by Laura Scott
Until now. Being sent to the ER to take Maddy’s statement about the assault must have been God’s way of protecting her. Noah firmly believed Matt would show at the bowling alley. And if he couldn’t, Noah was certain he’d send one of the other Callahans in his place.
Any one of Maddy’s brothers would likely restore her memory. Which would be a good thing, since he wanted—no, needed to know she’d be safe at last.
The Callahans always protected their own.
“Are you interested in more coffee?” she asked, breaking into his thoughts. “I think we should buy something if we’re going to sit here.”
He nodded. “What would you like?”
“Chamomile tea,” she responded. “I think I’ve had enough caffeine for the day.”
The request for tea surprised him. Then again, he truly didn’t know what Maddy usually ate or drank. She assumed they were closer than they were, and he needed to tell her the truth, regardless of the fact that doing so would ruin the camaraderie they shared.
Feeling grim, he placed their order and paid, grimacing at his dwindling cash reserves. One of the Callahans better show, or they’d be in trouble. He didn’t have enough cash to pay for another motel room. Especially if he needed to pay for a taxi ride to get there.
Carrying his coffee in one hand and her chamomile tea in the other, he joined her at a two-top table near the window overlooking the parking lot.
“Tell me about her,” Maddy said, holding on to her tea with both hands.
“Who?”
“The girl who broke your heart.”
His sister’s face flashed into his brain. Losing Rose to a heroin overdose had been heartbreaking, but he knew that wasn’t what Maddy meant. She was talking about Gina. He stalled, taking a sip of coffee, only to burn his tongue with the scalding hot brew. “I told you, it was the other way around. I was the one to break things off.”
And Gina had died as a result of his rejection.
“Noah, the pain in your eyes tells a different story,” she said gently. “Maybe she didn’t break your heart, but she still hurt you.”
“No, actually, she hurt herself. I broke up with her on a Friday night and she was found dead the next morning.”
“No,” Maddy said with a gasp and he grimaced, realizing he should have tried to soften the blow. His stomach knotted, but he continued sitting there, figuring it was better she knew the truth. “Suicide?”
“Accidental prescription-drug overdose mixed with alcohol or suicide. What’s the difference? Dead is dead. Either way it was my fault.”
Maddy rested her hand on his upper arm, her expression earnest. “Noah, you can’t seriously believe you’re responsible for her actions.”
He couldn’t sit there a moment longer. “Excuse me,” he said, sliding off his chair. Her hand fell to her side and ridiculously enough, he immediately missed her touch. “I’m going to use the outlet over there to charge up and activate one of the phones.”
Thankfully, she didn’t try to stop him. At least now, Maddy knew the truth. There would be no more hugging or kissing, regardless of how much he yearned for that closeness.
Once Matt arrived, he could extricate himself from his role of her bodyguard and focus his efforts on finding out who had killed his partner and was trying to hurt Maddy.
* * *
Maddy watched Noah deal with their new phones, reeling from the news of his girlfriend’s death. He was right, accidental overdose or suicide, the end result had been the same.
But why did he feel responsible? Couples broke up all the time for a variety of reasons. Growing apart and wanting different things from life, or maybe infidelity.
She sipped her tea, enjoying the soothing effect it had on her nerves. Noah didn’t seem like the type of guy to cheat on his girlfriend; then again, maybe he’d broken things off because he’d found someone else. That was the sort of thing that could send a woman over the edge of despair. Although taking drugs and alcohol had been a conscious decision on her part, not Noah’s.
Their mutual response to their kiss had convinced Maddy there was definitely something between them. Attraction at the very least.
There was no denying she’d hoped that kissing Noah would cause a spontaneous return of her memory, but it hadn’t. Because they’d never kissed before? Possibly.
She stared out the window, watching cars coming and going. Would she instinctively recognize her brother when he arrived? How embarrassing if she didn’t.
Propping her elbows on the table, she pressed her fingertips against her temples. Her headache had never truly gone away, but at times like this, when she tried to concentrate on remembering the past, the intensity of her pain increased exponentially.
She closed her eyes for a moment and silently asked for God’s blessing.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked, his voice near her ear. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as if afraid she’d fall off her stool. “What can I do?”
She looked up at him with a soft smile. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” he said bluntly, his brown eyes mirroring concern. She liked having his arm around her and allowed herself a moment to lean against him, soaking up his strength. “I still have that bottle of ibuprofen. You should take some.”
“I can do that,” she agreed. He moved away from her, so she straightened her shoulders, determined not to be weak. Watching as he dug through their bag of belongings, she knew this was exactly why she didn’t believe he’d intentionally set out to hurt anyone. He’d been upset about her probing into his past, but the moment he thought she needed help, he’d come rushing over to offer assistance, putting her needs before his.
“Here.” He opened the bottle and shook a couple pills into her palm. “This should help.”
“I hope so.” She tossed them back and took a sip of her tea. “Of course it might also help if I stopped trying so hard to remember.”
His smile was lopsided. “Have faith, Maddy. Your memory will return when your brain is ready.”
“My brother won’t appreciate me not remembering him,” she pointed out.
“Your brothers love you, Maddy. You’re very close to them. I promise, they’re not going to hold a bit of amnesia against you.”
“So tell me, Noah, how is it that you know so much about me and my family?” She held his gaze, hoping he’d fill the gaps. “You and I haven’t dated, have we?”
His eyes widened comically. “No! Of course not.”
She couldn’t help but wonder why. Especially given this underlying attraction that relentlessly simmered between them. “But you helped me and my roommate move into our condo,” she pressed. “So we must be friends.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, we’re friends. In fact, your brother Matt used to be my partner.”
Hearing that surprised her. “Used to be? What happened?”
He paused for so long she thought he wasn’t going to answer. Then he finally let out a heavy sigh, and met her gaze. “A little over a year ago now, Matt was injured on the job.” His tone was full of resignation, as if this story was somehow painful to tell. “He was stabbed during a drug bust. When he recovered, he decided to pursue his dream of K-9 training.”
She sensed there was more he wasn’t telling her, but decided not to push. “What kind of dog does he have?”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “A German shepherd named Duchess. He’s done an incredible job with her. The two of them are amazing to watch.”
“Maybe he’ll bring Duchess along today,” she said, glancing at her watch. Ten minutes until four o’clock. “I’d love to meet her.” Then she flushed. “Well, I guess I’ve already met her, huh?”
“Yes,” he said gently. “But you need to stop beating yourself up about your memory loss. Thi
s isn’t your fault.”
“I will if you will,” she countered.
He frowned. “If I will what?”
“Stop beating yourself up for the choices your girlfriend made the night she died.”
Instantly his face turned to stone. “You don’t seem to understand that I am responsible. My actions caused her reaction. Your amnesia is the result of an assault. Two completely different scenarios.”
She didn’t agree, but apparently Noah wasn’t interested in further discussion on the topic. So she let it go, turning her attention to the parking lot.
Dusk was beginning to fall, the days growing shorter and shorter as the winter solstice approached. A black sedan pulled in and she straightened in her seat when she noticed a dog in the back of the vehicle.
“Is that him?” she asked, pointing toward the car.
Noah frowned. “I don’t think so.”
“Maybe you should call him.”
Noah picked up the phone he’d just activated and punched in a series of numbers. He placed the call on speaker, and they both listened as it rang. She was glad he knew her brother’s number by heart, since she, of course, had no idea.
“Yeah?” A male voice answered.
“Matt? It’s Noah Sinclair.”
“Where’s Maddy? Are you both okay?” Concern edged Matt’s tone.
“Don’t worry, we’re fine. Are you coming to meet us? What are you driving these days?”
“Should be there in less than five. I’m driving a black SUV.” There was a pause, then Matt asked, “Maddy’s with you, right?”
“I’m here,” she said, speaking up for the first time. The sound of her brother’s voice didn’t bring on a tumble of memories, the way she’d hoped. “Noah has been doing a great job of protecting me.”
“Good. Glad you’re getting along,” Matt said. “I’ll see you both soon, okay?”
“Okay.” She smiled gratefully at Noah, watching as he disconnected the call. “He sounds nice.”
“Nice?” Noah chuckled. “I’d like to hear you say that to Matt’s face. You’ll always stick up for each other, but at the same time, you can squabble worse than a couple of five-year-olds.”
Noah’s description filled her with yearning. She wished so much that she could remember.
Her tea had gone cold, but she finished it off anyway. Noah had barely touched his coffee. The way he watched the parking lot, sweeping his gaze over the area, made her nervous.
Surely he didn’t think they’d be ambushed here? No, it was more likely that he was just being a cop.
The minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness, but then a large black K-9 SUV pulled into the parking lot, the twin headlights bright amid the dusky shadows.
She couldn’t get a good look at the man behind the wheel. After wrapping her scarf around her neck and pulling on her gloves, she slid off her seat. Noah had already grabbed their stuff, so she headed for the door. Noah moved lightning-fast, grasping her arm, halting her progress.
“Hold on a minute, Maddy.” He pushed her behind him. “I’m going first, just in case.”
Remembering how Jackson had been gunned down, she swallowed hard and nodded. She didn’t want Noah in harm’s way, either, but he was wearing the vest that had saved his life once before. She grasped the back of his utility belt, determined to follow close on his heels.
Outside, she barely noticed the cold air, her gaze centered on the black SUV she could see parked in a spot that was facing the bowling alley. The driver-side door opened and a tall, lithe man with hair so dark it looked black climbed out. Her brother turned and the moment she saw his face, the missing puzzle pieces clicked into place.
Matt! She let go of Noah and rushed around him in a hurry to reach her brother. “I remember you, Matt! I remember everything!”
“Get down!” Noah shouted just before the boom of a gun echoed through the parking lot.
Her brother reacted instinctively, covering Maddy and shoving her down to the ground. Noah ran over, crouching beside them.
“Where did the shot come from?” Matt asked, his voice tense.
“The three o’clock position. Get around to the front of the vehicle,” Noah rasped. “Hurry, I’ll cover.”
“No, wait!” Maddy shouted, but it was too late. Noah turned to fire in the direction where the gunshot came from at the same time Matt yanked her around the open door, to the relative shelter of the front of the SUV.
Thankfully, Noah joined them a few seconds later. She pushed past Matt to check Noah for signs of injury.
“We need to call for backup,” her brother said in a low voice.
“Not yet. There must be some sort of bug on your phone,” Noah pointed out. “I’m positive we weren’t followed and I called you with a brand-new disposable phone.”
Matt’s expression turned grim, and Maddy glanced between the two men. Oddly enough, there was no more gunfire, and she once again felt the sense of urgency.
“We need to get out of here,” she whispered.
Matt and Noah exchanged a long look, ignoring her.
“Give me your keys,” Noah said. “I’ll get behind the wheel first. See if I can draw his fire.”
“I’ll do it,” Matt said. “Duchess is in the back. She doesn’t know you.”
“I’m wearing a vest,” Noah pointed out.
“I’ll be fine.” Matt didn’t wait for Noah’s response, but quickly rolled beneath the door, coming up and diving into the front seat. The move was quick and unexpected and no gunfire erupted as a result.
Noah grasped Maddy’s hand. “Matt is going to slowly back up and turn around so that the truck is between us and the gunman,” he said in a low voice. “Once he’s turned, we’ll get in the back of the cab, okay?”
“Got it,” she agreed.
Matt already had the SUV rolling backward, angling to the side so that the front of the truck was pointing toward the exit. She and Noah moved as one, keeping pace with the vehicle while staying crouched down.
“Now,” Noah said when the SUV was perpendicular to the parking spot.
She yanked open the back door and crawled inside. Noah tossed their stuff in, then clambered in behind her. He’d barely shut the door when Matt hit the accelerator.
Still no gunfire. Had Noah’s return fire scared them off? The seconds stretched into a full minute before Matt said, “We’re all clear.”
“Thank You, Lord,” Maddy whispered, relaxing back into the seat, grateful to God for keeping them safe. Then her eyes flew open. “Matt! We need to check on Mom and Nan.”
Her twin, his face now as familiar as her own, caught her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Why?”
She swallowed hard. “I was attacked outside the courthouse. The man who grabbed me told me to drop the case or everyone I cared about would die, including the two old ladies living on the hill.” The words came out in a rush. “Don’t you see? Mom and Nan live in the old colonial house on the top of Brookmont Ridge. They’re both in danger.”
“They were fine when I spoke to them yesterday,” Matt said. “But I can call to check on them now.”
“No, don’t use your phone,” Noah warned. “Not until we figure out how in the world Pietro’s men knew our meeting place.”
Maddy pressed her hand against her stomach, feeling sick. She needed, desperately, to know her mother and grandmother were safe.
If they were harmed in any way, she’d never forgive herself. Never.
EIGHT
Noah was thankful they’d gotten away from the parking lot, but his instincts were still screaming at him about the level of danger. He twisted in his seat to keep an eye out for anyone who might be following, only to come face to face with Matt’s K-9 partner, Duchess.
“Hey, Duche
ss. Remember me?” He put his hand near the crate bars for the dog to sniff. Looking past the animal, he could see several pairs of headlights behind them.
Could one of them be the shooter?
The dog sniffed his hand, then wagged her tail. He turned his attention back to the issue at hand. “Matt, there’s a chance the shooter has your license plate number.”
“I know.” Matt didn’t sound at all happy about the possibility. “It’s not as if a K-9 SUV is easy to disguise, either.”
“Noah, I need to use your new phone to call my mom,” Maddy said. “I can’t bear the thought that Pietro’s goons have their house staked out.”
Noah hesitated, not because he wanted to deny Maddy’s request—he certainly understood her need to know her mother and grandmother were safe—but because he’d used his phone to call Matt. Disposable cell phones weren’t easy to trace, but he knew it was possible. Especially if Pietro had someone working for him within law enforcement.
“Noah, please!” Maddy’s voice rose with agitation.
“Hold on, Maddy,” Matt said. “Don’t call Mom directly. It’s better if we call Miles and send him over there to check on them.”
“Why is that any different?” Maddy asked, clearly frustrated.
“Because Miles is a homicide detective,” Noah reminded her. “We can call Dispatch and ask to have the call sent directly to him. If the call is traced, they’ll know only that we called the police, not specifically who within the department.”
“Fine. Call Dispatch, then. But hurry,” Maddy said.
Noah made the call, requesting to be connected to Miles Callahan’s number. Unfortunately, the detective didn’t pick up. He left a message telling Miles to go directly to his mother’s house to ensure their safety. But he knew Maddy wouldn’t be satisfied with that.
“Send a squad over there,” she demanded. “I want a wellness check.”
“Okay.” Noah made the second call, wondering if the terseness of Maddy’s tone was related to her memory return. She’d been antagonistic toward him at the hospital after Matt’s injury, standing at her twin’s bedside as if she was his personal bodyguard. Two days earlier, she’d profusely thanked him for helping her and Gretchen move into their new condo, so he knew her icy attitude had been because she blamed him for Matt’s injury.
