LITMIR.BIZ

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some guy named Vaughn.”

      Casey sat forward. “Did she give you a last name?”

      Sam shook his head.

      “How is she?”

      “Exhausted. I managed to convince her to get some rest. It wasn’t easy. She’s scared, Casey. The fear’s eating at her.”

      “Does she know who you are?”

      He shook his head. “There’s not one bit of recognition in her eyes. Why, Casey? Why is she calling herself this strange name? Why is she afraid of this Vaughn person? Why is she afraid of me?”

      “There’s something you have to consider, Sam.”

      The seriousness of his brother’s voice spurred him from his seat. “She’s not crazy!”

      Casey stood up. “I wasn’t going to suggest she was. In fact, I have a hunch it’s the opposite.”

      “What are you talking about?” Sam demanded.

      “Maybe she really is Adrienne Winston. Maybe she has been all along.”

      Sam couldn’t believe his ears. “You said it was a long shot.”

      “That was before I knew she’d been talking about this Vaughn guy. I can see someone with a head injury picking up a name from a book. But to be afraid the way you say…”

      “Stop!” Sam wouldn’t hear another word.

      Casey put a hand on his shoulder. “I wish I could have spared you this.”

      “Me? I don’t give a damn about myself. It’s Amy I care about. If all this stuff she’s been coming up with is true, it’s possible she’s in very real danger. I need to see her.” He strode out of the room.

      Halfway down the corridor, Casey caught up with him, grabbing his arm.

      Sam glared at him. “Let me go.”

      “You’re too worked up. You think going in there like this is going to help her?”

      His brother was right. He had to be strong now. And calm. He had no idea what he was dealing with. “It’s been three years, Casey.”

      “I know, Sam.”

      Sam winced at the compassion in his brother’s voice. Hearing it scared him. Casey was a cop. A cop whose hunches were always on target. “Learning about the baby, we were so happy. How are we supposed to deal with this?”

      Casey put an arm around him. “I don’t know, Sam. But you will. You’re the strongest man I know. Besides, if Amy really is Adrienne Winston, the fear she’s experiencing comes from three years ago.”

      Sam shot him a grateful look. “I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I should go tell her.”

      Casey half laughed. “Tell her what? We still don’t know anything yet. Why don’t we go get some food instead?”

      Sam shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”

      “My treat,” Casey said.

      That surprised him. “Your treat?”

      “You’re looking at me as if I’m some kind of tightwad or something.”

      Sam managed a smile. “Or something.”

      Casey laughed. “Then you’d better take me up on it. It’s a one-time offer.” His demeanor turned serious. “You have to eat, Sam. You can’t—”

      “Take care of Amy if I don’t take care of myself. All right, Mom, you win.” He glanced at the closed door of her room. “I just hate to leave her alone.”

      “She needs to sleep. The nurses will keep an eye on her. Especially after what happened earlier. And once Dr. Yamana has had a chance to completely examine her, we’ll have a better idea what we’re dealing with.”

      Casey’s words echoed Sam’s own thoughts. After dropping by the nurse’s station, they headed down to the cafeteria.

      WHEN ADRIENNE WOKE for the third time, she felt as if she’d been asleep for weeks. A glance at the clock on the bedside table told her it had only been thirty minutes. The pain in her head had faded to a dull ache.

      The panic she’d felt had faded, too. Once she told the people here about Vaughn, they wouldn’t have him near her. And even if they didn’t believe her, once she told Vaughn about her proof, he wouldn’t dare hurt her, despite what he’d threatened.

      The door opened. Adrienne tensed, then relaxed when Dr. Yamana stepped into the room. So much for my new confidence, she thought wryly.

      “Well, you look like you’re feeling better.” The doctor moved to her bedside. She took out the same black instrument and once again shined the light in Adrienne’s eyes. “How’s your head?”

      Seeing this as her chance to get herself released, Adrienne smiled. “The pain is all gone.”

      Dr. Yamana studied her skeptically. “All gone?”

      “Well, it does ache a little,” she admitted. “But not nearly enough to keep me in the hospital overnight.”

      “Anxious to leave, are you?”

      So anxious she’d gone AWOL. Evidently the doctor hadn’t heard about her little escapade. “There’s no reason to stay if I’m feeling so much better, is there?”

      The doctor smiled. “Why don’t you let me finish my examination before you go running off, all right?”

      Adrienne nodded reluctantly.

      The doctor took the chart from the end of the bed and pulled up a chair. After she sat down, she opened the chart and took a pen out of her pocket. “As I started to explain before, in cases where there’s been an injury to the head, sometimes there’s a memory loss. So I’ll ask you some basic questions, and you answer them to the best of your ability. Are you ready?”

      Memory loss, Adrienne thought, maybe that’s the answer. Sam had called her Amy, the doctor Mrs. Delaney. Delaney was Sam’s last name. Was it possible he’d meant what he said, that he was only trying to make sure she got better? Maybe he knew the danger she’d been in the other night. Maybe this was his way of helping.

      “Mrs. Delaney?”

      Adrienne looked at the doctor. “What?”

      “Are you up to answering these questions?”

      Making a decision, Adrienne nodded.

      “All right then, let’s start with something easy. Can you tell me your name?”

      Sending up a brief prayer for strength, Adrienne looked the doctor straight in the eye and lied, “Amy Delaney.”

      Dr. Yamana smiled. “How about your age?”

      “Twenty-seven.” Adrienne gave her real age reluctantly. She hoped it meshed with Sam’s information.

      “What is your birth date?”

      This she knew she shouldn’t answer. The age she might be forgiven. A wrong birth date would raise all sorts of suspicions. Now was the time for amnesia to set in. She paused, then tried to look puzzled, “I can’t remember, Doctor.”

      “That’s okay,” Dr. Yamana said gently. “It will come back. Let’s try something else. Can you tell me your address?”

      Adrienne shook her head.

      “What is your husband’s name?”

      Adrienne crossed her fingers under the covers. “Sam.”

      Dr. Yamana nodded. “Do you know the date of your anniversary?”

      “No,” she said, then made herself laugh. “I guess Sam won’t be too happy with that.”

      The

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