Jason rolled his neck in an attempt to relieve the crick he’d managed to acquire overnight. He lowered himself from the truck and made his way to Melanie’s front door, hoping the woman had coffee made.
He’d gotten a few hours of shut-eye, but between watching her entry and the cold temperatures, sleep hadn’t come easily.
When he knocked, Melanie cracked open the door and peered out.
She glanced at her watch then let him in. “You’re a few minutes early. Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d love some.” He ran a hand through his mussed hair.
“You look awf—You look tired,” she amended and narrowed her gaze. “Wait a minute. Did you sleep in your truck last night?”
So much for being sneaky. “What gave me away?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the rumpled clothes and the messy hair.” She bit her lip to hide a smile.
He glanced down at his attire. He hadn’t considered his clothing. “Guilty as charged.”
“Come on and have a seat. I’ll bring you a mug of caffeine and a couple of biscuits and bacon.” She waved him to the kitchen table.
“Sounds amazing.” He plopped down on a chair.
“Why didn’t you tell me you planned to stay?”
What should he say? That she looked frightened? That she reminded him of the little girl he once knew? Or that his sister would’ve killed him if he hadn’t taken care of her best friend? No, he couldn’t say any of those things. Melanie had arrived in Valley Springs two days ago, and her presence had flipped his world upside down.
“I wanted to make sure no one bothered you last night. I didn’t think you’d accept my help, so I didn’t say anything.”
She spun and gaped at him.
He quirked an eyebrow. “What?”
“I just thought... Never mind. Thank you for sacrificing your night.” She placed a mug in front of him.
It hadn’t been that big of a deal, had it? Maybe it had, but not protecting her hadn’t sat well with him.
Melanie placed plates full of breakfast on the table. “Dig in. Then you can go wash up in the bathroom if you’d like.”
“I appreciate that, but I have extra clothes at the station. I’ll grab a shower and change there.” He stuffed a biscuit loaded with honey in his mouth. “Wow, these are great,” he mumbled around the tasty food.
Melanie tucked a strand of wayward hair behind her ear. A tinge of pink rose on her cheeks. “Thanks.” She lowered her face and took a bite. The same piece of hair fell.
His hand twitched to move it back in place, but he kept his fingers wrapped around his coffee cup.
What was wrong with him? He had no business thinking romantic thoughts about the woman whose selfish act had destroyed his life. Melanie was guilty. The blame for Allison’s death lay at her feet. If she’d only taken Allison with her, or had told the police what had happened. But no. Mel insisted she couldn’t remember.
He shook his head. Nope. He didn’t believe her. How could anyone forget what happened to their best friend?
The sheriff station’s main room consisted of the reception counter, a waiting area and two desks. Melanie blinked. She’d remembered the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department being small, but not this small.
Jason swooped his hand in an arch. “Welcome to ACSD.”
Her jaw hung open. “Is this all of it?”
He chuckled. “No. The county renovated the building a few years ago, right after Dennis took over. This is the entrance. There are several offices, a supply room, an armory, the sheriff’s office and a gym with locker rooms beyond that door over there.” He pointed to a passageway on the far side of the room.
She exhaled. So she hadn’t fallen into Mayberry. “Where will I be working?”
“Dennis...excuse me, I guess I should say Sheriff Monroe.” Jason grinned. “He set you up with an office here at the station and a dedicated lab next door. Follow me. I’ll give you a quick tour. Then I’ll go change while you check out your new office digs.”
She trailed behind him as he led her to the back part of the station.
Six offices, including Sheriff Monroe’s, lined the hallway. Two for the four detectives on the force, an interrogation room, a soft interview room and one for her.
Her gaze landed on the door plaque. She ran her fingers across the gold-edged brown plastic nameplate. Dr. Melanie Hutton, Forensic Anthropologist/County Coroner. She’d always shared a lab with her colleagues. Never had a room to herself. A sense of satisfaction filled her. She’d achieved her goal of becoming a forensic anthropologist. Her one-time dream of a counseling degree had disintegrated when Allison had disappeared. From that point on, finding her friend had consumed her life’s path.
A jingle grabbed her attention.
Jason held out a ring of keys. “They must have added your name to the door this morning. I hadn’t realized you had your PhD, Dr. Hutton.”
Her shoulders drooped. “I’m just plain old Melanie, thank you very much.” Her fingers brushed his as she accepted the key ring. She jerked away her hand, but not before a warm tingle danced up her arm. The teenage crush she’d hidden all those years ago rose to the surface. She tamped it down. The man had no interest in her. Never had, never would.
The key slid into the lock with a metallic click, and the door opened. As she peered inside, Melanie’s jaw dropped. A large mahogany desk with an executive chair sat to the left. Two gorgeous burgundy leather seats placed in front of her work space created a professional but warm atmosphere.
“Will it be okay?” Jason’s baritone voice broke her musing.
She turned to face him. “Excuse me?”
“The office. Is it adequate?”
“It’s perfect.” She had yet to figure out how the small department found funding for her position. Most law-enforcement departments contracted out services. Granted, Anderson County would have priority, but she’d contract out across the region when other counties needed a forensic anthropologist. However, to be employed by ACSD and not by a large lab was unusual, to say the least. And what about being appointed as county coroner? She hadn’t applied. It had fallen in her lap. The whole situation seemed unreal.
“Come on. I’ll show you the rest.” He slipped back into professional mode and continued his tour.
A little farther down the hall, a break room with a black couch and 1950s retro table and chairs caught her attention. The quaint space had character. She wondered who in the department had the decorator’s touch.
“Now I know where to find the coffee.” She lingered in the doorway.
Jason nodded. “A very important commodity around here.”
At the end of the passage, he opened the door to the gym. Not large, but it had all the equipment that a small department needed. Two locker rooms attached to the workout room had signs that read Men and Women. She breathed a sigh of relief. They had separate areas. She’d noticed several female deputies since arriving, and they all seemed happy with their jobs. Within a small town, you never knew how widespread the good-ol’-boys club might reach. Nice to know it hadn’t tainted Valley Springs.
She peeked in the room labeled Women. Not huge, but more than sufficient. Two small rows of lockers and a bench seat in between, plus two showers and a bathroom area off to the side. Grateful for the space to clean up in, she made a mental note to bring an extra change of clothes to leave in the locker. With her job, she never knew when she’d be covered in dirt from head to toe.
“I’ll let you go check out your new office while I grab a shower.”
“Sure. Come find me when you’re done.” She strolled back to her little slice of paradise and dropped into her office chair. Swinging back and forth in her seat, she smiled. Maybe returning home wouldn’t come back to haunt her.
Several files sat in the middle of her desk. She flipped open the top one and scanned the documents. A coroner case. An elderly man passed away, and the family had concerns as to cause of death. She’d pull all the evidence later and take a look. She picked up the next file.
The evidence in a cold case stared back at her.
As she examined the first set of documents, the pictures of remains mentally took her to the grave. The bones spoke to her, begging her to solve the case.
“Who are you? And what happened to you?”
Showered and in clean jeans and a button-down shirt, Jason headed to Melanie’s office. His mind struggled to come to grips with his inner turmoil. He’d hated her for fifteen years, but yesterday’s events had him confused. Each time he looked at her, he remembered the sweet kid he’d known during his youth.
Leaning against the doorjamb, he watched as she studied the file in front of her and twirled a strand of hair between her fingers. So like the young girl he’d grown up with. Allison and Melanie had sat at the kitchen table every night and worked on homework together. They’d call him over when they required help. He hadn’t minded the excuse to sit next to her.
During those years, he learned Melanie’s look of concentration. Her head tilted to the left, and she’d twirl her hair. The narrowed gaze gave away the seriousness of her thinking. And right now, the woman was deep in thought.
Hand on his chest, he rubbed small circles in a desperate attempt to remove the pain of his sister’s disappearance and Melanie’s betrayal and departure. If only the simple movement had that power.
He cleared his throat.
Melanie jolted, sending papers flying off her desk. Hand over her mouth, her breaths came in quick gasps. “Jason.”
He cringed. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No. It’s my fault. I get engrossed in my work, and the world could collapse around me, and I wouldn’t know it.” She scooped the papers into a pile.
Jason kneeled and collected the pictures that had fallen to the floor. He tapped them into a neat stack and handed them to her.
“Thanks.”
He slipped in behind her and peered over her shoulder. Her coconut shampoo tapped into another memory from years past. She and Allison had loved coconut. Shampoos, lotions, candles—anything with the coconut scent. The aroma short-circuited his ability to think. Affection and anger warred in his brain.
He struck his knuckle next to the file. “That’s an old one. Have any insights into the case?”
“A few.” She sorted the documents and arranged them back into the proper order.
“Do tell.”
“See this picture of the victim’s ribs?” She placed a capped pen on the photo.
He shook off his conflicting emotions and squinted to where the end of her pen pointed. “What exactly am I looking at?”
“The direction of that bone. See how it angles up and toward the spine?”
Unable to discern what she had indicated, he leaned in. “You mean how it pushes in?”
“That’s it. It might have happened after death, but it’s in the perfect position to suggest a punctured lung.”
He skirted the desk and slipped into one of her new easy chairs. Leaning back, he stretched out his legs and crossed his ankles. “Interesting find. I look forward to hearing your conclusions after a full examination of the evidence.”
“Were the bones released for burial?” Melanie had sunk low in her seat. She propped her foot on the desk to elevate her ankle and twirled a strand of hair as she perused the file.
“No. He’s still a John Doe. The county has them in storage.”
“I’ll pull them later when I have time and take a closer look after we exhume the remains I found yesterday. It’s not like another few weeks will change this gentleman’s situation.”
A quick glance at his watch told him the early morning chill had burned off. “Speaking of which, I’m guessing you’d like to get to work at the grave site.”
“If it’s okay with you, I want to go out there as soon as possible.”
“I don’t see why we can’t leave now.” He sat up straight.
“Sounds good.” She lowered her foot to the floor and eased herself to a standing position. After collecting the papers, she locked them in her file cabinet and pocketed the keys. “I’m ready.”
He motioned to the door. “After you.” He patted his side, confirming he’d holstered his weapon after his shower.
The last thing he wanted was for Melanie to be out in the open, but she had a job to do, and so did he—protecting her, in case her attacker tried again.
Dirt clung to Melanie’s sweaty arms. She’d arrived at the burial site midmorning and had worked for six hours nonstop. Bathroom and water breaks being the only exceptions. The cool morning air had grown warmer, and she’d shed the top half of her coveralls, letting it hang from her waist, hours ago. It might be fifty degrees, but the winter sun beat down on her.
Thankful the ground hadn’t frozen yet this season, she brushed soil from the skull she’d discovered twenty minutes ago. The yellow tarps held multiple bones, and the blue tarps acted as a collection center for the dirt from the exhumation.
Pen between her teeth, she scooped out the big find and added it to the assortment of bones. She picked up her clipboard and noted the location and item on the checklist. Brushing a strand of loose hair from her forehead with the back of her hand, she arched her spine. A series of cracks relieved the ache settling in the small of her back.
Climbing from the hole, she moved to the perimeter of the scene and grabbed another water from her personal cooler. She held the cold bottle to her neck and sighed with relief. Her body ached, and the heat from the sun irritated her scrapes and cuts. She leaned against a tree trunk and stared at the shallow grave. The three-foot burial depth had worked in her favor, shortening the duration of the job. She tilted back her head and filled her lungs. Another day and she’d spend her time in the lab, examining instead of exhuming.
If not for Jason and Keith tag-teaming protection duty throughout the day, she wouldn’t have been able to focus. Who had targeted her and why continued to elude her. She appreciated the security and planned to tell Jason when she had a chance. It couldn’t be easy for him. She knew he held her accountable for Allison’s death, and she didn’t blame him. With her fragmented memory, it made it impossible to defend her actions, even to herself. Her grip tightened, and the bottle crinkled in her hand. Allison begging her to go for help was one of the few clear moments in her brain. She’d left her friend. But it didn’t matter that she’d led the deputies back to the cabin; Allison’s body had disappeared and hadn’t been found since. How could she ever release the guilt?
Sparrows chirped, and distant voices from the trail drifted in her direction. She tilted her head and gazed into the sky. White wisps of clouds floated above. Melanie inhaled the fresh air, something Dallas, Texas, hadn’t possessed. The mixture of pain and joy from her childhood confused her. Could she handle living in Valley Springs? Maybe if her memory returned and removed all doubt as to what had happened, but until then, she’d trust God and muddle through the best she could.
She rolled her neck from side to side. The quandary would have to wait. She had a job to finish. She downed her drink and chucked the empty bottle into the red-and-white ice chest. It landed with a thump. Taking a step, she winced. The break in her work had tightened her muscles. Her ankle screamed at her, but so did the rest of her body. The ibuprofen she’d taken that morning had helped, but the effect had worn off a while ago. She’d call it a day in another couple of hours, but until then, she’d push forward. She dug her toe into the dirt and rolled her ankle in a circle, working out the stiffness.
“Does it still hurt?”
She jumped.
“Didn’t mean to startle you. Guess I have a habit of doing that.” Jason rested against the neighboring tree.
Several deep breaths later, she forced a smile. “It’s okay.”
He narrowed his gaze and studied her a moment. “Well? Does it?”
“A little.” Truthfully, a lot, but Jason didn’t need to know that. “I, uh, wanted to thank you for watching out for me today.”
“Just doing my job.” The muscles in his neck and shoulders tensed.
“We both know it’s more than that.” She wiped her hand down her face. “Jason. We’re going to be working together for the foreseeable future. Do you think we can call a truce, at least while we do our jobs?”
His jaw twitched, and he remained silent.
She’d asked a lot, but the strain between them had to stop. She watched him for a few minutes then shook her head.
“Never mind.” She pushed from the trunk and limped to the hole in the ground. Her lead-filled heart threatened to drop to her feet. To think that fifteen years ago, she’d had a crush on him. He’d teased her and Allison, but he’d never allowed others to speak unkind words to them. If only she could return to those carefree days. The days before she had died on the inside and her friend had died for real.
Someday, Allison, I’ll find your body. I promise.
She swiped the wetness from her cheeks and lowered herself into the grave. The movement mimicked her mood. She picked up her trowel and searched for more bones.
An hour later, Melanie’s headache had become unbearable, causing her stomach to roil. Just what she needed, to lose her lunch in front of Jason. Scanning the grave, she spotted the paintbrush she used for delicate work. She grasped the handle, but dropped it. She tried again, but her fingers refused to cooperate. Her eyelids grew heavy. Something was off. She sat on the edge of the hole.
“Jason, help.” Her words were slurred. She struggled to stay upright. The trees in front of her blurred and swayed.
He kneeled down and came face-to-face with her. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
“Help me out here. What’s the last thing you did?”
“I—I...” She struggled against the gray cloud jumbling her thoughts. “Took a break a while ago. Only digging since.”
His gaze flew to a spot behind her.
She wilted into him. Her vision tunneled, and darkness closed in.
“Keith! Grab the cooler and her bag!”
Jason’s frantic voice registered, but her body had shut down.
His warm arms lifted her. Her head bobbed and landed on his shoulder.
Her cheek bounced against his chest in cadence with the pounding of his feet on the path.
His rhythmic breathing was the last thing she heard before the world went dark.
The disinfectant Valley Springs General Hospital used churned Jason’s stomach, and the voices of the doctors and nurses hammered in his ears.
By the time he’d arrived at his truck, Melanie had lost consciousness. Her breathing had become labored, and her skin ashen. He’d cradled her in his arms while Keith drove like a madman. He’d once again considered praying as his partner broke every speed limit on the way to the hospital.
Keith had notified the ER and called the station. At least one of them had thought to send a deputy to secure the scene.
He ran his fingers through his hair and paced the hall. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, and the clunk of the vending machine grated on his nerves.
“How’s she doing?” Keith laid a hand on his shoulder.
Jason met his partner’s gaze. “I have no idea. But she didn’t look good when they took her back.”
“Have any idea what happened?”
“Not really.” He twisted his mouth to the side. “Unless some critter in the dirt bit her, it had to be something she ingested.”
Keith tapped his upper lip. “That’s why you had me bring the cooler.”
“I was grasping at possibilities. Figured the cooler, or maybe something in her bag, had caused the reaction.”
“Come on. Let’s get a cup of coffee and have a seat while we wait.”
He followed Keith to the waiting room and plopped down on a blue plastic chair.
“Here.” His friend handed him a paper cup of strong coffee. Keith sat next to him and rested his arms on his knees. “She means something to you, doesn’t she?”
“Not hardly.” At least not anymore. Maybe a long time ago he’d secretly liked her, but a twenty-year-old interested in a sixteen-year-old had bad idea written all over it.
“I don’t buy it. What happened between you two?”
“Melanie was my sister’s best friend. They did everything together. Even planned to go to the same college when they graduated. But that never happened. Well, not for my sister, anyway.”
Keith pursed his lips. “She’s one of our cold cases, right?”
Jason nodded and swallowed past the lump in his throat. Yes, Allie was a cold case, but the term sounded sterile. His sister had been vibrant and full of life. Until that night.
“Wait.” Keith’s jaw dropped. “Melanie’s the other girl.”
“Yes.” The old anger bubbled to the surface. “She escaped and left Allison with the man who’d abducted them.”
His partner scratched his chin. “From what I’ve read, it’s amazing she got out.”
“Yeah, right. What about what she did to Allie?” He clenched his fist.
“Have you actually asked her about it?”
“I don’t need—”
“Detective Cooper?” The doctor was standing in the doorway.
“Right here.” Jason rose and met the doctor. “How is she?”
“She’s resting quietly. She should make a full recovery.”
He exhaled. If he and God were on speaking terms, he’d send up a big thank-you.
“It’s a good thing you brought the cooler with you.”
Jason tilted his head. “Why? What was it?”
“She was poisoned with antifreeze. We found it on the threads of two water bottles.” The doctor ran a hand over the back of his neck. “She’s a fortunate lady. We treated her with fomepizole. It should counter the effects within the next three hours.”
Poisoned? He’d had Keith grab the cooler only as a precaution.
“You’re welcome to go on back. Ms. Hutton is in room two-oh-three. Just don’t bother her. She needs her rest.”
“Thanks.” Jason’s mind spun around the word antifreeze. Not something they’d normally come across.
“You’re welcome.” The doctor patted Jason’s upper arm and turned to leave.
“Hey, doc?”
The man glanced at him over his shoulder.
“How long will she be here?”
“If all goes well, she’ll be released in a couple of days.” With his answer given, the doctor went back to work.
“You want first or second?” Keith crumpled his coffee cup in a ball and chucked it in the trash.
“What?” Jason blinked. Had he missed part of a conversation?
“Figure she needs a guard on her door. Was asking which shift you wanted.”
“Oh. Yeah, guess we should do that. I’ll take first.” Jason’s head swirled with the doctor’s news. When had someone tampered with her water bottles? Had he let down his guard and missed the creep messing with her drinks?
“Dude. For someone who doesn’t mean anything to you, you sure are out of sorts.”
What could he say to that? Keith was right about one thing. He had to get his head in the game, or it might cost Melanie her life.
“I’ll check in with security and then swing by one more time before relieving you in six hours.” Keith smacked him on the back and sauntered away.
Jason’s stomach knotted. He’d left Melanie alone for far too long. Determined that no one would hurt her on his watch, Jason hurried to her room and pushed open the door. His breath caught at the sight of her. She looked so young. Not like the capable woman who’d burst into his life and taken over the crime scene yesterday.
Brown hair fanned out over the pillow. Her face had a tinge of pink, but dark circles under her eyes stood out like neon signs. He scanned her form under the blanket. He’d never realized how petite she was. Her bigger-than-life personality had always outweighed her size.
Memories swamped him from his younger years. Melanie and Allison had become inseparable in elementary school. A close friendship they’d kept until the day they disappeared. He’d enjoyed teasing them, especially when they hit junior high and high school. He’d bug them until the two doubled over in tears from giggling so hard. Truth be told, he missed hearing Melanie’s laugh.
Soft beeps of the heart monitor jerked him out of the past. He wanted to find that Melanie again. The one who made him smile. Not the Melanie who’d ripped out his heart. He missed his sister so much.
Jason had pored over the police files of their abduction a hundred times since joining the sheriff’s department, searching for a clue. Any clue. The police department had called in help from surrounding counties and had done a wide search for two days after the girls had disappeared. Jason had been the last one to see them alive. One minute they’d sat at the kitchen table doing their homework, and the next they were gone. After over twenty interviews of townspeople coming to relay what they thought might be helpful, the police had nothing. Until Melanie showed up beaten and traumatized. Without his sister.
He wandered to Melanie’s bedside and gripped the metal rail. Leaning in, he whispered, “Why did you leave her?”
Silence met his question.
His gut twisted. All this time, his anger had taken a front-row seat, but now, looking at Melanie, he couldn’t reconcile the fierce friend she’d been and the coward she’d become that night. It didn’t make sense.
Her rhythmic breathing calmed him. He’d stuff the past into the background and focus on the here and now. And right now, Melanie needed him. He hadn’t forgiven her—no, that wouldn’t happen—but her life depended on him setting aside his resentment until he caught her attacker.
He tucked the white blanket around her, then pulled the tan easy chair beside the bed. Resting his head on the back of the seat, he stared at the ceiling.
“Don’t worry, Allie. I’m going to find out who hurt you if it’s the last thing I do.” He swallowed past the lump that had taken up residence in his throat. “I miss you, sis.”
His sister would want him to watch over Melanie, maybe even forgive her, but he couldn’t do that. Not now, maybe not ever.
Fatigue draped over him like a cloak. After sleeping in his truck last night, he should have asked Keith to take the first shift so he could grab a few hours of shut-eye. He scrubbed his face with his hands, fighting his heavy eyelids to stay open. His eyes closed of their own accord.
Vivid images of Allison haunted his dreams.
Little men with jackhammers pounded on Melanie’s brain. Grit cemented her eyelids closed, and a desert had inhabited her mouth.
Her ears, on the other hand, worked just fine. Jason’s confession nearly broke her heart. I miss her, too, Jason.
She longed for the days when the three of them used to hang out and watch movies together at the Cooper house.
After listening to Jason’s one-sided conversation with Allison, she soon heard soft snores from beside her. She struggled to open her eyes. When she finally pried them open, she shifted her gaze to him.
He’d propped his feet on the bed frame and crossed his arms. His chin rested against his chest. Even in his sleep, the man exuded strength.
A smile tugged on her lips, then fell. She’d been his sister’s best friend, and over the years, they’d forged a bond beyond simple friendship. His and Allie’s mom had died of cancer when he was sixteen, and Melanie had grieved with them. So, when he’d yelled at her after the deputies hadn’t found Allison’s body and then walked away from her, her world had imploded. The loss of her best friend, her parents’ betrayal and his father’s silence, along with Jason’s lack of belief in her made for the perfect storm. Why hadn’t he listened to her and tried to understand? She’d needed him. She’d had enough guilt to last a lifetime. His rejection had only amplified the pain.
The door whooshed open, and the tall figure of a male nurse appeared. His gaze darted around the room and landed on Jason.
“Sorry. I’ll only be a minute,” the nurse whispered. Shadows, along with a medical mask, obscured his face.
She nodded and kept her attention on the man beside her bed. Her heart leaped. Maybe Jason had put aside his animosity. He’d stayed by her side, hadn’t he?
God, I know it’s a lot to ask, but could You please chip away at his resentment? I want my friend back.
The nurse pulled a syringe from a bowl.
“This should help.”
Help with what? Her headache? Her gaze met the nurse’s. Black soulless eyes glared back at her. She’d seen them before, during her attack in the woods.
“No!” she croaked. She yanked out her IV before he inserted the needle and pushed down the plunger, knocking the nurses’ station call remote onto the floor. It clattered on the tiles. “Jason!” The strangled plea tore from her lips.
Boots slapped on the ground. Jason bolted from his seat. “Melan...” She heard him gasp. “Hey!” He lowered his shoulder and tackled the assailant, slamming the man to the wall.
Grunts and smacks against flesh turned Melanie’s stomach.
She scrambled to the floor and crouched behind the bed. Lord, protect him.
The fake nurse scrambled away, picked up a lamp and bashed Jason in the head.
Jason collapsed with a thud.
Melanie screamed and prayed someone heard the commotion.
After a quick glance in her direction, the attacker snarled then sprinted from the room.
Melanie crawled across the floor to Jason’s side. She pulled him onto her lap and smoothed his hair from his forehead. “Please wake up.” Tears rolled down her face and off her chin. If Jason lost his life because of her, she’d never forgive herself.
Footsteps sent her pulse racing. She searched for a weapon within reach but found nothing to defend herself and Jason.
An imposing figure stood in the doorway, blocking the hall light. “Jason? Melanie?”
Relief flooded her. “Keith, help.” A whimper escaped her lips.
“What happened?” Jason’s partner kneeled and surveyed the scene.
“A guy dressed as a nurse attacked me. Jason tried to stop him.”
He pointed to Jason. “You’ve got him?”
“Yes. Go.” She sucked in a ragged breath as Keith sprinted from the room.
Voices streamed in from the hall and the IV machine’s sharp alarm registered in her brain. How long had the warning been going off?
She struggled to pray, but the words wouldn’t come. Her chin dropped to her chest. God knew what she needed. She’d leave it up to Him.
A nurse dashed in and took in the scene. The upended items in the room had to be quite the sight. Janie, according to the woman’s name tag, kneeled next to Melanie.
“How ya doin’, sweetie?”
“I’m okay. But I’m not so sure about him.” Melanie gestured toward the man in her lap.
Jason roused and moaned. His eyes fluttered open. He grimaced. “Are you okay?”
“Me? It’s you I’m worried about.”
“I have a splitting headache, but I’ll live.” He struggled to an upright position and clutched his head.
“Take it easy, hon. That’s a nasty lump.” Janie examined his head. “You need a CT scan. I’ll get—”
“No. I’m fine.”
The nurse jammed a fist on her hip and scowled.
“I promise. I’m good.”
Janie pointed to Jason. “No, you’re not, but I can’t force you.”
He closed his eyes and released a puff of air through pursed lips. When he opened his eyes, he gaped at Melanie’s arm. “You’re bleeding.”
She hadn’t noticed the crimson liquid dripping from her hand. Her thoughts had centered on Jason when she’d witnessed him going down. “I yanked out my IV, that’s all. He put something in the port. I didn’t want to wait and see what happened.”
“Makes sense.” Jason staggered to his feet and swayed. Janie grabbed one arm, and he placed his other hand on the wall to steady himself.
Melanie bit her lower lip. “Maybe you should rest for a bit longer.” The man looked a little green around the edges. “I’m good.”
Doubtful, but she knew him well enough that talking him into sitting down would be impossible.
“Stubborn man,” Janie muttered. She moved to Melanie’s side and helped her into bed. The nurse threw a towel on the floor to soak up the fluids, then inserted a new IV and hung a new bag. “There ya go, honey. If you need anything else, let me know.”
Jason straightened but hadn’t removed his hand from the wall. “We’ll need that tubing as evidence. I want to know what that man put in it.”
“No problem, Detective.” Janie grabbed a plastic bag from a drawer and slipped the tubing inside. “I’ll leave it here on the nightstand for your partner.”
“Thanks.” Jason swallowed. “I appreciate it.”
The woman patted Melanie’s leg. “Let me know if you need anything else. And try to convince Mr. I’m Fine to let the doctor look him over.”
The corners of Melanie’s mouth lifted. “I’ll try.”
Janie shook her head, then pointed at Jason. “I’ll go get you an ice pack.” She slipped past him and exited the room.
Jason hung his head. “I need to search the hospital.”
“Keith’s already looking.” Melanie gestured toward the chair. “You don’t look so hot. Sit down before you fall down.”
“Thanks a lot.” He quirked a lopsided smile and winced.
His swollen jaw and red eye made her flinch. Poor guy would have a nice shiner by tomorrow. The man had to be hurting after the wallop he’d received, but she’d take his attempted smile. Any step toward civility was progress.
Jason released the wall and swayed.
Keith rushed into the room, his gaze landing on Jason. “Whoa there, partner.” He extended his hand.
Jason waved him off and straightened. “Find the slime bag?”
“Afraid not. I’ll check with security and go through the video. See if we can identify the creep.”
Jason ambled to Melanie’s side on unsteady feet. “Go. Check the camera footage. I can handle things here. Oh, and take the IV tubing to the lab.”
“I’m on it.” Keith grabbed the plastic bag and hurried from the room.
Jason lowered himself onto the cushioned chair and gingerly touched his cheekbone. His gaze shifted to her. “Get some rest. I promise not to fall asleep this time.” An expression of self-recrimination flashed across his face.
“Don’t.” She refused to allow him to blame himself. He’d been with her every step of the way, even though he’d been infuriated with her due to her role in his sister’s disappearance. Why had her memory continued to hide? She wanted to reach into her brain and scoop out the information. She’d loved Allison like a sister. She recalled Allie begging her to go get help, but why had she escaped and not taken Allie with her?
“I should go and let someone else stay. I should never have fallen asleep. My job was to keep you safe. I failed.”
“No, you didn’t. You protected me. I’m alive because of you.”
He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll agree to disagree if you’ll get some rest.” His body had recovered enough that he’d gained back his tenacity.
“Only if you stay with me.” She watched him fight an internal battle and waited for him to reply. “Jason.”
His gaze met hers.
“You’re the only person I trust.” Unsure how he’d respond, she held her breath. But she had to be honest with him. Everyone who’d accepted her for who she was had died, except for him. He might dislike her, but he was all she had left in this world.
“All right, Mel, you win.” He called Keith on his cell phone. “When you’re done with the video, consider yourself on duty.” He pursed his lips as he listened. “Thanks for having my back...got it. Will do.” Jason ended the call and returned his focus to her. “I am sorry.”
“Please don’t beat yourself up. I’m grateful for all you’ve done.”
His lips in a thin line, he nodded and dimmed the lights on her remote. “Go to sleep. You’ll need your energy for tomorrow if you plan to break out of this joint.”
She smiled at his attempt to play nice and followed his directions.
But sleep didn’t come easy. And even in her dreams, the man who’d attacked her came after her. She had no way of stopping him, in her dreams or in real life.
The knowledge that Keith stood guard outside Melanie’s room allowed Jason to breathe easier. He wanted to smack himself for falling asleep. He’d let her down. Since he’d found her darting through the woods, he’d appointed himself her personal bodyguard. Why he’d done that continued to baffle him. She’d hurt him deeply, and yet he’d refused to let her fend for herself. And the crazy thing was, the longer he stayed at her side, the harder holding on to his anger had become.
His gaze drifted to her. She laid on her side, facing him, hands pressed together under her cheek. How many times had her youthful, innocent appearance startled him since she’d arrived? Yes, she was four years younger than his thirty-five, but life after Allie had aged him. He’d become the proverbial grumpy old man. Something his friend and boss, Dennis, often pointed out.
He shifted his aching body and bit back a groan. The bold man who’d entered Melanie’s room had done a number on his head and muscles. Jason replayed the events in his mind. A familiarity plagued him. There was something about the man’s build that toyed with his brain. Who had he wrestled with? Is this how Melanie feels when she tries to remember? If it was, he now had a better understanding of her frustration. He rested his head on the back of the chair and processed the new information.
True to her word, the nurse had brought him an ice pack, which had helped, but the bag, now lukewarm, sat on the roller table. He wanted to request another one, but that required movement on his part. The concept of standing made him cringe. No, he’d stay right where he was.
A few hours later, the early morning sun streamed through the blinds, rousing him from a light sleep. He awoke to find Melanie curled on her side, her sable brown eyes peering at him.
“Morning.” He pushed himself to a sitting position. His muscles had stiffened, and every bump and bruise throbbed. He hadn’t smarted this bad since Allison and Melanie dared him to run that stupid obstacle race when he was eighteen. What had he been thinking? Impressing Melanie, that’s what. But that was then, and this was now. Now, they were practically strangers. Except not. He shook off his confusion. Wow, that man had hit him harder than he’d thought.
“Good morning.” She gave him a lazy smile.
A knock at the door had him sliding his hand to his Glock.
“Well, well, Prince Charming finally woke up.” Keith entered, holding a breakfast tray.
The aroma of bacon and eggs wafted across the room. Jason’s stomach growled. “Sorry.”
“Sounds like someone’s hungry.” Melanie adjusted the bed to an upright position.
“My partner is always hungry.” Keith slid the tray onto the roller table, grabbed a strip of bacon and shoved it in his mouth. “I got everything from the cafeteria, so no worries about the food being tampered with.”
Jason lost his appetite. The idea of someone poisoning her meal turned his gut.
“You okay there, dude?” Keith squinted at him.
“Yeah.” His partner had saved his hide once again. Self-recrimination blanketed him. He’d lost his ability to think clearly, and if he didn’t get his head on straight, Melanie could lose her life.
Keith leaned in and whispered, “Relax. Only one of us has to think about it.”
“Right.” But that didn’t keep the guilt from latching on like a dog with a bone.
“Come on, guys. Let’s eat.” Melanie’s gaze darted between him and his partner. “I’d like to get out of here.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t you think it’s wise to wait a bit longer?” He already knew her answer.
“No. I hate hospitals. I’m not staying.” She dove into her breakfast with a little too much gusto.
The woman had plenty of reasons to detest hospitals. He’d help her escape, but with one stipulation. “I’ll help and give you a ride on one condition. You agree to protection.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but he stopped her.
“No argument. Take it or leave it.”
“All right, you win.”
He hadn’t wanted to win. He wanted Melanie safe. And the only way to achieve that goal was to keep her close.
Her attacker had crossed a line last night. The man had proven that he’d go to any lengths to get at Melanie.
Jason refused to let that happen.