by Lucy Clark
“I’m sorry, Logan.”
“What for?”
“For dragging you into this mess.”
“You didn’t drag me and we still don’t know what sort of mess it is.” He gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. “I’m sure whatever it is you’ll meet it head-on and triumph.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you have an honest heart. Regardless of the fact that you can’t remember who you are or who’s after you, you’re honest, Charli, and you need to hold firm to that. Trust your instincts, just as you’ve been doing, and you won’t go wrong.”
Dear Reader,
While we were holidaying in the Grampians mountain range in Victoria, Australia, I thought it was the perfect setting for a book. As the story line progressed, it also turned into an amnesia story. I’d never done an amnesia story before so it was a challenge I looked forward to.
I love the way Charli and Logan came to life right before my very eyes, often telling me what they wanted to do, rather than the other way around! The two children, Owen and Trinity are based on my own children at that age. They grow up so quickly.
The last time we were in the Grampians, it was summer and we swam in the Venus Baths every day. It’s amazing to be swimming in these huge rock pools in fresh mountain water (often quite cold, but on a hot summer’s day nothing is more refreshing). So I decided it was the perfect, picturesque setting for Logan and Charli to get married in.
I hope you enjoy getting to know Logan and Charli as much as I did.
With warmest regards,
Lucy Clark
For more information go to http://www.lucyclark.net
Diagnosis: Amnesia
Lucy Clark
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
PROLOGUE
‘IT’S not that bad, Charlotte.’
Charli turned and looked at Chuck in surprise. ‘But what you’re asking me to do is…is unethical. I can’t do that, I just can’t.’
Charli allowed Chuck to steer her down the hotel corridor towards the lift. He pressed the button and pointed to her hair. ‘You’d better check that. I think you have a few strands loose.’
Charli immediately checked her chignon but it felt fine. Still, she smoothed fingers along her hair before running a hand down her beige skirt, making sure that was straight and in place. She buttoned her matching jacket and glanced at the man before her. ‘Better?’
He gave her a quick appraisal. ‘I guess.’
Charli frowned. ‘You seem a little agitated. What have I done wrong?’
‘You’re not agreeing to what I need you to do, Charlotte. I could lose my job if you don’t change your research findings. You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?’
‘No, of course not.’ He was acting a little strange and she wasn’t quite sure why.
‘I didn’t think you would. So you’ll do it?’ He reached out his hand to her, his fingers scooping up the gold necklace which hung around her neck. The chain held a love-heart pendant which had been engraved on the back with ‘Love, Chuck’. ‘For me?’
His gaze held hers and Charli could feel herself wilting. She hated it when he looked at her like that because it made her feel guilty. He’d always been so nice to her, ever since they’d met, and just before they’d left for this trip to Australia he’d given her the necklace. Charli had been overjoyed at the sentiment, even though the style of the piece didn’t really suit her. She edged back slightly and he dropped his hand.
‘I can’t, Chuck. I’m sorry.’ She watched as his eyes clouded over and quickly continued, ‘Didn’t you read my report?’ She shook her head, puzzled. ‘Perhaps you didn’t understand it properly.’
‘Don’t pull that genius routine with me.’ His tone was rough and she widened her eyes in disbelief.
‘Chuck?’
‘You may be a genius but don’t make me out to be an idiot, honey, because I’m not. You don’t have the first clue what’s been going on here, do you?’
She dragged a breath into her lungs which felt as though they were going to compress. ‘Why don’t you tell me?’ she said flatly, her words a little shaky.
‘It’s simple. I need you to report the results I tell you to report at the international medical conference next week. That’s all you have to do, Charli.’ He ran his finger lightly down her cheek in a caress that made her feel sick. It surprised her. Chuck had always been so kind and gentle. What was wrong with him today?
She turned away from his touch and pressed the lift-call button again for something to do. ‘These elevators take for ever,’ she mumbled, wanting to get out of this hallway. Chuck’s words had unnerved her and right now it was the last thing she needed. She had to focus. She was about to give another lecture at the small Australian medical conference when in reality all she wanted to do was to return to LA where she felt safe.
Why had she let Chuck talk her into coming to Australia in the first place? It had been the pharmaceutical company’s idea, and the fact that they were paying for her entire trip had been an incentive. When Charli had asked Chuck why they wanted her to go to Australia, he had said it was to raise awareness for her research. He’d managed to talk her around, promising to be there by her side and then suggesting they take a little time afterwards and spend a few days at Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef.
‘I’ll take care of everything,’ Chuck had said over dinner. ‘You just need to worry about being gorgeous and brilliant, which isn’t hard for you.’
Charli had been flattered by his words and had agreed to go. Chuck had always been gentle and attentive during the time they’d spent together. For the first time in her life, she felt as though she’d met a man who hadn’t resented her work, who’d been supportive and who had actually cared for her. He’d sent her flowers, he’d wined and dined her and Charli had been swept off her feet and caught up in the romantic schoolgirl notions she’d never had the opportunity to explore before.
Now she was wondering whether she’d made a big mistake. Not in attending the conference but in believing Chuck when he’d said he’d take care of everything. Did everything include her doing exactly what the pharmaceutical company wanted? What would happen if she stood her ground and refused to falsify her results?
Charli began to worry, biting her lower lip in concern. All she wanted to do right now was to get home as soon as possible, back to her comfort zones. There were only two places where she felt completely comfortable and that was when she was consulting with her patients or in her laboratory, doing research.
Finally, the elevator arrived and she stepped in, hoping someone else would join them. No one did. Chuck was right behind her and she pressed the button for level two where the conference was being held before darting a look at him. ‘Chuck. I know how important your job is to you but, honestly, I can’t present false results to an international conference.’ Her voice was quiet yet matter-of-fact, hoping she could see him make sense. ‘I am a leading voice in the medical and biomedical research world, not to mention the head of unit at the largest teaching hospital in Los Angeles. People listen to my opinions, they respect my expertise on these subjects. To lie to them would be…well, it would be wrong.’
Chuck shifted uneasily and clenched his hands into fists. ‘No. You don’t understand, Charlotte. You must do this. It isn’t open to negotiation and, besides, the company will take good care of you.’
She looked up at him and was alarmed to find his smoky grey ey
es as dark as storm clouds. He reached out and gripped her arm, causing her earlier worry to intensify.
‘Chuck? You’re hurting me.’ Fear seized her and for a moment she found it difficult to breathe.
‘Billions of dollars are at stake here, Charlotte. You don’t seem to understand that either.’ He let go of her arm and took a step away, as though just the thought of touching her repulsed him.
‘But if I falsify my results and endorse it the way you want, babies may die. The product from your pharmaceutical company causes cancer, Chuck. Didn’t you read my report?’
‘Your report is worthless. A new report is being prepared for you.’
‘You can’t do that.’
‘Watch me.’
The lift doors opened and, feeling ill, Charli stumbled out and rushed to the ladies’ bathroom. She went into a cubicle and sat down, desperately trying to get control of herself. She was trembling all over and as she felt a tear drift off her lashes and trickle down her cheek, she began to feel dizzy.
‘Breathe, breathe.’ She said the word slowly, over and over forcing herself to take deep, calming breaths. ‘You’ll figure this out. You’ll be fine.’ Even as she said the words, she couldn’t possibly see how she could be. She was trapped. Trapped in Australia with Chuck. Was that the reason he’d brought her here? Why the company had paid all her expenses? If she didn’t do what they wanted, were they planning to just leave her here so she would miss the international conference?
Desperation gripped Charli’s heart as she recalled the look of revulsion Chuck had given her. It made her want to ask him about their own relationship. What exactly did she mean to him? At the moment, it was hard to believe he’d ever really cared about her at all!
She blew her nose and worked harder to get herself under control. She was supposed to be speaking to a roomful of delegates in approximately three minutes and all she wanted to do was to sob her heart out as she’d never done before. She might be a highly intelligent woman where it came to her work, but in affairs of the heart she was a novice.
Charli hiccuped and bit her lip. How had things turned out so bad? What was she supposed to do now? Dragging a deep breath into her lungs, she knew she needed a plan of action. There were only a few hours of the conference left and then she could leave. Where would she go? Chuck had her passport and the airplane tickets. Could she find them? Sneak into his room and get them back?
She needed money. She could probably ring the airline and change her ticket so she could fly back tomorrow but then Chuck would be right behind her, hard on her heels. ‘Oh, think,’ she muttered to herself as she went to splash some water on her face. She eyed her reflection, glad her nose or eyes hadn’t puffed up too much.
Taking the make-up compact from her jacket pocket, she powdered her nose. Then she slipped the pendant beneath her shirt where she couldn’t see it. She needed to focus. ‘You’ll be fine.’ This time when she said the words, she began to feel them. ‘You’ll work it out.’
What she needed was to hole up in her laboratory for a few days, put on some Tchaikovsky and think everything through. As that option was unavailable, she wondered whether she could get away for a few days here in Australia. Yes…but not where Chuck had planned. She’d already cleared her work schedule and the hospital wasn’t expecting her back until just before the international conference to be held Wednesday next week.
Where she would go was anyone’s guess. At least, for the moment, she had a plan and that was enough to help get her mind back on track. She looked at her reflection, checking her blonde chignon once more. Smoothing her hand down her suit, she nodded. ‘You’re a professional and a grown woman.’ Her words were spoken sternly and she looked at herself critically. Her professional mask was back in place and after taking another deep breath, she felt much better.
The instant she stepped out of the ladies’ room, her assistant came up and gave her the notes for her next lecture.
‘You’re in the main lecture room—where you were this morning,’ he said.
‘Thank you,’ she said absent-mindedly as she glanced around the room but, thankfully, there was no sign of Chuck. ‘Just give me a moment to review them.’
Across the room, Logan watched her smile politely at the people still milling around outside the lecture hall as she made her way to the far corner. She kept glancing around the room and he wondered if she was looking for someone in particular. Her back was ramrod straight, her chin held firm with a hint of defiance, and from what he’d seen of her that weekend, her ice-blue gaze could cut a man in two with a simple look. Her whole body language screamed, Leave me alone, and that was enough to intrigue him.
‘Daddy? Are you listening to me?’
‘Yes, Trin. Of course I am. Tell Grandma I’ll probably be going straight to the hospital once I’m finished here.’
‘So I won’t see you until the morning?’
He smiled at the disappointment in his daughter’s voice. ‘I promise to come and give you a kiss when I get home.’
‘All right. I have to go. Grandma says it’s almost time for a bath. Do I have to have a bath, Dad? Can’t I have a shower?’
‘You can have a shower but don’t get your hair wet.’
‘Yay. OK. See you when you kiss me, Daddy. Love you.’
‘Love you, too, princess.’ Logan rang off, the smile still on his face as he switched his cellphone to silent and put it in his jacket pocket. Another man, also speaking on a cellphone, accidentally nudged him as he passed by. Logan murmured a polite ‘Sorry’ but the man ignored him.
‘No. She’ll play ball. I have her at my beck and call.’ He paused. ‘Well, if she does refuse, then I’ll have to switch to more drastic measures.’ Another pause. ‘Simple. I know her mother. If she thinks her mother’s life is in danger, she’ll do whatever we like. So we just send her mother out of town for a few days and let her think something bad has happened. All she’ll get is an answering machine and that should be enough to do the trick.’ The man paused again. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.’
Logan picked up his conference folder which was full of the notes he’d taken during Charli Summerfield’s lectures, trying hard not to eavesdrop on the other man’s conversation. He had no idea who the man was or who he was talking to but, whoever he was talking about, it didn’t sound good. Logan walked away and then turned to get a good look at the man. American accent, blonde hair, thinning slightly on top, grey eyes and dressed in a pinstripe suit. He’d seen him around the conference during the weekend but that was all.
‘Excuse me, Doctor, the lecture is about to start,’ a hotel official told him.
‘Thank you.’ Logan headed over to the door where a group of people had gathered. In the centre was Dr Summerfield herself. He paused, taking his first real opportunity to study her at close quarters.
She had her polite ‘keep your distance’ smile in place, her hand gripping her notes with repressed frustration.
As she edged away, another man stopped her and furiously pumped her hand, but it was the man standing directly behind him who caught her eye. She glanced at him, trying to focus on what the other person was saying. She smiled and murmured a polite reply then turned her attention to the man behind him.
‘Logan Hargraves.’ His voice was as smooth as silk and it washed over her in a wave of satisfaction. His blue gaze pierced right through to her soul as though he could see every secret she’d hidden deep inside. He extended his hand and she put hers forward, surprised at the tingles which spread up her arm the instant they made contact. She gave a firm but polite squeeze and glanced away, her gaze clashing with Chuck’s. He was standing off to the side and she realised he wanted to speak to her again. Well, she wasn’t in the mood just now. She held onto Dr Hargraves’s hand and urged him a little closer to the lecture hall.
He was momentarily confused as Dr Summerfield almost tugged him into the doorway of the lecture hall. ‘It’s a…a pleasure to meet you.’
‘Thank you.’ She glanced over his shoulder to where Chuck stood. ‘Uh…where are you from?’
The question caught him off guard. It was as though something had spooked her, and although he desperately wanted to glance over his shoulder to see who she’d just looked at, he resisted the urge. Instead, he concentrated on the woman before him. She’d gone from cool, calm and definitely sophisticated to being as skittish as a ring-tailed possum in a steamroller factory.
‘Er…I live in Halls Gap. It’s about two hours’ drive from here in the heart of the Grampians mountain range.’
‘Small town?’
‘Small enough.’
‘So you’re the GP there?’
‘That’s right. I also have a diploma in emergency medicine and do a stint at Stawell Hospital, which isn’t far from where I live. I’ve found your lectures to be very informative but I’m sure that’s what everyone’s saying.’ The smile reached his eyes as he spoke and Chuck was instantly forgotten. Logan’s blue depths came to life in such a way that Charli felt herself totally mesmerised.
‘You’re the doctor who presented the paper first thing yesterday morning.’ She nodded, her opinion of him growing. ‘You raised some interesting points.’
‘Er…thank you. I had no idea you were in the room.’ She was still holding his hand and as they’d talked, they’d progressed from being at the back of the lecture hall, making their way towards the stairs. Logan glanced down at their hands and Charli instantly let go.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot.’
He raised an enquiring eyebrow. ‘Forgot you were holding my hand?’ He became even more intrigued by her as a blush gently touched her cheeks.
‘I’m purported to be a genius, Dr Hargraves, and as such am known to be a little…absent-minded at times.’
A slow and very sexy smile spread across his face, his blue eyes twinkling. ‘How lucky for you to have a good excuse.’
