Chapter Ten

Riley hadn’t intended to kiss Chip right there by the stables. But she looked so…vulnerable, so out-of-character lost, that he couldn’t resist pulling her to him. What should have been a brief moment of comfort, shifted in a heartbeat to something more.

She stiffened at first, then relaxed.

Good girl, he thought. It’s for show. Just for show. Except the thought didn’t stop the searing shaft of sunlight that shot straight through him, until he remembered—partners are off-limits. He drew back, his lungs struggling for oxygen. Seconds passed before he trusted his voice.

Chip’s breathing was labored too. Without speaking, without even looking at him, she took the keys out of his hand and headed toward the cabin.

One of the stable staff touched Riley on the shoulder, pulling his attention away from Chip’s rapidly retreating form.

“Mrs. O’Neal,” he said with a slight accent. “She’s okay?”

“Who?” Riley stared at the man, not quite understanding whom he referred to. He was still trying to wrap his head around that kiss. “Oh, my wife. Yes, she’s fine.” At least he hoped she was. She seemed to have recovered from that kiss much faster than he had.

“That is good. We were worried.”

“I was too. More than I realized,” Riley murmured under his breath as he turned and followed the man into the barn to discuss why Chip’s horse had returned without her.

Five minutes later, Chip returned in the SUV. As he walked from the barn, she stepped out of the car with the engine running. “You drive.” She gestured at her ankle. “You’ll get us there faster.”

Riley paused at the open driver’s-side door. “Are you okay? You told me you were fine back on the trail.”

“My ankle’s still a little sore. I think I twisted it again when I fell off the horse.” She climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door. “I’ll keep my weight off it as much as I can. It’ll be fine.”

He slid into the driver’s side and snapped his seatbelt. “Since we’re going to a hospital, you should get it looked at to be sure there isn’t something seriously wrong.”

“We don’t have time.”

Riley stared at her, wondering if she had any inkling of the turmoil he was in. “We’ll take whatever time we need to make sure you’re in shape to continue this assignment.” He put the car in gear, headed out of the resort gates, and turned onto the highway toward Los Alamos.

Once on the road, he cleared his throat. “About what happened back at the stables…”

“Nothing happened,” Chip interrupted. “It was a simple kiss to maintain our cover, right?”

There was nothing simple about that kiss. “Right. I…uh…just didn’t want to…uh want you to…”

“Misunderstand? Mistake it for something more?”

“Right.”

“I know my role. I hope I didn’t disappoint.”

You have no idea. Riley was annoyed at her comment. He turned his attention to the road.

Even going above the speed limit, the drive took almost an hour. Chip directed the way to the hospital in Los Alamos where the rescue team had taken Lorraine Voras. She provided a running update on Lorraine’s status via the text messages she was trading with Allison back at the lab. A perk of having a U.S. Senator on their side was pulling strings quickly. The hospital had had a doctor waiting when Lorraine arrived and she was already being examined.

As Riley pulled into the parking lot, Chip put her phone away. They entered the emergency room together. “We’re here to see Lorraine Voras,” Riley said as they approached the counter.

“Are you family?” the aide behind the counter asked.

“We’re close associates.” Riley pulled an ID card out of his wallet. “I’m sure you’ve received instructions to let us see her.”

The aide studied the card and handed it back, then she checked her chart. “The doctor hasn’t completed his examination. We’ll come and get you when he okays visitors.”

Chip looked ready to argue, but Riley squeezed her arm. He turned back to the aide. “My par—wife also twisted her ankle. Is there another doctor who can examine her?”

“Have a seat over there and we’ll check her in.”

Chip stood her ground. “I’m fine, Riley. It’s hardly bothering me.”

“Don’t force me to make it an order.” He lowered his voice. “Once we’ve learned what we can from Lorraine, we’ll be on the move again to find Fiona. If you’re not in tip-top shape, you’re on the first plane back to D.C.” His tone left no room for argument, even though he could see how much she wanted to. “And don’t forget to use O’Neal as your last name.”

“Fine.” She sat down and gave her information to the aide, explaining that they were recently married and all her identification was in her maiden name. Riley was so impressed at how well she handled the deception, he almost believed it himself. When she was finished, they walked into the waiting area.

“If my examination delays us in any way, we’re not staying.” She leaned closer to whisper to him. “As soon as we get permission, we need to talk to Lorraine.”

“I can talk to her, if the doctor is still working on you. I promise, I won’t leave without you.” Riley was grateful to have found a way to avoid another dispute. It seemed every time he suggested something, she countered.

The nurse called Chip back and Riley stood to follow.

“I don’t need a babysitter.” She limped ahead of him.

“It’s okay.” The nurse gave an indulgent smile. “Your husband is welcome to come.”

“Would love to.” Riley took Chip’s arm on her lame side to help her to the examination room.

“Looks like you’ve had quite a day.” The nurse took Chip’s vitals.

“A horse threw her off.”

“He was spooked.” Chip excused the horse’s actions.

“Anything hurt besides the ankle?” The nurse continued to fill out paperwork.

“No.” Chip shook her head.

“We’ll make sure.” The nurse handed a gown to Chip. “Why don’t you disrobe and we’ll clean up some of these cuts while we wait for the doctor.”

Chip’s gaze flew to Riley. He didn’t want to leave her, but she looked at him with soft gray eyes. “Please, dear? A little privacy?”

How could he argue with that? He wasn’t a tyrant. He stepped on the other side of the curtain and drew it shut. It didn’t stop him from wincing when he heard Chip groan.

Thirty minutes later, the doctor had declared Chip’s ankle a mild sprain and advised that, with caution, she could use it without making it worse. He’d cleaned and bandaged the scratch where the branch tore her pant leg. She didn’t need stitches. The bruises on her back and legs would be sore for a few days, but would heal without any side effects. She was one tough woman. And Riley was finding it more and more difficult to ignore that fact.

As it turned out, Chip’s examination was over before they were allowed to see Lorraine. They’d been back in the waiting room for another thirty minutes when Lorraine’s doctor, a tall, dark-haired man in green surgical scrubs and white lab coat appeared in the waiting room. They both stood as he approached.

“The two of you are waiting for Ms.Voras?”

“Yes.” Riley held out his hand to the doctor.

“I’m Dr. Taylor.” He shook hands with Riley and then turned to Chip. “I’ve been attending to your friend.”

“How is Lorraine?” Chip asked.

“Physically, Ms. Voras is fine. A little dehydrated—we’re taking care of that with IV fluids.”

“What do you mean, physically?” Riley stared at the doctor as though he’d done something to their only witness. “Is something else wrong with her?”

The doctor’s mouth tightened. “It’s hard to tell until we get the blood work back, but she may have been given a drug known to induce short-term amnesia. She can’t seem to remember very much about the past few days.”

“She and another woman were abducted two nights ago,” Chip said. “We have proof of the kidnapping on a video. The other woman wasn’t with Lorraine when she was rescued. We need to know what happened.”

“I was told there were extenuating circumstances.” The doctor sighed. “But this type of condition is tricky and can take time. Ms. Voras may get some, or even all of her memory back about the events. Or she may never remember anything.”

“It’s important that we talk to her.” Riley refused to back down. “Even if she doesn’t remember the kidnapping, she may remember details leading up to that night that could help us.”

“We’re moving her to a room on the third floor. I can give you a few minutes after she’s settled,” the doctor said. “I understand there’ll be security with her?”

“Yes.” While waiting for Chip’s examination to finish, Riley had called Northstar to arrange for local law enforcement to stand watch on Lorraine’s room.

“I don’t like armed personnel in my hospital.” The doctor’s face showed his disapproval. “Is it necessary?”

“Absolutely.” Riley spoke with authority. “We aren’t taking any chances that the kidnapper will try to recapture her or keep her from talking.”

“Very well.” The doctor turned to leave. “Someone will bring you up when Ms. Voras is settled.”

Approximately twenty minutes later, Riley and Chip stood at Lorraine’s bedside. She was awake, but not fully alert.

“Lorraine.” Chip whispered to the woman in the bed. “Lorraine, can you hear me?”

“Who are you?” Lorraine’s big brown eyes were wide with confusion.

“It’s me, Chip Anderson. Fiona’s friend.”

“Chip?”

“Yes. Do you remember me? We met at the opening for Fiona’s Runaway Home facility.”

Lorraine’s eyes opened wider. “Yes…yes, I remember you. What are you doing here?” She glanced past Chip at Riley. “Who is he?”

“My name’s Riley O’Neal.” He stepped closer. “We’re here to help you.”

“What’s going on?” Lorraine searched Chip’s face. “What’s happened to me?”

The poor woman was visibly shaken. Her dark hair was in wild disarray around her face and tears started to fill her brown eyes.

“Have something to drink.” Chip lifted the cup and held it close so Lorraine could use the straw.

As Lorraine sipped at the water, a little trickled down the corner of her mouth.

“Take it slow.” Chip patted the other woman’s shoulder. “You’re safe now.”

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Lorraine whispered. “How did you know where I was?”

“That’s not important.” Chip put the cup on the bed tray. “Do you feel up to answering some questions?”

“I think so.” Lorraine nodded slowly.

“Let’s start at the beginning.” Chip coaxed softly as she shifted closer to the bed. “We know you and Fiona were abducted from her cabin at the resort the night before last.”

“Abducted? Like kidnapped?”

Chip nodded. “When you were rescued, Fiona wasn’t with you. Do you know where she was taken?”

Lorraine rubbed her forehead. “I don’t remember.”

Chip exchanged a concerned glance with Riley and then turned back to Lorraine. “You don’t remember being kidnapped? Or you don’t know where they took Fiona?”

“I…I can’t remember anything.” Lorraine let out a frightened sob. “I know we were planning to go to New Mexico, but I don’t remember the trip.” She stared with wide eyes. “I want to help. But I can’t remember. You said Fiona was taken too?”

“She—you both were being used to blackmail Andrew,” Chip replied. “The smallest detail you can give us could save her life.”

“Andrew? Do they want money?”

“No. The reasons for the blackmail are classified.” Riley didn’t want to reveal more information than necessary. “Did you know Senator Pomeroy has property near the resort?”

“Ummm…”

“You’re seeing Dean Weston, correct?” Chip interjected.

“Yes…” Lorraine started to tremble.

“Dean is Senator Pomeroy’s aide.”

“I know…” Lorraine’s expression turned a little panicked. “You don’t think he had anything to do with this. Dean wouldn’t… He loves me. He couldn’t possibly…” Tears stopped her words and streamed down her face. “Please. None of this makes any sense. And I don’t know… I can’t remember anything.” She rubbed her temples. “I think I need to rest.”

The nurse who had been hovering nearby stepped to the bed. “You need to leave, now.” She spread her arms to usher them out of the room.

“We’re not through questioning her.” Chip sounded as frustrated as Riley felt at not getting any details from the rescued woman.

“You are for today,” the nurse insisted. “If there’s any change in her condition, we’ll let you know.”

Riley grabbed Chip’s arm and steered her toward the door. He turned back to the woman on the bed and handed her a card. “Thank you, Lorraine. This is my number if you remember anything that can help.”

Lorraine nodded and took the card, then closed her eyes as she lay back against the pillows.

Outside the room, Chip spun on Riley, her finger pointing at the door. “We need more information.”

“We aren’t going to get anything more from her today, so save the tirade.” He wanted answers too, but it looked as though Lorraine didn’t have any. Getting upset about it wouldn’t help.

The elevator doors opened and a uniformed police officer stepped out. He eyed Riley and Chip as he approached Lorraine’s room. Riley held out his hand and introduced himself. “Thank you for getting here so quickly.” He gave the officer another card. “Ms. Voras is not to have any visitors without first notifying this office.”

The officer took the card and slipped it in his pocket. “Yes, sir.”

“Also, she’s not to leave the hospital for the next forty-eight hours.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Someone will keep you and your department updated with any new instructions.”

Riley took Chip’s arm and headed toward the elevator where he pressed the call button.

Chip kept pace in spite of her limp. “We should have pushed harder.”

She was one of the most persistent partners he’d ever worked with. “Wouldn’t have made any difference. She doesn’t remember anything.”

“I find that hard to believe, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what to believe.” He glanced down the hall at Lorraine’s room, wishing they had more to go on, then he stepped into the open elevator. “We’ll find the information we need another way.”

****

Chip couldn’t believe they still didn’t have a solid lead on Fiona’s location. “What do we do now?” She kept pace with Riley as they exited the hospital and headed for the SUV in the parking lot.

“We visit the local police department and ask to borrow their lab.” He held up a large plastic bag with the hospital’s logo.

She stared at the bag and realized how thoroughly her frustration had taken over that she hadn’t noticed Riley carrying Lorraine’s clothes. He’d promised a way around Lorraine’s uncooperative attitude and it looked like he knew how to deliver. “You know how to run forensics on her clothes?”

“I know a few things, but mostly how to ask the right questions. We’ll employ the expertise of the locals and the lab at Northstar to expedite the findings.”

“Okay, then. What are we waiting for?” She climbed into the SUV. “Let’s go.”

A few minutes later, they drove into the Los Alamos County P.D. parking lot.

Chip noticed the facilities weren’t as high tech as Northstar’s, but what they lacked on the technology side, they made up for in local knowledge. No sooner had the technician taken Lorraine’s shoes out of the bag and scraped off the soles, than he said, “I can tell you exactly where these shoes have been.”

“Already?” Riley sounded impressed.

The gloved tech held up the left shoe and pointed the tip of his pen at a reddish stain on the bottom. “See that?”

Both Chip and Riley nodded. “That’s slurry—fire retardant. It’s fresh enough to tell me she’s been near the latest burn. I’d say she was somewhere on the Pomeroy ranch. There was a fire out there a few weeks ago. We haven’t had another in the area since.”

Disappointment made Chip curl her fingers. She wanted to hit something. “We already knew that. Can you tell if she’s been anywhere else?”

“Not without examining the rest of the clothing and running additional tests.” The tech peered closer at the bottom of the shoes. “There may be something more here. Give me some time and I’ll see what I can come up with.”

For the third time that day, Riley pulled a card out of his wallet. “You can enlist all the resources you need at this number. They’ll be able to expedite the results.”

The tech glanced at both sides of the card. “No can do.” He tried to hand back the card. “This is a civilian firm.”

Riley pushed the card back at the tech. “Call that number. You’ll get all the permission you’re going to need.”

His eyes narrowed. “Who are you guys?”

“We’re the people trying to find some answers. Please, make the call. We’ll be in touch.” Riley placed a hand on Chip’s shoulder. “Time for us to head back.”

Once inside the vehicle, Riley phoned Northstar with an update on their visit with Lorraine. He gave them a heads-up about contacting the Los Alamos P.D. to expedite the lab work. Unfortunately, the bad news was that even though they had rescued one kidnapped victim, they were still no closer to finding Fiona Burnsworth.