In the Arms of the Enemy

by Carol Ericson

  “Totally understandable. My sister thought every bald guy she saw was her ex.” Linda jingled her car keys. “Time to open the shop.”

  A feather of uneasiness tickled the back of Caroline’s neck as she followed Linda to the car. “Speaking of bald guys, the man who bought the stuffed frog yesterday had a shaved head, said he used to live here and was back on business. Ring a bell with you?”

  “Haven’t heard about any returnees. Why do you ask?”

  “I don’t know. He seemed...” She shook her head. “I really don’t know, Linda. I’m letting my imagination run wild.”

  As Linda settled into the driver’s seat, she said, “You don’t have to worry about that nice and very good-looking Cole Pierson. He’s definitely here to write that book and his only interest in you is romantic.”

  Linda had no idea who Cole was...and neither did Caroline, but she doubted he had romance on his mind when he looked at her—especially now that she’d revealed her hand.

  “Well, I’m not ready for romance. Even so, I appreciate that you kept our little secret. If he found out I was a stranger to town, others would find out, and I’m still nervous about Larry tracking me down.”

  Backing out of the driveway, Linda traced the seam of her lips with a finger. “He won’t get any more out of me.”

  Caroline had a feeling all Cole had to do was crook his little finger at Linda and she’d tell him everything.

  As they worked side by side in the shop, Caroline told Linda about her appointment with Dr. Shipman that afternoon. “So, is it okay if I borrow your car? I should have it back by five o’clock.”

  “Of course. I think you’re doing the right thing by talking to someone, and Dr. Jules Shipman comes highly recommended.”

  The phone rang and Linda answered it. While she was talking, the door swung open and Cole strode into the shop.

  Caroline swallowed. She had some backtracking to do with him to regain his trust.

  “I thought you’d never dry off after that soaking you got last night.” She flashed a big smile.

  His eyebrows jumped to his hairline. Had she poured it on too thick?

  “I took a hot shower and then went down to the hotel bar for a whiskey. Warmed me right up. How about you? Feeling better?”

  “Yes.” She covered her face with both hands. “I am so sorry I went cray cray on you. I’ve been so stressed and on edge.”

  “So you don’t think anyone broke into your place and searched it, including me?”

  “Did I really accuse you?” She peeked through her fingers. “I’m an idiot. Nobody broke in. If my ex really wanted to contact me, he’d come here himself and confront me. That’s more his style, anyway, but he’s not going to do that. I never talked to him about my mother’s family and he’s never heard of Timberline.”

  “Glad to hear it and glad you’re feeling better. I just came by to check on you.”

  Linda ended her call. “Good morning, Cole.”

  “As long as that rain stays away for a few more hours, it will be.”

  “Caroline.” Linda turned to her. “I don’t think I can loan you my car to go to Port Angeles, after all.”

  “Oh?” Caroline curled her hands into fists. Why did Linda have to talk about her personal business in front of Cole? Of course, Linda still believed he was a mild-mannered writer and didn’t know he was some imposter looking for Johnny Diamond’s last companion.

  “That was my mechanic, Louie. He finally got a part for my car that’s taken over a week to get here, and he wants to do the work this afternoon.”

  “Port Angeles?” Cole shoved a hand in the pocket of his jeans. “I was planning to go out there this morning.”

  Of course you were.

  Caroline tucked her hair behind one ear. “My appointment isn’t until this afternoon, but I appreciate the offer. And don’t worry about the car, Linda. I’ll reschedule the appointment.”

  Cole interrupted. “I can wait until this afternoon. I was just going to go to the library, since it’s bigger than Timberline’s and it has a couple of articles on microfiche that haven’t been transferred online yet. It’s no problem at all.”

  “Perfect.” Linda clapped her hands together. “I don’t want you to cancel your appointment, Caroline. Maybe you two can even stop for some lunch. You can leave before noon.”

  Linda was playing matchmaker. Cole had done such a number on her.

  Caroline didn’t want to be in Cole’s presence any longer than she had to, especially trapped in a car with him. But if she refused, would that make her look suspicious again?

  “I—I don’t need lunch. I brought half of my sandwich from last night’s dinner.”

  “We can skip lunch, but I’d be more than happy to drive you to Port Angeles. How long is your appointment?”

  “About an hour.”

  “That works for me...unless you still think I’m the one who broke into your place last night.”

  “Caroline, did you really think that?” Linda’s eyes grew round.

  Great, now she seemed like the crazy one, and she’d seem even crazier if she refused a perfectly good ride from a perfectly respectable man like Cole. What possible excuse did she have?

  “That was just me freaking out a little. I’d be happy to hitch a ride as long as I’m not putting you out.”

  “Then it’s settled. I’ll swing back around at twelve.”

  She waved as he left the store and then rounded on Linda. “Are you trying to set us up or something?”

  “Was I that obvious?”

  “Linda, I meant it. I’m really not interested in any romantic entanglements right now. I—I need to figure out why I put up with Larry’s abuse in the first place before I can move on.”

  With tears in her eyes, Linda patted her back. “I know, dear. It would be nice to see you with a good man, and Cole Pierson is a good man.”

  A good liar.

  Caroline hugged the older woman. “I appreciate your concern. I’m sure Cole has a million women vying for his attention back home—wherever that is. Did he ever tell you where he was from?”

  “He lives in San Diego with a dog named Thor, and his sister watches the dog when he’s on his travels.”

  Seemed Cole had concocted a more thorough backstory than she had.

  The rest of the morning flew by and twelve o’clock arrived sooner than she wanted. Cole walked in on the dot.

  “Are you ready?”

  “In a minute. You’re sure it’s no trouble?”

  “I need to get to Port Angeles myself. No trouble at all.” He winked at Linda. “How about it, boss lady? Can your minion escape?”

  “Of course. You two have fun.”

  Caroline rolled her eyes at Cole just so he’d know she wasn’t hatching this plan with Linda, but maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea for him to think she had the hots for him. That would really mess with his mind and distract him from whatever suspicions he already had about her.

  “She means well.” Cole opened the sedan door for her and shut it before she could respond. He slid onto the driver’s seat. “Do you have an address in Port Angeles I can punch into the GPS?”

  She plunged her hand into her purse and pulled out the slip of paper with Dr. Shipman’s address. She read it off to Cole as he entered it into the car’s GPS.

  “Linda told me you’re from San Diego. How long have you lived there?”

  “All my life. Have you ever been there?”

  “I...” She had no idea. “Visited once when I was a kid. How long have you been writing travel books?”

  “This is my first try.”

  At least he wasn’t going to try to lie his way through this part of his life. The rest was probably all fabricated, too. She’d keep peppering him with
questions so he wouldn’t have a chance to pin her down.

  By the time they reached Port Angeles, she was exhausted from the effort. She’d kept him from needling beneath her exterior, though. He’d enjoyed talking about his big, slobbery dog so much she had to believe that part.

  The voice on the GPS began directing them down streets, and he turned on the last one. “I’ll just drop you off in front and pick you up in an hour?” He pulled up next to the curb in front of a two-story office building. “Do you want to take my cell number in case you’re earlier or later?”

  “Write it down.” She shoved the piece of paper at him, not wanting him to see her prepaid phone and make any assumptions about it or her.

  “Pen.” He leaned across her lap to reach the glove compartment, and her hands hovered over his thick, sandy-colored hair. She had the strongest urge to run her fingers through it, but restrained herself.

  He scribbled a number on the slip of paper and handed it back to her. “I’ll be back in an hour, right here.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  She waited until he drove away before heading toward the therapist’s office. Cole hadn’t asked her about the appointment and she hadn’t volunteered.

  Like everything she said to him, she had to consider the effect and consequences. She’d be relieved when he moved on—mostly. She’d miss seeing his familiar face around town. She’d either have to familiarize herself with a few more people in Timberline or get her memory back.

  She walked beneath the stairs to Dr. Shipman’s first-floor office, took a deep breath and opened the door, poking her head inside the reception area.

  A potted plant waved in the corner and two chairs bracketed a small table sporting an open magazine.

  Caroline crossed the room and pressed a red button with her thumb, following the instructions on the wall.

  Then she turned and perched on the edge of one of the chairs, clasping its arms. What would she discover about herself? It might be better to remain in blissful ignorance.

  The door to the inner office opened, and Caroline jumped—her usual reaction to any sudden movement.

  A woman stepped into the room with a slight curve to her lips and a soft twinkle in her dark eyes. “Caroline?”

  “That’s me.” She bounded forward, her hand outstretched. “Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, Dr. Shipman.”

  “Call me Jules, and you did me a big favor by filling in for a cancellation today.” She swung the door wide. “Come on in.”

  Caroline practically tiptoed into the room, with its muted light and comfortable furniture. She glanced from the chair to the sofa. “Where should I sit?”

  “Wherever you like.”

  She took the sofa just in case she had to stretch out and have a good breakdown.

  Jules sat in the armchair across from her. “Would you like some water? Coffee? Tea?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Jules folded her hands in her lap with the same little smile on her face. “You can start. Tell me anything you have on your mind or why you’re here today.”

  “Can I ask you a question first?”

  “Of course.”

  “What I say in here—” Caroline circled her finger in the air “—to you, is confidential, isn’t it? You won’t tell anyone else. You won’t tell the police.”

  The woman’s expression didn’t waver. “That’s correct, unless you pose a danger to yourself or others.”

  She slumped against the back of the sofa. “I don’t.”

  Jules settled into her own chair and took a sip of a fragrant tea...and waited.

  Caroline rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know who I am. I have amnesia.”

  Jules blinked. “How long have you been in this state?”

  “Almost a week.”

  “Why don’t you want to go to the police?”

  Caroline sucked in her lower lip. If she told Dr. Shipman the truth, would she believe Caroline had killed Johnny Diamond? If so, that confidentiality thing would go right out the window. She’d have to play this by ear.

  Leaning forward, she plucked a tissue from a box on the table next to the sofa. She dragged the tissue across her right cheekbone and pointed to the bruise healing there. “I have reason to believe I’m a victim of domestic violence.”

  “Do you also have a head injury? Something to explain the memory loss?”

  “Yes.” Caroline rubbed the bump on the back of her skull. “I’m afraid my spouse or partner will come after me. I—I think I’m on the run.”

  Jules steepled her fingertips together. “Is that why you asked about hypnosis in your message?”

  “I’m hoping, through hypnosis, I can regain my memories.”

  “You didn’t have a purse? ID?”

  “Nothing. I’ve even checked a few missing-persons websites. I just want to recover my identity and then I can figure out where I need to be.”

  “Why Timberline? Is that where you...woke up?”

  “I regained consciousness in a park in Seattle. I had some cash in my jacket pocket and a scrap of paper with Timberline written on it, so I made my way there, thinking I had family or a lifeline there.”

  “Nothing?”

  “I met a very kind stranger and she’s been helping me, but I thought it was time to be proactive, since my memory doesn’t seem to be returning on its own. I—I thought it might.”

  “It could, either in bits and pieces or prompted by trauma, but hopefully you won’t have to experience any trauma to regain your memory.” Dr. Shipman rose from her chair and stepped behind her desk. “Can we try something right now? I just want to see how susceptible you are.”

  Caroline’s heart somersaulted in her chest. “Absolutely.”

  “I have a form for you to sign.” Dr. Shipman pulled open a drawer and then looked up. “Is Caroline Johnson a made-up name?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, it’s the only name you have, so you can sign as Caroline Johnson.” She waved a piece of white paper at her.

  When Dr. Shipman put the form in her hands, Caroline reviewed it quickly and scratched out the unfamiliar signature at the bottom. No warning listed on that piece of paper could be any worse than her current limbo hell.

  “What now?” She settled back on the sofa, folding her hands in her lap.

  “I have a pendant I use.” Dr. Shipman opened her fist to reveal a silver disc on a chain. “It can be any object, but I like this one. Keep your eye on the disc. Relax, clear your mind, breathe deeply and don’t concentrate on anything.”

  “If I can relax, it’ll be a first time since this whole nightmare began.”

  “Which is perhaps why the memories haven’t been forthcoming. When I snap my fingers and tell you to wake up, that will end the session.” Dr. Shipman held up the pendant. “Open your mind. Let go. Shrug off the barriers.”

  Listening to Jules’s soothing voice, Caroline focused on the disc shining in the dim room and tried to release every muscle group from head to toe. Her breathing deepened and her lashes fluttered as she fought to maintain a view of the gleaming circle that now represented a kind of lifeline.

  The pendant faded. The room faded. Her body floated into the air.

  A desert landscape, stark and rugged, invaded her head. People crowded against her, suffocating her, holding her in. She railed against them—her family. She had to get away from her family.

  A woman’s voice, soft and gentle, asked her questions, and she answered, because the woman wasn’t one of her family members. She could talk to her even though she couldn’t hear her questions, and couldn’t hear her own answers to those questions.

  Would the woman help her get away? She had to escape. She had to survive and return home. The desert? It was her home...and wasn’t.


  The sleepiness descended on her and her tongue felt too thick to form any more words. Would the nice lady leave her? Would she have to fight her way out on her own?

  “Caroline.”

  The strange name floated into her consciousness. She didn’t know a Caroline.

  “Caroline? Wake up.”

  The voice sounded comforting, but it was meant for Caroline, not her.

  “Caroline. Wake up.”

  A snapping sound jerked her out of her lethargy and into awareness. Snap. Wake up.

  She passed a hand across her face and ran her tongue along her teeth. Caroline. She was Caroline. Her eyes flew open and she met Dr. Shipman’s clear gaze. She floated back to the surface.

  “How do you feel?”

  “That depends. What happened?” Caroline clasped her hair into a ponytail. “I remember a desert, so different from the Washington landscape, and I’m pretty sure my real name isn’t Caroline.”

  “When I asked where you were, you responded that you were home, but you didn’t tell me where that was. You had family there, but you were trying to get away from them.”

  “Maybe—” Caroline touched her cheek “—this happened at home with my family. Maybe my spouse lives with my family and everyone wanted me to stay with him. I got the sense that I have a big family.”

  “Does that scenario feel right to you?” Dr. Shipman clenched her fist over her heart. “Here?”

  “I knew the group of people in the desert. They had to be family. Maybe that’s why they’re not looking for me.” Could Johnny Diamond have been a family member?

  “Do you want to continue next week?”

  “Absolutely.” She smoothed her hands down the denim covering her thighs. “So, I’m susceptible to hypnosis and you think I can recover my memories?”

  “I believe you can. In the meantime, do you feel safe?” Dr. Shipman rose from her chair as she pocketed the pendant. “That blank slate you face every day must be terrifying.”

  Caroline’s mind flitted to the man coming to pick her up. She did feel safe with Cole, as long as she kept her identity a secret from him. He exuded a confidence and power that gave her a sense of security. Could you feel secure with someone who put you on edge all the time?