by Edna Curry
“I suppose not.” Dave sighed and drove on, his stomach churning. He was going to lose her, he just knew it. Why would she give up all this, to live in Mankato with a poor young dentist who was struggling to build a small practice? This family was obviously rich and used to traveling in circles he could only dream about.
Chapter 12
Roscoe had spent the past ten hours in his car near the parking garage where Lucy’s Corvette was stored. He’d peeked inside the little window in the garage door to make sure it was still there, and knew she’d come to get it soon. Now several people headed toward that garage. Yes, Lucy was one of them. And that tall, dark one must be her Uncle Dirk. He’d never met the guy, but had seen pictures in Lucy’s apartment. He wondered who the tall redheaded man was. Had she found a new lover already? Damn.
Or was it good news? Maybe she’d be more willing to forgive and forget him if she had someone new. He ducked down and watched as the Corvette drove out, the redhead at the wheel. The garage door closed behind them. Huh. She’d let him drive! She never let me drive her car, he thought angrily. She always insisted on driving it herself. It’s my baby, she’d always said. Nobody drives it but me.
The other man walked back to his Mercedes and led the way out onto the street. Roscoe straightened and followed, staying well behind so they wouldn’t notice him.
As they headed west, he realized they had to be going to her parents’ house, so he dropped even further back for a while, then at the top of a small hill, got close enough to be sure both cars were still together and headed where he’d thought. That red Corvette was easy to spot.
He followed until both vehicles pulled into her parents’ drive, then turned around and parked for a while to think. He had to figure out a way to get Lucy alone to talk to her. She’d probably told them she’d broken up with him, so he couldn’t just show up and ask to talk to her. They’d never allow it. He knew they’d never liked him much anyway and if she’d told them he’d hurt her, they’d probably have him arrested on sight. No, he had to see her alone. He could try to wait until she went back to her apartment. But what if she didn’t? She was with this other guy and Buddy had said she’d been living in Mankato and had a job there. Maybe they’d just come to get her car and see her parents. He’d seen their car in their driveway earlier when he’d driven by, looking for Lucy. They were back from their trip.
Then he got an idea. Lucy loved to swim laps in their pool before bed. She’d probably go out to do that after dinner. So, maybe, if he just waited out of sight by their pool, she’d come out alone and he could convince her to take the money he offered and forget about saying anything to anyone that he’d abused her. That would get his dad off his back for now. If Lucy demanded more money later, like the other girl had, well, he’d deal with that then.
As he got out of his car, someone called to him from a couple of cars back. “Roscoe!”
He turned to look and saw the detective his dad often used, standing beside a car. He strode back to him and demanded, “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you,” the burly guy said with a grin. “Watching Lucy. Your dad doesn’t want any bad publicity.”
“Well, git the hell out of here. And tell Dad I’ll take care of my own problems. He can keep his nose out of it.”
“Suit yourself, fella. But your dad isn’t gonna like it.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just git.”
“Okay, okay.” He got back into his car and left.
It was full dark now, so Roscoe drove close to the Dentons’ home and parked in front of the house next door. No lights were on there, so apparently no one was home and would notice his car there. He peeked over the Denton’s back fence and saw that no one was outside, so he used the code he’d seen Lucy use to get inside their pool gate. Then he sat in a lawn chair in a corner where the shadows hid him. In the dark, no one would notice him there. If this didn’t work, he’d have to think of another plan.
***
Dave pulled the Corvette into a wide cement drive in front of a lovely suburban home and parked beside Dirk’s Mercedes. A manicured lawn surrounded the house and he could see a security camera and motion lights pointing in several directions from the eaves and above the triple garage doors.
He got out and came around to open the car door for Lucy. She sat there, staring at the residence, her face stiff and disbelieving.
“Lucy, come on,” he said softly. “We’re here.”
“Oh, my God, Dave. They’re rich!” she whispered, clutching his arm nervously.
He laughed and grabbed her hand to help her out of the low car. “Well, obviously, if they could give you a new Corvette for a graduation present. Come on, let’s go inside.”
“I…I can’t. I don’t know how to act around rich people.”
“Just be yourself. Remember, you used to live here. They’re your family. They love you.”
She shot him a skeptical look, but allowed him to lead her to the front door where Dirk stood, watching and waiting for them.
Dirk took her hand and said, “Anything look familiar yet, Lucy?”
“No,” she said shortly, carefully mounting the steps and following him inside.
“Lucy, darling, we’ve been so worried,” a lovely, dark haired lady said, wrapping her arms around Lucy and hugging her.
Lucy gasped and pulled away, staring at the woman in surprise. The woman had tears running down her cheeks and looked shocked that Lucy backed away from her.
Dirk said quickly, “It’s your mom, Lucy. Betty Denton, remember?”
Lucy stared at the woman. Yes, she looked like the pictures Dirk had shown her. “I…I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t remember you.”
Betty’s mouth gaped. She wrung her hands and turned to Dirk. “She really doesn’t remember us?”
“I’m sorry,” Lucy repeated, her face red with embarrassment now. “Are you sure I’m your daughter?”
“Sure? Of course, I’m sure. I know my own child. Oh, honey, that’s terrible. We just flew in from Hawaii this afternoon. We had to see you and make sure you’re okay. Here’s your father.”
A tall, dark haired man with gray at the temples strode toward them, grabbing Lucy’s arms and running his gaze over her from head to toe. “Are you sure you’re okay, Lucy? Did you have x-rays to be sure no bones were broken?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Lucy said. She looked him over just as carefully, then asked hesitantly, “You’re Tom Denton?”
“Dad to you, Lucy, honey,” he said. He eyed her and frowned at her wary face. “You really don’t know me? Oh, sweetheart! We’ll get you the best doctors to help you remember. Don’t you worry, we’ll take care of you until you get back to normal. And this young man is?” He turned to hold out his hand to Dave.
Dave gripped his hand, saying, “Dave Fuller, sir. I’m so glad Dirk found her.”
“So are we. Come on into the living room, I’ll get us a drink. Marla is fixing a nice dinner for us. It’ll be ready soon.”
They followed him into a large room with a leather sofa and chairs and a fireplace. Tom began mixing drinks and handing them around as he continued, “We had to fly home from Hawaii to see her for ourselves, be sure she was okay. We were on a tour, you know.”
“Yes, Dirk told us,” Dave said. He eyed Lucy and Betty. Betty had pulled her down onto the sofa and was talking to her softly. Lucy looked confused and unhappy. Was this really a good idea? She’d seemed so happy lately at her job at the restaurant and going out with him for dinner most days. Yes, she’d worried about her past, but now that she’d learned it, she looked confused and upset.
“You must stay here for a few days, at least,” Betty said. “And Dave, you must stay over, too. We have plenty of room, can you do that?”
He glanced at Dirk, who shrugged. “Fine with me. I live just a few miles away. I can take you back anytime you want.”
Dave looked at Lucy, who merely shrugged. “Maybe we should give it a couple days, Lucy?”
She nodded so he said, “All right. Thanks.”
A middle aged woman in an apron came to the doorway and announced, “Dinner is ready, now.”
“Thanks, Marla,” Tom said. “Come on into the dining room, everybody.”
Marla waited in the doorway as the men passed her. With tears in her eyes, she grabbed Lucy’s hands. “Welcome home, Lucy, dear. I’m so sorry you were injured. If I’d only known, I’d have come to the hospital to make sure they were taking good care of you.”
“Oh,” Lucy said, eyeing the emotional woman. “Thanks. That would have been nice. I’m sorry I didn’t remember anyone to call.”
“That’s okay. You’re here and safe, now, thank the good Lord.” She hurried ahead of them into the dining room, looking embarrassed. “The salads are on the table. I’ll bring the main course in a minute.”
As they ate, her mother asked, “Even if you didn’t remember us, couldn’t someone have looked at the contacts in your phone and called us?”
“I only had my purse,” Lucy said. “I didn’t have a phone or even an address book in it.”
“But you never go anywhere without your smartphone and laptop,” Betty said with a frown.
Lucy shrugged. “I don’t know what happened to them. The police said they only found my purse and brought that with me to the hospital. I guess, since I wasn’t badly hurt, they left it up to me to decide who to call.”
“So you did have your medical insurance card and credit cards? How did you live since the accident?”
Dirk looked up, also very interested in her reply. “Your dad said you were supposed to be in the Bahamas with Roscoe. He gave me your credit card info to see if you were using it,” he said. “I didn’t find any charges until just one and that was only last week and on the internet.”
Lucy blushed and glanced around, embarrassed again. But these were her family, weren’t they? And families asked personal questions. “I…I had several thousand dollars in traveler’s checks in my purse,” she said. “The police insisted they were mine and I had no other money, so I used them. I figured, if they weren’t mine, I could save up to pay this Lucille back. But…well, I guess, if I really am Lucille, I was spending my own money.”
“Why were you carrying that much cash?” Tom asked with a frown. “Why not just use your credit cards and pay the bills later?”
Lucy shrugged and pushed her salad around on her plate. “I…I have no idea.”
“Please, everyone, Lucy really doesn’t remember things yet,” Dave put in, defending her.
She shot him a grateful smile and pushed her half-eaten salad aside as Marla put a steaming plate of crusty chicken and rice pilaf in front of her. “Oh, my favorite! Thanks,” she sent Marla a smile.
Shock showed on the faces around the table, then Betty smiled. “Well, she hasn’t forgotten everything, then! That’s a good start, isn’t it? Thanks for making this, Marla.”
Dave smiled, too. “My sister Georgia is a psychiatrist. She’s been talking to your daughter and believes she may get things back in bits and pieces. In fact, Lucy has remembered some small things before now. How to buy and download things from the internet and how to use Quicken, for example. We’re hoping more will follow in time.”
“That’s good. I think,” Tom said. He glanced around the table. “Well, isn’t it?”
The others murmured agreement and went back to eating. Betty tried to sound cheerful as she described their trip so far.
“Really, you should fly back and finish the tour. I’d hate to spoil it for you. I’m fine, really,” Lucy said.
Betty glanced at Tom, who shrugged as if to say it was up to her. She looked back at Lucy. “Well, maybe we will. If you’ll agree to see a doctor about this.”
“I’m seeing Georgia. She’s very good, really. Isn’t she, Dave?” Lucy said, very upset.
He made eye contact with Mrs. Denton. “Yes, she is, ma’am. Even if she is my sister, I assure you, she’s a very well qualified and respected doctor.”
Lucy insisted, “I don’t want to see anyone else. It’s very embarrassing to talk about this.”
“Okay, honey,” Tom soothed. “You certainly have the right to choose your own doctors.”
“Thanks,” Lucy murmured, staring at her plate.
Just then Dave’s phone rang. He glanced at his caller ID. “It’s Len, my sister’s police contact,” he said. “I’d better take this.” He excused himself and stepped away to talk privately.
Meanwhile, Dirk explained to Lucy’s parents about being followed on the way here and reporting it to the police.
“And it looked like the same blue sedan that followed Dave and I several times in Mankato,” Lucy said. “So, we were worried about what the man wanted.”
“You were right to check it out,” Tom said. “There are a lot of nuts out there these days.”
Dave came back to the table. “Sorry about interrupting. But it’s important.” He held up his phone to show Lucy a picture. “Do you recognize this guy?”
Lucy gasped. “Yes, it’s Sally’s new boyfriend, Charles Sanders. Remember, I told you about him.”
Dave nodded and informed the policeman, then passed his cell phone around the table so everyone could view the digital photo. No one else knew the man. Dave asked Lucy, “Do you know anything else about him?”
Lucy shrugged. “I think Sally said he was a manufacturer’s rep.”
Dave relayed that to the officer and came back to his place at the table. “The police think he was connected to another girl’s death, Dee something. Anyway, he’s being held until they investigate further.”
“Oh, my God,” Lucy said. “Sally’s going to be so upset!”
Tom said, “Don’t worry, Lucy. If he’s connected to a crime, he got himself into trouble. It’s not your fault for identifying him.”
“I know, but still...” She chewed her lip.
“Don’t do that, darling. You’ll make it bleed,” Betty admonished.
“Sorry, it’s just a habit.”
“I know that. You’ve been doing it since you were little.”
“I have?”
“Yes, you have,” Betty said, her eyes bright with tears. “Is this another thing you’ve remembered, maybe?”
Dave laughed. “No, I don’t think so. She’s been doing that ever since I met her.”
Chapter 13
“And when was that?” Tom asked curiously.
“About a month ago, on the bus from Minneapolis to Mankato.”
“Why did you go to Mankato, Lucy? We don’t know anyone there.”
She sent a pleading look at Dave.
“It’s a long story,” he said. “And we’ve already had a long day. Maybe we’d better let Lucy tell you that later.”
“Of course, dear,” Betty said. “You must be tired. Do you want a swim before you go to bed? You always said that relaxed you so you could fall right to sleep.”
“You have a pool?” Lucy asked, amazed.
“Sure, come on, I’ll show you.” Betty led the way through the house to the French doors leading to outside. Betty opened them and said, “See?”
Lucy and Dave stared at the beautiful area. Warm, humid air hit them in the face. The pool area had a greenhouse type roof and walls, enclosing it to keep it a warm room year around. “I had the gardener turn on the heat when I knew you’d be coming. I’m sure there’s still a swimsuit in your room. You always loved to swim laps.”
Lucy backed away from the pool, appalled. “No! I can’t swim.”
Betty laughed. “Of course you can, Lucy, you swim like a fish. You won swimming medals in college.”
“I did? Well, I’m not going into the water, now. ” She shuddered and turned away.
“That’s okay, dear. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Betty assured her. “Shall we go back inside? We could put on a nice adventure movie or something. ”
“If you don’t mind, I’d just like to sit out her
e alone and think for a while, okay? You guys go ahead and watch TV or whatever,” Lucy said. “Do you mind, Dave?”
“Of course not. Let me know if you need me.” He gave her a rueful smile.
They went back inside and Lucy dropped onto a padded lounge chair with a sigh. Now she’d upset Dave, who’d only ever tried to help her. And she knew now that she loved him so much.
What was she going to do? Should she stay here with these people and try to fit in? To get her memory back? What if it never came back? How could she possibly fit in? She didn’t remember how to do any of the things they said she used to do. She tried to imagine herself living in that lovely apartment. But if she couldn’t remember her computer training or what she’d learned in college, how could she pay for all that? She couldn’t let these nice people pay for everything for her. She’d rather be a waitress where she felt she was pulling her own weight.
A noise beside her made Lucy turn her head. A tall, blond man emerged from the shadows.
“Hi, Lucy.”
Panic raced through her. The man in her nightmare had come alive. “You!” she said. “Who are you?”
“Oh, now, don’t pretend you don’t know your sweetheart, Roscoe,” he sneered.
“Roscoe? You’re Roscoe? Did you break into my apartment in Mankato and put that warning on my computer?”
“No. Buddy did that for me. I thought you might need a little encouragement to keep your mouth shut about me.”
“Shut about what? I don’t know what you mean.”
“You just ran off from our vacation in the Bahamas. I really didn’t like that, Lucy.”
“Bahamas? I’ve never been outside the United States,” Lucy declared.
Roscoe laughed. “Says the rich gal who’s traveled all over the world with her parents since she was a little girl.”
“You’re crazy.” She gasped and swallowed hard. He was lying, wasn’t he? Or was he? The Denton’s had said they were on an around the world tour. What if he wasn’t lying?
“You also took off with all those travelers’ checks,” he said. “I wasn’t a bit happy about that, Lucy, honey.”
