by Linda Style
“I had some things to do that took longer than I thought.”
She came over and stood next to him, her soft scent barely there, yet vaguely familiar. He breathed deep. “You smell good…reminds me of something.” With the words, a sharp physical need got his attention. He shifted position so the sheet covered the evidence. “What perfume are you wearing?”
“I’m not. It’s probably my body lotion. Almond-vanilla.”
“Ah, like cookies. No wonder it’s making me hungry.” In more ways than one.
“Good. I saw an aide with the dinner cart down the hall. I can leave and come back later if you’d like.”
He reached out, took her hand and pulled her closer. “No. Please stay. I want you to stay.”
Her expression shifted from friendly to surprised, her hand tensed under his.
“Please,” he repeated softly, loosening his hold, but not letting go. “I haven’t had anyone to talk to all day.”
CHAPTER SIX
LINC’S RAPID MOOD swings caught Tori off balance. She inched back a little, successfully drawing her hand from his. The nurse had told her some of his medications might make him edgy. “Okay. But as you’ve probably figured out, I’m not the greatest conversationalist.” She sat in the chair at his bedside.
He gave a wry laugh. “Well, neither am I.”
Just then a young blond aide came in with Linc’s food tray. “I hear you may be leaving soon?” she said, all smiles.
Linc snapped to attention. He glanced at Tori. “First I’ve heard.” His face reddened. He picked up the fork to eat, but instead pointed it at the aide. “It would’ve been nice of someone to give me a heads-up on that since I have to find somewhere to go.”
The aide’s eyes widened. She edged toward the door.
“I need to see the doctor!” Linc’s voice rose.
Tori reached to touch his arm.
The aide bolted and Tori wanted to follow.
Finding the nurses’ call button, Linc pressed it three times in succession. Hardly a millisecond passed before he pushed it again and kept his thumb on it.
Three nurses rushed in, each heading for a different side of the bed, prepared to administer aid to someone in serious trouble. But seeing Linc sitting up in bed they stopped abruptly. The older of the three placed her hands on her hips. “What’s the problem, Mr. Crusoe?”
“The problem is that everyone here knows my business before I do.”
The nurse frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll be outside,” Tori said.
He glanced at her with a bewildered expression. “No.” Then he said more softly, “No. Don’t go.” Linc looked at the nurse again. “Can you please call the doctor for me? The aide who brought me dinner seems to think I’m going home soon, and if that’s the case, I need to make some plans.”
The nurse nodded. “That’s it? That’s all you wanted?”
He gave her a sheepish smile. “Yeah. That’s it. Sorry if I gave you a scare.”
When the nurses left the room, Tori stood.
He shrugged. “No one told me I was leaving.”
“That’s why you were so upset?” she said incredulously.
“Yeah. It’s stupid, isn’t it. Only…it’s just…that I feel like I have no control over anything. The whole time I’ve been here, people have been telling me things I know nothing about. They tell me who I am and what I’ve done…things I may never remember, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” He sighed. “And when the aide said that I was going home, and I didn’t remember anyone telling me—I thought I was losing it.”
He pressed his fingers against his temples. “I know I’m not crazy, but, God…I feel like it. It feels like…like I don’t exist.”
The hopelessness in his voice was almost her undoing. “I’m sorry. I wish—”
“Oh, man. Don’t do that. Please. It’s not your fault. I’m the one who should be sorry for spouting off like I did.” He reached out and took her hand. “But I don’t want pity. I can’t stand that.”
The doctor entered the room. “I understand you wanted to see me.”
Tori stepped back, allowing the man access to the bed.
“I do. What’s this I hear about my being discharged?”
Dr. Menke’s forehead furrowed. “Where did you hear that?”
“One of the aides.”
“Hmm. She must’ve been talking about someone else. I haven’t made that decision, but I will after some more tests in the morning. I looked over all the records and tests up to now, and physically, you’re healing very well. We’ll change out the arm cast tomorrow for a smaller, removable dressing. But you’ll need a good physical therapist to get that leg in working order. I’ll give you a referral when it’s time.”
“So, what will I need to do for the head stuff?”
“I’ll give you referrals for that, too. I’d suggest starting both as soon as possible. By the time your leg is better, you may very well have made progress in the other area.”
“Good. Good.” Linc nodded. “Finally something positive. What are the chances…that I’ll remember?”
“If I could give you some ironclad scientific answer, I would. But I can’t. There’s no way to know if or when your memory might return.”
“No guesses?”
His expectant expression said all he needed was a little hope, something to hang onto. If only she could give him some that…somehow.
Linc kept his eyes on the doctor. “You’re the expert. What are the odds?”
The doctor pressed his lips together, pausing before he said, “There’s a fifty-fifty chance.”
“Hah.” Linc laughed. “Going out on a limb there, aren’t you, Doc.”
“Best I can do.” The man turned to go, but on his way out, he said, “I’ll be back in the morning after your tests, and I’m going to go out on another limb and venture there’s a ninety-nine percent chance you’ll be able to go home tomorrow.” The doctor winked at Tori. “I bet you’ll be glad about that, too.”
She nodded and smiled, and when the doctor was gone, she went over to Linc.
“Well, that’s great news,” Linc said with no small amount of sarcasm.
Tori leaned against the edge of the bed and crossed her arms. “It is great news. And you don’t need to worry about the rest. I’ll help you.”
His expression hardened. He opened his mouth to speak, but Tori held up a hand. “No. No, no, no. I know what you’re going to say, and I’m not going to listen to you tell me you don’t want my help. You need it and I’m going to give it. That’s it. Done. Fini!”
This was her opportunity to help him and, dammit, she wasn’t going to let his false pride stop her. He needed her help whether he wanted it or not.
His mouth flattened, his gaze narrowed, his mind obviously weighing all his options, and if he was smart, he’d realize she was the best one he had.
After studying her for a few moments, he said, “What do you have in mind?”
Not what she’d expected. She shook her head. “I’m not going to tell you just yet.”
“And that’s because?”
She had no idea. His discharge gave her the opening she needed to help him and she wasn’t going to lose it now. “Just because. I’ll tell you when I know you’re going to be discharged for sure. That way you’ll have no choice but to do as I say.”
He raised an eyebrow, all of a sudden seeming amused. Then he spread his good arm wide. “Okay, baby. I’m yours. You can do whatever you want with me.”
Heat rushed to Tori’s face. But only for a second, because she realized he’d deliberately said that to put her on the defensive. Or see her reaction.
“Good. We’re in sync.” She reached into her purse for a card. “That’s my cell phone number,” she said, handing it to him. “Call me after your tests and let me know what the doctor says about your discharge. We’ll take it from there.”
Tori had no clue what to do to help Linc, but knowin
g what he needed was step one. The downside was that it would keep her in Phoenix longer. She’d already been here long enough that she missed Bruno and Cleo, and she had work to do back home. But this was her opportunity. She just had to figure out how to help him…and not have him hate her for it.
“What if I don’t call?”
She turned. “Pride isn’t a substitute for good sense. From what I’ve heard, you don’t have a whole bunch of options.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
TORI PACED FROM one side of the ginormous patio to the other at her parents’ home while waiting for Serena to answer the phone. She’d left two messages saying she wasn’t going to make it back at the time she’d thought and hoped it wouldn’t be a problem to keep the dogs a little longer. She hung up and glanced at the clock. Almost noon and Linc still hadn’t called.
Finally she sat on a plump cushioned patio chair. Her parents’ house, with its U-shaped courtyard, oozed elegance. The patio, landscaped with majestic queen palms and succulent tropical plants around the pool and hot tub, made her feel as if she were at a resort instead of a home. Nothing like the house she’d grown up in. A twinge of nostalgia swept through her. Nothing ever remained the same.
She wished it did. Sometimes she wished she could go back and be the little girl she’d been before her life got so screwed up, and just stay there, locked in time. It had taken years to get her life where she wanted it, and now, when she’d thought she had everything under control—
The phone chirped. She saw it was Serena and picked up.
“What’s going on?” Serena asked.
“I left two messages. Didn’t you get them?”
“No, I didn’t. I’ve been too busy taking Ryan around job hunting. I haven’t looked at my messages, either.”
“And did he get one?”
“No.” Serena sighed. “Man, I don’t know why I bother.”
Tori knew why. Serena felt responsible for her brother, had since they were kids and their parents abdicated the job. As much trouble as Ryan was, Serena would never abandon him, even if it was for his own good. And though Tori constantly gave her friend advice, she also envied their closeness. She would’ve given anything to have had a brother or sister. “Well, maybe the next one will be the one.”
“Yeah, maybe. So what’s up?”
“Nothing. Are the kids behaving?” Serena was about the only person Tori trusted with her dogs, and they were always happy to stay with her. But without them, Tori always felt as if something was missing.
“Of course. They’re the best kids in Spirit Creek. The cutest, too. When are you coming back?”
“After I figure out what to do. It looks like Crusoe’s going to be released, but he has nowhere to go, no money and no one to help him.”
“What about the plan you said you had?”
“That has a few glitches. I have to wait for my trust dispersal to do it.”
“And that plan is?”
“Pay the hospital bills not covered by the state. I can do it anonymously. That way he’ll never know where the money came from. Only I can’t do it just yet.”
“What about your folks? They’d probably loan—”
“Not an option. You know their feelings about my testifying in the first place. It would be one more thing they were right about.” One more decision she’d made that ended in disaster. “Besides, they’re gone until Thanksgiving anyway.” By the time her parents returned, she’d have her money and would be able to do what she’d planned to help Linc get back on his feet. In the meantime…
“Yeah. I forgot,” Serena said. “Well, what about good ol’ Gordon?”
“Same thing. I don’t want any of them to know what I’m doing. But since I can’t do that and he needs help immediately, I’m coming up with some other ideas.”
“Ideas that will get you back here soon?”
“I hope so.” Being away from Bruno and Cleo was always hard, but sometimes when she had to be at an art show out of town, she couldn’t bring them along. This was no different since she’d had no idea what might transpire when she’d left home.
“Good. You need to forget about all this and get on with your life. Let him get on with his.”
She’d love to do exactly that, but she couldn’t, not in good conscience. “I will as soon as I can. And I’ll be back this weekend no matter what.”
They said good-bye and Tori got up and went inside, her thoughts spinning. Linc needed money for more than his hospital bills. But even if she had the extra money, judging from Linc’s behavior so far, he wouldn’t take it from her anyway.
Earlier, she’d called the hospital social worker to find out what kind of help Linc could get and discovered the state medical program would pay for Linc’s physical therapy costs since he qualified as low income. She could pick up the application papers before going to see him.
She’d also called several social service agencies, but in the end, couldn’t find any immediate help with housing. The only option was a homeless shelter, which she couldn’t imagine. Not in his condition. He wasn’t going to get either physical therapy or psychological treatment in a place like that. Not to mention that it was temporary and he’d have to leave in a day or two anyway.
But there was one thing she could do. Yes, she could, and with a sense of resolve, she gathered her things, punched the security alarm and headed for the hospital.
Fifteen minutes later, she knocked on Linc’s hospital door. It was already partway open. “Hello,” she said, peering around the doorframe. She was surprised to see Linc sitting on the bed, fully dressed in the clothes she’d paid an orderly to buy for him.
“Hello,” he grumbled back.
She walked into the room. “In a good mood I see.” Wearing khaki pants and a blue polo shirt, he looked like a salesclerk at Best Buy. The shirt color made his eyes look even bluer.
“I hear I should thank you for the clothes. You did pretty good job on the sizes.”
She walked to the side of the bed. “I had help from the nurses.” Nurses who’d made more than one smart remark about Linc needing a really large shoe size. In the end, she’d had the orderly get some slippers that looked like shoes and were sized small, medium and large. He wasn’t going to be doing any heavy-duty walking for a while anyway.
She gave him a once-over, noticing, not for the first time, his muscular arms, his flat abs. The prison haircut had grown out since the first time she’d seen him, and she liked the look. Unlike her fine, straight hair, his was thick, with a few curls at the back of his neck. “Looks like they were right. Everything seems to fit.”
He gave a fleeting smile, then focused on the television in one corner of the room. The sound was on low, but he watched intently.
“Something interesting in the news?” He didn’t seem very excited about leaving. She leaned against the bed and looked at the TV. Her heart stopped as she heard the chief of police talking about a search for a serial rapist.
“Yeah,” he said. “It just makes me wonder if the guy I went to jail for will ever get what he deserves.”
She started to sweat. God knew, she’d wondered the same thing.
“Maybe he’s in jail for something else,” she said, her voice wobbly. If she didn’t say anything, it would seem odd.
“No, the DNA would’ve been picked up when they ran it through the police computer system. The attorney who came by said they do that right away now.” He pressed his lips together. “I wonder if the guy they’re looking for could be the one.”
Tori’s knees felt like spaghetti, and she placed a hand on the bed for support. She closed her eyes for a second. Took a breath. Still, her pulse raced, her face felt warm.
“You okay?” Linc said, taking her hand.
The contact made her startle. “I’m fine. I…skipped breakfast and just got a little dizzy.”
He clicked off the TV, then pointed to the tray. “That’s what’s left of mine,” he said. “I didn’t eat the orange.”
> She gave a weak smile. “Thanks. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure? I can’t pick you up if you faint, you know.”
“You won’t have to.” She waved a hand. “I bet it feels good to be in real clothes?”
“It sure does.” He pointed to his injured leg. “The nurse had to cut the pant leg to accommodate the bandage. She put a piece of Velcro on the seam to hold it together.”
“Very creative. I can get you some sweatpants if those would be better.”
“No, don’t,” he said almost before she finished the sentence. “The doc said I can make the bandage smaller after a few days. It’s mostly for protection.”
His eyes softened a little as he looked at her. “I don’t want to be beholden to anyone. Especially a good friend.”
She forced a smile. She wished she really was his good friend. Wished none of this had happened. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m keeping track of everything so you can pay me back when you get on your feet. Did the nurse tell you about the wheelchair and crutches?”
“She did. Apparently they have a fund that helps with a rental when a patient can’t pay.”
“That’s great. So, what’s the verdict on leaving?”
He reached for some papers on the bed and held them up. “Just got my discharge papers and some names and numbers of PTs to contact.”
His expression was ambivalent at best. She could only imagine how he must feel, how hard this had to be for him. “Did the doctor say how long your recovery might be?”
“Yes and no. He said a lot of it depends on my attitude…and whether I take the physical therapy seriously or not.”
“What about the other kind of therapy?”
“I have numbers for that, too.” He shifted his position on the bed, grimacing when he bumped his leg on the rail. “But the doc said I might start remembering on my own.”
The doctor had told her he might regain his memory in bits and pieces, or maybe not at all. Tori couldn’t think about that possibility, and it was obvious Linc couldn’t, either.
She shrugged. “So let’s focus on the next step—getting you out of here.”
