Another Deception

by Pamela Carron

  “Where is my phone, her number is in it.”

  Anna had left the phone in the bedside table and Dwight took it out. However, he knew this was just going to confuse Jacks even more so he suggested,

  “It is terribly early to wake someone up, are you sure? It is barely six-thirty.”

  “I guess you are right. There is someone else I know will be up though, and she will not mind going to my apartment and bringing me some clothes. Look for Sang-mi on there.”

  Dwight scrolled down to where the name was and knowing there would be no answer, he called her number and gave Jacks the phone.

  “She is not answering. She should be up. The restaurant…something is not right, is it? My head hurts…there is something wrong…what is it? Why can’t I remember? Tell me, I know you know. Who did you say you were? I do know you. How do I know you?”

  Dwight calmly replied,

  “Yes you do, but do not force it. Rest and we can talk later. I promise, I will tell you everything after you rest.”

  Jacks squeezed his eyes tight as if he was trying hard to remember and somewhere deep down inside he thought of praying and could not understand, for he hated the very idea of Christianity. The urge would not go away. The name Jesus rumbled louder and louder in his head until he almost shouted,

  “Jesus!”

  Trying to sit up in the bed, he looked around like a maniac.

  “Oh my God, Sang-mi is dead isn’t she? And…and…”

  Dwight was also praying furiously inside but kept silent for as painful as it was going to be, Jacks must remember.

  “You…you, something I have to remember about you. What is it? What is it?”

  Jacks held his head in his hands.

  “Oh God, how it hurts…it is all mixed up…Sang-mi…the funeral… I was not alone though…who is the woman…tell me who the woman is!”

  “You need to remember on your own Jacks, I am sorry.”

  “My head…I can’t take it…my head…help me get these blasted rails down!”

  “Shhhh! You will have the guard back in here! Lie back and take it easy and maybe it will all come back to you. You must be still.”

  Jacks reluctantly did as Dwight said. The pain in his head eased and calm flowed over his body. He stayed so still and quiet that he dozed into a restless sleep with dreams of a golden haired woman whose face he did not recognize, floating in and out as if trying to force him to remember. When he did wake back up a few minutes later, his eyes flew wide open, and he groaned like a dying person.

  “Honey!”

  Dwight knew he was remembering and said softly,

  “Yes, her name is Honey.”

  “She is not dead, I would know if she were dead.”

  Why she was important to him, he could not remember, but he knew she was. He did not understand for he never had known anyone by such a name.

  “No, she is going to be fine Jacks.”

  “I am confused, please, help me. I know you are someone I know but I am so confused. I have no idea of when we met or even how I would come to know a minister.”

  “Then you should know you can trust me. Do you trust me?”

  “I think so, no I know I can. Yes, for some odd reason I do know that I can trust you.”

  “Then listen to me. This is very important. Do not let anyone else know that you are having memories of anything past your last court day in New York. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, but I do not remember, just bits and pieces.”

  “I know, but it will all straighten itself out in time. Everyone must think you remember nothing! It is too dangerous, for you and Honey.”

  “She is important to me, I can feel it. Why is she so important to me, can’t you at least tell me that?”

  Dwight struggled with wanting to tell him and knowing it could backfire. However, if he told Jacks this, it might be the key to the rest following, so he decided to risk it.

  “Honey is your wife.”

  Jacks looked stunned and Dwight reminded him,

  “Remember, you have to act as if you do not remember anything, you hear me?”

  “My wife? I have a wife? I am married?”

  “Yes, but we will talk more about that later. Right now I want to make sure you understand that when the doctor comes in here how important it is that you tell him you remember nothing past the last time you left that court house!”

  Jacks nodded, still reeling from the fact that he had a wife. There was urgency in Dwight’s tone, which caused him to feel somber, and when the doctor came in shortly after that, he had no trouble feigning a lapse of memory.

  The doctor checked Jacks over and was satisfied that he was doing well but for the memory loss, which he explained to Dwight privately, was due to the Sotiaturon given in the shot.

  It was his guess that he would never regain his short-term memory loss and saw no reason to keep him any longer. He ordered a few more test and said if they came back good in the afternoon, he would release him.

  Later in the morning, yet still early, both Detectives arrived, thrilled that Jacks was awake but daunted by the fact he remembered nothing of the accident. Not only did he not remember the funeral and accident, he did not have to pretend to have no recollection of Cranford, which came as a surprise to the detective. Frank on the other hand, was not surprised at all and doubted he ever would regain the memories lost. It was unfortunate the people got to him like that, but he would not let this detour his own plans. He surprised them all by boldly asking Jacks,

  “Would you show me the birthmark you have?”

  “How do you know I have one?”

  “It was in the reports. I would like to see it.”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  And, in an attempt at humor said,

  “You are not a woman…what reports?”

  Dwight was afraid the detective was leading to more questions from Jacks and quickly insisted,

  “I do not think we need to go into all that, do we? The report from the accident may have mentioned it.”

  “Oh gee. Nice to know I was looked at so closely.”

  Frank looked amused and conceded to those feelings but still persisted,

  “When you are better maybe you will reconsider.”

  He was disappointed when he left with Cranford but he was already sure it would prove him to be right about who Jacks was.

  Because of the test ordered, it was in the afternoon before Dwight had the opportunity to be alone with Jacks again. By that time, he was still sketchy at best with the memories he was having and none of them made sense. He felt that he should remember Dwight, but for the life of him, he could not remember how and under what circumstances.

  Honey, while he felt the importance of her, was only a vague memory and he could not even fathom having a wife. He remembered a funeral, which he knew must have been Sang-mi’s and a fresh wave of grief consumed him just to think he would never see her sweet face again.

  Someone brought clothing so Jacks could dress, as the doctor, after looking over the test results, saw no physical reason to keep him. As soon as the paper work was ready, Dwight intended on taking him to Sang-mi’s. The police were finished with their work there and Anna hired a crew to clean the place up and set things in order. She insisted they stay there, just as Sang-mi would have wanted.

  Dwight felt some guilt about Honey but it was best Jacks not know she was involved in the accident and still at the hospital. He intended to go back to be with her as soon as he got Jacks settled. Cranford was having Sang-mi’s place patrolled often, so Jacks would be safe for the time being. He also had a long conversation with Sheila and felt her concern but assured her everything would be fine. As far as she knew, the accident was just that, an accident. He fully intended to tell her everything when he returned home.

  What he did not suspect was that she read more in to what he did tell her and immediately after she got off the phone with him, she was arranging to join him in New York.
She knew he would not approve of her plans but asked Mildred to watch Gem and determined to go. She packed and after Gem was safely at Mildred’s home, she headed for the airport.

  Her mind was never far from the last time the four of them were in New York and the memories dangled before her as she shuddered at the thought of the ones of her former husband and the evil, which had surrounded him, his inexplicable death, and the horrible old man, Asa. She had an eerie feeling that her husband was keeping something from her. She pushed the ominous thoughts away from her mind, trying to concentrate on happier things.

  As she boarded the plane for the direct flight to New York, she forced herself to read a book she brought with her. It was light, funny and entertaining the entire flight so that before she realized it, the plane had landed and she shuffled off it along with a rush of other people.

  Once she was outside the airport, she again took a deep breath and willed away the past horrors of the last time she took a cab in the city. This time it would be different, she was thinking as she hailed the next one in line. Still, she was relieved when the car pulled up in front of the hospital and she prepared to face her husband, who she knew was not going to be happy with her.

  17

  “Mildred! Hi…it is Jean. Can you hear me? Yes, I hear you fine. Yes, the book is on schedule and I will be home soon. Do I hear Gem? You must be babysitting! How is Sheila doing with her…you know…pregnancy? Oh, that is good. Why did you say she went to New York? Honey and Jacks? No! How bad? Dear Lord! Did she say what hospital? That is okay, I will look it up. No, no, I am only a forty-minute drive from there. Really, Mildred, New York is just down the mountain... I will be careful and I will call you as soon as I get an update….love you…bye now.”

  Jean hung up the phone and immediately looked up the address for the hospital where Mildred told her Sheila was going. She was praying the accident was not a bad one, but Mildred knew very little. Since she was so close to the city, there was no way she would not go and offer any assistance she could, so without delaying she was soon on her way down the Pocono Mountain.

  It was not the first trip she had made into the city since coming to Canadensis. There were times when her writing was not flowing and a trip to the city gave her a break from it and a chance to roam about seeing all the sights, taking pictures and shopping.

  With her GPS, she was parked and going up the steps to the entrance of the hospital at the same time Sheila’s cab pulled up and let her out. She was steps behind Jean and both headed for the elevator as it opened and they rushed to get in along with half a dozen others. Only when the door shut and the elevator was going up, did they see each other and Sheila let out a squeal of surprise, which startled Jean and alarmed the rest. She quickly apologized and scooted off with Jean close behind as soon as the elevator stopped on their floor. Hugging, after they moved away from the traffic, Sheila declared,

  “Jean, whatever are you doing here?”

  “I talked to Mildred and she told me that Jacks and Honey were involved in an accident, so I hurried as fast as I could to get here. With the traffic, it still only took an hour to drive. What happened, do you know? Mildred couldn’t tell me much!”

  “I am not too sure either. Dwight called after he arrived and all he told me was that they were both here. I could tell he did not want it to sound bad, but I am afraid it is. He is going to flip when he sees me but I could not stay away. I had no idea you were this close to the city! Come on, let’s find the nurses’ station, and find out where they are.”

  “Rooms 210 and 216, I called already.”

  They were walking down the hall as they spoke and just as they approached the room Jacks had vacated, Dwight came up behind them.

  “What in Sam Hill are you two doing here!?!”

  Stunned, both women turned to see a huge frown on his face. Sheila threw her arms around his neck while Jean wrung her hands in despair over the tone in his voice. Never had she heard him swear and whereas she had thought she would be a welcome sight in a time of need, now wished she had called first.

  “Pastor Dwight, I am so sorry! I was just a short distance away and thought I could be of help…”

  “Never mind Jean, you did a good thing. It is me he is upset with, not you.”

  Sheila turned back to her husband, linking her arm through his.

  “Sweetheart, I know you are keeping something from me and I came to find out exactly what is going on. I want to see Jacks and Honey for myself.”

  Dwight shook his head and pulled away, still upset. When she finished speaking, he pulled them over to the side out of the way of employees’ running back and forth, before he said solemnly,

  “You can’t see Jacks, he is not here. He is gone.”

  Without waiting for further explanation, Jean burst into tears and Sheila fainted into Dwight’s arms. He picked her up and rushed to the waiting area where he eased her onto a sofa with Jean right behind him. He looked up from his position on the floor next to Sheila and said with as much calm as he could manage,

  “Jean, listen to me carefully. Jacks is fine. I took him to Sang-mi’s because they discharged him. Now, will you calm yourself enough to go and ask a nurse to come round here, please?”

  Jean was wiping her eyes with a tissue she took from a nearby table, happily shook her head yes and disappeared quickly.

  By the time she got back with a nurse in tow, Sheila was sitting up and Dwight was explaining Jacks’ absence to her as well. He looked up when the nurse arrived and asked if she would just check Sheila’s blood pressure and she did. Everything checked out good and Sheila insisted she was fine.

  Dwight was still not happy at all with her flying, but what was done was done, so he brought them up to date on Honey’s status before he took them to her room. He cautioned them not to say anything, which might upset her, but she was sleeping soundly and they did not stay. Instead, they went to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Dwight was worried that the trip was too much for Sheila in her condition and after they were finished, he insisted that she go to Sang-mi’s house to rest. When Jean offered to stay with Honey, he was glad she was there, for he was feeling a bit stretched and in all honesty was relieved to have the help.

  It was raining when they left and somehow it seemed appropriate for Dwight’s mood. Sheila had never seen him this agitated and began to worry that she really had gone too far. Once they were on the way to Sang-mi’s, she offered sincere regrets of having disregarded his wishes. She admitted it was compulsive and dangerous for their unborn child. In lieu of her obvious sorrow, Dwight could not continue with his attitude and by the time they reached Sang-mi’s, he was acting more like himself. Now that she was here, he was thinking it might be just what Jacks needed to help him with his memory.

  He was right, for the instance Jacks saw Sheila, he grabbed her in a hug so happy to see someone he truly recognized. This eased his frustration and though it was not a lot, he began to put pieces together with her prodding. At first, she talked of things from before when they lived and worked in New York. The days before Garrett visited the office on that fateful day which changed their lives forever. Gradually she began talking of the ACAA in Jackson and his new position there as head of staff.

  He was shocked to learn that she was married to Dwight and expecting a baby, laughed when she told him they both now lived in Mississippi, but he believed her. There were things she said which prodded his memory while some did not. When Honey’s name came up, he became agitated and started pacing the floor.

  “Where did we meet? How did we meet?”

  “There was this little girl in Philadelphia whom the ACAA took away from her parents. She was…her parents, were friends of Honeys and the two of you met because of her.”

  Jacks frowned. His brows came together almost as if he felt physical pain. Though she felt sorry for him, she pushed harder.

  “She was wrongfully taken and you and Honey were on opposite sides in court.

  “ Court…C
arol? The young child was Carol?”

  “Yes, it was Carol. Are you remembering her? Jacks, you remembered her name, do you remember anything else?”

  “She was ill, wasn’t she? Yes, she was and her parents…oh my God! Honey was…Honey is…she is dead. The accident…the car…it killed her and I could not save her! I remember!”

  With a look of devastation on his face, Jacks dropped to his knees with his head held in his hands and began to groan. Sheila slipped from her seat next to him to the floor, putting her arms around him while Dwight shoved his hands deep into his pockets, waiting, knowing that Jacks had to remember and it would be painful.

  “She is alive, Jacks. She is alive, thank God!”

  “Tell me where she is! Something is wrong, she is not here, where is she?”

  His eyes begged them to tell him what he needed to hear and though relief flooded them when he was assured she was not dead, fear still clung to him as he imagined the worst . He remembered a fragment of the accident. It was bad. The last thing he remembered was lying across her still body and someone saying she was dead, before everything went blank. He vaguely remembered the hospital and pain from the cuts on his body.

  “She is still in the hospital Jacks, because her injuries were extensive, but she is going to make it. Thank God, you are remembering. What else do you remember? Anything about Asa?”

  “Who is he?”

  “Never mind. Do you remember why you moved to Mississippi?”

  “I was tired and I remember some people wanted me to be a senator? What did Garrett have to do with all that? He was there, pushing and pushing. Sheila, please, just tell me everything. We were at the office after Garrett left. That is the last thing I remember clearly, everything else is just all jumbled up. Please.”

  Sheila looked up at Dwight, who nodded his approval, and then she got up and took Jacks hand to help him up.

  “We may as well get comfortable, this may take a while.”

  They went into Sang-mi’s living room where they sat on an oversized sofa with Sheila sitting in the middle of the two men. She started from the day Garrett visited Jacks with the offer from Cannon and Belk. She left out nothing, even the part about her marriage to Morgan Belk, which caused fresh pain from the wound he dealt her. Dwight said nothing but held tightly to her hand in support as she described the horrors she had endured. He watched raw emotions cross Jacks’ face when she relived the kidnapping experience with Honey and their imprisonment.