhouse at the end of her journey.

  It was a two-story and the bottom level had been built nearly 130 years before, the second story to follow thirty years later. The white house with black shutters, dormers, and a wraparound porch sat on four acres, and the clincher was the 700-square-foot studio apartment in the back—that’s what sold her on the place. Originally a barn for farm equipment, it was now her home studio.

  The tires of her red Jeep Wrangler Unlimited crunched on the gravel of the driveway to her home, the four-door pulling up in front of a detached one-car garage, original to the house. At one time, buggies, a carriage, and buckboards had been parked inside. Now, the hot engine of her Jeep ticked as it cooled and she climbed out, heading to the back to retrieve her equipment.

  With a grunt, Nora heaved the heavy camera bag onto her shoulder so she had two free hands to gather up the two tripods she’d brought for the shoot. She walked down the flagstone path to the studio and unlocked the door, letting herself in. With a yawn, all she wanted was to unload everything and soak in her claw-footed tub, also original to the house. The farmhouse wasn’t large: three bedrooms, living room, laundry room, and a small kitchen with the one bathroom off to the side. It was maybe twelve hundred square feet, but for her alone, it was perfect.

  The old plaster walls were lined with exquisite framed and matted pictures from all over the world from her days as a photographer working for National Geographic. She’d started out carrying equipment for Ralph Dalstrom, one of the best in the business, following him through the mountains of Nepal. Eventually, she’d worked her way up to one of their senior shooters with awards to back her work.

  She entered the house from the back door, which opened into the kitchen, and sat on the small stool right inside the door to remove her shoes. She let out an almost obscene moan—her feet ached fr
om so many hours on them. It had been a long wedding and an even longer day. Sighing heavily, she pushed to her feet and made her way into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door. In the eighteen months she’d been back living in the country, she had to get used to living alone again. While living overseas, she typically had a roommate, be it her assistant to lug her equipment as they moved around from assignment to assignment or a producer who organized the trips.

  She plugged the tub and turned on the hot water with a bit of cold before pouring in a little lavender-scented bubble bath. Water running and fragrant bubbles forming, she turned to the antique cabinet topped with a container sink. She glanced into the oval mirror on the wall above it as she reached into the vanity to grab her cold cream. During a regular day, she wore little to no makeup, but during a job, she did. Now, all she wanted was for it to be gone.

  Nora had been told that she was a beautiful woman, but she didn’t agree or care. Her dark brown hair was cut into a short bob, one side usually tucked behind an ear. She had bright green eyes, which she knew were entirely too expressive. They got her into trouble. She had an average build and was a tad shorter than the average height of a woman, but she made up for it with a feisty attitude and loner mentality.

  Smiling at her own thoughts, she pulled her hair back from her face with a headband then washed her face. Finished, she wiped up the water around the basin then stripped as she stepped into the tub and sank down beneath the suds.

  Resting her head back against the warming cast iron, she closed her eyes and allowed her body to ease, her aches and pains from a bad back clenching from time to time until they began to release when the heat absorbed into her muscles.

  As she began to relax further, her cell phone rang where it lay on the kitchen counter. Annoyed, she cracked her eyes open and glanced in that general direction. There was no way in hell she was going to leave paradise for a phone call.

  ****

  Nora cringed as she took a closer look at the shot she’d taken two days before. Though Jamie had been inappropriate to comment on the bride’s dress at the event, he wasn’t incorrect. It honestly looked as though a burlesque dancer’s outfit and that of Laura Ingalls decided to mate and Debra Spencer’s wedding dress was the fruit of their passions.

  Shaking her head, she continued through the shots. Despite the…interesting…outfit choices and the fact that the groom sported several facial tattoos, the couple somehow managed to be incredibly photogenic. They were playful and willing to try new things, which was always fun for Nora, as wedding shoots could get awfully boring and cookie cutter.

  “Okay, Debra,” she said, snatching one picture in particular, which she thought the bride would be thrilled with, “let’s get this puppy looking perfect.”

  So involved with what she was doing, Nora flinched in startled surprise when her phone rang. Sparing a glance to where it sat on the table behind her, she reached and her fingers stumbled around the tabletop until they touched it, her attention still on the computer screen.

  “Hello?…Yes, this is Nora, who’s this?…I’m sorry, I don’t know a Penny Garcia, I think you’ve got the wrong num—” She sat up a little straighter in her chair, airbrushing forgotten. “Wait, what? How long?” She brought a hand up to her forehead, eyes falling closed. “What’s the address?”

  Chapter Two

  Jill Lacey laughed into the phone. “Edward, if you don’t have the caterer from Oliver and Bethany’s anniversary party, I’ll never forgive you.” She laughed again as she headed into the master bathroom, which was larger than most studio apartments. Her opened silk robe flowed behind her. “Yes, I realize the birthday party isn’t until October 20, but there is no way I’m letting Paige have a better party for that ugly little daughter of hers than I’m having for the twins. I mean, come on, Edward,” she said sweetly, observing herself in the large, wall-length mirror. “Sylvia and Tyler will only turn sixteen once.” She smiled at what she’d heard on the other end of the line. “Good boy.”

  Ending the call, she tossed her phone onto the newly installed marble countertops with the double sinks. The exquisite white stone was also used on the floor and the walls of the standup shower, large enough for a party of four, should that be an interest.

  For now, her thoughts were on the fact that the twins were back in school and it was a gray, rainy day, perfect for a lunchtime quickie. Right on time, she heard the front door open and the heavy tread of work boots heading up the massive winding staircase.

  “Robert,” she said, looking herself over one last time before hurrying back into the bedroom.

  He was such a handsome man. Though she’d never found redheaded men attractive, there had been something about him that drove her wild, with his deep red hair and deep blue eyes. His smile, however, clinched it for her. That and he was a fantastic lover.

  Reaching down to open her robe, she posed herself on the bed, a welcoming smile on her lips.

  ****

  Sated and freshly-showered, Robert had gone back to work, and Jill moved through the 6,500-square-foot house. Earlier that morning Ezra, the housekeeper, had been by, and Jill wanted to make sure she’d gotten to everything Jill had asked her to do. She’d noticed over the past couple months, the woman who had been working for them for just shy of two years wasn’t doing as thorough of a job. It was a big house, yes, but Ezra was paid fairly well for her efforts.

  Pleased with what she found, she headed out to meet Bethany for their planned lunch.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late,” she said in a rush as she breezed into the bistro where Bethany was already seated and had a red wine sangria sitting in front of her. “I had issues with Ezra.” A lie for sure, but she was embarrassed at the true reason for her tardiness. She set her purse down on the empty chair to her right as she sat across from Bethany. “Oh, that looks good!” She waved down a waiter who hurried over to them. “I’d like one of those, too, please.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said before scurrying off to do her bidding.

  She brushed blond hair away from her face and let out an exasperated breath. “What a day.” She took the menu in her hands and opened it, glancing over the selections. “But,” she added, glancing at the African-American woman who had been her friend for a little under five years, “I did manage to get Eddie on the phone. I threatened to essentially neuter him if he didn’t get me Carol and her people.”

  “Their food is so amazing,” Bethany said, sipping her drink. They were quiet as the waiter lowered Jill’s drink to the table then went on to take their food order. Once he’d left, Bethany raised her glass. “To a successful party for the twins.”

  Jill grinned and lightly clinked her glass to her friend’s. They each took a sip, and she set her glass down. “It’s going to be spectacular, best on the block, for sure.”

  “Are Sylvia and Tyler looking forward to it?”

  “They are. Oh!” Jill exclaimed, slamming her palms against the table. “One of Tyler’s teachers had the audacity to call me yesterday and tell me she’s worried he won’t graduate if he doesn’t get a handle on his study habits now.” She rolled her eyes. “Can you believe the nerve?”

  “He’s what, a sophomore? God,” Bethany said, taking her drink in hand again. “Maybe if she’d do her job Tyler would be able to do his.”

  “Exactly what I told her. Bitch.” Both their attentions were drawn to Jill’s purse as her cell phone rang. She dug it out and rolled her eyes. “Not answering that.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Nora.”

  “Are you guys fighting again?”

  Jill chuckled. “When aren’t we? She feels it’s perfectly fine to criticize my life and my marriage.” She leaned slightly forward. “Can you believe she bought that old run-down farmhouse on Nicholson Road? I mean, who does that?” The phone rang again, Nora’s name showing up for a second time. “Figure it out, Nora,” Jill said, sipping her drink. The two women continued chatting when Jill’s phone rang again. T
his time it was Sylvia. With an annoyed sigh, she answered. “Hey, honey. I’m at lunch with Bethany. What’s up?” She used her free hand to pick her fork through her salad as she listened to what her daughter was telling her. “Honey, she tried to call me already. You know we’re not talking to Aunt Nora right now, so—” She put the bite into her mouth and chewed. Finely arched eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean, it’s important? I’m not calling her, Sylvia…I see.” Jill let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, I’ll call her back.”

  Chapter Three

  “Downs!” Coach Schaeffer yelled, his voice booming in the large gymnasium. He blew his whistle, and the entire football team came to a stop from their forced run around the perimeter, many of them bending over with hands on knees as their chests heaved. “Get over here!” The varsity player jogged over to where the coach stood behind the podium in the corner where he was working on plays for the first game in a week.

  “Yeah, Coach?”

  LJ Schaeffer looked at the kicker over the rims of his reading glasses. “Seriously, Randy?” he asked in a quiet, yet firm voice. “You’re going on your third year on this team and you decide it’s a good idea to walk during a run?”

  The kicker crossed his arms over his chest and glanced away, one hand coming up to stroke his attempt at a beard, which was more like patches of scraggly hair than a badge of masculinity.

  “And another thing, if you want to be on this team,” the coach growled, “you’re going to look like a man, not a homeless person. Get that crap under control, or I’ll find someone who would be happy to be a respectable face of this team.” When Schaeffer felt he wasn’t being heard, he grabbed the teen by the front of his shirt. “Got me?” Noting the player’s quick nod and wide eyes, he dropped his hand and turned away from him, effectively dismissing him.