BRACE FOR IMPACT

 

By Allie K. Adams

 

 

 

BRACE FOR IMPACT

Copyright © 2013 by Allie K. Adams

 

First E-book Publication: November 2013

 

Cover design by Celia Kyle

All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Allie K. Adams

 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

 

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This Ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This Ebook may not be re-sold or given away to others. If you would like to share this book with others, please purchase an additional copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

 

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

 

PUBLISHER

Allie K. Adams

www.alliekadams.com

 

 

 

ONE

 

“Brace for impact!” Reid Cavanaugh gritted his teeth as the single engine plane slammed into the top of a thick cluster of trees and then vaulted off. It shuddered and a chill ripped up his spine as sharp treetops scraped the belly of the plane like nails on a chalkboard. His years of training as a pilot kicked in and he operated the controls with mechanical precision. Emotions took a backseat. Fear wasn’t an option. He focused on one thing and one thing only.

Getting the plane on the ground in one piece.

A woman’s scream rose above the chaos, but he barely heard it over the pounding in his ears. He was responsible for her life as well as the man’s sitting next to her. A responsibility he’d never taken lightly in his twelve years as a pilot. Their lives were every bit as precious to him as the doctors he’d flown over hostile lines and into war torn areas to deliver aid. Somehow, some damn way he had to get them all to survive the inevitable crash.

The plane launched off the last tree, sending them airborne once more. Reid pulled up, trying to re-start the engine, but the damned thing wouldn’t fire. Helpless, they drifted up and up and up. He stared at the brilliant blue sky. Would he ever see it again after this? He took that split second to memorize everything about it just in case.

The plane suspended in frozen silence and the air solidified in his lungs. Gravity took over and the plane did a heart-stopping plummet downward again.

Shit. Shit. That ground was coming up fast. His arms burned as he pulled the nose of the plane up enough to stop it before the speed of the free fall sent it past the point of no return. He evened out just enough and spotted a large meadow, with a second, smaller opening cut off by a cliff after that. If he could keep the plane in the air long enough, he could glide them into the large meadow and save their lives.

He held his breath as he focused on the first opening and not the branches as they grabbed at the plane, trying to bring it down.

Dear God. Was that how a prayer began? Not being a religious man, especially after what happened to his brother, he and God weren’t exactly on the best of terms. It didn’t matter. He went on. I promise to start going to church. Hell, I’ll even start a church. Just please, let me do this.

The plane violently rocked forward, lurching down so hard he smacked into the windshield, cracking it with his head.

“Son of a bitch!” He bit his tongue as the impact of one of the trees spun the plane around. Chunks of glass and everything else flying around him tore into his flesh. He barely felt it.

Goddamn it. They’d missed the large opening, leaving the smaller meadow that ended on the sheer drop of a cliff as their only option. If he couldn’t land the stalled plane there, cuts on his cheek would be the least of his injuries.

The group of trees between the two meadows came up fast. Damn Pacific Northwest and its thick foliage. Reid pulled on the yoke with every ounce of strength he had, panting as he struggled to control the plane. He had to avoid those trees if he wanted to get them on the ground in one piece.

“Come on, come on.” He clenched his teeth until his jaw popped. Sweat sprouted on his forehead and poured into his eyes, blurring his vision. His arms burned as they protested, but he didn’t let up. He couldn’t, or they would all be dead faster than it took to soft boil an egg. The nose came up slightly, but it was nowhere near enough.

And they were coming in way too fast to avoid that cliff.

Time for plan B. He spotted two monster trees spaced just far enough apart for the fuselage to slip through. If he positioned the plane to fly between them, it would slow them down enough so when the plane slammed into the ground, they’d stop before the cliff and he wouldn’t kill them all. Losing the wings would be the safest bet. At least then he’d separate them from the fuel and when they crashed they wouldn’t burst into a ball of flames.

Shit, he hoped he was right.

Before he could second-guess his decision, he centered the plane between the trees in the nick of time. The plane wedged between the enormous trunks. The breath ripped from his lungs as the yoke dug into his chest. When the wings snapped off the fuselage, Reid cringed as his livelihood flashed before his eyes. That was going to be hard to explain to the insurance company.

The smell of aviation fuel burned his nostrils as it spilled out from the gaps left by the wings. At least it stopped the plane as it wedged between the trees. A sense of triumph settled his otherwise panicked nerves.

But it was short-lived.

“No,” he muttered when the plane eased forward. He wiggled the yoke, stomped his feet on the rudder, but knew it wouldn’t do any good. Without the wings, he couldn’t do a damn thing but sit helplessly as the plane rolled hard end over end like a Gyro Wheel kid’s toy. A large tree branch pierced the opening left by the windshield and halted their sickening rotations, holding the plane nose down as the tree skewered the cabin. Reid caught a glimpse of the branch fast approaching. He jerked back, but wasn’t fast enough.

The thick branch slammed into his shoulder. A sickening pop resonated through his bones as pain exploded down his arm. He recoiled and slammed into his seat, dazed from the blow.

The branch snapped, releasing the plane as it punched into the ground, flipped, and came to a rest on its belly. An eerie silence deafened the air, a stillness that sent the hairs on the back of his neck on end. Birds screeched as little pieces of the trees continued to rain onto the metal fuselage. Reid unbuckled and slowly straightened, ignoring the angry throbbing in his shoulder.

Holy shit. They lived through that? He rolled his shoulder to assess the damage and cringed when it exploded in pain. Shit, that hurt. Still, he’d take a busted up shoulder over the alternative and even thanked the stars for it.

They survived the crash.

* * * *

Was she dead?

Lifting her head, she glanced around, not recognizing anything. Whatever wasn’t strapped down now lay scattered about the cabin. It looked like an angry tornado swept through. At least they’d landed. Now that the fear of dying no longer consumed her thoughts, she moved on to the next problem.

Why couldn’t she remember how she got on the plane in the first place?

Maybe she needed to take a step back. She hated heights and went into embarrassing hysterics when she so much as climbed a ladder. So then, why was she on a plane at all?

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Ouch. That couldn’t be a good sign. It actually hurt to think. She grabbed her head and winced when her fingers brushed across a large lump on her forehead. Well, that would explain why she couldn’t remember anything.

“Ma’am? Are you okay?”

Blinking to clear her vision of the little black dots, she nodded slowly. “I hit my head.”

He hissed in a breath as he moved to the large man sitting in the seat next to hers. “Christ. Looks like he did more than hit his head. What’s his name?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know his name?”

“Right now, I don’t even know my name.” She pointed at the lump on her head, pounding like a two-year-old on a drum set.

He felt the guy’s wrist. “At least he’s got a pulse. His face looks like a rack of beef.”

She agreed but would never say it in front of a patient. He may not live to see the next sunrise, but chances were he could still hear them.

How did she know that?

Flashes of textbooks filled with medical jargon and way too many pictures of the human anatomy filled her head. Great. She couldn’t remember what she had for breakfast, but she could remember having to study medical terminology and theory.

Without thinking she wrapped the man’s face in the cleanest rags she could find. Head wounds tended to bleed. She went through the motions that she knew she’d done a thousand times over.

Nothing made sense and judging by the dull roar in her ears, her mild concussion wouldn’t make it any easier for her to cut through this fog clouding her brain and smothering her thoughts.

“Shit. Look at this. Son of a bitch.” The pilot picked up a piece of the dash and shook his head. “Goddamn it. This is just fu—” he stopped abruptly and stole a glance at her, noticed her studying him, and let the rest of his rant die.

“I’m sorry about your plane.” She chewed on the inside of her lip as she thought of something else to say. “Can you fix it?”

He looked at her. “No.”

“Look at the bright side.”

When he threw out a hollow laugh, it echoed through the plane. “There’s a bright side?”

“We survived the crash.”

* * * *

Reid glanced around at the damage to his plane. His radio equipment hadn’t survived the crash. Neither had his plane for that matter. They were in the middle of the Cascade Mountains, no way to radio out, and he only had enough survival gear for twenty-four hours. For one person.

The woman pulled her eyebrows up and a tiny crinkle appeared between them. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He clenched his teeth as he fought back what he really wanted to say. He’d just lost his livelihood. They were stuck in what felt like a forest desert. He had one passenger that had definitely seen better days, and another with a head injury that made her forget her own name.

Great. A head injury. He didn’t have a fucking clue how to care for someone with a head injury. Sure, every pilot had basic first aid training at a minimum, but head injuries didn’t fall under basic. He’d always left the medical care to the doctors he’d transported.

Until now.

His brother would tell him to man up and walk it off. Somehow Reid knew he wouldn’t be able to get away with saying that to his passengers.

He eyed the bump on the left side of the woman’s forehead. She had scrapes up and down her arms. No doubt he didn’t look much better with all the cuts and scrapes that his body had taken while trying to land a stalled plane in the middle of an unforgiving forest.

At least they’d avoided the cliff.

“Is anything coming back to you, yet?”

She laughed slightly which, under the circumstances, couldn’t be a good thing. He eyed the enormous lump on her forehead again. She made eye contact with him, ever so briefly, before focusing on his shoulder. “You’re hurt!”

“Yeah, you can say that.” He stopped moving when a sharp pain shot out from his shoulder and sent everything into the spins. His knees buckled, but he caught himself on his seat. After staggering and blinking several times until everything came back into focus, he then looked at her when she spoke.

“At least it isn’t broken.”

“How do you know that?”

“Aside from your lovely facial expression when you move it, it’s visibly displaced.”

“It sure as hell feels broken.”

“We just need to set it back into place. And some of those cuts may require stitches.”

“I don’t need stitches.” He hated needles and would rather blue his wounds shut that let a needle anywhere near him. When she reached for him, he jerked back and winced from the pain. “And I don’t need anything set back into place.”

“You can’t go around with it out like that. Let me help you.” She reached for him again.

“The hell you say!” He jerked his shoulder out of her grasp. She was deceptively strong for her size. Something in his shoulder released a grotesque pop and he growled to stop himself from howling. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but he’d deal with the pain. It reminded him that he was alive.

“Now just move it, ever so slightly.”

Was she mental? “It hurts to move it.”

She huffed like a mother scolding a child. She even bunched her fists on her slender hips, and that look she gave him made him physically flinch. Did women know how to look at a guy and make him scared to do anything other than what she said?

Gritting his teeth in preparation for the inevitable pain, he slowly rolled his shoulder. It hurt, but nothing like it did. He rolled it again and even grinned. “It’s better. How’d you know how to do that?”

“When kids come into the ER with anterior dislocations, they are so scared of the pain that they don’t even realize a quick, self-inflicted jerk will set the joint back into place. Since you were acting like a five-year-old, I figured it would work with you, too.”

Did she just call him a baby? “Don’t try anything like that again.”

“Limit your movement and I won’t have to.”

He snarled in response. She put up her hands in surrender and took a step back. She didn’t lose her smile, though. He turned away before he said something that would earn him a slap across the face. Instead, he scanned their surroundings to look for a way out of the plane.

The cabin’s crumpled door wouldn’t open without force. He’d have to bust the damn thing open. They could always crawl out the opening left by the windshield. He dismissed that idea. They already had enough cuts and scrapes.

He pushed against the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Great. Wouldn’t that beat all? Surviving the plane crash, only to be eaten alive by the plane.

Not today.

Reid slammed a foot against the door. Instead of it swinging open, the door fell off the hinges onto the ground. He dropped his shoulders as he stared at another piece of his vintage Piper PA-16 Clipper that was no longer attached. His heart hit the pit of his stomach. He’d never recover from this.

When she laughed, the sound mesmerized him, like the melodic sound of wind chimes in a gentle breeze. Soothing. Haunting. “I guess that’s one way to open it.”

The fuselage popped and creaked as it settled further into the ground. They both fell silent and looked around before snapping their gazes to each other. Another bone-chilling creak echoed through the silence.

Reid gave her a nod. “Let’s get out of here.”

 

 

 

TWO

 

Reid spotted his lucky cowboy hat and grabbed it. He pushed it down on his head before hopping onto the ground and scoping out the scene. Pieces of his plane hung in the trees like Christmas decorations. Not since his flight missions delivering supplies and personnel for Doctors Without Borders, or as they all referred to as MSF, Médecins Sans Frontières, had he seen anything like this. The horror. The senseless destruction. His gut twisted at the sight and he quickly dropped his gaze.

Moving his head made his focus blur as little black dots clouded his vision. The roar in his ears dulled as everything came back into focus. Swallowing several times, he forced the nausea down.

“You have a concussion,” she pointed out. “You need to sit. Try not to overexert yourself.”

He slowly lifted his gaze to the sky. This was like crash-landing with his mom. “I’m fine.”

“You should rest. I’ll be out as soon as I stabilize this man.”

“Come on, lady. Let’s go. You shouldn’t stay inside. This thing could collapse.”

“It would have collapsed by now,” she tossed back. “There. He should be stabilized until we can get him proper medical treatment.”

She finally moved out of the plane. Assessing the cuts on her arms, she turned them this way and that, then dropped them to her sides and sank down on a giant rock just outside the shade of the wreckage. “It’s a good thing those wounds on your face won’t scar. It would be a shame to disfigure something so striking.”

Did she just compliment him? “I, uh… Thank you?”

“You’re welcome. And you didn’t break anything, which is good. You have very good bone-structure.” Pulling her legs up, she brought her knees against her chest and rested her chin on them. And damn if the simple gesture didn’t hold his attention.

The way the corners of her pretty lips curled up even when she didn’t smile held his interest and that didn’t please him any. He also didn’t like the husky whisper of her voice. No one this irritating should be so… pleasantly noticeable.

“It smells good out here. Better than Seattle. I’ve always enjoyed being away from the city.”

He drew in a deep breath, taking in the scent of pine floating around them. He pulled in another breath, loving the smell of the great outdoors. The hint of aviation fuel hung in the air and reminded him they weren’t here by choice.

Letting go of her knees, she rubbed her forehead and winced as her fingers brushed over the lump. “Ouch.”

“Ouch is right. You should see the size of that thing.”

“Size isn’t everything.” She shot him a look out of the corner of her stunning hazel eyes. He shook his head and had no choice but to laugh. She giggled and the sound planted itself firmly in his memory bank.

“I’ve never had any complaints.”

“They were saving your feelings.”

Un-fucking-believable. Did she just insult the size of his penis?

She tilted her head back, soaking up the rays of the sun. Her blonde hair caught the light perfectly and also caught Reid’s full attention. “I didn’t know if I’d ever feel this again. Now that I do, it’s the most incredible feeling, despite the fact that it has to be a hundred degrees out here. I’ll probably end up with a sunburn, but I don’t care. You should try it.”

He didn’t want to try it. He wanted to find a way out of here before any of the residents of the forest—mainly cougars and wolves—found them.

She let out a long sigh and scooted around on her rock. “You’re mad about my comment. Don’t take it personal. Despite the size of your…” she paused as she rested her attention on him, “…attributes, there will always be someone out there who wants more.”

The story of his life, and the reason behind his last break up. His ex didn’t have any complaints about the sex, but she sure had things to say about the size of his bank account.

“And you’re an expert in this, are you?” he asked.

She faced him. “The last time I checked, I was a woman.”

You can say that again.

Beautiful or not, her mouth drove him nuts. It wasn’t the words falling from her hypnotic lips. It was the way she looked at him, as though she knew exactly what he had going on inside his head.

When she smiled at him, it made him forget why she had him so irritated and intrigued in the first place. Even with the pine needles in her hair. He loved the buttery waves that fell just past her shoulders. Her eyes were an intense shade of hazel, flecked and ringed with gold. He’d never seen eyes like that before.

She drew in a deep breath and turned her face back toward the sun. “Where are we, anyway?”

Reid finally pulled his eyes from the sight of her sitting on that damn rock and peered around the forest. He spotted a piece of his plane near the cliff and didn’t want to know how much of the wreckage had actually fallen over the side. His gut pinched at how close that had come to being them. “I’m not sure. Somewhere in eastern Washington.”

“That narrows it down.”

“I didn’t have time to jot down the coordinates before we rammed into the ground.”

She giggled and kept her face toward the sun. He hated her laugh. It drilled under his skin and prickled it like a chill. An invasive, all-consuming chill. He ached to hear it again.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I tend to use sarcasm in an attempt to lighten the mood. I’ll apologize upfront for anything else I say that will annoy you.”

“I’m sure your husband loves that about you.”

She lost her seductive smile—thank God—and lowered her chin to look at him. “Husband? Who said anything about a husband?”

Reid jerked his thumb toward the man still inside the cabin. “He did. He said he wanted to surprise you with a trip to Yakima. He told me it was where you two got married.”

She glanced back toward the plane with a frown. She then sat up. “He’s not my husband.”

“Who is he then?”

“I’m… I’m not sure. My mind is still a bit fuzzy.”

He eyed the lump on her forehead before regarding the wreckage. He’d made his last payment a few days ago and because of that large of a payoff he couldn’t make the insurance payment. No doubt the insurance company would count that against him when he filed the claim.

“So tell me, Mr…” She looked at him expectantly.

“Reid Cavanaugh.”

“Mr. Cavanaugh. Do you know what happened?”

“Reid,” he corrected her automatically as he mentally retraced the moments leading up to the crash. They’d been cruising at a safe altitude, had sufficient speed, and good stability. But then the mountain wave hit and the turbulence swallowed them without warning. The controls turned to mush. The plane started to vibrate. The sinking feeling as they lost speed confirmed it.

They’d stalled and then fell to earth like a rock.

He spit the grit from his mouth. “We got lucky.”

“No argument there.” She pushed the left side of her hair behind her ear. Despite his mood he found the gesture oddly arousing. Pine needles fell out of those waves and damn if he didn’t notice them, too. He noticed everything about her and didn’t like it.

He removed his hat and scratched his head. The obtrusive heat sank into his skin, making sweat sprout on his brow and lip. God how he hated the east side of the mountains. Pine needles blanketed the ground, giving it a spongy feel. The painful sun blazed down and cooked everything exposed to it. There wasn’t even the slightest breeze and it reminded him why he hated this side of the state.

Damn these relentless August afternoons. He’d choose cloud-covered Seattle any day of the year over this ridiculous heat. Despite the constant rain, it stayed nice and cool most days in the coastal city. He loved Seattle and wouldn’t move to save his life. He’d spent enough time in the lands of stifling humidity and mosquitoes the size of his airplane. He never wanted to go back to that.

Too many memories.

Her sexy voice sounded again. “What do we do now?”

“We wait, Ms...uh...”

She lifted her gaze to the sky and cringed. “Oh, this is so not good. I should remember something by now.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

She opened her mouth and then closed it. Blinking, she threw him a fretful look and opened her mouth again. With a vague look to her eyes she admitted, “Aside from not being married to that guy, not much else.”

Against his better judgment, Reid believed her. He wanted to let loose his favorite curse but decided against it. She could be a preacher’s daughter. Hell, she could be a preacher.

He decided to watch his language. After all, his little old neighbor claimed that Reid could curse for ten minutes straight and never repeat a word. “Do you have any ID on you?”

She slapped at her pockets, front and back. “I don’t think so.”

He sighed at the wreckage. “Maybe I can find something in your luggage that’ll tell us.” After a slight hesitation, he started toward his plane. His heart sank with every step. He ducked down as he climbed into the fuselage, ignoring the jab in his chest at the sight of his baby in bits.

It hardly seemed fair. But, then again, he knew better than to believe life had anything to do with fairness. If it had, his brother would still be alive. Reid wouldn’t have turned his back on doing what he loved by transporting doctors and supplies into areas in need. He wouldn’t now be flying strangers to Yakima to make ends meet, wouldn’t be struggling to make the payments on a duplex he’d never wanted, and wouldn’t be so damn lonely it was hard to sleep.

Doing his best to ignore the man still buckled in, he concentrated his search on the contents scattered around the cabin. Picking up the useless mic ripped from his radio, he studied the torn wires and discarded it. Radioing the tower back at Boeing Field was clearly out of the question.

He removed pieces of what used to be the dash. Each new layer of scrap pushed his heart further into blackness. He’d have a hell of a time getting back on his feet after this.

Assuming they ever got out of here.

Well, damn. That was a disheartening thought. He needed to focus on something other than what he’d lost. At least he knew his name.

No luggage. Must have fallen out during the crash. He came up empty-handed, which left only one place to search. He swallowed hard and stared at the man. Was he dead? He hadn’t moved since the woman wrapped one of Reid’s shirts around his face.

“Sorry, buddy.” He knelt down beside his unfortunate passenger and reached inside the sports coat.

And froze when his hand wrapped around the grip of a gun.

Reid slowly pulled out a .45 and narrowed his eyes. A person meant business carrying around a caliber like that. As a cop, his brother Josh had carried a .45 and always bragged that he’d never had to take it out of its holster. A lot of good that did him. No matter the size of the gun, when you don’t draw first, you’re just as dead.

Goddamn it. Why did he always have to dwell on that? This wasn’t about his dead brother or the fact that he’d left Reid all alone to deal with…well…everything after he died.

A hand reached out and scared the shit out of him. The man pulled the gun out of Reid’s hand and replaced it in his pocket, then opened his one good eye.

“That’s mine.”

He was alive? Reid snapped out of his shock. “So it is.”

The man closed his eyes. Eye. “What the hell happened?”

“There’s been an accident.”

“Jesus.” The man brought his hand up and touched the cloth covering his face. “What...”

Reid placed his hands on the man’s shoulders. “You’ve been hurt. You probably shouldn’t move.”

“Doctor.”

“As soon as I can get us out of here, I’ll get you to a hospital.”

The man barely shook his head. “No. Doctor. Her.”

He glanced at the woman on her rock, actually enjoying the ridiculous heat, before bringing his gaze back to the guy’s face. “She’s a doctor?”

The man didn’t answer and had closed his eye again. Instead of waking him, Reid cocked his head and turned to the woman. “Excuse me, doctor?”

“Yes?”

Holy shit. It was true. Of course he’d be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a doctor. He hated them. They were the reason his brother was now in the ground. Every last one of them.

The woman approached the plane. “How’s our patient?”

Definitely a doctor. Goddamn it. “He’s drifting in and out.”

“I’d better take a look. Let me in there.” She pushed him aside.

As Reid stood there while she examined the man, he thought about the gun he’d found on him. That was not a good sign. Guns, he understood. He and Josh had grown up around guns and he knew how to handle just about everything out there. A .45 was some serious fire power.

What had he gotten himself into by accepting this fare?

“He’s unconscious. His pulse is strong, but we need to get him to a hospital.”

“Are you really a doctor?” Reid asked, almost choking on the final word.

She hesitated. “It would explain why I know how to dress a head wound. And I keep having flashes of the human anatomy.”

“Either that or you’re a porn st—” he stopped when she shot him that look again. Clearing his throat, he decided to go back to the original topic. “And you’re sure you don’t know this guy?”

She studied the man. “No. He doesn’t look familiar, at least the side that won’t need corrective surgery. Don’t you have record of his name? Or mine?”

“Sure, if I could find my log book. It has my flight plan, passenger information, everything. Without that book, I’m lost.”

“We’re lost now,” she pointed out with that irritating, cute little giggle. “Hey, wait. What do you think you’re doing?”

He searched the guy’s pockets and pulled out a bulky billfold.

“You can’t steal from him.”

“I’m not stealing anything. I’m looking for his ID.” He opened it up and a piece of folded paper fell out. He watched it fall out of the corner of his eye, but something else inside the wallet snagged his attention. There had to be thousands of dollars here. Who carried around that much cash?

The woman had climbed back outside and returned to her rock. “So who is he?”

He felt inside the billfold for ID and pulled out a business card. No company. No logo. Just a name. “Gus Whitley. Not much to go on, Gus.” He shoved the card in his back pocket and pulled out a driver’s license from the billfold. It had expired over a year ago. His picture looked more like a mug shot. Reid felt for another form of ID but found nothing.

He closed the wallet. It barely shut with all that cash in there.

He studied Gus’s face. He’d guess mid-forties, face pitted like pumice, and a nasty comb-over to cover his enormous head. And he was dressed in black. A bit odd to be wearing all black in the middle of summer.

Gus had approached him at Boeing Field, said he’d pay him one thousand dollars to take him and his wife to Yakima, and ask no questions. By the time Reid had finished his pre-flight check and had his flight plan approved, the couple had already settled on the plane, sitting comfortably and patiently waiting.

Reid had been more than happy to accept the fare and didn’t take much notice in either passenger. At the time, his thought was on one thing. He’d be able to make that insurance payment, after all.

He hadn’t bothered checking their ID. That thousand bucks had been ID enough for him. The guy vouched for his wife, and now that he thought about it, they didn’t have any bags.

He glanced back at Gus now. He didn’t look the type who lived the high life, so how’d he come by all that cash? Stolen, maybe? Reid gave a sideways glance at the woman Gus claimed to be his wife. Maybe from her?

Instead of replacing the wallet, he kept it until he could get some answers. He turned back to the one passenger who could answer his questions—if he could break through her convenient amnesia act.

His boot rustled the folded piece of paper that had fallen out of Gus’s pocket. He reached down and picked it up.

“Did you find something?”

“Maybe.” He tucked the billfold in the back of his jeans and unfolded the piece of paper. The image stopped him in his tracks. As he read, his blood slowed as his anger bubbled.

“What is it?”

He clenched his teeth as he glared at the woman, crumpling the paper with his fists. Are you fucking kidding me? He dropped his gaze back to the official document now starting to rip in his hands.

“According to this, your name is Doctor Kaycee Addison.” He fought down the bile in the back of his throat as he read the next part. “And you’re wanted for murder.”

 

 

 

THREE

 

Now Reid understood why she faked her amnesia. Fugitives weren’t exactly trust-worthy.

Jesus God. She was a fugitive.

He scanned through the contact information on the document, which seemed to be some sort of bounty warrant, and rested his gaze at the bottom of the page. Well, well. A silver lining in all of this—if only a thin one. There was a reward for the return of the good doctor that, coincidently enough, came close to what it would cost him to replace his plane, plus a bit more for dealing with this pain in the ass.

He riveted his attention on Dr. Kaycee Addison, torn between interrogating her and silently thanking his lucky stars. At least she would provide the means to replace his plane. Fitting, since he wouldn’t even be in this mess if it weren’t for her. The irony wasn’t lost on him.

He definitely couldn’t let her know about the bounty. If she knew he planned to turn her in as soon as he spotted a badge, he’d have one hell of a time convincing her to behave.

He could tie her up, but he knew where to draw the line, even with doctors. Yes, he hated them. They played God, and when they make a mistake—when a simple, routine procedure resulted in the death of an innocent person—they spouted the platitude, “There wasn’t anything we could do.” And by saying that, somehow all was forgiven and they were allowed to continue to practice medicine. Hell, even lawyers wouldn’t fight them.

Birds of a feather...

But Reid wouldn’t forgive and he sure as hell wouldn’t forget. His brother now lay in the ground because a doctor had screwed up. He’d lost his passion for flying for MSF, unable to stand being around another one of them again. He’d simply walked away from it all. Josh got him started as a humanitarian pilot, and his death had ended it.

Reid’s eyes burned almost as much as his heart as he glared at her. She was one of them. And a murderer, according to the warrant in his hand. Reid’s fury almost choked him.

Oh, yeah. She’d pay for her crimes, all right.

He managed a smile. “Well, Dr. Addison, it looks like you’re in a heap of trouble. No wonder you claim to not know who you are.”

“Doctor.”

Reid swung around and glanced inside the fuselage as Gus spoke. He opened his eye and looked at Reid.

“She is—a—doctor.”

“I know,” Reid growled. He’d vowed never to transport another doctor again and, albeit unknowingly, broke that promise to himself.

“She is—a—murderer.”

Reid nodded. He wanted to believe the charge was due to some kind of medical negligence. But all the signs pointed to something even worse. Had she deliberately killed someone? Authorities didn’t put out a reward on a person of interest. Men in black carrying guns didn’t track down simple malpractice cases.

“I would never. I took an oath.”

Reid scoffed. “I thought you couldn’t remember anything.”

“I just know. Doctors preserve life, not take it away. It’s called the Hippocratic oath.”

Reid narrowed his eyes. “More like the hypocritical oath.”

Her jaw dropped as she jumped off her rock. “What do you have against doctors?”

“I hate them.”

Instead of filling her in on the details, he left it at that. She’d more than likely defend the doctor and find a way to make it Josh’s fault for dying in the first place. “And give the amnesia bullshit a rest. I’m not buying it. People don’t suddenly forget things like their name.”

She moved away from the rock and over to the frame where the door used to be. After she leaned up against the side, she folded her arms in front of her. “Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“Fine. What did you have for dinner last Tuesday?” She was definitely crazy. Had to be. When he didn’t respond, she said, “Wednesday?”

And it must be contagious. How else could he explain the way she got under his skin and made him just as crazy? Reid clenched his jaw. He hated arguing with women. Their logic evaded him every time. “Are you kidding me? Not the same thing.”

“Sure it is. You can’t remember what you ate last week. I can’t remember my name. Same difference.” She shrugged and pushed away from the plane as if her argument made all the sense in the world.

“Stop.” Gus interjected in a stronger voice than Reid would have expected. He reached down and unbelted. “Christ, would you two just stop? My head hurts as it is.”

“That’s because—”

“You’re going to be fine,” the crazy doctor said, finishing Reid’s sentence. She flashed her eyes at him in warning. He narrowed his right back at her.

“I think I prefer being unconscious.” Gus leaned back with a groan.

“You’ve suffered trauma to the head. You need to keep your head above your heart to slow the bleeding. It doesn’t appear to be life-threatening, but we need to take all necessary precautions until we can get you to a hospital.”

“Why should I listen to you?” Gus bit back, his voice stronger yet. “Being a patient of yours could be hazardous to my health.”

“So she really killed someone?” Reid asked Gus.

“Yes.”

Doctor Innocent gasped. “I’m not guilty!”

Who did she think she was fooling? He held the wanted poster up so her picture stared back at her. It didn’t even faze her.

“Ha! You see? That isn’t me.”

Enough. He jumped out of the fuselage, grabbed her arm, and dragged her up to one of the windows that hadn’t shattered in the crash. With the way the sun angled down on it, it was as close to a mirror as they were going to get.

“Ouch! Hey, what are you doing?” Her eyes blazed as she jerked away from him.

Then she kicked him in the shin. Hard.

Too enraged to speak, he poked his finger toward the window. She lifted her chin and turned to the window as if to prove him wrong. At first she stood rigid, her shoulders straight, the expression on her face defiant. But as she stared at her reflection her expression melted and her shoulders dropped. She paled, and her mouth fell open.

“Oh, my God.” She brought her fingers to her face and felt her lips, her nose, her ears. She grabbed the paper and studied the picture. “It is me.” She stared at the window in clear disbelief. “I’m her.”

“Now do you believe me?” He ripped the paper out of her hands and turned away. He hadn’t expected that reaction from her. He glanced at Gus, but he’d closed his eye again. Drifting in and out of consciousness couldn’t be a good sign.

“I can’t believe that’s me.” She looked genuinely stricken, filled with pain.

She really was one hell of an actress. He almost believed her. Not only that, he had the strongest urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her.

To hell with that.

This day was not getting any better. On top of the crash, his male passenger claimed to be married to his female passenger. He had a gun and a hell of a lot of cash. And Reid was somehow in the middle of it all.

“You’re in deep this time, Cavanaugh.” He lifted his gaze to the sky. What would Josh do? Reid desperately wished his brother were still here. He’d know what to do. He wouldn’t have allowed the plane to crash in the first place. Hell, Josh would have known better than to even accept the suspicious fare.

“If it seems too good to be true, little brother,” Josh used to tell him. “You know the rest.”

“Then it usually is,” Reid finished his memory aloud.

When the doctor let out another giggle, Reid glared at her. What in the hell could she possibly find amusing in all of this? She backed away from the window and looked over at him, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Is there something funny in all this, doctor?”

“Only that I’m wanted for murder.” She laughed again, but this time her lips trembled and her eyes shined. She swept her hair behind her ear. “And,” she continued, a sob breaking through the slightly hysterical laughter. “I don’t even know if I did it.” She shook uncontrollably and, despite the alarms going off inside his head, Reid moved to her side.

She fell into him. He stood still and kept his hands at his sides, fighting not to pull her close to him, to kiss her tears away. Slowly, he brought one arm up and brushed her shoulder. Peace washed over him. He brought the other arm up and ignored the protest of pain from the movement. Again, peace.

Shit. He pushed her away.

This was wrong, so wrong. He only wanted the woman for the reward money. Nothing more. He shouldn’t feel what he did when he had her in his arms. Hell, he shouldn’t have had her in his arms in the first place. What was he thinking?

He glanced over at her. She stared back at him, as beautiful and confused as ever. The color in her cheeks, the soft glow of her tears, made him yearn to hold her again, to pull her into his arms and let that peace consume him once more.

Reid hastily came to his senses and buried the feeling deep inside his heart. His plane needed replacing and this woman was nothing more than the means to do that.

He had to remember that.

* * * *

Doctor Kaycee Addison. Kaycee. Doctor Addison. She went through the various ways to say her name, waiting for something to trigger some sort of recognition. Maybe it wasn’t even her real name. She slumped down on her rock as she contemplated her situation.

If she had amnesia, she shouldn’t be able to remember anything. Yet, she recalled the medical term for what she now experienced—Episodic Retrograde Amnesia. Not only could she remember the name, but the main patterns of Episodic RA.

Nothing made sense. She knew how amnesia worked. A person with Retrograde Amnesia couldn’t remember anything prior to a traumatic episode. So what event triggered her RA? And why could she remember details of her medical training but nothing personal? What did that mean to know so much and remember so little?

Great. She probably suffered from some form of amnesia they’d yet to define. She’d be a test case, patient zero, and end up a rat in a lab.

Reid walked out from behind the plane and her breath caught. He had his shirt off and the corded muscles on his well-defined torso flexed and released. His bronzed skin, tight over hard abs, glistened with little drops of sweat. With his dark hair, she would guess him to have Spanish blood in him, or maybe Italian. But he had incredibly blue eyes, like the ocean after a storm, and they threw her off in more ways than she cared to admit. And he was tall, well over six feet, which almost ruled out Italian. She laughed inwardly at how she knew that and why she would even care.

She loved the straw cowboy hat. Well worn, it added another layer to his already brooding sexuality. A cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and nicely fitted blue jeans. Yee haw.

“Pilot?” Gus Whitley groaned from inside the plane.

She pushed up off her rock. “I’d better go see what he wants.”

Reid brought his hand up to stop her. “Let me.”

Before she could question him, he disappeared inside the plane. They spoke too softly for her to hear them. She jumped when Reid cursed as he bumped his head on the roof of the plane. “Are you fucking insane?”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because you’re crazy.”

“Would you keep your voice down? She lost her memory, not her hearing.”

Kaycee chewed on the inside of her lip and stood, the urge to know what they talked about weighing out over giving them privacy. She moved to the side of the plane and listened.

“Do you honestly think she’ll pay for what she’s done?” Gus rasped. “Doctors think they’re in a class all their own. You turn her in, she pays some high-priced lawyer more money than you or I will ever see in our lifetime to get the charges dismissed, and she’s free. I doubt it’ll even go to trial. And you can kiss the reward money goodbye.”

“And you know this? How?”

“It’s my job to know. I’m in the business of fugitive retrieval and removal.”

“You’re a goddamn bounty hunter? You’re not her husband? That’s just great. I knew something was off when I took this fare. Are you here to take her in?”

“Something like that.”

“Then why were you traveling in the opposite direction? She’s wanted by the Seattle Police. We were in Seattle. Why take her to Yakima?”

“Am I supposed to see spots like this?”

“Answer the question.” Reid didn’t back down and Kaycee smiled despite the way he’d been treating her.

“Why concern yourself in details that aren’t any of your business? Just give me the doctor.”

“Not until you answer my question.”

“I can’t focus. Everything is blurry. Get the doctor.”

“And you’re just going to ask her about the spots?”

“Scout’s honor.”

Reid stepped out of the opening. “Hey, doc? The patient has a question for you.”

“Not as many as I have for him.”

“Well, why don’t you two have a little chat?” He leaned against the side of the plane and crossed his arms as she approached. She held his gaze until she stepped inside the plane.

“Did you have a question?”

He stared out the opening of the cabin and Kaycee followed his gaze. She didn’t see Reid and hoped he still stood on the other side, listening. She didn’t want to be alone with the bounty hunter turning her in for a crime she didn’t know if she committed or not.

“I see spots.”

“That’s because you—” She stopped when he grabbed her by the collar. Struggling, she tried to break out of his grasp. When he shoved the barrel of a gun up under her chin, she stilled instantly as her heart painfully skipped a few beats.

“Now you listen to me, Dr. Addison.” He sat up and leaned closer to her, his voice barely above a whisper. His strength surprised her. Someone in his condition shouldn’t be able to fight, let alone overtake her.

Unless his injuries weren’t nearly as serious as he’d played them to be.

“We have unfinished business, you and me. Don’t think that pretty boy will save you when it comes down to it. He clammed up at the sight of my gun.”

“Let me go.”

“Not until I finish the job.” He cocked the gun. “I’ve been paid well to make sure you disappear.”

Cool chills prickled her skin despite the obtrusive heat of the day. Someone hired this man to kill her. No way was he a bounty hunter. Bounty hunters brought people in, not killed them.

She took a deep breath and held it. She’d only have one chance at this. He had both hands occupied, which left his face vulnerable. With a swift movement, she poked him in the eye. He hollered and waved the gun, but with his eye shut, couldn’t see his target.

“Bitch!”

She grabbed his wrist to keep the gun pointing up away from her. But he was too strong for her alone and the gun turned, the barrel staring at her. “Reid! Help!”

He appeared in an instant and jumped in, easily prying the gun from Gus’s hand, which both thrilled and annoyed her. Why did he have to make it look so easy?

Reid pushed her back behind him and pointed the gun at Gus.

“Give me my gun, pilot. This doesn’t concern you. Walk away now and I won’t kill you, too.”

“Too?” Reid said and squared his shoulders.

Gus grinned—at least it looked like he did. “Darn. My secret is out.”

“You’re here to kill her?”

“I get paid to tie up loose ends.”

“I thought you said you were a bounty hunter,” Reid pointed out.

“No. You said I was a bounty hunter. I said I was in the business of fugitive retrieval and removal. In this case, it’s fugitive removal. It’s what I do. People hire me when they know the law won’t touch someone and they have nowhere else to turn.”

“You’re a contract killer? Who hired you? The family?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. I simply get paid to deliver a service. It’s nothing personal.”

“It sure as hell is personal to me!” Kaycee cried.

Gus turned his attention to Reid. “Help me. Take care of the doctor. For God’s sake get me to a hospital. Do this for me and I’ll make sure you get double the reward. The people who hired me are well-connected.”

Reid narrowed his eyes. “I thought you said you didn’t know who hired you.”

“Just do the job. You’ll make a hell of a lot more money than flying a plane around.”

She collapsed against the side before she melted to the floor. If Reid agreed to help Gus, no way would she live through this. Reid glanced over his shoulder at her. She refused to look away. If he planned on killing her, she wanted to look him straight in the eye as he pulled the trigger. He gave her a slight nod and turned back to Gus. She stiffened.

“I have a better plan.” Reid brought his hand down and slammed the butt of the gun against Gus’s temple. The man went limp. Kaycee sat there, numb, trying to process what just happened. She stared at Gus and then at Reid.

He didn’t look at her as he asked, “Do you want to tell me what in the hell that was all about?”

“Apparently not only am I wanted for murder, I have a man hired to kill me. This is getting better and better.”

“No shit.” He tucked the gun into the backside waistband of his jeans.

“Are you sure you should hold onto that?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I’ve got a doctor wanted for murder and a contract killer as my precious cargo. Are you going to give me reason to use it?”

She shook her head quickly, unsure whether her situation had improved with him having the gun or not. Gus wanted to kill her. Reid wanted to turn her in for some sort of reward.

Either way, she was screwed.

“Come on. He should be out for a while.” Gently, more gently than Kaycee would have expected, he helped her to the large rock by the plane. She took a seat and let out a sigh.

“Should we at least tie him up or something?”

He contemplated her question for longer than it should have taken him to decide. “I’m not sure which one I should tie up. Maybe both of you.”

Her mouth fell open. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Do you really need me to answer that?” He studied her every feature and her stomach fluttered in response. Only when he had his fill did he look away. Her heart raced like she’d just run a marathon.

“No.” She sucked in her lower lip and bit down.

He watched the gesture with extreme interest. He licked his lips and blew out a quick breath as he turned away. “If I haven’t called into the Automated Flight Service Station to close out my flight plan within thirty minutes of the time due, they’ll initiate the search and rescue procedure. The AFSS doesn’t fool around.”

“So now we just wait?”

“Now we just wait.”

“But—” she hesitated as she thought about what to do. Simply waiting it out didn’t seem like the right thing to do, but then again, what choice did they have? “Are you sure we shouldn’t at least tie him up?”

Reid arched an eyebrow. “What’s the rush? He’s going to be out for a while, and I’ll be sure he’s tied up before he wakes. I need to think.”

“What about me?”

“I’m still debating what to do with you.” The wicked glimmer in his eye sent her pulse racing.

“That’s not fair. You know I’m not a threat.”

“Actually, doc, I don’t.”

“Why not?”

His expression hardened. “Because you’re wanted for murder.”

She let out a petulant sigh. He sent such mixed signals. One minute he bit at her with dislike in his tone and coldness in his eyes. He clearly hated her. But then when he touched her, held her in his arms, she couldn’t deny the connection. There was something there. Purely physical? Maybe. But it was there, nonetheless. His touch sent heated pulses coursing through her body, boiling her senses and making her hyperaware of everything he did.

“Your attitude isn’t winning me over,” she snapped at him.

“Imagine how much that tears me up.” He spun on his booted heel and walked away. Kaycee dropped her jaw at his arrogance.

The paper with her picture on it stuck out of his back pocket. She never did get the chance to read any of it. No, as soon as she saw the picture, and then her reflection, she fell apart. And Reid rushed to her side to comfort her in his strong arms, if ever so briefly.

She jumped up and grabbed the paper, then yelped when his lightning-fast reflexes had her wrist in his grasp before she knew what happened. He clenched his teeth and tightened his grip. His eyes darkened as he held her gaze. A muscle in his jaw ticked.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I wanted to read this.”

As quickly as he grabbed it, he let her wrist go and continued to walk away after jerking the paper out of her hands. “Next time ask.”

“Since when do I need your permission to read a piece of paper?”

“You need to ask my permission to pull anything out of my pants.” To her chagrin, his lips curled into a sexy smile.

“Don’t flatter yourself. I just want the paper.”

His smile widened. On top of that, he unfolded the paper and sat her down on the edge of the plane before taking a seat next to her. After wincing, he pulled the gun out of the back of his pants and set it down next to him. “Damn thing is poking me in places I never want to be poked.”

“Don’t want to shoot your ass off?”

He laughed. “No, I do not. I like it where it is.”

“So do I.”

With a sideways glance her way, he regarded her for several seconds. “You know, you don’t act like a doctor. You sure as hell don’t look like one.”

She didn’t know whether to be offended or not. “What’s wrong with the way I look?”

“Nothing.” He dropped his gaze to the paper in his hands before adding, “At all.”

She scowled and shook her head. She wanted to find some clever retort but nothing came to mind. She hated the way he seemed to know exactly what to say to render her speechless.

“It says here you are wanted for the wrongful death of a patient in your care.”

She tried to grab the paper out of his hands, but he held it tight and jerked it toward him. “Let me see it.”

“Ask me what you want to know.” His eyes challenged her, daring her to try and take the paper again. Kaycee didn’t.

“The details.”

“According to this, you are wanted for the death of an eighty-two-year-old woman through extreme medical negligence, whatever the hell that is.”

“It means I purposely did something wrong that resulted in someone’s death.”

“So much for your oath, eh doc?”

She swallowed down the contents of whatever she had in her stomach. The thought that she didn’t even know what she ate made her swallow again. “Does it say what I—” she stopped, not able to actually admit she did it. “How?”

He traveled his gaze down the page before he shook his head. “Doesn’t say. It just says you killed her.” His eyes grew lethal as he riveted them to her. “Care to defend yourself?”

She jumped up. “I’ve got a better chance seducing the Pope than I do convincing you I didn’t do it.” She took a step, but stopped when he gripped her wrist. Her gaze traveled up his arm and rested on his handsome face.

A hundred emotions drifted through his expression. He seemed to be fighting some sort of internal battle. “We need to get through this. Fighting each other is not going to make it any better. We have to work together.”

“So you can turn me in?”

A flash of panic hit his expression right before he darted his gaze away.

“Don’t look so shocked. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know you plan to turn me in for the reward money.”

“It’s nothing personal.”

“Why do people say that? Of course it’s personal. This is my life we’re talking about. It may not be personal to you, but it sure as hell is personal to me. I’m the one going to jail here, not you. You get to go home, while I get an eight-by-eight cell.”

She took his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes. She had to convince him that she didn’t do it. With a conviction that was part of her soul, she said, “I may not know my name, but I know who I am. I would never intentionally hurt another person, Reid, let alone kill them.”

“Let me ask you this, doc. Has anyone ever died on your watch?”

“Yes,” she answered with a nod and dropped her gaze. He stiffened and tried to take his hands back. She stopped him with a snap of her gaze, locking it once again to his. “I had to work in the ER during my internship and some came in with such trauma. It was too late by the time I got to them. Once I got into my residency, I never wanted to work in the ER again.”

“So where did you work instead?”

“Oncology. People don’t have a sudden onset of cancer. And I wanted the last years of a person’s life to be happy and pain free.”

“So you worked around people you knew were dying? Why?”

She dropped his hands as a memory flashed in her mind. Her meemaa, lying in that bed, crying from the pain. Kaycee was only a teenager and didn’t understand how the doctors could let her lay there without giving her something to help. She vowed, as she watched her grandmother wither away to nothing before death took pity on her and released her from that misery, she’d find a way to make a person’s final days on this earth pleasant and pain free. She wasn’t about to admit her reasons to a man who clearly hated her for her choice of profession.

“I have my reasons.”

Reid stood and marched over to a tree, his back to her. He folded the paper up and replaced it in his back pocket. Kaycee studied the muscles on his back. They were tight, stressed. She wanted to knead all the knots out until he sighed. Judging by his reaction the last time she came up behind him and tried to do anything, there was no telling what he’d grab this time around.

“We should start gathering wood. We need a fire before it gets dark.” He came alive with movement and searched the ground. “A fire can be seen from the air.” He knelt and gathered twigs and dry grass in his hands. She spotted the tan billfold tucked in the back of his jeans.

“Reid?” He ignored her and she really didn’t appreciate it. Well, there was a surefire way to get his attention.

She marched over and grabbed the billfold. As she jerked it out of his jeans, it unfolded and the contents scattered. The air filled with cash and bills floated around like lazy green snowflakes.

“What the hell are you doing?” His gaze grew sharp and assessing, and instead of him trying to collect the money now covering the ground, he rested his lethal glare on her. She waited for him to say something. When he remained dangerously silent, Kaycee did the only thing she could think of. She handed him the empty billfold.

He jerked it out of her hands and she jumped clean off the ground. Still, his gaze never faltered. Kaycee had to look away to regroup. Damn those eyes.

“That’s twice you’ve pulled something out of my pants without permission. You know what they say.”

“Third time’s a charm?”

“Three strikes and you’re out.”

She chewed on the inside of her lip. “How much is that?”

“It looks to be about five thousand.”

“Dollars?” She choked. “Was that the wallet you took from Gus?”

He grunted his answer.

“Where do you think he got all that cash?”

“So it isn’t yours?”

“Mine? What would I be doing with that much cash?”

He rolled his eyes, mocking her. “Oh, that’s right. You don’t remember who you are. A real mystery here.”

“You know, you have no idea what it’s like to not know your name, so don’t you dare stand there and make fun of me. You think this is an act?”

His features softened. Even the muscle that kept tensing in his jaw relaxed. Of course the vein in his temple kept throbbing, but it would take more than a few words to make that one relax.

“Sorry,” he offered, practically growling.

She didn’t believe him, but she desperately wanted to move the subject away from her and back on to him, so she allowed his statement to close the subject. “So are you going to keep it?”

“The thought had crossed my mind. It’s obviously blood money.”

“What about the reward money?”

He kept his attention on gathering the cash off the ground around them. “I plan to keep that, too.”

This guy was something else. Was money his only motivation? Who lived like that? “What can I do to convince you that I didn’t do it?”

“Don’t fight me. Let me bring you in and then let the lawyers sort it out. If you really are innocent, then you have nothing to worry about.”

No one would believe her and she knew it. And then she’d be yet another person sent to prison for something she didn’t do. “Please believe me. Don’t do this.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, doc.”

“Then I’ll escape.”

He threw her a sideways glance. “Try to escape and I’ll tie you up.”

“Reid, please!” Kaycee closed her eyes against a sudden burst of light. Gus was there in her memory, his gun on her, as he talked to someone on his cell phone.

“No, she doesn’t have the papers on her. How the hell should I know? Let me do what you hired me to do. Yes, I’ll make sure this will never be traced back to you. Would you trust me? It’s what I do. I’ve already stripped her of her ID and will make sure they can’t even use dental records to ID the body. She’ll just be another Jane Doe. Dr. Kaycee Addison will be charged with murder and then simply disappear.”

“I won’t let you do it, you bastard!” Kaycee cried and lunged at him. But he was so strong, much stronger than she expected—than she remembered.

“Kaycee? Whoa. Stop. Stop!”

She opened her eyes. Reid stood there, holding her in his arms, a strange, bewildered look on his face. “Reid?”

“Holy shit. What the hell was that?”

“Oh God.” She trembled and pushed herself deeper into his arms. Whatever just happened took all her energy and she collapsed against him. He pulled her closer. “There was a flash and then I saw Gus talking to someone on the phone. He said he’d make sure no one would be able to identify the body. My body.”

“He’s hardly a threat right now. Just look—”

He cut himself off as he grew rigid. Kaycee looked into his eyes then followed his gaze to the plane. That’s when she saw what he did.

Gus Whitley was gone.

And so was the gun.

 

 

 

FOUR

 

“Where did he go?” Reid circled the fuselage, spinning around as he darted his gaze in every direction and tried not to give into the dread threatening to take over. “How does a man with injuries like that just disappear?”

“His injuries aren’t nearly as severe as he led us to believe.”

He stopped and turned to her. “Come again?”

“He’s faking it.”

“But the side of his face was shredded. You saw that. Hell, you treated him.”

“I folded down the flap of skin and covered his wound. He has a possible concussion but that’s it.”

He muttered a curse. That would have been nice to know before he let down his fucking guard. “And now we get to hunt down a man hell bent on killing you. Oh, and since I didn’t kill you for him, I’m sure he’s going to kill me now, too.”

“Why go after him? I say let him go.”

“Because, like a goddamn idiot, I left the gun where he could get it. I’d feel a hell of a lot better knowing where he was. The last thing we need is someone sneaking up on us in the middle of the night. We have enough going on.”

“Don’t you think he would have just pulled the trigger when we weren’t paying attention? Why would he run off, only to return later?”

Reluctantly, Reid nodded. It made sense. To keep his mood from plummeting into the depths of the blackness gnawing at his insides, he said, “You’re right. He won’t be back. Search and Rescue will find us and we’ll be back in Seattle by this time tomorrow.”

Kaycee sat down at the opening left by the door and stared at the sky. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh as she sun beat down on her, setting a beautiful glow around her. She looked like an angel as she rested there, no expression on her pretty, relaxed face. How could someone so innocent-looking be capable of something so heinous that she’d have a contract out on her life? Even after that doctor pulled the “there was nothing we could do” bullshit when his brother died he hadn’t wanted to kill the man. Hate him, yes. Kill him, no.

The doctors at MSF all tried to convince him that the doctor that had treated Josh really did all he could. If he had, Josh would still be alive. Every last one of them sided with the bastard who’d killed his brother. He couldn’t continue to work with an entire team of traitors and had walked away from the only job he ever loved.

He sat down next to Kaycee and glanced around at the beauty of the wilderness surrounding them. Trees as tall as skyscrapers tickled the sky. Instead of cracked sidewalks and dirty pavement, nature covered the ground at their feet. The fresh air filled his senses and he drew in a deep breath. It smelled like freedom, as his brother used to say.

Reid couldn’t agree more. He loved the great outdoors. They both did.

“Why are you smiling?”

He lost his smile and flicked a glance her way. She sat there, patiently waiting for the answer, and for reasons he couldn’t begin to explain, he wanted to share his memory with her.

“My brother and I used to go camping all the time as kids, just the two of us. Of course, our mom would only let us camp in the backyard, but we didn’t care. Camping was camping. We’d pitch that tent right after school got out and refuse to take it down until the day before school started up again. Come rain or shine—mostly rain, since we grew up in Seattle—we slept in that tent every summer until high school.”

“It sounds wonderful. What made you stop camping in the backyard?”

He stared at her, reluctant to share anything more about his life with a perfect stranger. But the way her smile lit up her eyes had the words rolling off his tongue before he knew it.

“Our parents died in a plane crash when I was fifteen. Josh was almost eighteen and begged to keep us together, so the courts didn’t put either of us in foster care. I remember right after it happened, I pitched that stupid tent in the backyard in the middle of a snowstorm and refused to come out.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.” She slid a hand into his and gave it a squeeze.

They sat in silence, holding hands, and simply studied the beauty of the forest around them. The silence comforted Reid as the memories of losing his parents pinched at his chest.

“Did Josh make you come inside?”

He shook his head. “He brought me extra blankets, a space heater, and even put a tarp over the tent to keep me dry. I guess he knew I just needed time so he never pushed it.”

“How long did you last in the tent?”

“Until the tarp collapsed from the weight of the snow. The whole thing came crashing down, busting up the tent and leaving me buried in about a foot of heavy, wet, and freezing snow. Even then I refused to move, so Josh came out, wrapped a blanket around me and, without saying a word, walked me inside.”

“I have to ask, if your parents died in a plane crash, why did you become a pilot?”

“Josh,” he answered in a voice that sounded so distant. “We were both fascinated with vintage planes and had models of them hanging everywhere in the house. After my parents died I ripped every last one of them down, piled them all in the backyard, and set them on fire.”

She squeezed his hand. “Did that help?”

Laughing, he shook his head and rubbed his thumb along hers. “No. I was still pissed off. Josh told me that if I really wanted to get back at the planes, I should get my pilot’s license and then I’d have complete control over them. At fifteen, it made perfect sense. I needed something to focus all that anger and frustration on.”

“And it worked?”

“That it did. I got my license and flew us all kinds of places. We had a blast.”

“He sounds like a very good big brother.”

Reid lifted his gaze to the sky and hoped Josh had known that before he died. Being in the mountains now, smelling that familiar scent of freedom, reminded him of happier times and he smiled, missing his brother so much it almost blinded him. Joshua Cavanaugh was everything a big brother should be. Strong. Brave. Kind. He loved life and taught Reid to do the same.

“Live, laugh, and love, little brother.” He used to tell Reid. “You never know what day is your last. Don’t forget that.”

Reid blew out a breath and blinked to clear the emotions from his eyes. Josh died six months ago. He shouldn’t still be mourning his loss. Glancing at his shoulder, he lifted his arm to study the tattoo he’d gotten in Josh’s memory. Live. Laugh. Love. Three simple words. So much meaning.

Kaycee used a slender finger to trace the ink forever engraved into his flesh. He liked the way the chills peppered his skin when she touched him like a sweet caress.

She seemed mesmerized as she swept her fingers over the tattoo. “That’s really beautiful. Tell me, Reid Cavanaugh, are you living? Laughing? Loving?”

“Trying to.” He couldn’t pull his eyes away from hers. When she rested her palm against the side of his face, he leaned into her comforting touch.

“We survived the crash. I think that counts, don’t you?”

“How about once we get off this mountain, we count it?”

Her smile could melt the polar ice caps. It definitely had him feeling the heat. “Deal.”

She lowered her hand and flattened her palm on his leg. The emotion from her touch seared right through the jeans and into Reid’s soul. “Did you and Josh ever go camping again after that?”

“He insisted we take our camping trip on the road that summer, so we hiked Mount Rainier to camp at the summit. The next summer he somehow talked me into climbing a hundred feet in the air to camp in a canopy in the middle of the Olympic rain forest. Every year was something different, something better than the last. We loved the thrill of it all. Once I got my pilot’s license, we started flying to our destinations. They were some of the best times of my life. And then he came to me one day with paperwork for MSF. That’s—”

“Médecins Sans Frontières,” she said with a wide grin. “I’m impressed and a bit jealous. I’ve wanted to be with Doctors Without Borders since I was a kid. Risking my life to save the lives of others seemed like a dream.” Her eyes lit up as she sighed and he couldn’t look away. It warmed him to see her like that, her pretty gaze twinkling.

“So how did you end up at a hospital in Seattle instead?”

“I’m not sure.” She crinkled her brow in confusion. “But I really want to know why I never followed through with my dream. Why aren’t you still flying for MSF? Is Josh with them?”

“No.” What the hell was he doing? He jumped to his feet, his back to her. Of all the times for him to open up, and to a fucking doctor. “He’s dead.”

Marching away, he went in search of more wood for the fire. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her picking up twigs and smaller branches, and left her to it. He needed to keep his head clear so he could focus on what they needed to do to survive until SAR found them.

They had to get the fire started and keep it going before it got dark, which would be in a few hours. During the day the smoke could be seen by a ranger station. During the night the flames could be seen from the sky. They’d already wasted valuable time arguing when they could have been one step closer to getting rescued.

“Let’s get a pile started with these twigs. Build it like a teepee, with a chimney up the center. I’ll find us some bigger pieces to keep the fire going once we get it started.”

“I’ll find some paper to ball up,” she offered, not skipping a beat.

Once they worked together. Reid sat back on his heels and studied it. The glow from the fire heated his face, mixing with the residual warmth of the day. It wouldn’t be more than a few hours and they’d both be thankful for the heat of the fire. “Not bad fire building, doc.”

“I’m very good with my hands.” The way firelight drew out the gold specs in her eyes had his body responding. He shifted to hide his arousal. When she clearly caught on to his move, he grinned and dropped his gaze with a rough chuckle.

“I’m sure you are. However, if being a pickpocket is in your future, I wouldn’t quit your day job.”

“I promise not to pull anything else out of your pants without your permission.”

He shot her a look and their gazes locked. She offered him a slight smile and he did the same. It wasn’t exactly peace between them, but it was a start.

* * * *

She stared at the flames for as long as she could, trying to ignore the way her bladder reminded her with pangs of tingling pain that it needed relief. She couldn’t pee in front of Reid, yet didn’t want to go out and find a bush in the dark. Growing up in Western Washington, she’d heard her fair share of stories about mountain lion, bear, and even wolf attacks in the mountains. She didn’t want to survive a plane crash only to become dinner.

“Reid? I, uh, have to… you know.” She nodded toward the darkness.

He stared at her blankly.

She sighed. “I have to pee.”

“Ah. Yeah, I guess it takes a bit more planning for women than men. We can just whip it out…” he trailed to a stop when she looked at him. “Never mind.”

How could she ask him without sounding like a complete coward? Knowing no other way, she simply came out with it. “Would you mind coming with me?”

That blank stare remained for several seconds. “Are you serious?”

“Forget I asked.”

“I’m trying to.”

She jumped to her feet. She’d rather face a pack of hungry wolves than deal with this man right now.

“Where are you going?”

“You know where I’m going.”

“Take this.” He tossed an LCD flashlight at her. “Shine it around you. Watch for glowing green eyes.”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

“No bullshit. There’s a saying. Green is mean. Red is dead. It means if you see green glowing eyes, it wants to eat you. Red means it’s harmless. A cougar will be green in an LCD light. A deer will be red.”

No, thank you. She sat back down. She’d let her bladder burst before peeing out there.

“Don’t you have to go?”

“I’ll wait.”

“It’s your bladder.” He stood and stretched before turning to move away from the fire.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to let my fear stop me.”

“I’m not scared,” she lied. She was petrified that she’d be caught with her pants down—literally.

“Then do your thing. We’ll even share the same bush if it makes you feel better.”

She hated that knowing he’d be right on the other side of the bush really did make her feel better. She stood and brushed off her butt. “Okay, but no peeking.”

“It’ll be dark. You’ll be fine.”

“But what if a bear comes? Or a mountain lion? How will we be able to outrun it?”

“I wouldn’t have to.” He met her eyes, the mirth dancing in them along with the firelight drawing out that intense blue. “I’d just have to outrun you. With your pants down, it shouldn’t be hard.” He laughed when she threw the flashlight at him.

He led them over to a bush right next to the wreckage. The fire warmed her back and the dancing glow made everything visible.

“Why aren’t we moving farther away?”

“Human urine detracts cats. Well, that is unless you’re on your period. Then the pheromones you emit drive them crazy.” He looked at her. She shook her head, embarrassed that she had to admit something like that to a complete stranger.

“Then we’re safe.” He unzipped his pants and started to whistle. Knowing it wouldn’t get any better than this at the moment, she pulled her pants down and squatted.

“You know,” he started and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from telling him to shut up. She really didn’t want to have a conversation as she concentrated on not soaking her socks. “These really aren’t mountain lions around here.”

“Excuse me?”

“You called them mountain lions. Since they aren’t confined to the mountains, and they don’t roar like a lion, they really aren’t mountain lions. It’s a common misconception. They prefer to be called cougars.”

“They prefer? What, did you ask one?”

“I happen to be on a first name basis with several cougars. Some of them are pretty hot mamas just looking for a little company.”

“Oh, ha ha.” She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation right and hated that it helped her relax.

“They really are called cougars up here, too.” He zipped his jeans as Kaycee finished. She pulled up her pants and closed them, wishing she had toilet paper. She wanted to wash her hands as well. Knowing they didn’t have a sink handy, she wiped her hands on her jeans before rounding the bush to stop next to him.

“Do you really expect me to believe you?”

“You believed me when I told you to watch for glowing eyes.”

“Are you kidding me? You made that up just to scare me?”

He laughed and she slapped him before realizing she’d smacked him on his bad shoulder. He winced and growled as he glared at her. But, even then, he had a playful glow in his eyes that dazzled in the firelight. “Not entirely. With the fire, no animals will approach us. They’re just as scared of us as we are them. Come on. I think I have some protein bars in my survival bag. Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Head back to the fire. I’ll grab my bag and see if I can find something to use as blankets.”

She stopped, stunned, her heart no longer beating. “What are the blankets for?”

“It may be August but it’s still the mountains. It’ll dip down enough for you to need a blanket. If it doesn’t, you’ll have some cushion underneath you when you sleep.”

“Oh,” she breathed as her heart painfully beat again. “Right.”

“What did you think I meant?”

She didn’t want to admit to him what she thought. Despite her embarrassment, seeing that wicked shine in his eyes caused her skin to prickle deliciously. “I’ll be by the fire.”

“Keep your eyes and ears open for any unwanted guests with sharp teeth.”

“Or guns.”

“Exactly.”

He used the flashlight to guide him to the wreckage. She sank down by the fire as a light bounced around inside the cabin. A rustling in the bushes behind her caught her attention and she whipped around, her eyes so wide they hurt. Holding perfectly still, she waited to hear something again, but only the silent, inky darkness answered back. “Reid? Any luck on those protein bars?”

“I know they’re in here somewhere. I just need to find my bag.”

“How about the blankets, then? I’m not really that hungry anyway.”

“What happened to starving? Don’t worry. I’ll find them. It’s such a damn mess in here. Give me a minute.”

She couldn’t wait a minute. As he said that, more rustling sounded from the bush. She jumped and almost swallowed her tongue. “I think I hear something. Reid?”

“Let me check one more spot.”

“I’m serious. There’s something out here.”

“Don’t you want dinner?”

She didn’t care about protein bars, blankets, or anything else he found in the plane. She didn’t want to be out here alone, not with something rustling around out there.

A distinct snap of a twig had her on her feet. She refused to stay out here alone and turned toward the cabin as Reid jumped out, a smile on his face and protein bars in each hand.

And then his smile wilted as his gaze shifted behind her. “Kaycee, don’t move.”

Oh, shit. She couldn’t breathe, let alone move. “W-What it is?”

“It’s…” he slowly took a step toward her. As she tried to look over her shoulder, he stopped her with a shout. “No! Don’t move. It’ll only piss it off.”

She swallowed thickly and pulled in a breath to hold it, hoping it wouldn’t be her last.

Reid threw his hands up and screamed like a madman as he charged, running past her and waving his hat above his head. She spun around to catch a glimpse of whatever was about to eat her.

Only to see Reid standing there, grinning at her. Oh, not again. “You asshole!”

He outright laughed at her expense and she punched his bad shoulder on purpose. Although still clearly amused, he winced and stumbled back from her assault. “Jesus Almighty, woman. You have got to stop messing with my shoulder.”

“Then quit doing things to deserve it.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop. But you should have seen your face.” He laughed again.

She would have gone after his shoulder again if the loud rustling hadn’t caught both their attention. Jumping next to him, she glued herself to his side. “Please tell me you heard that.”

“I heard that.” He no longer had the teasing tone in his voice. “Stay by the fire.”

“Wait. Reid. Wait!”

But he pushed her back as he stepped between her and the darkness. After shining the light and apparently seeing nothing, he turned back to her. “Probably a squirrel or rabbit. Build a trap out of twigs and let’s see if we can catch dinner.”

“Not funny.”

“It’s kind of funny.”

“Can we just eat?”

When he didn’t answer, she noticed him looking over her shoulder. He dropped his hat and the protein bars to the ground as he put up his hands. “Uh, Kaycee?”

“No. I’m not falling for that again.”

“Kaycee.”

“No, Reid. You are so full of—”

Click.

She spun around and sucked in a breath. “Shit.”

Gus stood there, his gun pointed right at her. His makeshift head bandage had started to fall apart. He kept pushing it off his good eye.

“Looks like you two aren’t smart enough to move away from the plane crash. And with the fire? You might as well have made a sign.”

“We weren’t trying to hide,” Reid pointed out.

“Obviously.”

“SAR is going to be here any minute.”

“Nice try, pilot. SAR doesn’t search at night. You two are on your own. Too bad they’ll only find bodies come morning.” He brought up the gun and squared it on Kaycee.

Reid jumped forward, his hands up, pulling Gus’s attention to him. “Don’t do this. We can take her back to town. You can have the reward.”

“You delusional dumbass. Don’t let those pretty eyes and wily smile fool you. She’s as guilty as they come or I wouldn’t have been paid to make her disappear. Now, step out of the way. I have a contract. They paid me half upfront. Speaking of which, may I have my wallet back?”

Kaycee dropped her jaw. Reid said it was only five thousand dollars in the wallet. That meant her life only amounted to ten thousand dollars? Surely the reward for her safe return was more than that. Why would Gus accept ten thousand dollars to kill her if turning her in would give him so much more?

Reid glanced at her. She widened her eyes at him and shook her head. Do the math, she willed him. Something didn’t add up.

“Let me get this straight,” Reid started. “You’d kill her for ten thousand dollars, yet her reward is ten times that. Now, I may not have a college degree, but that doesn’t seem like a good way to do business. Why would you only accept ten thousand when you could have one hundred thousand?”

“That’s my business. Now give me my wallet.”

Reid snapped his fingers. “You’re a fugitive yourself, aren’t you? That’s why you won’t turn her in. If you try to collect on the reward, you’ll be arrested.”

Gus pushed the bloody rag off his eye. “You could have just walked away, but no. You had to go and try to be a fucking hero. Well, guess what? You just earned yourself a guaranteed hole in the head.”

Reid pulled the wallet out of the back of his jeans. He threw it up and just as before, the air filled with cash. “Kaycee, run!”

A shot rang out. Reid spun around as he roared and stumbled back.

“Reid!” She ran to his side. Blood soaked his shirt as the bright red stain centering on his bicep swelled, drenching the fabric.

He pushed her away and charged Gus, knocking them both to the ground and the pistol out of his hands. When Gus slammed his fist into his shoulder, Reid yelled in pain. “Get out of here, Kaycee! Now! Go!”

They both jumped to their feet. Gus threw a punch and missed. Reid threw a punch and didn’t. His fist connected with Gus’s good eye and sent him flying back. The bandage fell over his face. Reid charged and knocked him down.

“I’ll kill you both. The doctor I got paid to kill, but you I’ll whack for free.” Gus got to his feet and ripped the bandage off his head. He screamed as it tore at his skin, re-opening his wounds. Blood oozed down the side of his face.

Reid grabbed a handful of pine needles and dirt, and threw it in his face. Gus screamed again.

“Reid! The gun!” Kaycee cried as Gus found it and picked it up. Reid charged Gus and sent them both down, feet from the cliff.

“She isn’t worth it, pilot. Think about what you’re doing. You are protecting a murderer. She’s guilty.”

“It isn’t your call, Whitley.”

Gus jumped to his feet. He kicked Reid in the ribs. Reid coughed and rolled. He got to his hands and knees. With a whip of his hand, Gus cracked the butt of the gun on the back of Reid’s head. He went down.

Gus pointed the gun toward the back of Reid’s head.

Her mouth went dry. This couldn’t be happening. Reid risked his life to protect her. Without another thought, Kaycee sprang into action. She picked up a log off the ground and swung it as hard as she could, slamming it into the back of Gus’s head. It didn’t knock him over, but it at least sent him off balance.

She dropped the piece of wood and raced toward him to grab the gun before he recovered, but not fast enough. He pointed it at her. She skidded to a stop and instinctively put up her hands.

“Nice try, doctor. Now say goodbye to your boyfriend.” He turned to point the gun at Reid.

But he’d disappeared.

Reid flew out of nowhere and tackled Gus. They landed on the edge of the cliff and both rolled within inches of falling over the side.

“You’re persistent. I’ll give you that.” Gus grunted as he slammed the butt of the gun against Reid’s temple once again. Reid tried to push himself up but then fell to the ground. Gus kicked him closer toward the edge. “Too bad no one will ever know what a hero you failed to be.”

Reid’s eyes rolled back as he fought to remain conscious. Gus kicked him. One of Reid’s legs swung over the side of the cliff and she sucked in a breath. Rocks fell off the cliff and as each one hit the boulders below, Kaycee felt that much more helpless. No way would he be able to hold on with that shoulder. If Gus kicked him one more time, Reid would go over.

She had to do something. She couldn’t let Reid die for her.

“No!” She ran toward Gus. It was enough of a distraction for him not to see Reid lift himself back over the ledge, while at the same time sweep his leg under Gus. Kaycee pushed him and he tripped over Reid. He lost his balance and fell over the side of the cliff, screaming as the darkness swallowed him. And then the night fell eerily silent.

Kaycee hurried to Reid’s side. “Are you okay?”

“No. The bastard shot me.” He rolled onto his back with a grunt. “This is just not my day.”

“Did you break a mirror this morning or something? You’ve got really shitty luck.”

He laughed and then winced. “I think I may need a doctor.”

“Good thing I am one.”

He reached for her hand and she took it. “Good thing.”

She ripped at his shirt to examine the gunshot. Oh, thank God. No hole. The bullet had grazed his shoulder, but didn’t penetrate.

“Please tell me it didn’t hit my tat.”

“Your ink is safe. We need to close the wound.” She squeezed the gash to gauge how easy it would be to get it to seal.

“Jesus,” Reid rasped. “That shit hurts.”

“Don’t close your eyes.” She moved quickly. There was a nearby fallen tree that would do. With strength she didn’t know she had, she dragged him over to the log and positioned him so his head rested above his heart. A quick exam revealed superficial wounds, but even surface wounds could cause serious damage if infection set in, especially since they were trapped in the middle of the mountains.

The wounds weren’t life-threatening, but if she didn’t stop the bleeding, they could be. She ripped at her shirt and folded it into a makeshift dressing. There was some ivy crawling up a nearby tree that would do to fasten the dressing to him. “Are you allergic to ivy?”

Reid shook his head. Sweat beaded up on his lip and forehead. The shock pulled the blood from his face, leaving him ghost-white as a result. She tore the ivy vines down and wrapped them around his shoulder. It wasn’t exactly hospital work, but she did the best with what she had. It worked. The blood stained the wrap, but didn’t soak through.

The thought of escaping flashed through her mind. He wouldn’t be able to chase her down. He’d live. She’d live. And she would then have the chance to get back to Seattle and find out why she’d been framed for murder instead of him turning her in for something she didn’t do.

If she was framed. If she really didn’t do it.

She looked down at him. He held her gaze, no doubt thinking the same thing about her escaping. He darted his gaze away and offered her a slight nod. Was he actually telling her to go? She stood and took a step in retreat. He looked up at her again. As their eyes met, an acute sense of loss moved between them.

“You—” she didn’t even know what to say. She took another step back. Reid lowered his gaze, and again Kaycee felt a sense of loss.

“Go.”

“But—”

“Kaycee, I understand. Just go.”

“I can’t leave you, not like this.”

He struggled to sit up. “With Gus over the cliff and you gone, the authorities will assume you died, too.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine once SAR finds me.” He closed his eyes. “By this time tomorrow, I’ll just be a memory.”

She knew that tone, knew that look. She’d seen it too many times in her patients. He’d already given up. If she left him now, he’d simply lay there until he either extinguished or until an animal found him. Either way, SAR would only find a body, or parts if an animal got him.

She refused to let him give in.

Reid openly studied her with those piercing blue eyes as she approached. Mixed feelings surged through her as she knelt next to him. She only did this because she took an oath. It had nothing to do with the way he made her feel, like as long as she had him with her, she knew things would be okay.

“Let’s get you back to the plane. Do you have a first aid kit there?” She helped him to his feet as he nodded slightly. He still hadn’t spoken to her. He just kept watching her, probably wondering if she really had lost her sanity. Kaycee pondered that herself. Her chance to run and she chose to stay with the man who planned to turn her in. Perfectly sane rationale.

“Let’s go.” She held his arm to his torso. Their touch sent a rush of heat through her insides and she cursed herself. There was a time and place for everything and this was neither the time nor the place for her hormones to rage over the gorgeous pilot. “Hold your arm like this. We don’t want to tear the wound any more than it already is.”

He nodded. She held his arm and led him back toward the wreckage, aware of every sound around them. They’d almost made it to the plane when a sudden flash of light forced her eyes closed. She saw a woman with short dark hair and equally dark eyes, and Kaycee warmed as she remembered her.

“This is the one I’ve been telling you about,” the woman said. “Addison, this is my brother, Brad. He’s an attending in the department you want into.”

A man with strikingly similar features to the woman smiled. “Sandra tells me you’re interested in doing your residency in oncology. I think I can help you with that.”

Another flash, and suddenly Kaycee was in an office, Brad sitting behind a desk.

“This is strike two, Dr. Addison. One more and you’re out.”

“But the patient would have died,” she defended.

“That doesn’t give you permission to provide non-conventional treatment. Cancer medication is highly regulated. The FDA will be all over our ass if this gets out.”

“Then don’t tell them. Besides, it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission. That man is alive because of my non-conventional treatment, Dr. Leary.”

He sat back as he regarded her. “Are you asking me to cover this up?”

“I’m asking you to do the right thing.”

“Kaycee, how would you like to join my research team? We could use someone who thinks outside of the box like you.”

“That sounds great, Brad.” Kaycee said aloud.

“Hey? Are you okay? Who’s Brad?”

She blinked until she could focus. Still a bit disoriented, she brought her gaze to Reid’s. He peered at her intently.

“Another memory?”

“Yes.”

“So what was this one?”

“A man and his sister.” They reached the wreckage and she helped him sit on the rock. “Where is the first aid kit?”

“Under what used to be the dash.” He grunted as he adjusted. “Keep going. Tell me about this man and his sister while it’s still fresh in your mind.”

Kaycee stepped inside the wrecked plane and dug around for a first aid kit, all the while having the fact they’d sent a man over a cliff on her conscience. “Brad and Sandra. I idolized the man and wanted to be just like him. When I told her, she introduced us.”

“Were you two…?”

“No, but it wasn’t for his lack of trying. The man made pass after pass at me, but I refused his advances.”

“Why?”

“Have you ever slept with your hero, Reid?”

“Considering my hero is Superman, that would be a no.”

She laughed and moved enough of the broken pieces out of the way to reach the front of the plane. She reached under and felt around, fully expecting something creepy and crawly to attach itself to her hand. Nothing did, and she pulled out a little black bag.

“I didn’t want to sleep with my hero and have the illusion shatter. Brad’s cutting edge research on cancer treatment has saved lives. I wanted that and even got in trouble all the time for exceeding my authority, as he called it. When I thought he was about to fire me, he invited me to join the research team. That’s huge for someone still in her residency.” She stepped out of the plane and walked over to him. “I’m in my fifth year as a resident. He’s my attending.”

“Attending what?”

“It just means he’s the boss over the residents like me. By this time next year, I could be running my own research team.”

“Aside from the whole murder wrap thing.”

“I didn’t do it, Reid, and I’m going to find a way to prove it. Every passing hour I remember something else. These little flashes, as annoying as they are, are piecing my memories back together.”

“So what else do you remember?”

“Not much.” Kaycee swabbed the wound with disinfectant and found some antibiotic ointment. “This wound is going to require stitches.”

“I have superglue in there.”

She frowned at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Josh and I used it all the time. Just glue me back together and use the tape to hold it.”

She’d heard of using superglue to temporarily fasten a wound until it could be stitched. Considering she didn’t have a suture kit, it would have to do. But she’d have to make it as clean as possible so not to seal in any infection.

Reid cringed as she wiped the wound. “What do you remember about Sandra?”

“She’s my best friend. Other than that, not much else.”

After applying the superglue, she used extra taping to force the gash closed. It was the best she could do without anything to sew him up. With a little luck, maybe his skin would adhere and he wouldn’t need stitches at all. She zipped the bag closed.

“That’s it?”

She stood and set the bag near the plane. He glanced down at his shoulder and gave it a nod. “It looks like an underline to your tattoo. Can we count this as proof of the first word? We’ve lived through not one but two dances with death today. I say that counts.”

Reid licked his lips as he dropped his attention to her mouth. “That sounds like something Josh would say. He found the positive in anything.”

“He was a very smart man.” She inched closer, until the warmth of his mouth teased hers. “Must run in the family.”

His lips curled into a wicked grin as he held her gaze. “Why, doctor, did you just pay me a compliment?”

“Easy there, cowboy. Don’t let it go to your head.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, pulling his attention right along with it.

He leaned into her and dragged her to him, cupping the back of her neck with his hand. At first he barely whispered his lips across hers. When she flicked her tongue out and swiped it across his mouth, he opened his in response and really kissed her.

She ignored the nagging in her brain that she shouldn’t be kissing this man, this perfection of a stranger. It had to be the endorphins taking over. They both almost died twice today. Surely that was reason enough for a celebration of life. They were both alive and two consenting adults.

Deepening their kiss, Reid clearly had the same idea. He weaved his hand into her hair and held her to him, exploring the recesses of her mouth. She shuddered and scooted closer to him. He nipped at her lower lip before pulling back. Their eyes locked and a gentle thread formed between them. Her heart hammering in her ears, she barely heard him as he spoke in a near whisper.

“Thank you. You could have left. No one would have ever known.”

“I would.”

“I’ll get you back to Seattle, Kaycee.”

She swallowed tightly. “And then?”

“Then we find out who framed you and paid Gus to kill you.”

Her heart fluttered when he said we. At least she had one ally in all this. For now.

 

 

 

FIVE

 

Reid blinked awake to nature surrounding him. The sky was a brilliant blue, the bird’s songs filling the air. It was going to be another hot one. The sun blasted down, warming the ground where Reid lay. He inhaled deeply, the smell of the fresh pine filling his senses.

“Freedom,” he mumbled as he stretched. His shoulder protested and he stopped abruptly, wincing from the dull throb of pain. That’s right. Pain. Shoulder. Gus.

Doctor.

He jumped up and spun around in all directions, a deep foreboding creeping into his senses when he didn’t see her. The disappointment hit him so hard it rivaled the plane crash. He couldn’t blame her for leaving as soon as he’d fallen asleep. He would have done the same if their roles were reversed.

Why did she wait to sneak away? She had the perfect opportunity to leave. No one would have ever known. In the state he was in after the attack, both his and Gus’s blood all over him, animals would have been able to smell him for miles. He wouldn’t have lasted an hour before becoming a meal for a hungry pack of wolves.

Reid leaned against a nearby tree and shouted a curse that caused the birds to screech. Betrayal burned the back of his throat. After he promised to help her, this was how she repaid him? To hell with helping her now. Now he wanted to find her, drag her ass back to the plane, and turn her in for the reward.

He needed to be smart about this. If he walked away from the crash site, he’d miss SAR and his chance to get out of this forest and back to civilization. He was hungry, weak, and needed medical attention to his shoulder. But the want—no, the need to find Kaycee almost blinded him. He swallowed hard and drew in a breath as he thought about his next move.

“Reid?”

He brought his head up. Was that Kaycee?

“Reid!”

He raced off in the direction of her voice, his nerves raw. The tone of her voice didn’t help. His pulse quickened, as did his pace. All the uncertainty about his next move melted away at the sound of her voice. Concern and fear fueled him as he sprinted in the direction he heard her cry out from.

“Kaycee?”

“Oh, Reid!” Her voice was a muffled cry, full of terror.

A cold knot formed deep in the pit of his stomach. What if Gus had somehow survived and tracked her down? What if Reid found her too late? He jumped over a log and pushed through some bushes. Weeds grabbed at his boots, but he kicked them loose and staggered into a run. “Kaycee?”

“Help me!”

Oh shit. Now he knew she was in trouble. He rounded a patch of thick trees and skidded to a stop. There, in the middle of a small meadow of green grass, stood the beautiful doctor. Relief washed over him as he choked out her name. “Kaycee.”

She spun around and stared at him with wide eyes.

He ran to her and she collapsed into his arms, sobbing and shaking violently. He held her close, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. “Thank God you’re okay. I’m here now. I’m right here.”

He hadn’t expected this. He’d expected a long, drawn out excuse as to why she ran. He’d expected her to be cornered by wild animals, or maybe even Gus. He’d even expected to never see her again.

What he hadn’t expected was her reaction when she saw him. She fell into his arms and held on for dear life. He hadn’t expected his reaction when he heard that panic in her voice. She scared the shit out of him.

Reid held her close as the shaking intensified. It took him a moment to realize that it was him shaking and not her. And the way she whimpered slightly and snuggled into his chest caused a disturbing want deep inside of him.

“I was so scared.”

“Tell me what happened.” He led her over to a downed tree and encouraged her to sit. She glanced at him before lowering her gaze. Kaycee wrung her hands together like twisted cloth. He tried to lift her chin, but she moved out of his reach, carefully keeping her eyes hidden. Reid’s suspicious nature went into overdrive. “What’s going on?”

“I was out picking berries for breakfast. I wanted—” She closed her eyes and swallowed before opening them again. “We never ate last night. You were still asleep and looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.” She covered her mouth with her hand as a muffled sob forced its way out. “I thought I could do it.”

Ah, Christ. He thought the worst of her when she’d simply gone in search of food for them. He was such an asshole. He reached for her, needing to touch her, to know she was real. When she didn’t move to him, he went to her. “It’s okay. You’re fine now.”

Kaycee sprang to her feet. “No, it isn’t. Don’t you see? I’m not fine. I can’t even find us berries without getting lost. I hate this!” Her outburst echoed through the meadow and into the trees. She slumped back onto the log and buried her head in her hands.

Reid didn’t know what to do. Should he pull her into his arms again? He knew it would make him feel better.

So he did.

She curled into his embrace and let out a shaky sigh. “What if my memory never returns?”

He knew better than to tell her everything would be okay. He couldn’t make that promise and neither could she. “Let’s take this one step at a time. Were you ever any good with directions? Maybe this has nothing to do with that bump on your head. Maybe you just suck at directions.”

She smacked his chest and pushed away, but he had her smiling and that shine in those beautiful eyes caused her to glow. Damn, what a sight. He grinned as he lost himself in those endless pools of hazel and gold.

It caught him off guard when Kaycee leaned in and covered his lips with hers. It was gentle at first, but then a slight whimper escaped her mouth and entered his, and Reid pulled her closer to really taste her. Licking her lips open, he devoured her mouth, intoxicated by the savory sweetness. She gave as well as she received and met his tongue with hers, and their embrace deepened.

He slid a hand into her hair, clamped the other to her hip, and really kissed her. His tongue stroked hers and a demanding need sparked to life deep inside him. Kaycee wrapped her arms around his neck as a cry melted from her lips. The kiss took on a life of its own and if he didn’t stop it now, he didn’t know if he would be able to. They almost took it too far last night.

Pulling back, searching her lovely, dazed and uncertain gaze, he simply stared at her. This time yesterday they were in the air. He would have dropped her and Gus off in Yakima, and he would have never seen her again. He would have read about her death in the paper, if they ever found the body, and would have never thought twice about it.

Now the thought of never seeing her again, never touching her again, caused him physical pain. One kiss, one crazy twenty-four hours together, and she’d changed his life. And that scared the shit out of him.

“We should get back.” He took her hand. Once he pulled her to her feet, he went on. “SAR will be here any minute and we’ll be back in Seattle for a real breakfast before we know it.”

She slipped her hand from his and collapsed back down onto the log. Why wouldn’t she look at him?

“Kaycee?”

“I’m not going back.”

“You aren’t staying here.”

Shaking her head, she then closed her eyes as her petite shoulders sagged. “I’m wanted for murder, Reid. The minute they see me, I’ll be in jail and I’ll never know the truth.”

He knelt in front of her and took her hands. “Kaycee, look at me. Look at me, damn it.” She did and the swell of emotions swirling in those eyes caused his breath to hitch. “I’m not leaving you.”

“You should.”

“But I won’t.”

“You don’t know what I’ve done.”

“And neither do you.”

She closed her eyes and her hands trembled. He held them tighter. “I had another flashback this morning. I was at the hospital with a patient. She was a sweet old woman complaining about her hip hurting. After her blood work came back, I did an X-ray to confirm, but I already knew she had cancer. I just wanted to give her more time.”

When she pulled her hands from his, he let her. A deep, menacing feeling clawed at him like a feral beast. “Kaycee, what happened?”

She covered her mouth with her hand as a sob tore through her. “She didn’t want treatment for the cancer. She just wanted enough time to attend her grandson’s college graduation. She trusted me. And I...I...”

Reid slowly backed away from her, icy disbelief glazing over his midsection and growing as his comprehension grew. She could only sob. He felt sick and had to look away. “What did you do?”

“She died.”

Goddamn it. Just when he started to believe in her innocence. Just when he wanted to believe she couldn’t do something like that. The joke is on you, Cavanaugh. Duped again by a doctor.

“Then I guess there’s only one thing left to do.”

She blinked up at him. “What’s that?”

He grabbed her wrist as he clenched his teeth so hard he was sure one of them cracked. “We get you back to Seattle so you can stand trial for murder.”

“Reid, no!”

He dragged her back toward the plane and ignored the way her sobs and protests tore at his conscience. He promised to take her to Seattle and had every intention of keeping it. Right down to the nearest police station. Reward or no reward, Dr. Kaycee Addison should be locked up. Far away from innocent people, and far away from Reid Cavanaugh.

* * * *

Kaycee kicked and scratched at him, but he wouldn’t slow. She even planted her feet firmly on the ground, only to stumble to her knees from the force of Reid’s strength.

“Reid, please! Just listen to me.”

“I’m through listening to you.”

She scrambled to her feet. “No, you don’t understand.”

He stopped so abruptly she ran into him.

“How?” His icy blue eyes sliced at her. The muscle in his jaw had started to throb again, while the vein in his temple looked ready to burst. “How did you do it? Do you remember that?” He swallowed and scraped his gaze across her face before looking away with a shake of his head.

“I don’t know.”

“Pretty fucking convenient, if you ask me. What do you remember about the murder, doctor?”

His tone bit at her, driving explosive daggers straight into her heart. “I remember talking with her, telling her not to be nervous. I told her there was nothing to worry about.”

“Jesus Christ,” he rasped and closed his eyes. He clenched his teeth so tight his jaw turned white. When she didn’t go on, he opened his eyes and riveted them to her. “And?”

“And what? You know what happened.”

“Because I want you to remember what happened. I want you to know.” He had a mad look in his eyes that scared her. “Did she die on the operating table? Or did you smother her with her own pillow? Tell me, doctor, how did you kill your patient?”

She squeezed her eyes shut as she walked through what memory she had. If she did it, she deserved to relive it and then be punished for it. “I brought her file to Brad, begging him to talk her into treatment since she wouldn’t listen to me. I—I don’t know why but dimethylsulfoxide sticks out in my mind. DMSO Therapy isn’t legal in the US.”

“Get to the part where you killed her.”

“I remember seeing her in the morgue at the hospital.” She opened her eyes. “That’s all I remember.”

The color drained from Reid’s face. He glared with such disbelief, such utter confusion, that she found it disturbing. She stood there, sharing momentary confusion with him. “Let me see if I missed something. You were her doctor. She came to you for help. The next thing you remember, she’s in the morgue.”

“That’s right.”

“What about the part where you killed her?”

She traced through her flash and shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

“Holy shit, Kaycee. You said you killed her.”

“Actually, I never said that. You assumed it.”

He threw a round of curses into the air that sent the birds scattering. “Then how do you know it was you? Son of a bitch, I can’t believe this.”

He barked at her in his rage, just like her father used to do. Her heart flip-flopped that she had another flash of a memory, but decided to keep it to herself. Reid didn’t seem to be in the mood for sharing.

“Five minutes ago you were so sure you killed her. Why?” When she didn’t answer, he gave her shoulders a shake. Hard. “Why!”

“I never said I killed her!” She snapped back at him, her voice equaling his in volume and intensity. “You sure as hell jumped to that conclusion fast, didn’t you? Thanks for having a little faith in me, Reid.”

She apparently hit a nerve. He took a breath to fire something back at her when he suddenly stiffened and tilted his head. He then whipped his attention off to the right. “Did you hear that?”

“What?” She really didn’t want to have another run in with Gus, or any other wild animal out here. But then she heard it. It did sound like a growl, but not from any animal.

“Come on!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as he ran toward a steep hill. As they crested the peak of a grassy knoll, the occasional growl grew louder. He jumped to the top and reached down to help her.

Kaycee stopped beside him and caught her breath at the sight. A road. Not just any road, but a freeway. Six gorgeous paved lanes, where vehicles of every shape and size could travel the open road. A semi-truck made that recognizable growling noise as it rushed by.

They exchanged looks and smiled.

Reid pulled her down the other side of the hill as he waved at the vehicles. Within minutes, a large semi with a looming white trailer slowed to a stop ahead of them. Reid ran up to the truck. “Let me do the talking.”

No problem there. She’d seen enough horror movies to know that the first to talk was the first to die.

Reid opened the giant door and a whoosh of cool, air-conditioned air blew into her face. It felt amazing to have a break from the suffocating heat, if only for a few seconds. “Thanks for stopping.”

A rotund, hairy man in an old cowboy hat smiled at them, flashing gritty, tobacco-stained teeth where he even had teeth. Beside him in the passenger’s seat sat a droopy-eyed basset hound, as fat as his owner. Barking was too much of an effort so instead he put his head back down, uninterested in the new potential passengers. “You two look like you’ve been through the wringer.”

Reid pushed Kaycee behind him. “We were out for a little fun and just got lost. You know how it is, right?

“Sure do. I used to be young once.”

“Where you headed?”

“Seattle. Down to the port.”

“Perfect. Mind if my wife and I tag along?”

“Climb aboard, kids. You’ll have to ride in the back of my cab. It’s pretty roomie. Sleeps me and Buster here pretty good. Make yourself at home. I’ll crank the AC. Gauge says it’s already almost eighty out there. Gonna be another scorcher.”

After Reid climbed in and helped her into the back, he shut the door and sat down next to her. She couldn’t help but wonder what sort of home she had. Was anyone there waiting for her to return? Did she have any animals missing her? Kids? The thought that she may have children missing her sent a chill up her spine and across her skin.

“Y’all comfortable back there?”

She smiled at the driver through the rearview mirror and then looked over at Reid. He tossed this way and that, trying to get comfortable and not rub against his wounded shoulder. He finally settled in on the mountain of blankets and closed his eyes. The lulling of the truck’s movement was therapeutic and within minutes his breathing deepened. He’d fallen asleep. Not knowing what else to do and too nervous to sleep, Kaycee glanced around the inside of the cab.

Brown quilted velvet covered all the walls. She ran her fingers across the fabric, smiling at the softness. Once Reid started to snore, she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. So much for relying on her protector.

“So, you two part of the search for that crashed plane?”

Kaycee brought her head up. “Search?”

“Yeah. It’s all over the radio. I guess some small plane crashed up here yesterday and they got half of the state out looking for survivors.”

She lowered her chin back to her knees. She couldn’t tell the driver the truth or he’d drive them to the nearest police station. “I hadn’t heard.”

“Never been much of a small plane person myself.”

“Neither am I.”

“So what were you and hubby doing to get so messed up?” He looked at her from the rearview mirror. “I don’t judge. I don’t care, really. Just makin’ talk. There’s only so much you can say to a dog, you know? I couldn’t help but notice. You two in some sort of trouble?”

She rested a hand on Reid’s shoulder, wishing him well. He stirred and shifted. She sighed and brought her attention back to the driver. “We were driving last night from Seattle to…um…” She darted her gaze around for the name of another city. She spotted a hat that said Truckers do it in The Den. Spokane, WA. “Spokane and ran out of gas. We’ve been walking for hours.”

He nodded. “Seattle to Spokane, you say?”

“That’s right.”

“Well, you’re on the wrong side of the interstate then.”

“Oh, I mean—”

“Don’t worry about it. Like I said, I don’t judge. The people I pick up are just for company, not interrogation.”

“Thank you.” She glanced down at Reid. He looked so peaceful, so handsome. What was going to happen once they reached Seattle? Would he still turn her in? Would he help her track down her identity? Would he want to know who killed her patient? Even if it meant discovering that she really did do it?

She shuddered. She’d seen the look in his eyes when he thought she did it, if ever so briefly. He couldn’t stand the sight of her. Having him look at her like she’d betrayed him broke her heart. She couldn’t bear to have him look at her like that again.

Maybe she’d be better off doing this on her own. No doubt as soon as she set foot back in Seattle she’d have people after her. It would put him in danger.

Again.

She crawled up to the seats of the cab and leaned on the dog’s chair. His tail moved slightly, almost in a wag, before he put his head down again.

“I don’t want to lie to you.”

The driver laughed. “We both know how good you are at it.”

“He isn’t my husband. We just met.”

He lost his smile. “He ain’t hurting you or nothing, is he? I’ll take out his tooth with my tire iron.”

The driver’s act of chivalry was sweet, if a bit incomprehensible. “No, he’s fine. It’s me.”

“You?”

“I’m trouble and he’s too good a person to be mixed up in what I’m about to get in to.”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you asking?”

“Drop me off somewhere. I don’t care where. Just don’t let him know where I am.”

“You sure about this? I don’t feel right leaving a lady out by herself.”

“I’ll be fine. I just,” she stopped and stole a glance at Reid. He’d already lost a plane because of her. They’d sent a man flying over the side of a cliff because of her. She would never forgive herself if he lost anything else, especially his life. A new sense of determination settled in her heart. When they returned to Seattle, she would have the trucker drop her off and lie to Reid about it. If he had any sense, he’d accept the lie and be grateful.

“Where do you want to go?”

She watched Reid sleep, her heart aching. Soon enough, she would never see him again. Although she knew it was for the best, it still hurt to know she’d never get to see the look in those handsome blue eyes when she proved her innocence. “I don’t care. Just somewhere in Seattle. Away from him.”

“Tell you what I’m gonna do. I’ll drop you at my first stop in Seattle. I usually pull into this truck stop right off the freeway. They got the best chicken-fried steak on the entire west coast. Believe me, I’ve tried them all.”

She smiled and held her tongue. From his size, she’d believe it. “That’s fine. Just as long as he doesn’t know.”

“Stopping the truck is gonna wake him. And I’m not gonna just drop you anywhere. So you’d best be quick on your feet. Go into the lady’s bathroom or something. He can’t go in there to find you. ‘Cause as soon as he wakes, he’s gonna want to know where you are. He’s gonna go looking for you.”

“What makes you so sure?”

The trucker smiled, showing off what he had left of his less than flattering teeth. “I see the way he looks at you.” He lifted his brow. “Can I give you some advice? If you are in some sort of trouble, I think leaving him is asking for more trouble. That boy there isn’t about to just let you go.”

 

 

 

SIX

 

How could she do this to him?

The truck driver told him she raced to the restroom and, not thinking Kaycee would try anything, Reid believed him. He peeked into the women’s bathroom again. Still no Kaycee. He’d been standing outside the bathroom for nearly ten minutes, smiling sheepishly at the women as they passed. After another five minutes went by, he poked his head inside.

“Hello?”

No answer. That meant no Kaycee.

Goddamn it. The truck driver had lied.

So where’d she go? Why would she leave like that? Did she still believe he wanted to turn her in for the reward money? He cursed inwardly. Of course she did. He’d given her no reason not to. He moved away from the bathroom, foreboding pulsing through his veins.

Kaycee was gone.

Numbly, he walked down the narrow hall and entered the truck stop store. There he bought a few necessities with the money Gus Whitley owed him. The remaining four thousand, including Gus’s leather billfold, he’d left safely scattered across the ground above Gus’s final resting place. One more thing he would have to explain to the cops once they came knocking. And they would.

He headed back to the bathrooms, this time to the men’s, and cleaned up. His shoulder still throbbed, a dull ache that matched the one in his chest. Disregarding his little pity party, he worked at scrubbing the layers of dirt off him. Kaycee did a fine job doctoring him up. Dirt covered the bandage, but the tape held tight. Thank God he’d crash-landed with a doctor.

Doctor. He chuckled. For the first time since his brother’s death, he actually thanked God for a doctor. Go figure.

He washed his hair in the sink and then attacked his face, shaving away the scruff. After bathing in the sink and curling his lip at the color of the water, he slipped on the t-shirt he bought and ran his fingers through his hair to give it some sense of neatness. A final assessment in the mirror told him it wouldn’t get any better. With his eyes sunken in and his skin an ashen gray, he knew what he needed next.

Food.

He left the bathroom and moved down the narrow hall. The clinking of glasses grabbed his attention. He brought his gaze up to the sign above him. BAR. He stopped and inhaled. A drink first, something to eat, then home to sleep this nightmare away.

He collapsed in a dark booth off in the corner. Why did her leaving bother him so much? He should be fucking ecstatic to not be mixed up in her troubles. She didn’t mean a goddamn thing to him, and he didn’t mean anything to her. He got his fare out of the deal. Let the rest be bygones.

A waitress came over. “Hey, doll. Welcome to happy hour. It’s a two for one. How about a beer?”

“And a burger. The biggest one you have.”

“Sure thing. You know, there’re usually more smiles in here. You look like you just lost your best friend.” She hurried away after offering him a sad smile.

He shrugged her words off, but couldn’t quite shake the feeling. His entire life Josh wore the title of best friend. And guardian. And hero.

And now? For the first time since Josh died, Reid actually missed someone else. It had to be the lack of food. He barely knew the doctor and yet couldn’t stop thinking about her. Thinking about her? Hell, he was worried as shit about her. Knowing her, she’d run out and play detective, believing everything everyone told her, and end up in more trouble than when she started.

He had to help her. She really had no idea what she was doing. She needed him.

The waitress returned and set the beer and water in front of him. “You’re burger will be up shortly.”

He sipped at his beer, not tasting it. He’d eat something, then go home and take a shower. He had no reason to rush to the police. He needed to work on his story first.

The waitress reappeared with a mouthwatering burger and a mountain of fries. He shoved a fry into his mouth and brought his gaze up as the waitress moved away from his table. What he saw nearly sent the fry flying out of his mouth. There, standing at the bar and chewing on the inside of her lip, stood a lost Dr. Kaycee Addison. She danced back and forth on her feet and kept darting her jumpy gaze around.

At least she’d cleaned herself up a bit. Her tawny hair no longer had pine needles and sap twisting it into knots. She hadn’t gotten all the dirt off her face, but she’d come close. Reid couldn’t believe his luck. He wouldn’t have to track her down after all. Slowly, so she couldn’t see him, he rose out of the booth and deftly moved around behind her.

“I can’t pay,” Kaycee told the barkeep. He shook his head and waved her off. “But, I just want something to eat. Please? I haven’t eaten.”

“Cry me a river, lady. Now get the hell out before I call the cops.”

She huffed. “I’ll wash dishes.”

“Already got a dishwasher.”

“Mop the floors?”

“Nope.”

“Please?”

The barkeep grabbed the phone and held it up. “If you aren’t out of here in five seconds, I call the cops.”

“It’s okay.” Reid moved next to her. “She’s with me. I told you not to wander off, dear.” He took her hand and nodded at the barkeep. “She’s off her meds.”

“Keep a leash on her or you’re both out.”

She glanced over at the door and took a step toward it.

He squeezed her hand. Hard. “I know what you’re thinking. You want to run.”

“I want to keep you safe.”

“And I want to keep you safe. Neither of us will be able to do that if we’re apart. Now, let’s have a seat and eat.”

She did. He slid in next to her, blocking her in, before pushing his plate to her. “Eat.” She grabbed at the plate and pulled it in front of her. She had half the burger gone in only a few bites. She then grabbed his beer and drained half the glass. After taking several breaths, she pulled the beer back up to her lips.

“Slow down before you choke.”

“I don’t know if they have burgers in prison, so I’d better get my fair share now. I know they won’t have beer.” She drank more, then took another bite.

“I see you found a friend, doll.” The waitress reappeared. “And I see she’s hungry. You want another burger?”

Kaycee drained his glass. “And another beer, please.” He waited until the waitress left the table. “I get the next one.”

She pushed the plate toward him. “Sorry.”

He pushed it back. “Eat.”

“How about we share?” She nodded at the half-eaten burger as she grabbed a fry.

He could handle that. He grabbed the burger and took a bite. She worked on the fries and he on the burger until the plate had nothing but remnants of salt and a few wilted pieces of lettuce from the burger left. It wasn’t enough for him and from the way Kaycee kept eyeing the empty plate, she wanted more, too.

“How are we going to pay for this?” She asked as she ran her finger along the plate to pick up the salt. The way she sucked the salt crystals off it had him captivated. He’d never wanted to be a finger before.

“I have some cash.”

She stopped and looked at him. “From Gus? Did you steal it?”

“Shh.” He glanced around the room, but no one gave a second glance toward them. “You don’t need to advertise.”

“I need some.”

“I don’t think so.”

She popped her finger out of her mouth. “Why not?”

“It isn’t yours.”

“It isn’t yours, either.”

“I only took what’s mine,” he reasoned. He refused to feel guilty for taking the money for the fare. The waitress reappeared with the second burger and another beer, smiled at them both as she removed the empty plate, and then walked away.

Kaycee cut the burger in half and grabbed a side. “I left for two reasons. First, you said you’d take me as far as Seattle. We’re here now, so that part is done. Contract terminated.” She slopped a fry in the ketchup she’d squirted onto the plate.

“And the other?”

Her gaze jumped to him and then to the plate. “I…uh…needed to do something.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I know, right? I have no idea if I was this bad before the amnesia, but I sure suck at it now.” They both laughed and ate. Once they finished, an awkward silence settled between them.

“The other reason, Kaycee?”

She leaned back and closed her eyes. “Do you still plan to turn me in?”

He thought about it. He had every intention of doing just that as late as this morning. When she’d flashed about the victim, he’d jumped at the chance to seal her guilt without giving her the benefit of the doubt.

And now he had a hell of a lot of doubt about her guilt, and it grew with every conversation. Reid had a pretty good judge of character. Kaycee Addison was a good person, even if she was a doctor. Everyone had their faults.

If he didn’t do something to help her, he’d regret it. And so would she. It would haunt him for the rest of his days on this rock. With a sigh that sealed his decision, he replied. “No.”

She threw her eyes open. “Really? Good. That’ll make it easier.”

“Make what easier?”

“You are one less person I have to worry about trusting.”

“You can trust me. Kaycee, I want to help you.”

She abruptly looked away. “I can’t put you in danger.”

“But it’s okay to put yourself in danger? Damn it, woman. You can’t do this alone.”

“I have to.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t even know who did this to you.” She furrowed her brow and he didn’t miss the swirl of hurt that brewed in her eyes, but he didn’t care. He needed to get through to her. “How are you supposed to know who these guys are?”

“I’ll know.”

He turned in the booth and faced her. “And what are you going to do once you find them? You’re wanted for murder. You can’t just call the police to help you.”

“I’ll remember. I’m getting better. I’m—”

He took her hands. “Let me help you.”

“Why? Wasn’t it just this morning you were convinced of my guilt? What changed?”

He didn’t know when it happened, only that it did. It could have been one of the kisses. It could have been the way she stayed with him and patched him up. It could have been the combination of everything. He looked at her differently, not as a pilot to his fare, but as a man to a woman. He loved the way she’d had forest remnants in her hair and was still gorgeous. He loved the way she crinkled her pretty brow when she didn’t understand something, which happened on a regular basis.

Without warning, she jerked her hand from his. “Get away!”

She had her eyes squeezed shut and swung her fists, narrowly missing him. He grabbed her hands and held them tight. “Kaycee? Kaycee! Look at me. Goddamn it, woman. Look at me.”

People in the bar stared. Reid ignored them and scooted closer to her. “Kaycee, sweetheart, open your eyes and look at me.”

She did and it took several seconds for that spark of recognition to shine in her eyes. “Reid?”

“That sounded like a good one. Tell me about what you just saw.”

Before she could, the news flashed across the television, catching his eye and twisting in his insides. SAR found his plane and the wreckage was up on the screen. He motioned toward the TV and they both listened.

“Again,” the TV sounded. “This is footage of the Piper PA-16 Clipper that went down yesterday off Snoqualmie Pass. Police have confirmed one passenger dead at the scene. The other passenger, Dr. Kaycee Addison, and pilot Reid Cavanaugh, are still missing. Addison is wanted in connection to an extreme medical negligence charge for the death of a patient at Seattle General Hospital, where she worked. Police fear she’s armed and may have taken the pilot hostage. More on this story as it unfolds.”

The sight of his plane as a pile of shrapnel immortalized on TV made the burger in Reid’s stomach turn. But it was the way the media painted Kaycee that really had him nauseous. When the TV flashed a picture of her in a white coat, her hair pulled back, a warm smile on her face, they both stilled and stared.

“Let’s get out of here. Keep your head down.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the booth. As they passed the bar he threw money down for their tab. He then led her out of the truck stop and into a parking lot lined with semis. The high temperature immediately smothered him, reminding him of the deserts of the Middle East—but with humidity.

He wove them through the trucks, careful to keep hidden. The smell of the exhaust only added to the sickly heat of the day. By the time he spotted a bus stop, Kaycee trembled so violently he had to pull her to him and hold her to keep her from collapsing. “It’s okay.”

She shook her head. “What am I going to do? They’re making me sound like this horrible person. And now my picture is all over the news. I’m not like that.”

“I know. But hey, look at the bright side. I’m apparently your prisoner now.” He ignored the pinch in his gut at the truth to that statement. “You’ve taken a hostage, so that’s one more thing to cross off your bucket list.”

She laughed and sniffled as she wiped at her eyes. “There’s always that.”

Something powerful moved between them and he searched her eyes for any doubt. She leaned into him as he lowered his lips to hers. It was a gentle, soothing kiss, meant to offer her sanctuary. He wasn’t prepared for the jolt in the pit of his stomach that almost sent him over backward.

The kiss started as light and tender as a summer breeze. But then Kaycee wrapped her arms around him and sent a rush of heated energy coursing through his veins. He raised his mouth from hers and gazed into her eyes. They glazed over with confusion and something else.

Want.

The hiss of the bus as it stopped in front of them broke him of his trance. Kaycee’s cheeks glowed a gorgeous crimson and he couldn’t stop staring at her. Damn the skip in his chest when she offered him a sexy curl of those mouthwatering lips.

Once he paid the fare and took a seat away from everyone else, Reid thought about their situation and tried to find a logical reason for why they were about to do what they were about to do. Dr. Kaycee Addison had every cop in Seattle looking for her. By helping her, he’d have every cop in Seattle looking for him, too. On top of everything else, he couldn’t stop touching her, kissing her, and God only knew what else once they got to their destination—wherever the hell that would be.

“Where are we going?”

Good question. The cops would no doubt be watching her place so they couldn’t go there. Besides, she couldn’t remember where she lived.

Would they be watching his place? Doubtful. They weren’t after him. Yet. “I have a place in Queen Anne. We can get cleaned up and decide what we should to do next.”

“Reid Cavanaugh, are you asking me to come home with you?” The way that smile tugged at her lips had him close to coming undone.

“That I am.”

He had to think about something else or his response to that damn grin would be obvious to everyone on the bus. “We can do a little research there. I have a computer. And a cat. You aren’t allergic, are you?”

“I guess we’ll find out.” She looked out the window and jerked to an upright position. Jumping to her feet, she yelled, “Stop the bus!”

“What the…” was all he got out before she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. She had amazing strength for her size. And speed. He stumbled down the aisle and offered the driver an apologetic smile as they stopped in front of the door.

The door whooshed open and Kaycee ran off the bus, dragging him with her. She stood perfectly still and stared with wide eyes, her mouth open, a vacant smile on her face. He turned and saw what she saw, and saw no reason to smile.

They stood in front of Seattle General Hospital.

 

 

 

SEVEN

 

She actually remembered something without closing her eyes, without the violent flashes of light. She knew this place. She’d spent the last six years of her life here. This place held the answers. Without a second thought, she started toward the main entrance.

Reid’s hand on her arm stopped her. “Are you crazy? You can’t just waltz right through the front doors.”

“Why not?”

“In case it may have slipped your mind, doctor, you are wanted for murdering a patient in this hospital.”

The reminder was like hands around her throat, making it hard to breathe. She slid her gaze from Reid up to the building again, weighing her options. Would they expect her to walk in through the front doors? Just then she spotted two uniformed cops as they walked out of the automatic glass doors and she whipped around, putting her back to them.

Okay, she’d have to come up with a plan B.

“Kaycee, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“There’s got to be another way in.” She spotted a sign and gave it a nod. “There.”

“The morgue? Not just no, but hell no.”

“Why not?”

“Because there are dead people in the morgue. I don’t do dead people.”

She grabbed his hand and hurried toward the back of the hospital. “At least you know they won’t talk to anyone. We have to get in there. I’m sure as soon as I’m inside, I’ll remember something. I’m not going to figure this out running away.” She led the way down some stairs and along a path in the grass. Walking this route was second nature. Once they were inside she’d be able to find her way with confidence. The double doors loomed as they rounded another corner and stopped. “Here we are.”

Reid stared up at the faded sign. “That bad feeling isn’t going away, Kace.”

Kace? She liked that. No one had ever called her that before, at least that she could remember.

“At least it will be cold. I have to get out of this heat before I collapse from heat stroke. This way.” Their footsteps echoed down the empty hall. Chills peppered her skin as she studied the photos flanking the hall. Black and white pictures of different stages of the morgue throughout history lined the drab walls. Other than the eerie photos, nothing else decorated the gloomy hall.

She stopped in front of the doors and took a deep breath. “Ready?”

“No. There are dead people in there.”

“There are also dead people in a cemetery. Does that stop you from visiting?” She pushed the doors open and traced the room. She knew this place. The smell of formaldehyde, the steel refrigerator doors, the squeak of the ceiling fan as the only sound. She remembered all of it. “There’s an office around the corner.”

“Why are we here?”

“If I can get my hands on that autopsy report, I’ll be able to see what killed my patient.”

“That won’t prove your innocence.”

“It’s at least a start.” As she headed toward the office, another voice came from behind them and she froze.

“Kaycee? Is that you?”

She spun around, expecting some sort of recognition from the man who stood there. She even braced herself for another violent flashback. Instead, a man with dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes stared at her, waiting for an answer. He had on a white lab coat with the name Dr. Matt Baird on a gold tag. He took a step toward her, then stopped again when he spotted Reid.

“Who are you?”

Reid stiffened in response. “Are you Brad?”

The man shook his head, a frown forming as he darted his gaze back to Kaycee. “It’s me. It’s Matt. You know, the medical examiner?” Kaycee shook her head. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she honestly couldn’t place the face. “What’s happened?” He then glared at Reid. “What did you do to her?”

Reid’s eyes darkened. “This is how I found her.”

“You found her?” Matt wide eyes drifted to her. “What’s he talking about?”

“I seem to be suffering from Episodic RA.”

“Retrograde Amnesia? Seriously?”

Reid pinched her arm and muttered, “That’s enough.”

A chill charged the air between the two men. Reid stared at Matt as if memorizing him. She then turned to Matt, who had a hint of a curl to his lips.

“So you don’t remember anything? How interesting.” He backed up and stopped at the double doors, blocking their way. “Nothing at all, you say?”

“We were just leaving,” Reid declared.

Kaycee took a breath to protest, but Reid shot her a warning glare and she snapped her mouth shut. She wasn’t an idiot. Something didn’t feel right. She didn’t miss the way Matt seemed way too interested in the fact that she couldn’t remember anything.

“Leaving so soon?”

Reid took a step toward the man in the white coat and towered over him by several inches and a good thirty pounds. “Yes, we are.”

“But Dr. Addison is a wanted woman. I can’t just let you go or I’d be an accomplice.”

“I didn’t do it,” Kaycee told him. “You have to believe me.”

“You were caught red-handed injecting a lethal dose of morphine into that poor woman’s system and then you ran. That doesn’t sound like the act of an innocent woman.”

“I didn’t do it!” Kaycee took a step toward him. Reid’s stopped her by grabbing her wrist. She would never inject a lethal dose of anything into a patient. At least now she knew how her patient died. She’d start there.

Matt backed away toward the office. Kaycee knew cell phones didn’t work in this room. He had to be going for a landline.

“Where’re you going?” Reid asked.

“I have to make a call. Stay right there.”

“I don’t think so.” Reid pushed her through the double doors and into the hall. “Let’s move. Now!”

She didn’t need to be told twice, considering what a stupid idea it was in the first place.

* * * *

She was innocent. If Reid knew nothing else about the good doctor, after that little meet and greet with Dr. Morgue, he’d bet his next plane on that. That doctor knew something about the murder. And the way she’d stared at the man, as if she’d never seen him before, even though he clearly knew her, convinced him that her amnesia act wasn’t an act at all.

Their situation hadn’t improved any.

He dragged her up the back stairs and hurried through the parking lot. After hailing a taxi and glancing back over his shoulder to make sure Dr. Morgue hadn’t followed them or sent security after them yet, he pushed Kaycee inside and scooted in next to her. The taxi pulled out and he watched out the rear window to make sure they got away. When they were safely on the street, he finally turned around in the seat and released the breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

“320-B Queen Anne Way.” He pulled her close to him, his protective nature in overdrive. She curled into him and closed her eyes while she rested her head on his shoulder. The jump in his chest caused him concern. He shouldn’t have such a reaction to a simple gesture.

He watched the rearview mirror. The cab driver didn’t give them another look and drove them to their destination without a word. He stopped the cab in front of the duplex and put the car into park. Reid quickly paid the driver and stepped out of the cab, pulling Kaycee with him.

Reid sighed. It looked like the neighbor’s dog had been in the yard, digging holes and leaving presents for him to step in. He needed to mow the lawn, but it would have to wait. Mrs. Cooper had her sprinkler on and the water trailed down the steep driveway out onto the street. He couldn’t mow the grass when it was wet. The fact that he even reasoned when he could cut the grass next made him shake his head. He’d lost his plane, nearly died twice, ran from the crash site with a woman wanted for murder, and was now harboring her. A groomed lawn should be the least of his concerns.

He led Kaycee up the cracked cement path and stopped in front of his door. “Shit.”

“What is it?”

“My keys are somewhere in the mountains. I’ll be right back.” He hurried over to the other side of the duplex, careful to avoid the dog landmines and not get struck by the sprinkler, and knocked on Mrs. Cooper’s door.

It opened and four-foot-nothing Mrs. Cooper poked her little gray-haired head out. She glanced around, even though he stood right in front of her. She then looked up at him and smiled, showing off her yellowed dentures. At least she remembered to wear them today. “Oh, Reid. It’s you.”

He plastered a frozen grin on his face. Mrs. Cooper was the nosiest neighbor he’d ever had. But she also looked after him whether he wanted her to or not. “I seem to have lost my key.”

She opened her door all the say and motioned for him to come in. Dear Jesus, it had to be hotter inside her place than it was outside. The sooner he got out of here, the better. Her side mirrored his, structurally, at least. His furniture consisted of a futon couch, a rickety old desk, a couple cheesy secondhand tables, and a rolling chair. Mrs. Cooper had clutter everywhere, doilies on every flat surface, and plastic on all her furniture. And what was that smell? His side didn’t smell like that.

She disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a key. “Sorry about the smell, dear. I’m bleaching my winter doilies before setting them out. Now go and make a copy of this key. Bring it back before you leave again so Sammy doesn’t go hungry.”

Winter doilies? He didn’t have the heart to point out the date to her. He hated to think that she had so many doilies that she had to circulate them every season. He loved Mrs. Cooper and her oddities.

“Sammy is almost out of food. I was worried you weren’t going to be back before I ran out. Lord knows I can’t afford to go out buying cat food on my fixed income.”

He didn’t have the heart to correct her. The cat’s name was Sadie, not Sammy, but Mrs. Cooper had called her Sammy from the day Josh brought the seven week old kitten home. “I’m sorry to have worried you like that.”

He retreated toward the door as quickly as possible. He didn’t have time for a lecture from her and if he didn’t find an excuse to get away, she’d be off and he’d be trapped. He pulled a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it to her. “This is for food.”

“It’s too much.” She tried to give it back.

“Consider it a savings for the next time you have to buy food then.”

“Reid, you know, when I was your age—”

“Listen, I’ve got someone waiting for me. I’ll bring this back.” He pinched the key between his thumb and index finger. Luckily, Mrs. Cooper shut the door after him instead of following him over to his side, just to meet this person waiting for him.

Kaycee wasn’t on the front porch when he returned which made his heart seize in his chest. Not again. “Kace?”

She walked around the corner of the house. “This is nice.”

“For how much I’m paying for it, it should be a hell of a lot nicer.” He held the key up and smiled. “Good old Mrs. Cooper.”

“Your neighbor has a key?”

“She takes care of Sadie when I’m out.” He opened the door and out came his fat orange tabby Sadie, meowing and weaving in and out of his legs. She then saw Kaycee and meowed at her. “As you can see, she’s very shy.” He opened the door the rest of the way and motioned for Kaycee to enter. “I don’t have AC, but it stays pretty cool in here if I keep the blinds closed.”

“It’s better than being in the sun.”

He noticed how red her cute little nose had become, as well as her cheeks. All lusciously kissed by the sun. She studied the living room, carefully moving so not to trip over Sadie, who had switched to her feet. She stopped and held onto the back of his futon sofa, looking as nervous staying here as he felt about her staying here. Sadie, bored with the humans, meowed one last time before scurrying off into the kitchen.

He walked over and tossed the key onto his desk behind the couch. As he fell into the chair in front of his desk, he brought his gaze up to see if she was ever going to move from that position. “Kaycee, come over here.”

She remained perfectly still.

“Kace?” She looked so damn delectable standing there, her brow in a crinkle. He caught the worry in her expression. He stood and went to her, pulling her into his arms. “We’ll get this figured out.”

“What if we don’t? What if I never figure out what happened to my patient? What if my memory never comes back and I go to prison for something I didn’t do?”

“We’ll find out what happened. And if your memories don’t return, we’ll just make new ones.”

She looked into his eyes. “I don’t know how I’d be able to do this without you.”

“You won’t have to.” And then he kissed her. It started off gentle, a kiss meant to reassure her that he had no intention of leaving her.

But then something happened. Something primal. Instincts took over and before he knew it, she had his shirt up and over his shoulders. When she flattened her palm against his chest, trailing a caress across his collarbone and between his pecs, he fisted her hair and devoured her lips. With the other hand he unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it open.

Her head fell back and he dove for her neck, feasting on her flesh as he slowly dragged the shirt down her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. While he playfully nipped at her throat and trailed kisses lower, he hooked the straps of her bra and pulled them down to reveal two very beautiful, perfect-sized breasts. The nipples were flushed and he took one in his mouth, lapping at the sweet bud until it twisted and hardened between his lips. Kaycee whimpered and weaved her fingers through his hair to hold him to her.

“So beautiful,” he murmured against her silky skin and moved to the next waiting peak.

She grabbed his face and pulled him to hers, kissing him with such ardent need that it almost surpassed his. Almost. He tasted the desperation on her tongue and felt it in her touch. This is wrong, a nagging voice in his subconscious told him. They shouldn’t be attacking each other in his living room when they had so many other things going on in their lives.

But then she reached between his legs and squeezed, and he came undone. Leading them to the couch without breaking the kiss, he cursed when his knee whacked into the coffee table. She giggled and then let out the same curse when she stubbed her toe. Both laughing, they fell to the futon. The back of the frame unlatched and folded it out to a bed, knocking it into his desk and sending papers everywhere when the desk toppled over.

And still, they didn’t break their kiss.

Reid unzipped her jeans and pushed them down her hips. She kicked them off and worked to do the same with him. Now both down to their underwear, he in his boxer briefs and Kaycee in sexy boy shorts, he ran a hand down the flat of her stomach and cupped her between the legs. Damn, she could melt the skin from his body, she burned so hot.

She dipped her hand inside of his boxer briefs and wrapped her slender fingers around his cock, squeezing him before slowly stroking his flesh, and Reid saw stars. He couldn’t stand not driving her equally insane and slid a hand under the elastic of her panties.

Oh, dear God. She waxed.

She purred when he slipped his finger between the blistering folds and sank it deep inside her. Her body fisted his finger as she rocked her hips, forcing him in further. He pulled out and replaced it with two, and she moaned as she released a shuddering breath.

“Reid.”

He found her swollen clit and traced it with his thumb in slow, lazy circles. She pushed her hips toward him, demanding more friction, which he gladly gave. She responded by stroking him faster, harder.

“Kace, if we keep this up I won’t be able to stop.”

“Good.” She rolled over on top of him and pulled her bottoms off and then his. When she straddled him, her moist heat rested up against him and he groaned as he lifted his hips.

“Sweet Jesus.”

“Love me, Reid. For now, I want to get lost in you. Make me forget everything else.”

He pulled her under him and reached for the drawer in his coffee table, pulled out a condom, and slipped it on. As he held himself above her, he met her eyes. “Are you sure?”

She answered his question by locking her ankles behind him and sinking his flesh into her in one long, steady stroke. They both shuddered and he rested his forehead to her shoulder to give himself a minute to recover before he came and ruined it for her.

“Yes,” she hissed when he moved. “Oh, Reid. Yes.”

“You feel so good, baby.”

Her hips rocked in perfect rhythm with his. As he shifted to a better angle, he put weight on his shoulder and damn near collapsed. “Shit.”

She didn’t miss a beat as she kept them together and rolled, landing on top of him. As she pitched her body, moving him in and out of her tight channel, he dug his fingers into her hips and directed the pace. Oh, yeah. Perfect.

She drove him deeper and deeper, slamming their bodies together. “Oh, Reid. Oh, baby. I’m going to… It’s too soon… I don’t… Ah!”

Kaycee threw her head back and cried out, and it destroyed what little control he had. He exploded, shattering his soul into a million pieces. She continued to ride him, crying and begging him not to stop. He had no intentions of stopping and thrust his flesh inside her over and over, making sure she rode out every last wave of her orgasm. Only when she collapsed to his chest did he slow his movement.

The air sawed in and out of his lungs as he attempted to recover. Holy shit he came fast. So did she. Curling into him, she let out a whimper. “It’s over too soon.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try for round two.”

She lifted off his chest and smiled down at him. The glow emitting from her beautiful face almost brought tears to his eyes. “Damn, you’re gorgeous.”

Her grin widened as she ran a finger along his chin and then moved it to his tattoo. “We need to get you laughing more.”

“I’m pretty damn happy right now.”

“I’ve only heard you laugh a few times. We have the first word covered, so it’s time for the second.” She slid off him and over to his side, resting her head on her hand after leaning on her elbow. “Since you’re helping me find out what really happened, that’s what I’m going to do to repay you.”

He still couldn’t get over how damn beautiful she looked after climaxing. “What’s that?”

“I’m going to make sure you discover the true meaning of all three of those words. We survived the crash and Gus, and even made it back to Seattle without getting killed. I’d say we’ve covered Live. For Laugh I’ll just have to make sure you don’t go a day without a smile.”

He liked the sound of that. “And Love?”

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but we’re off to a very promising start.”

As much as he wanted to believe in fairy tales and happy endings, he lived in reality. Kaycee was wanted for murder and had a contract out on her life. Since the media had her picture plastered everywhere as surviving the crash, word would get out that Gus didn’t succeed. Whoever hired him would just send someone else. Even if the contract killer didn’t catch up with her, eventually the police would.

If only he could say goodbye to her now. That would be the smart thing to do.

If he weren’t already falling for her.

 

 

 

EIGHT

 

Reid picked up the last of the papers off the floor and replaced them on his desk. He righted the chair and then glanced over at an upturned end table. When did they do that?

One of his pictures now lay on the floor as part of the aftermath from when Kaycee attacked him while they cleaned up their last mess, in turn causing a bigger mess. He returned the favor by torturing her with his mouth between her thighs until she screamed and he drank up every last drop of her sweet release. After showering with her and having a hell of a lot of fun trying to hold onto each other’s slippery bodies, he could safely say he didn’t think he had another orgasm in him. He needed time to recover and assumed she did, too.

He couldn’t ever remember laughing so much, both during sex and all the times in between. When they kissed for the first time he never thought it would turn into this. Now, as she finished her shower upstairs and sang some song horribly off-key, he knew he was in trouble. Deep doo-doo, as his brother used to say.

Reid grabbed his laptop and opened it up. He had to do something to keep himself occupied before he walked up those stairs and rejoined her in the shower. He plugged in the phone line and dialed the Internet. As he waited for it to load, he ground out a sigh. He really wished he could afford DSL or at least a cable modem. This dial-up took forever. The search engine finally loaded and he placed his hands on the keys.

“What are we searching for?” Kaycee appeared behind him and leaned her arms against his good shoulder. He drew in her scent. How did she do that? He didn’t have anything in his shower that would make her smell that good.

He shook it off even though it sent chills racing up his spine. “Let’s start with the name of your patient.” He typed in her name, along with Seattle General Hospital, and finished with murder. The last word made his fingers stiffen on the keys. But then links started popping up with the information.

A link to a newspaper headline came up first. He turned to point it out to her and damn near swallowed his tongue. She had on one of his old t-shirts. It clung to her firm breasts, hugged her curvy ass, and landed mid-thigh. Dear God in Heaven. He’d never seen that shirt look so tantalizing in his life.

The cat meowed and rubbed against her. Kaycee bent over and picked Sadie up, and Reid suppressed a groan when the shirt came up enough to give him a sneak peak of her delicious ass. “I think she likes me.”

“What’s not to like?” He winked and when her cheeks flushed like she had a fever, he smiled. She shook her wet waves out, completely oblivious to the reaction he had to her. Dear God, if he were any harder, he’d go blind.

“So what does it say?”

“That you disappeared after Ruth Bridges, a patient in stage IV cancer, died under your care.”

“But that’s the final stage. Of course she was going to die.”

“Not of a morphine overdose.”

She slid her lids closed. When she swayed, he reached out to stop her from falling over. “Kace?”

“We can’t do this!”

“Kaycee?”

She opened her eyes and spent several seconds blinking and looking around. “Brad?”

He clenched his jaw to tight it popped. Having her call him by another man’s name didn’t please him any. “No. It’s Reid.”

“Reid? Reid! Oh, God.” She dropped the cat and collapsed into his arms. “I was back in the hospital working with Brad and Matt.”

“The ME?”

She nodded and pushed out of his hold. “We were researching the effects of DMSO treatments when combined with chemotherapy. Our initial results were promising and I suggested we take it to the board to present our findings. The treatment was already being used in other countries. The US is always the last to approve anything. It drives me crazy. Patience isn’t exactly my virtue, so I have a really hard time working within the bureaucratic red tape and bullshit hoops we doctors have to jump through just to get approval to use a treatment.”

“So what happened? Did you get approval?”

“I can’t remember.”

“What was that outburst? What can’t you do?”

“I wish I knew.” She dropped her gaze to her bare feet as she wiggled her toes. “My guess is the board turned us down. I wish I could just talk to Brad.”

He didn’t want her talking to her hero. This Brad seemed too good to be true. A doctor. Saving lives with cutting edge cancer treatments. Probably next in line for the Nobel Peace Prize. Reid couldn’t compete with that.

She yawned then, a jaw-popping yawn that he felt, too. The circles under her eyes had darkened, the lines on her pretty face deeper. Did she even sleep last night?

He sighed and pushed away from the desk. They’d been running non-stop since the plane went down. That didn’t stop them from trying to put each other into a sex-induced coma the minute they had some privacy. Now, as the last of the adrenaline drained away, he knew what they needed.

“Come on, Kace. Let’s go to bed.”

The corner of her mouth curled into that sexy-as-sin grin. “I may not be able to move afterward, but I’m game. And having sex in a bed? That’ll be a first for us.”

“Sleep,” he corrected. “We can pick this up after we’ve have a few hours of shut-eye behind us.”

“But I’m not tired.” Her body betrayed her by pushing out a jaw-popping yawn.

“Yeah, okay. Have I told you that you aren’t a very good liar?”

“Many times.”

He took her hand. “Come on, sweetheart.”

“No, Reid. Let’s just put on a pot of coffee. I promise to collapse the minute I know what happened. Deal?”

“Kaycee.”

“Deal?” She kissed him. When he tried to pull away, she held him to her and consumed him until he couldn’t remember why he started arguing with her.

It was a dirty trick, and it totally worked. The instant he snagged her hair the kiss changed, grew more demanding. He walked them over to the futon, straightened her out beneath him, and took control. If she wanted to play dirty, he’d show her how dirty he could get.

* * * *

Kaycee stared at the computer as her eyes drooped yet again. She forced them open and waited for the results of her search. And waited. And waited.

“Dear God, Reid. Time to spring for high speed Internet, cowboy.”

“Yeah, I know. I don’t know how Josh put up with it for so long.”

She spun in the chair to look at him. That sorrow stirring in his eyes burrowed into her. He was in so much pain. “You talk about your brother a lot.”

“He was my only family left.”

“When did he die?”

“Six months ago.”

“Tell me a memory about Josh.”

Reid shook his head. “I really don’t want to.”

“Please? If I can’t have my own memories, please lend me some of yours, at least until mine come back.” She had to have something to hold on to, even if the memory wasn’t hers. She couldn’t stand the thought of another moment of this blackness she called her past.

“He became a cop at twenty-one and a homicide detective at twenty-seven.”

“How about something I can’t Google?” She refused to look away and folded her hands on her lap.

With a deep sigh, he rolled his eyes. “We used to pretend we were Sherlock Holmes and Watson, researching the cases and speculating what happened as we recreated the crime scene.”

“Sounds like great times.”

“The best.”

“I’m sorry he’s gone, Reid.”

He flicked a glance her way before jumping up. “I need more coffee.”

Pushing him would only make it worse. She turned her attention to the laptop. It blurred as her exhaustion threatened to take over. She’d dozed on and off last night, but every little noise made her jump awake. With Reid hurt and needing his sleep, she stayed up and kept the fire stoked. Now, she could barely keep her eyes open.

She stood and stretched her arms high over her head.

“Holy Mother of God.”

Whipping around, she caught Reid staring at her with wide, darkening eyes. He licked his lips as he bounced his gaze to her legs.

“What?” She gave herself a once over. “What is it?”

“We need to get you some pants, Kace. Underwear at least. Sweet Jesus, I nearly had a stroke.”

“Why?”

“Do you honestly need me to answer that? Look at you. You’re every man’s wet dream in that shirt. If you walked outside right now it would cause a riot, I swear to God.”

“It’s not like you don’t already know what’s down there.” To tease him, she lifted the shirt and swayed her hips.

“Stop that.”

She turned and wiggled her butt, giving him a teasing glance over her shoulder.

He slammed his eyes shut. “I’m not looking.”

“But you want to.”

“I want to do a lot of things right now. You, for example.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“One more orgasm may kill me. Now, come on. We are going to bed.” He pulled her with him up the stairs and even tucked the sheet around her once he got her into the bed. With the heat of the day, the loft was so hot they didn’t need blankets. He climbed in next to her.

It only took a few minutes for the exhaustion to set in, threatening to take over and remove her train of thought. She could see a man in her memory banks. As soon as she tried to see more, the vision faded. When she let go, sleep crept in and she’d force herself awake.

“Would you just relax?” Reid, on his back, pulled her to his chest. “We need sleep, baby.”

“But—”

“No buts. If we plan to function tomorrow, we need a good night’s sleep.”

She rested her head on his chest and breathed in his musky scent. Closing her eyes, she allowed the exhaustion to take her.

But then the nightmare started.

She was back at the hospital, papers in her hand. She recognized Brad’s handwriting. His research.

“What are you doing in my office, Dr. Addison?”

She held up the papers. “Why are there names in here?”

“Kaycee—”

“Answer me! Have you been performing on people, Brad?”

Instead of him denying it, he simply smiled. “You can’t be surprised. I told you when I brought you in that we did things outside the box.”

“This is more than outside the box. This is illegal!”

“And you are every bit a part of it now,” he countered in a dangerously even voice.

“I never agreed to this. I have to turn you in before you end up killing someone.”

“Who will believe you, a resident with two strikes against her? I’m your attending. It will be my word against yours. You asked me once to do the right thing, and I did by bringing you in. Now, I’m asking you to do the right thing in return.”

Another flash and she stood inside her patient’s room.

“What are you doing?”

Brad stepped back from the old woman and held up the syringe in his hand. “Making things right.”

“What are you about to give her?”

“I’m not about to give her anything. I walked in and saw you tending to a patient in so much pain you couldn’t stand it. You are about to inject her with a lethal dose of morphine to put her out of her misery. I’m here to stop you.”

“This is you making it right?”

“Commit to my team, Kaycee. Return my papers to me and we’ll save lives together.”

“At the expense of how many other lives? I can’t do that.”

Brad shrugged. “It’s either that or be charged in the murder of your patient. Your choice. Because, mark my words, if so much as a whisper of my research surfaces, you will regret it, Dr. Addison. Now, where are my papers?”

“I’ll never tell you.”

“Unfortunate.” He inserted the syringe and dispensed the drug into the patient’s IV.

“No! You can’t do this!” She lunged for the syringe. The needle broke off and the vial fell to the floor, shattering.

“It’s too late, both for your patient and for you. You should have just gone along with the plan. Now you’re forcing my hand. Her death is on you.” He grabbed her and yelled, “Security!”

Kaycee thrashed around, desperate to get away. Although she couldn’t see them, she felt hands on her shoulders, shaking her.

“Kaycee?”

“No!” She doubled up her fist and swung, connecting it with something hard.

“Son of a bitch.”

She tried again, but this time missed.

“Kaycee, goddamn it, wake the hell up!”

She blinked awake, her heart pounding hard and fast. The blood pulsing in her ears drowned out anything else. Sitting up, she stared straight ahead, trying to catch her breath. It was light out and she squinted against it.

Reid wrapped his arms around her and held her, pulling her against his chest. He didn’t demand she tell him about it. He didn’t make her apologize for clocking him. No, he did the one thing she needed and just held her.

With a shaky hand, she wiped at the sweat that had collected on her brow. He kissed her bare shoulder before resting his rough cheek against it.

“He did this.”

He lifted his head. “Okay, I’ll bite. Who did what?”

“Brad.” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

“Your hero?”

“Pahlease. I realize now that only damsels in distress rely on heroes. I’m so not one of those.” She shook her head as the memory came back as if it had just happened. “I caught him injecting my patient with morphine after I found proof that he was experimenting on humans without their consent.”

Reid pushed up on his elbows. “The ME said you were caught red-handed.”

“By Brad. I knew that if it came down to it, no one would believe me over him, so I broke into his office, stealing his research as proof, and…” She hung her head between her arms and laced her fingers behind her head. “That’s it. The only thing I remember is how much I hated that office.”

“Why?”

“Too high. He insisted on an office on the top floor, a corner office lined with windows. All the other residents called it the tower, it was that high. You know me and heights.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, you aren’t a fan. So where’s this research now?”

She brought her head up to look at him. “I don’t know.”

He sat all the way up. “If we find that research, it’ll clear your name. He’ll be charged with the murder. Then who would believe him over you, a man performing illegal tests on unknowing patients?”

“If my memory ever comes back.” She threw the blankets off and swung her legs around to rest them on the cool hardwood floor.

“The timing of you bumping your head really sucks, you know that?”

Standing, she jerked her legs into the pair of shorts Reid gave her. “He has the perfect setup. He experiments on terminal patients. The family is already planning the funeral. When the patient dies, no one thinks anything of it. It’s expected of someone in stage IV cancer. I have to get my hands on what else he gave my patient. I’m sure he was experimenting on her, too.”

“And how are we going to prove that?”

“I need to find Sandra. She’s a pathologist.”

“And that means…?”

“She’ll be able to tell me what else my patient had in her system when she died.”

Reid shook his head. “What makes you think she’s on your side? Didn’t you say she’s Brad’s sister? Blood is thicker than water.”

“Not with Sandra. I’m more like a sister to her than Brad is a brother.”

“And you know this, how?”

Kaycee thrust out her chin. “I just do.”

“Ah, jeez. I know that look.” He jumped out of bed, dressed, and stormed down the stairs. “I’m going to make coffee. It sounds like it’s going to be another long day.”

She sank back on the bed and tried to process her last flashback. What in the hell was she in the middle of?

“Kace? You’d better get down here.”

The low, even tone of his voice shot her off the bed and down the stairs. “What is it?”

He nodded at the screen of his laptop. “You’ve been spotted at the hospital so the search has been redirected to Seattle. They’ve now classified it as an all-out manhunt.”

 

 

 

NINE

 

The Internet was valuable, if he could figure the damn thing out. He never could operate a computer efficiently. It used to drive Josh crazy watching Reid type. It would take him half an hour just to type out an email. Kaycee paced behind him. Apparently she shared Josh’s impatience.

Seattle General Hospital’s site finally loaded. There it was, a picture of the large cement building, the lights on the SGH sign illuminating the darkened sky. He scanned through links to the various departments, but he didn’t care who recently had a baby, nor did he want to send a virtual card to a patient. He wanted the employee directory. Once he found it, he clicked the link and the hospital’s directory came up. Reid scrolled through it, looking for Sandra.

“If it’s a suspicious death, the ME is required to perform an autopsy. That means he has toxicology results. I need to get my hands on that autopsy report.”

“Not a bad idea, if the ME isn’t in on it and already covered it up.” His heart quickened. He hadn’t done anything like this since Josh’s death. And now, here he was, being thrust into the Sherlock Holmes role, his Watson a woman who couldn’t even remember her middle name. A familiar dull ache throbbed at the base of his neck whenever he thought of his brother. He rubbed at it.

“There’s always that possibility,” she said and crinkled her brow. Shaking her head, the lines in her forehead disappeared as she smiled. “It’s a new day.”

“And?”

“I have to make you laugh.” She leaned in and kissed his neck, her voice low and sultry as her breath tickled his skin. “It’s my promise to you, remember?”

He couldn’t help but smile as he reached for her hand. She took it, lifted it to her soft lips, and brushed them across his knuckles before releasing it. She sipped at her coffee in the only other clean mug he owned. He had three mugs, and he had one being used in a feeble attempt to grow a spider plant. She glanced at the cup and read the caption. “Cops do it on the run.”

“Come again?”

She held up the mug. “That’s what it says. I’m guessing it was Josh’s. Pilots do it on the couch. And floor. And up against the wall. I think there may have been a chair involved at one point. Did we ever make it to the bedroom?”

He laughed. Damn, she was fun. “No.”

“Not yet,” she corrected. “Hey, see if there’s a number to reach Sandra.”

“That’s what I’m looking for. Do you have a last name?”

“No.” She scooted closer and watched the screen as he scrolled through the names. The nearness of her sent his pulse skyrocketing. He forced his focus on the screen and not on how amazing she smelled. He scrolled through half the alphabet before she yelled, “Stop!”

Reid jerked his hands off the keys. “What is it?”

Kaycee reached over him and clicked a link to Dr. Sandra Leary. A pretty, dark-haired woman with dark eyes smiled back at them.

He read her bio aloud. “Pathologist at SGH. Is this the Sandra from your flashes?” When she didn’t answer, he turned to see her eyes full of tears.

“Sandra,” she whispered. As she blinked, a tear fell onto his arm. He slowly wiped at it, completely baffled at her reaction. He wanted to demand she talk to him but, for the first time ever, Kaycee fell silent. He went back and clicked on the name above Sandra’s—Dr. Brad Leary.

He had dark hair and eyes, just like his sister. The resemblance was uncanny. But he saw something else. Where Sandra had warm, kind eyes, Brad’s seemed cruel, soulless.

“That’s the son of a bitch we’re after.” She jerked her coffee mug off the table and brought it up to her lips. “He’s the one who framed me.”

Reid turned away from the computer to face her. “Tell me how you can be so certain.”

“I saw him.” She pointed at her temple.

“You’re going to need more proof than what’s up here.” He tapped his temple in response. “Especially with you already admitted to the ME that you have Episodic RA.”

“You sounded just like a doctor.”

“To hell with that.” He jumped up and went into the kitchen for more coffee, pissed at fate for playing a twisted joke on them both. Like him falling for a fucking doctor.

“What’d I say?”

He filled his mug and slopped coffee all over the counter. Cursing for allowing this woman to alter his entire universe, he grabbed a towel and cleaned up his mess. He didn’t like the effect Kaycee had on him. He couldn’t control himself around her. He didn’t like the foreign emotions surfacing. Trust. Hope. Love.

“Reid?”

He swung around, slopping more coffee all over the floor. “Shit.”

Without a word she took a dishtowel and sopped up the mess he’d created. “You’re the only one I can trust. Don’t give up on me now. I need you.”

What really scared the shit out of him was the fact that he needed her even more. “I’m in over my head here.”

She straightened up, set the towel and her coffee mug on the counter, and, without a word, walked out of the kitchen. He refilled his cup and carried it out with him. When he spotted her at his laptop, he frowned.

“What are you doing?”

She wouldn’t answer him. Hell, she wouldn’t even look up from the screen. And that look in her eyes scared the hell out of him.

“Kace?” He walked over and stopped behind her. When he saw what she’d pulled up, he almost spit coffee all over her head. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you looking up the Seattle Police Department?”

“Do you have a printer?”

“No.”

“Then would you find me a pen? I’ll write down the address on the back of one of these sheets of paper.” She jerked a handful of them off the surface of his desk. When he grabbed her wrist, she jerked out of his hold. “Stop it, Reid. I’m helping you.”

“How? By turning yourself in?”

“Then you can be rid of me. I’m sorry that you’re in over your head. I’m sorry that helping me has been so hard for you. So call the cops. Drag me in and drop my ass off. Just let me go.”

Finally, she rested her eyes on him. They flashed with a burning fury. Her civil, impersonal tone tore at him. He wouldn’t let her push him away, not after everything they’d already been through together. He yanked her out of the chair and pulled her to him. She struggled and beat at his chest.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

“Damn it, Reid. Let me go.”

“I can’t, Kaycee. Don’t you get it? I can’t let you go. Not now. Maybe not ever.” God he hated how weak he sounded.

She stilled in his arms and let out a slight whimper. “You have no idea who I am.”

“Neither do you.”

Pushing back, she stared him down with those blazing eyes. This time, they danced as she narrowed them at him. “That was a low blow.”

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t make me want you any less, baby.”

She leaned into him and lifted her chin. He lowered his lips and almost had hers when a knock at the door caused them both to freeze. They exchanged glances before Reid nodded for her to get up to the loft. She nodded and disappeared.

With a deep breath, he spun on his heel and headed for the door, the dread growing with each step. He threw the door open and swore, a stunned paralysis taking over. There, standing four deep, were the men in blue, all flashing their badges.

* * * *

Kaycee held her breath and searched for a place to hide. She glanced at the closet, but knew it would be the first place they’d look. The slot under the bed just may be tall enough. Before she could change her mind, she went for it and pushed herself to the middle.

Then froze.

“Are you Reid Cavanaugh?”

“Yes. Can I help you?” He sounded so calm, not at all the way she’d act if she were harboring a fugitive above half the Seattle Police Department.

“My name is Sergeant Adams. May we come in?”

“I was just on my way out.”

“Are you alone?”

“What’s this about?”

“Have you been watching the news?”

“As you can see, I don’t have a TV.”

“But you do have a laptop. Search and rescue found your plane.”

No one talked for several seconds and the tension tightened.

“What have we got here?” Sergeant Adams spoke. Kaycee held her breath.

“Just looking up your address so I could come talk to you later.”

“Is that so? When did you get home?”

“Yesterday.”

There was a pause and Kaycee fought the urge to climb out from under the bed to peek over the railing. Then the cop spoke again. “So, why didn’t you come to speak with us then?”

“Listen, my plane went down two days ago. I spent the night alone in the woods. I was tired, dirty, and hungry. I just wanted to get home and take a shower.”

“Why didn’t you wait for search and rescue?”

“Like I said, I just wanted to get home.”

“And how did you get home?”

“I heard a semi jake-brake. I flagged him down and he took me back to Seattle.”

“What about your other passengers? Isn’t a pilot leaving his downed plane something like the captain leaving the ship before it goes down?”

“I was with it when it went down.” Kaycee could tell Reid had his jaw tight as he talked through clenched teeth.

“So you didn’t have any passengers with you?”

“Thrown from the plane.”

“Huh. Thrown from the plane, you say.” The cop’s tone didn’t convey any measure of confidence in Reid’s answers. “So, you don’t know what happened to the woman? The man? You didn’t find it odd that you took off with two passengers, but when you crashed in the middle of the mountains you were alone?”

There was silence. When Reid finally spoke, he had a cool, even tone to his voice. “Frankly, I was just happy to be alive.”

“Did you know anything about the deceased?”

“Which one?” Reid countered. Kaycee smiled. Oh, he was good.

“Either.”

“The guy flagged me down at Boeing Field.”

“What were you doing at Boeing Field?” Sergeant Adams asked questions on top of Reid’s answers as if they didn’t matter. It irritated Kaycee, but Reid seemed to be at total ease with it.

“A routine check on my plane when he offered me a thousand dollars to take him and a female passenger to Yakima. Since I was hard up for cash, I agreed.”

“Did you recognize the female passenger?”

“No, why? Was she someone famous?”

“Mr. Cavanaugh, was this her?”

“That’s her.” She expected him to lie and tell them no, but he didn’t. He told them the truth again, confirming she was on the flight.

“And you don’t know what happened to her?”

“Like I said, she was thrown from the plane. Why? Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

“We aren’t at liberty to—”

“Enough,” another cop spoke up. This one’s voice was deeper and had a more aggressive tone. “Mr. Cavanaugh, the passenger’s name is Dr. Kaycee Addison. She’s wanted in connection to a murder at Seattle General Hospital. Have you seen her?”

“Murder?” How did he sound like this was the first time he’d heard it?

“Yes. Have you seen her?”

“What did she do?” Now Reid asked questions on top of the cop’s answers.

“Mr. Cavanaugh,” the deeper voice urged, his tone growing more aggressive. “Have you seen her?”

Another long, painful pause had Kaycee’s heart beating at a mind-numbing pace. The panic swelling in her throat surfaced, but she kept it at bay. She had no choice. It was either stay hidden, or face whatever they had in store for her in prison.

“Are you suggesting she actually lived through the crash?” Reid’s tone was one of disbelief, and under any other circumstance, she would have smiled at how well he played his part.

“Search and rescue found your male passenger. He didn’t survive the crash. We expected them to find the female’s body, but their search turned up nothing. It’s interesting, though, that you say she was thrown from the plane.”

“Why’s that?”

“She was spotted here.”

Kaycee’s heart stopped.

“At this address?”

“No,” Sergeant Adams answered. “Here in Seattle.”

“Why?” The deep-voiced officer jumped in. “Would there be reason that she’d be spotted here at this address?”

“Don’t touch that.” Reid’s voice grew cold and agitated. Kaycee listened so hard her ears rang. Touch what? What just happened?

“Isn’t this a picture of Josh Cavanaugh?”

“Yes. He was my brother.” As Reid spoke, Kaycee heard the bitter mourning in his tone.

“I’m sorry for your loss. He was a good man.”

“Thank you.”

“I served on the force with him before he promoted to detective. Now I remember your name. Your brother talked about you quite a bit. He was really fond of you. Here’s my card. If you think of anything else, be sure to give us a call.” The front door opened. “Listen, they didn’t tell us you were Josh’s little brother. If I’d known, I would have sent Dave. I’m sorry for the intrusion.”

“I would have loved to see Dave.”

“You know what? How about this. I’ll have Dave stop by later.”

More silence before Reid forced out, “Sounds great.”

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Cavanaugh. We’ll show ourselves out.”

 

 

 

TEN

 

“Kace?” He looked in the closet, moved the covers around on the bed, and even moved the pillows. He glanced over at the window, wondering if she somehow slipped out and scaled the wall. He was about to go to the window when movement under the bed caught his eye. Kaycee shimmied out. He had to do a double take. “How did you fit under there?”

“I have no idea.” She brushed herself off. “It smells weird under there.”

“It isn’t typically a place I clean.”

She rubbed at her nose. “It could definitely use a woman’s touch. Did all those men know your brother?”

He cleared his throat and opened and closed his fists. “Just the big one. I never got his name.”

“How did Josh die?”