Jeff took his coffee back to the recliner. “My friend should be here soon.”
“Who is it?”
“His name is Tate Hudson.” Jeff waited, just in case she had a reaction to the name.
Tate might be married to Last Chance police detective Savannah Wilcox, but he was also a private investigator. If this woman was in trouble, she might’ve already gone to him. Tate might know who she was. Or at least be able to shed some light on how Jeff’s address wound up on a piece of paper in this woman’s pocket.
Because exactly two people knew where he lived. There was no way Zander had given up his location for anything. That left Tate.
His friend—former friend, if the situation did indeed justify that title—had clearly sold him out. Jeff wanted to know why.
“The name doesn’t ring a bell with you?”
“Should it?” She shrugged and took a sip of her tea. She didn’t quite manage to hide the wince.
“It’s not good?”
“No.” Everything seemed to be a discovery with her. Suddenly waking up with no memory? He couldn’t even imagine it. She said, “It just tastes…not right.”
Which meant it tasted wrong. “Maybe it needs sugar?” He set his coffee mug on the table and started to stand.
She shook her head. “No. That’s not it.” She let out a long sigh. “How can anything be right when I remember nothing except that I don’t like coffee, and I don’t like sugar in my tea? I don’t know my name, where I’m from. If I have a family. What I’m doing here. It’s all just blank.”
And by the look of it, her head still hurt a great deal. “I’m sure the doctor will call back soon. Or we could go to the emergency room, and you can see someone right now?”
She was already shaking her head before he even finished. “No hospital.” Her body had tensed, and she shivered. Fear, or something else?
He moved to the hall closet and pulled out a heavy sweater. “Here. It’s newer, and I haven’t even gotten around to cutting off the sleeve yet.”
“Thank you.” It was too big, but she pulled the sleeves on and wrapped the sides around her. “I’m sorry to be such a pain. I can just go.”
She set her mug in the sink, and he moved in front of her before she could head to the door. They might’ve talked some since she woke up, but neither had said much of anything. He needed to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly how far this breach of his security extended.
“Where will you go?”
She opened her mouth, but said nothing.
He knew he could easily be captivated by her. Instead, he had to keep his head straight. Focus on helping instead of causing her even more confusion. This wasn’t a woman he could start a relationship with. Besides, Jeff wasn’t a man who brought people into his life.
The fact she was in his house was a serious anomaly.
“Don’t leave. Let me help you.” Not just because that would get him the answers he wanted.
“But how can we even find out who I am if I stay?”
“That’s why my friend is coming over. He’s a private investigator, and if he doesn’t already know you—”
“He won’t.”
He gentled his tone, not wanting to push too hard and have her shut down on him. “What makes you say that?”
She thought for a few moments. “I have no idea.”
“At the least, I don’t think walking four miles back into town is a super idea right now.”
Her tired eyes softened and the corner of her lips curled up. “It’s that far?”
He nodded.
“And I wouldn’t even know where to go when I got there.”
“But I can promise you something.”
“What’s that?”
“When you find out where you belong, I’ll make sure you get back there.”
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.” Honor had sustained him for years. Lately it had been nothing but a cold breeze that lingered in his life and made him wonder if it was all worth it. Finding a woman who needed his help was like a shot of adrenaline, even without the lingering questions over his address in her pocket.
“That paper with your address on it connects us.”
He wasn’t going to be able to fool her even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t. “It does. But I don’t know how.”
“And the stakes are worth you killing me somewhere no one would ever find me?”
“If it saves my family. When that life is a person who means to kill me, or them, yes.” Whoever this woman was, she might not want anything to do with a guy like him. But he had to present the facts and allow her to make the choice for herself. “I’m not an easy man. My life is solitude.”
“Like being in isolation.”
He wondered at her use of that word. “You could say that.”
“Why do you do it?”
“Because one life is worth it in exchange for several.”
He could see she wanted to ask more questions but Tate would be here soon, and he needed to move them away from heavy topics—before he got into the heavy with Tate. “Are you hungry? I could make eggs.”
Before she could answer, he heard a car outside. Jeff went to the front window. Gun in hand. Waiting to see who had pulled up.
It was Tate’s car.
He’d been halfway expecting the private investigator to not show up at all. It took serious guts to betray someone and then answer a call for help. Would he admit he knew the woman, or pretend to be clueless?
Jeff didn’t know which he’d prefer. There was no time to figure it out, either. Not when Tate was already headed to the front door.
Jeff stepped outside with the gun clearly visible in his waistband.
Tate stopped. A frown drew his brows together. “What is it? What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
“Am I supposed to understand? You said you needed to see me. I thought something was wrong.” Before Jeff could say anything else, Tate continued, “Make me a cup of that terrible coffee, and you can explain why I’m up here before seven in the morning on Savannah’s day off.
Jeff winced. “Sorry.”
“Just make it quick. I can get donuts on my way home.” Tate pushed his way inside.
The woman stood beside the kitchen. When Jeff shut the door she said, “I think I like donuts.”
He grinned. “I think it’s possible everyone does. But it’s still good news.”
Tate stared at him like he’d grown his arm back.
“What?”
Tate moved to the woman. “I’m Tate Hudson, and I think that might be the first time I’ve seen Jeff smile.”
She pushed back the sweater sleeve to shake his hand, then leaned around his shoulder. “Your name is Jeff?”
“Oh.” Right. He hadn’t told her. “Yeah, it is. Jeff Filks.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
Tate folded his arms. “This is super adorable and all, but…why am I here for it?”
“Have you ever met this woman before now? Do you know who she is?”
Tate frowned. “I don’t think so. Why would I introduce myself if I already know her?”
She said, “You haven’t…seen me around…town?”
“It’s called Last Chance.”
“What kind of name is that? Why would you go somewhere called ‘Last Chance?’ It’s…aggressive. Like an ultimatum.”
Jeff felt the pull of a smile. “I grew up here.”
“So did I,” Tate said. “And you?”
“Wouldn’t you know me if I had?” She lifted both shoulders. “I have no idea.”
“Let’s go sit, and we’ll tell you everything.” Jeff waved them to the living room area. Though he didn’t want to waste the time, he did make Tate a cup of coffee. But only because his friend disparaged the stuff Jeff made, and he’d be forced to drink it just to be polite. He spotted her cup in the sink. She hadn’t liked his tea, either.
He had the urge to make three cups of his practically world-famous hot chocolate, just to redeem himself.
Instead, he handed Tate a mug of coffee and sat in the only open spot—the other end of the couch from the woman. That put his missing arm on her side. But she wouldn’t be able to see inside his sleeve with it tucked in the way it was. It was pretty ugly in there and the fact it remained out of sight was the only reason he didn’t find a spot somewhere else.
“So you don’t know who you are?” Tate asked. “I’m guessing that might have something to do with the goose egg on your forehead.”
She winced and reached to touched it. Jeff wanted to stop her but had no right to grasp her hand. “I called Zander’s team doctor. I’m waiting for a call back.”
“But you think it’s amnesia?”
Jeff had no idea. “It makes sense, though I know nothing about it. That’s when you forget who you are, right?”
She sat quietly, simply listening.
Tate answered, “You forget certain things related to your identity. However, those things you’ve learned—breathing, reading, speaking, riding a bike...probably driving a car—those are like muscle memory. What you’ve forgotten is a different part of your memory.” He shook his head. “I’d have to do more research on the specifics, or the doctor will be able to tell you. But that’s all I remember.” He winced.
The woman let out a laugh. She clapped a hand over her mouth, then said, “Apparently I have a sense of humor.”
Tate said, “Where did you two meet?”
Since his friend directed the question more toward him, Jeff explained about the guy shooting twice, leaving her for dead, and driving off in his truck.
“What were you doing there, at the lake?”
He shifted in the seat. That only made him more aware she was on the side of his missing arm. She didn’t seem frightened by it, or like she cared one way or the other. Usually people only wanted to be extra careful so he wasn’t offended. Jeff didn’t care much. He had one arm, end of subject. How he zipped up his coat in winter wasn’t anyone’s business.
“I had a contract job for salvage at the lake.” He glanced at Tate, guessing he’d figure out who paid that bill. Then he told her, “A while back someone found a facility down there at the bottom of the lake, if you can believe it. There’s still equipment at the bottom, though most was destroyed. I’ve found a few pieces.”
Including the computer tower he’d dropped. One he’d have to go back down and retrieve.
“Oh.”
Jeff shrugged. “I needed something to occupy me.”
“That water has to be freezing.”
“That’s why it had to be now, before things warm up and people start showing up earlier. And why I went at four in the morning.”
“It’s good you did,” Tate said. “Otherwise, this woman might have sustained more serious injuries.”
Jeff figured she didn’t need to be told it could’ve been more serious than it was. He just needed the doctor to call back.
“I’ll check with the police.”
Both Jeff and the woman bristled.
Tate held up a hand. “Discretely, of course. Make sure no one in town was reported missing or knows about a truck. He could have gotten a speeding ticket close by early this morning that could tell us who he is.”
And he could do that without mentioning her. Jeff said, “That’s a good idea. Thanks.”
Tate shifted and pulled his cell from the front pocket of his jeans. “Also, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to take your photo. Maybe see if some of the people around town know you. Or even check online. See if you’re on social media.”
She gasped.
Jeff twisted. Before he could stop her, she jumped up and raced for his back door. Blasting through, the door snapped back against the siding as she raced outside.
“I guess that’s a ‘no’ on taking her photo.”
Jeff didn’t have much to say in response. He’d have felt exactly the same way. “I have to go after her.”
Tate nodded. “I’ll see myself out. Oh, and…be careful, okay? You both have no idea who she is.”
He didn’t know the half of it. Jeff hadn’t even shown him the paper.
“I’ll call you later.”
He didn’t wait for Tate’s response. He was already out the back door, racing after her.