“It is.”
“I’m still here in your home, and you haven’t called the authorities or even suggested it. Why?”
Tina almost laughed because he sounded so much like a cop, as she suspected, but he wore a serious expression, so she held back. Instead, she gathered her thoughts so she could try to explain.
“I thought you might be in trouble,” she said after a pause. “The men chasing you seemed pretty intent on hurting you. I guessed from the first you might be a Law Enforcement Officer or as you would probably say, an LEO, but I didn’t want to put you in more danger, if there is any. So I waited, thinking you could explain the circumstances.”
His dark eyes scrutinized her as if he could penetrate deep into her soul with a glance. A smile flirted with his mouth but didn’t quite form. “And I don’t remember anything,” he said. “So I couldn’t.”
“Exactly.”
For the first time since she’d found him, Joshua laughed. “You’re taking one hell of a chance, lady. I think I’m a cop but maybe not. I might’ve busted out of jail—or anything. My name might be on the ‘most wanted’ list somewhere.”
Maybe, but she’d lay odds that he was not. “I don’t think so.”
He snared another cookie and ate it. “Why?”
Tina couldn’t explain. “I just have a feeling. Call it intuition or whatever you’d like, but I’m sure I can trust you and just as certain you’re one of the good guys.”
Joshua flashed a faint grin. “I hope so.”
After two more cookies and a second sausage biscuit, he asked for the Vicodin and she provided it. He washed the pills down with more coffee. “I doubt I’ll go back to sleep now,” he said.
“Do you feel up to taking a shower?” she asked.
He quirked one eyebrow up in question.“I suppose, but why? I just got dressed.”
“The river’s pretty dirty and you were submerged in it,” Tina told him. “It wouldn’t hurt and since I know you probably drank some of it, not to mention had river water in your ears and nose, I thought I’d give you a round of low dose antibiotics just to prevent any crud. It’s not clear water, not by any stretch of the imagination, and I’d hate for you to get sick. After your shower, I’ll look at your side and treat it.”
He nodded. “Makes sense, so okay. I’ll just put these clothes back on, if you don’t mind. I haven’t worn them long enough to get dirty.”
“Sure, although there’s plenty more. Come on, I’ll show you the bathroom and where everything is.”
She led him through the living room, back into Gramps’ bedroom, and into the adjoining bath. Tina pointed out the thick towels on the rack, the soap and shampoo, even disposable razors and shaving cream. She dug out a brand-new toothbrush from the medicine cabinet and fetched an unopened tube of toothpaste from her bathroom. “I can’t think of anything else you might need,” she said. “I’ll get the first aid stuff together and after you dry off, I’ll take care of your wounded side. By then, you’ll probably be ready to go back to sleep for awhile.”
Joshua wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know. I think I’m a morning person and the sun’s coming up.”
Dawn broke over the eastern horizon and filled the sky with soft, pastel hues. Tina had noticed too, and on any other morning, she would’ve been out on the desk with a mug of coffee.
“We’ll see,” she said. Then she left him to clean up and closed the bathroom door behind her, mind and heart brimming with a variety of emotions.
Chapter Four
God, the hot shower pounding on his sore body brought pleasure, but it hurt, too. Joshua stood beneath the spray and delighted in the heat. Although Tina had assured him that his body temp had returned to normal, he’d been cold ever since he awakened. After his initial surprise, his memory loss upset him more than his injuries. The bruises would fade, the soreness would go away, and his side would heal, but if he didn’t regain his past, he was screwed. His failure to remember anything concerned him, because if Tina’s facts were accurate, danger lurked. And if he didn’t know what he was facing, either one of them could get hurt or killed.
He liked the pretty nurse who’d plucked him out of the river and brought him home. She possessed the kind of stubborn will and steely nerve most women lacked, tempered with kindness. Even though he knew nothing about his past but a vague inkling that he was a law enforcement officer, she attracted him. An invisible pull between them tugged at his heart, stronger than an ocean tide or river current. He’d like to get to know her better and see if they might build their shared attraction into something more, but he didn’t know if he had the luxury or the right.
I could be married or engaged or in a relationship. I might even be a dad. Somewhere, surely there’s someone waiting for me, even if it’s my parents or a brother or sister or grandma.
Joshua held up his left hand. He didn’t wear a ring but then some guys didn’t. But on close scrutiny, he saw no marks to indicate he’d ever worn one so maybe he didn’t have a wife or family. He hoped not, partly because he’d rather not be worrying someone and also because Tina appealed to him.
As he lathered up and scrubbed his body, wincing when he touched the worst spots, he tried to remember. The harder he tried, though, the less he remembered, so he gave up and finished the shower. He dried off and tried not to get blood on the towels. He put on the underwear and sweatpants but left the shirt for later so that Tina could treat his wound. Joshua peered into the fogged mirror to try to see it and gauge how bad it might be but he couldn’t see very well. Twisting around to get a better view was painful. He gave up the effort and brushed his teeth. When he ran his hand over his chin, he decided he didn’t need a shave so he opened the door and emerged.
After the hot shower and warm bathroom, the house seemed chilly. His feet were cold and he made a mental note to ask Tina if there might be a pair of socks he could wear. She wasn’t in the bedroom so he checked the kitchen but found her in the living room. When she glanced up from reading, her expression shifted and he thought he saw admiration in her face for his bare torso.
“Hey,” she said. “You survived the shower, I see.”
“Yeah, so far, so good,” he told her. “I left my shirt off so you could do whatever you need to do.”
“Let’s go to the kitchen. I put the med basket on the table and there’s better light.”
After straddling a ladder-backed chair, Joshua cringed when she probed the wound with her fingers. “It’s not deep,” she said. “I’m going to put some antiseptic cream on it, then spray it with more and put a gauze bandage over it. It may sting and although so far it seems clean, the antibiotics will help just in case there’s any infection too.”
Sting turned out to be a major understatement. Whatever she applied burned with a vengeance, but he pressed his lips together and didn’t make any noise. The last thing he’d want would be to come across as a wimp to this woman. To avoid dwelling on the pain, he tried to think of songs, then let them play in his head. Without realizing it, he began to hum and he might not have noticed if Tina hadn’t started singing.
“Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,” she sang.
“And the walls came tumbling down.”
The words hit a chord within Joshua and he suspected it went deeper than his name. “Sing it again,” he told her.
She started at the beginning and ran through each verse, adding the refrain, but she never stopped working. Tina sang as she bandaged his side and nodded. “There! Go ahead and put your shirt on while I get the antibiotics. So what’s the deal with the song? I mean I get that you like it but it’s not exactly a lullaby.”
Something about it niggled in his brain but he couldn’t quite nail it. “It means something, but I don’t know what.”
“Well, your name’s Joshua and the song is about Joshua.”
“Yeah, that’s the obvious part but I think there’s more. I just don’t know what exactly, but I’d like to figure it out.�
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A chill wracked him as he pulled on the T-shirt and she noticed. “If you’re cold, why don’t you lay back down for awhile?”
Her suggestion had merit but Joshua shook his head. “Would you mind if I sprawl on the couch with a blanket instead? I don’t want to feel like I’m an invalid.”
Tina offered a little grin. “I don’t mind but you’d be more comfortable in bed. Whatever you prefer.”
“Couch is fine.”
He hated being sick and knew it. Most people would curl up and indulge in rest but no matter how much he hurt, Joshua couldn’t. Unarmed, hampered by the absence of vital information, he still possessed an overwhelming desire to remain ready for anything.
Still singing, Tina fetched pillows from the bedroom and plumped each one. She arranged them and as he settled into place, unable to repress a few stray groans, she brought a blanket and a quilt. Joshua lay facing the back of the couch, his wounded side not touching the furniture, and found a comfortable position in seconds. Moments later, she covered him with the quilt. “If you need anything, holler. I won’t be far.”
Once prone, a pervasive fatigue took hold so he nodded. “Sure. Thanks, Tina.”
Sleep crept over him, heavy and insistent. Before he succumbed, she cupped the back of his head with one hand. As she’d done before, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, her lips light and gentle against his skin. He loved the way her warm breath blew against his skin, and he inhaled her soft perfume. This time, Tina also touched his cheek with the back of her hand, caressing it slightly, and he enjoyed it.
As he drifted to sleep, he realized he wanted more. He enjoyed her touch and wondered how a real kiss would taste and feel. Her lips were deep pink and he suspected it might be her natural shade. She doesn’t look like she’s wearing any make up. In his last conscious thought before he dived deep into slumber, he wondered how her skin would feel against his hand. He imagined it would be soft as satin.
If Joshua dreamed, he didn’t recall it but when he woke, the tune he’d whistled earlier made sense and he sat up, despite the immediate agony radiating from his sore body. “It’s my name,” he said. “Tina, it’s my name.”
She came out of the kitchen, dishcloth in hand, wearing a perplexed frown. “What?”
“I know the rest of my name,” he said, aware he babbled. He probably sounded crazy. “I’m Joshua Jericho Jenkins. That’s why the song meant something to me.”
A smile lit her face. “That’s great. Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’m half Cherokee and I’m from Tahlequah, the Capitol of the Cherokee Nation.”
“Then you’re not far from home. That’s good. Are you a cop?”
Some of the brilliant joy faded. “I’m sure I am but I haven’t remembered everything.”
“You will.” Tina snapped her fingers together. “Hey, I can look you up online and maybe we’ll find something more to jog your memory.”
Relief evoked a sigh. The more he learned, the more he might remember. “Excellent!”
Maybe it wasn’t cold in the room but he felt the chill. She noticed that Joshua rubbed his arms to get warmer. “If you’re cold, I’ll poke up the fire.”
“Sure. And if you happen to have a pair of socks, that’d be great.”
She did. Tina brought a pair and slid them onto his feet. Then she stirred up the ashes until bright flames crackled and danced in the hearth. As the warmth spread into the room, Joshua unleashed a grin. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Let me get my laptop.”
Joshua settled back onto the couch, sitting upright but with a quilt draped around his shoulders. Tina tucked her feet beneath her as she curled into an oversized recliner and balanced her computer on her lap. Her fingers danced across the keys, swift and light, and his gut tightened as he watched. The moment of truth approached—one way or another, whoever he was, whatever his name, and whatever he’d done, would soon be revealed.
It’d better be good. He hoped he turned out to be some kind of law officer, not a criminal. If he had a wife and a family, he’d surely have known. The same goes for a bad credit history.
Within five minutes, she glanced up with a huge grin. “I found you!”
He couldn’t help but smile back. “Good, bad, or ugly?”
“I’d call it good. You’re a United States Federal Marshal, Eastern District Oklahoma,” she said. “District headquarters are in Muskogee, and your service record is impressive.”
The words crashed into his consciousness with the force of a Mack truck. Joshua shifted position and the quilt that was wrapped around him dropped to the floor. Recollection flooded his mind and senses, overwhelming him. Images flashed through his brain and he suddenly remembered everything.
So much information hit hard emotionally and took a physical toll. Dizziness swamped him and he thought he might pass out. Joshua bent forward and placed his head between his legs to prevent losing consciousness.
“Hey, are you okay?” Tina’s voice filtered through to him. “Joshua?”
It took effort to nod but she must not have noticed, because she repeated the question with urgency. Joshua gathered his wits and replied, “I’ll be all right in a minute—but I remember.”
He did. And they were both in grave danger.
Chapter Five
Tina typed ‘Joshua Jericho Jenkins’ into the search bar and nailed him within minutes. As she’d suspected, he worked in law enforcement but at a level beyond what she had first thought. She figured him for a deputy, maybe Oklahoma Highway Patrol or a local cop, but her guest was a United States Marshal. His image popped up at the top of the Google search results, as did a variety of mentions. She scrolled through them and confirmed it. When she shared the news, she figured he’d whoop with delight, but he acted strangely.
Joshua smiled back but then his half-grin faded and he paled. Even his lips lost most of their color. His eyes widened and he sat up straighter. The quilt hit the floor and he stared at her with the most dumbfounded expression she’d ever seen. He put his head down and she worried he might faint. When he didn’t respond to her repeated questions, Tina put the laptop aside and stood up.
“I’ll be all right in a minute,” he told her. His voice sounded awful, rough, and low. “I remember.”
She sat down beside him and put one hand on his back. “That’s good, right?”
He blew air out of his mouth. “I guess. It just hit me hard. I know who I am now—U.S. Marshal Joshua Jenkins. I’ve been with the Justice Department for the last eight years. I live outside Sallisaw and I remember why the hell I was running.”
His manner evoked her anxiety. “Tell me.”
Those dark eyes narrowed. “I really shouldn’t, but I will because you’re involved now.”
“Sounds pretty bad.”
“I think it probably is,” Joshua told her. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know, but then we’ll need to look up what’s happened in the last twenty-four hours or so. How long have I been here?”
“About that,” Tina said. Fear clenched her lungs and made it hard to breathe. “I hope you know you’re scaring the crap out of me.”
His harsh expression softened a fraction. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to, Tina. I owe you my life. If you hadn’t fished me out of the river, I’d be dead because they would’ve tracked me down and finished the job.”
Without thinking, she rubbed his back and scooted closer. “Joshua, please, just spit it out.”
“Federal Marshals do a lot of things,” he said. He reached over and grasped her hand in his, then held it tight. “We help other departments with homicide investigations, drug rings, and tracking fugitives. A couple of days ago, there was a prison break at McAlester and two men escaped. Local cops caught the first one right away but the other headed for the hills. I’m known as a pretty fair tracker so they sent me. I picked up his trail early on and I’d been following him for two days before I found him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone. A bunch of
his kinfolk had set up camp off the beaten path and planned on getting him out of the country, probably to Mexico. So I walked into an ambush.”
“It’s a wonder they didn’t kill you then,” Tina said. “I’m glad they didn’t.”
Joshua glanced at her as a funny half-smile played over his lips. “Yeah, me, too,” he said. “Anyhow, under normal circumstances, I would’ve taken him into custody but there were six against me. One of them knocked me out long enough to take my weapons, my badge, and my wallet. They were in the process of tying me up, laughing and joking about how to kill me, when I broke loose. I ran because it was the only chance I had. Since they were all armed, they pursued me and started shooting. Their damn hounds were on my trail, too, barking and baying like crazy. The armed idiots caught up with me, well within range, so I bailed off the bridge.”
Even though she’d witnessed the latter part of his getaway, Tina shuddered. If their aim had been true or the men in pursuit drew closer, she could have watched his dead body hit the river. “You took a chance,” she told him.
“Yeah, I know. I’m a risk taker or I wouldn’t be a marshal.” His smile faltered as he added, “I’m not in shape, though, to go against anyone at the moment. I don’t even have a weapon.”
Tina gave a dry, brief laugh. “I can help with that, Joshua. Gramps owned quite a few guns, both pistols and rifles. We’ve got access to his personal arsenal if necessary, and he taught me to shoot alongside the boys.”
“I hope I don’t need you for backup.”
She bristled. “I can handle it. I’m one helluva shot.”
“Hey.” Joshua released her hand and cupped her chin in his. “I don’t doubt it. But, I don’t want you in the line of fire. I’d rather you not be hurt, Tina. I’m not nearly as good a nurse as you are.”
The compliment mollified her. “So what happens now? Do you think they’d come here looking for you?”
He shrugged both shoulders. “It’s possible. I imagine they spent the rest of yesterday combing the river for me. Best case scenario—they think the shot, the fall, or the river did me in, but since they won’t find a body, they won’t be sure. Worst case, they realize someone helped me. If so, they’ll hunt until they find me. No one else knows about their hidden camp but me.”
Quite the Catch Page 3
