“Oh, yes. I’ve already looked in on her this morning. She and the baby are coming along nicely. A miracle, considering the severity of the wreck.”
“The car was incinerated. Along with her identification,” Vince explained. “That’s why I need to talk with you about her condition.”
“Sorry, Detective, but I can’t divulge details about her condition. That’s reserved for family. And unfortunately it’s impossible for her to locate them just now.”
A spurt of hope rushed through Vince. “You mean she remembers her family?”
Frowning, the doctor slipped a pair of black-framed glasses from his nose and stuffed them in a pocket on his white lab coat. “You know about the amnesia?”
Nodding, Vince said, “My partner and I questioned her last night. We’re trying to come up with her identity.”
“Well, I hope you do, and soon. From what I can gauge, she’s probably going to deliver her baby in the next two weeks or somewhere about. I don’t have to tell you she needs to be in the care of her personal physician. Not to mention the support of her family.”
Two weeks. That could feel like an eternity or the blink of an eye, Vince thought.
“Does that mean you don’t expect her memory to return before then?”
The doctor considered his question for a moment before he finally answered, “That’s impossible to predict. Her memory could return at any moment. Or it could be weeks, even months from now.”
It was all Vince could do to keep from cursing with frustration. “Then I need your medical advice.”
“About Jane Doe?”
“Dr. Merrick, she isn’t Jane Doe. Not exactly. Her name is Geena.”
Relief passed over the doctor’s face. “Oh, so you’ve found out that much already.”
Vince grimaced. “I already knew that much. You see, Geena was my wife for five years.”
“Was.” The shocked doctor repeated the key word. “Obviously that was some time ago.”
“Before last night I’d not seen her since we parted six years ago. When I questioned her, she looked at me like she’d never seen me before! Am I supposed to share this information with her? What will it do to her if I tell her she used to be Geena Parcell? Or should I not reveal anything about this until later?”
The other man thoughtfully stroked his beard, then glanced pointedly at his wristwatch. “Give me a few minutes to consult with Dr. Dunlevy and I’ll get back to you.”
“I’ll wait down in the cafeteria,” Vince told him.
*
A half hour later, Vince walked into Geena’s hospital room and found her sitting up on the side of the bed, eating from a breakfast tray. Her gold-blond hair had been brushed loose around her shoulders and a soft pink color had returned to her cheeks. As he moved farther into the room, he realized the years had only added to her natural beauty.
Laying her fork aside, she looked at him hopefully. “Good morning, Detective. I hope you’re here to tell me who I am.”
The doctors had concurred that Geena was emotionally and physically sound enough to handle the revelation. As Dr. Merrick had reasoned, no matter the circumstances, she would have to confront her past at some point in her recovery. Yet the vulnerable look in her green eyes made him want to turn tail and run. It would be so much easier to let Evan, or someone else from the sheriff’s department, deal with her.
But this woman had once been his wife. She’d loved him. Wanted him. And tried to give him everything he’d needed. She deserved to hear the truth from him and no one else.
“I don’t want to interrupt your breakfast,” he told her. “I can come back in a few minutes.”
“I was nearly finished anyway.” She pushed the mobile table to one side, then gestured to a plastic chair sitting near the head of the bed. “Please, have a seat.”
“I’d rather stand.” His heart was suddenly pounding so hard he felt sick. He’d often wondered how she might react if the two of them ever happened to cross paths again. But this was a different situation. As far as she was concerned, she was looking at a man she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to see you or your partner today,” she said. “My case must seem very petty compared to what you normally deal with.”
He tried to smile, but his face felt stiff. “It’s definitely a change from burglary or homicide.”
She didn’t reply. Instead, her green eyes remained fixed on his face as she waited for him to give her a glimmer of good news.
“The debris of your vehicle—what little was left of it—was hauled to the police lab last night. I’m sorry to say they were unable to recover the VIN. The tags were totally destroyed, too. So we’ll have to use other means to find your identity.”
Instead of appearing panicked by this news, she simply lifted her chin and gave him a brave smile. The Geena he’d known had been fragile and needy. This woman staring back at him was displaying strength in spite of her dire situation, and the courage on her face filled Vince with admiration.
“Well, I did remember one piece of information last night, Detective Parcell. I believe I’m twenty-nine years old. Why that fact came to me, I have no idea. And I’m not certain it’s correct. But I wanted to pass it along just in case it might be helpful.”
Swallowing at the tightness in his throat, he moved a step closer. “You’re right.”
Her delicate brows lifted in question. “Right?”
“About your age. You are twenty-nine.”
Her eyes widened. “How could you know that? Even the doctor said he couldn’t accurately determine my age.”
Tell her, Vince. Just blurt it out and get it over with. Waiting isn’t going to help either one of you.
As the taunting voice sounded in his head, he struggled to keep a professional rein on his emotions. This was more than his job, he thought, and Geena was far more than just a woman who’d lost her memory.
“I didn’t come here just to give you the news about the tags and VIN,” he said quietly. “There’s something else—something very important, and you’re going to be confused when you hear it. Probably even shocked. So maybe you should brace yourself.”
Alarm flickered in her green eyes, and then she reached out to him. Instinctively, Vince clasped his hand around hers, and the feel of her soft fingers against his suddenly whirled him back to a time when she’d touched him with hot desire and tender love.
“What is it? You’ve discovered I’m a criminal?”
Her question made him realize she was living in a blank world. Without a past, she had no way of knowing where her future might lead. He couldn’t imagine how terrifying that would be, and more than anything he wanted to make it all better for her. He wanted to take away her fears and doubts. Not add to them.
“No. Nothing like that.” As he drew in a deep breath, his gaze drifted to the mound of baby. Somewhere out there a man was probably searching frantically for her. But so far, not one person had contacted the sheriff’s department about a missing woman. Nor had anything that fit Geena’s description popped up on the national database for missing persons. Vince wasn’t sure what that might mean. He only knew that he felt responsible for her well-being. “I doubt you’ve ever committed a criminal act in your life.”
A wry smile caused the corners of her lips to quiver. “You’re a detective. I suppose you know what a criminal looks like. I’m glad I don’t fit the description.”
“Unfortunately, they look like me and you and everybody else on the street. I know you’re not a criminal because I—” Pausing, he searched for the right words. Yet there were no right words, he realized. No way to buffer the shock. “I know who you are. Your name is Geena. It was Geena Parcell.”
Her eyes grew wide, her lips parted. “Parcell? But that’s your name! Am I related to you? Why didn’t you tell me last night? I—”
“Wait. Slow down and let me explain,” he interrupted. “I couldn’t tell you about anything until
I consulted with your doctor. I needed to make sure you could handle this news.”
She lifted her chin to a challenging angle. “All right. I’m not falling over in a dead faint or anything, so tell me. Are we relatives? You said my name was Parcell—does that mean I got married and it changed? If that’s the case, why hasn’t the rest of the family come forward?”
“Because I—we don’t know about your family now. You see, we—you and I were once husband and wife. But we divorced six years ago. Since then I don’t know what’s happened in your life or have any idea what your last name might be.”
Stunned couldn’t begin to describe the look that swept over her face. Her cheeks were paper white and her eyes took on a wild, dazed light.
“You?” The one word came out as little more than a husky whisper. “You were my husband? That—that can’t be!”
“I assure you that we were married. For five years to be exact. We lived in Reno during that time. I worked for the police department there and you were going to college.”
“Reno? You and I—together? But I don’t know you! If you were my husband I’d surely recognize you! I’d feel something—remember something!”
Her voice rose with each word while dark pink color spread across her white cheeks. He couldn’t imagine what must be going through her mind, but the intimate thoughts racing through his only proved what he’d already known for years. He’d not forgotten one thing about Geena or their time together.
Clearing his throat, he said, “I understand this is disturbing to you. Frankly, it’s not easy for me. If you’re not up to dealing with this right now, we’ll talk later. In fact, I’m beginning to think it might be best if I leave and give you time to digest everything.”
A quiet calm suddenly came over her, and then she dropped her head in her hands and mumbled, “I’m sorry, Mr. Parcell—” Lifting her head, she let out a hopeless groan. “That’s great, isn’t it? You were my husband and I’m calling you Mr. Parcell. Do you see how insane all of this is? I can’t absorb it all.”
Vince couldn’t absorb it, either. He’d never expected that seeing Geena again, touching her hand, hearing her voice would be affecting him so deeply. It had to be her vulnerable situation that was making him feel so protective.
Turning away from her, he walked over to a window and gazed down on a small courtyard at the back of the building. A man was sitting on a concrete bench, smoking a cigarette and looking as lost as Vince felt at this moment.
“The doctor says your condition is temporary. Once your memory returns, you can put all this behind you. You’ll be back with your present family and everything will return to normal.”
“My present family,” she said doubtfully. “What if I don’t have one? What if I’m all alone and no one cares or knows that I’m missing?”
The desperation in her voice propelled him back to her bedside. “Your mind is running away with you. You have a mother. At least, she was still living while we were married. Before we divorced, she’d remarried for a third time and moved to Dallas, but apparently she’s changed her name since then. I couldn’t pick up any information on her.”
A tortured frown twisted her features. “Third marriage! Was I close to my mother? Did we get along?”
“Not very well,” he said, deciding it was best to leave it at that.
She let out a dismal groan. “I’m not sure I should even ask about my father.”
Vince let out a long breath. In his line of work, he often had to deliver bad news. But this wasn’t the same. This was Geena. “I’m sorry, your father died when you were ten. And you don’t have any siblings. Evan did manage to locate your stepfather—your mother’s second husband—but he’d not been in contact with her or you in years. He couldn’t help us.”
Bewildered now, she cradled her belly with both hands. “There has to be someone out there who knows where I belong! I’m going to have some man’s baby!”
As if she had to remind him of that fact. Ever since he’d walked into this room last night and realized she was pregnant, he’d been eaten up with the image of her carrying another man’s child. “Believe me, I understand your frustration. But—”
“Do you?” she interrupted. “Unless all trace of memory has been knocked out of your brain at one time, then I don’t expect you to understand anything about this situation I’m in!”
Vince was hardly surprised to see her growing angry, yet he was at a loss of how to deal with it. She was no longer his wife. He couldn’t pull her into his arms, stroke her hair and murmur soothing words in her ear. And even if she did remember being his wife, he doubted she would want that sort of comfort from him now.
“Look, I think—”
His words halted as a slight knock sounded on the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw an auburn-haired nurse dressed in navy blue scrubs enter the room.
“Oh, so you have company this morning,” she said to Geena, then turned a hopeful look on Vince. “Are you an acquaintance of Alice?”
From the corner of his eye, he could see Geena wiping a hand over her face and attempting to pull herself together.
“Alice? Where did that name come from?” Vince asked as his gaze vacillated from one woman to the other.
“I gave it to her last night,” the nurse explained. “We needed to call our patient something more than Hey You or Jane Doe.”
Geena quickly intervened. “This is Detective Parcell, Marcella. He’s working my case.”
The nurse extended her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you, Detective.”
Vince tilted his head as he studied the woman and her name tag. “Marcella. I think I remember seeing you somewhere before,” he told her. “At some sort of party.”
With a light laugh, the nurse dropped his hand and moved over to pick up the half-eaten breakfast tray. “You must be confusing me with someone who has time for a social life.”
“No. I remember now,” Vince said. “It was at a baby christening. Lilly and Rafe’s youngest child. You had two little boys with you.”
A surprised smile came over the nurse’s face. “That was me. So you know the Calhouns?”
“Evan has been my partner for several years.”
“I see. Well, Lilly Calhoun and I worked together in the ER for years. So I guess the two of us have something in common. We’re both friends with the Calhouns. And we’re both trying to help Alice.”
The nurse turned a pointed look on Geena. “You didn’t eat all of your breakfast. How are you feeling? Head still hurting?”
Geena glanced at him, as though to seek his advice about divulging her name. Her first name, at least. But the idea must not have appealed to her, because she answered the nurse’s questions without expanding on the news.
“It’s only a dull ache. I can bear it.”
“Baby still moving about?”
Smiling faintly, Geena nodded. “I’m convinced he or she is going to be an athlete.”
“Great,” the nurse replied. “I’ll take this tray out of here and let you finish your talk with Detective Parcell.”
Vince watched the nurse leave the room before he turned back to Geena. “You didn’t correct her about your name or say anything about us,” he stated the obvious.
She looked away from him and swallowed. “No. I started to. But I need to think about all this before I say anything. Later today, I’ll let her in on the news that I’m not Alice in a fairy-tale world anymore.”
Too bad this wasn’t a fairy tale they could both wake up from, Vince thought dismally. It would save them both a lot of awkward misery. But this wasn’t a dream. It was reality. Something he dealt with every day.
“Well, it’s time I leave and let you rest,” he told her. “You’ve had enough excitement for one morning.”
Her gaze jerked back to his face. “You’re leaving? But I have so many questions! Can’t you stay just a little longer?”
Her legs were dangling over the side of the bed and Vince’s gaze followe
d the blue fabric of the hospital gown to the point where the hem stopped at the middle of her shins. Below it, he could see her calves were smooth and shapely, her toenails painted a bright neon pink.
There were so many things about her that had changed, he realized, yet so much that was still the same. And he suddenly wondered why he was noticing all these little things about her. Nothing about her gold-spun hair, creamy skin or pink toenails had anything to do with her current predicament. Yet he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her.
“I can’t give you answers now. My partner and I are pasting your photo on every form of social media. I’m certain there will be someone out there who will see it and give us the information we need. In the meantime just be thankful that you and your baby survived the car accident. Things could’ve certainly been worse.”
“Believe me, I’ve very thankful for that. But I—can’t you tell me a bit about us? Our marriage? You said we lived in Reno?”
Suddenly remembering the small photo he’d brought with him this morning, he fished it out of his shirt pocket.
“Just in case you still have doubts—here’s a picture of the two of us on our wedding day.” He handed her the snapshot. “We didn’t have the money to have a professional photographer at the ceremony. A friend took this.”
Vince watched her study the image of the smiling couple standing beneath an arch of flowers. He’d been dressed in a borrowed suit and a friend had made Geena’s simple white dress. Everything about the wedding and small reception had been modest, but neither of them had cared. They’d been deliriously in love.
But she didn’t remember that. She didn’t remember the nights they’d made passionate love. And maybe he should thank God for that. Because he was doing enough remembering for the both of them.
“Did we have children?” she asked. “What happened?”
Lifting her head, she looked to him for answers. Vince couldn’t give them to her. At least, not all of them.
Turning away from her, he walked back over to the window. The man with the cigarette was gone. And it was definitely past time for Vince to be gone, too.
“No. We didn’t have children. And we simply decided that our lives were on different courses, that’s all. We parted on friendly terms. After that, I moved down here to Carson City. I’d not seen or heard from you until last night when I walked into this room and saw that you were the accident victim.”
His Badge, Her Baby...Their Family? Page 3
