Maddy was stunned by her own action, her own strength. She’d actually knocked the would-be killer out cold! She didn’t have much time for celebration, though, when she realized she now had a new problem. What the heck was she supposed to do with him? She couldn’t leave him lying in the snow; he’d freeze to death in no time. She’d have to drag him in and tie him up until she found out why he had sneaked in on a defenseless woman during a snowstorm.
Hands trembling, she fumbled for the light switch and flipped it on. The light fell across the man’s face. Maddy froze at the sight. Everything in her body seemed to shut down. The color drained from her cheeks, her jaw dropped open. Michael? She leaned over the body, and she could almost swear she heard her knees knocking. It was him all right, her soon-to-be ex-husband. She searched for signs of blood. As hard as she’d hit him, she expected to find it gushing from his skull and staining the snow a bright red. She was relieved when she didn’t find any; in fact, he looked much the same as he always had, except that he’d put on a few pounds.
Yes, it was definitely Michael.
What the hell was he doing here? Trying to ruin her chances for a relaxing holiday, no doubt. She’d had to beg him to come with her in the past.
He probably wasn’t even hurt; just playing possum so she’d feel sorry for him.
Well, he was wasting his time.
With a snort of disgust, she stepped inside the cabin once more, slammed the door, and locked it.
Chapter Three
Maddy leaned against the door and shook her head. No, this wouldn’t do. She couldn’t leave Michael out in the snow, even if she did hate him. Sure, she’d told him to drop dead a number of times when their marriage had crumbled, but she had no desire to be responsible for his demise.
Of course, he would probably want to do her in when he woke up and found a lump on his head.
A thought nagged her. What if he really was hurt? Just because there wasn’t any blood didn’t mean he wasn’t seriously injured. He could be hemorrhaging inside his skull, which was even more dangerous than external bleeding. What if he was out there dying in the snow this very instant? She reached for the doorknob just as someone knocked.
She jumped back, startled at first. So, he wasn’t hurt after all, the dirty snake. He’d probably pretended to be, just to frighten her. She had an urge to hit him with the poker again.
Gritting her teeth, she jerked the door open. She blinked several times as she looked into the face of her thirteen-year-old nephew. He looked angry. “Danny?”
“Why’d you hit Uncle Michael?” he demanded.
“Well, I, uh, thought he was a burglar,” she sputtered.
“You were going to leave him out here in the snow?”
Maddy blushed. “No. I was just about to open the door when you knocked. Adults sometimes do ridiculous things when they’re mad or hurt, Danny. Would you please help me get him in?”
The boy struggled to get his arms beneath those of the unconscious man. Maddy grabbed Michael’s legs. “Ready?”
“He’s too heavy,” Danny said. “You’re going to have to pull him.”
Maddy pulled with all her might. Good thing she was fit. Several minutes later they had him inside. Danny closed the door while she grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and tucked it beneath Michael’s head. “What are the two of you doing here? And in the middle of a snowstorm, to boot?”
Danny didn’t seem to be listening. “Why’s it so cold in here?” he asked, glancing at the empty fireplace.
“The wood is wet. Please go to the bedroom and get a couple of blankets off the bed.” The boy started down the hall. “Don’t let the dogs out,” she called out.
“Dogs?”
Maddy didn’t feel like explaining. “They won’t bite.”
Danny hurried to do as she asked. Maddy grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen counter and proceeded to check Michael’s eyes, lifting each lid and shining the light directly into them. She was vaguely aware of her dogs barking and Danny trying to calm them. Michael’s eyes appeared normal. Next, she very gently slid her fingers through his thick, sooty hair. His father had often joked that Michael must’ve been the product of a sweet-talking milkman; his youngest was the only one who hadn’t inherited his father’s red hair.
As Maddy searched for a wound she tried not to notice how thick and silky her husband’s hair felt between her fingers or the clean scent of his aftershave. He was still as handsome as ever; his face somehow managed to appear both noble and roguish at the same time. She had decided a long time ago that he was lucky to have his olive complexion, since he spent so much time cooped up in an office. He could spend all day in the sun and never burn; she had only to cross the street on a sunny day to get fried.
Maddy sucked her breath in sharply when her fingers located a lump on the back of his head. Oh, Lord, what could she have been thinking?
Danny arrived with the blankets. “Is he hurt bad?”
“I’m not sure. There’s a big lump, but I don’t see an open wound.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
Maddy saw the worry on her nephew’s face and felt bad for putting it there. She had always been especially fond of the boy. She wished she could ease his mind. “I won’t know for a while,” she said.
“I thought you knew about injuries and that kind of stuff.”
“My specialty is sports injuries, Danny. I know very little about head wounds.” She sighed and wished this night had never happened. “He really needs to go to the emergency room, but it’s too dangerous to try to find help in this blizzard. Once it’s light, I’ll try to make it to one of the cabins down the road and see if there’s a phone.”
Maddy shook her head, feeling dazed as she considered all that had happened in the last ten minutes. Never in a million years would she have guessed she’d run into Michael at their mountain cabin. She’d had to nag him for weeks to buy it; afterward, he’d always had an excuse not to come.
“Why don’t you cover him with that blanket while I get some ice?” she suggested.
When Maddy returned with her homemade ice pack, she found Danny gazing down at his uncle sorrowfully. “Is he going to die?” the boy asked.
Maddy tried to swallow the guilt that rose in the back of her throat, but it refused to go away. “No, of course not,” she said. “Once I get the swelling down, it’ll be better.” She didn’t know that for sure, but she didn’t want to frighten her nephew. She was scared enough for both of them.
Maddy placed the ice pack against the injury. “I’m surprised Michael isn’t carrying his briefcase. He takes it everywhere.”
Danny shook his head. “I heard him telling Grandma he was leaving the rat race behind, which he said included his phone and briefcase. That’s what the doctor ordered.”
She frowned. “What doctor?”
“The one that told him he had high blood pressure. He’s supposed to go on a diet and stop smoking.”
“Your uncle doesn’t smoke, Danny,” she said.
“Wanna bet? There was a smoke cloud in his car all the way up here. I could barely breathe.”
Maddy was surprised. Michael was very particular about his car; she’d never known him to let anyone smoke in it. She studied her husband closely. She could see he’d gained weight. He’d always been lean and fit, thanks to a steady regimen of jogging. She knew how hectic his schedule was; she suspected he was living off junk food these days. No doubt he’d picked up a few other bad habits as well.
“You should have told him the smoke was bothering you, Danny,” she said.
“He didn’t know I was in the car.” The boy stopped abruptly, and it was obvious from his reddening face that he’d said something he shouldn’t have.
Maddy gazed back at him. “How could he not know you were in the car?”
Danny looked away quickly. “I was hiding on the floor in the back.”
“You were running away from home? I’ll bet your poor parents are worried
sick.”
“I left a note. They know I’m with Uncle Michael. But I plan to split once the roads clear.”
“Well, Danny, you’re not a baby anymore. I guess there comes a time when a man’s got to make his own decisions. I just hope you’re prepared.” She saw the blank look on his face. “You know, in case some lunatic tries something funny with you. I mean, what kind of people pick up hitchhikers nowadays?”
The boy looked startled at the thought. He opened his mouth to answer but was cut off abruptly when the man on the floor moaned softly.
Maddy snatched her hand away at the sound. Her fingers had grown numb, but she barely noticed. “Michael? Can you hear me?” She could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. “Michael? Are you in pain?”
“’Course he’s in pain,” Danny said. “You tried to kill him.”
Maddy shot the boy a dark look. “Michael, please wake up!” she cried.
“You better hope he doesn’t file charges against you for assault and battery.”
“This is nothing compared to what I do to mouthy teenagers,” Maddy snapped. “Now put a sock in it.”
Danny suddenly became quiet.
The man had grown still again, and Maddy feared he would never wake up this time. She shook him gently. “Michael? You need to wake up,” she said firmly. Even as she said it she realized just how much she dreaded coming face-to-face with him again. Nevertheless, she had to do what was best for him. She reached out and tugged one earlobe. “Michael, wake up this minute!” she said sharply.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Danny protested.
“I’m trying to provoke him. He hates having his ears touched.”
“Oh, I get it.” Danny leaned close. “Open your eyes, Mike!” he shouted so loud that Maddy thought she’d jump out of her skin. “He hates being called Mike.” The man on the floor shifted and frowned. “See? It’s working.”
“Oh, Michael,” Maddy said dramatically. “Ernest Tate has gone and made Brenner full partner. You know how much you dislike Adam Brenner. He’s going to eat your lunch, Michael. You’re going to end up working for him.”
“You’re a crappy attorney anyway, Mike,” Danny said, his voice ringing off the cabin walls. “A real slug. You couldn’t win a case if your life depended on it.”
Michael’s eyes twitched and fluttered open. He blinked once or twice, as if to focus. Maddy breathed a sigh of relief as consciousness began to register on his face.
Danny was gazing at the ceiling as if looking for inspiration. He was beginning to like this game. “Man, you ain’t got squat for brains, Mike. You could put your brains on the head of a pin, and you’d still have room to park your car. And how ’bout your mama? Why she’s so ugly, she has to sneak up on a glass to get a drink of water.”
Maddy noted the dark look on Michael’s face. “That’s enough, Danny,” she said.
“I’m talking ugly,” Danny said. “Your mama’s so ugly she has to—” With lightning speed, the man reached up and grasped the boy by the collar of his shirt. Danny shrieked and made a gagging sound. “Aunt Maddy, he’s choking me! Make him let go.”
“Michael, no!” Maddy tried to pull the boy free, but she was no match for the man. Danny gagged. His face was the color of fresh strawberries. “You’re hurting him, Michael!” she cried. “He’s just a kid. Let him go.”
Michael blinked several times as though trying to understand what she was saying. Finally, he released Danny. The boy coughed and sputtered, then glared at his aunt and uncle. “Man, you guys are crazy, you know that?” He leaped to his feet. “I’m almost sorry I left home.” He stormed off toward the bedroom.
Maddy jumped when the door slammed. She knew she was going to have to apologize, but first she had to see to Michael. He was staring at her with a strange look on his face.
“Why am I lying on the floor?” he said.
“You, uh, fell,” she said. “You have a big knot on your head.” She decided not to tell him the truth until he was better. “I need to put more ice on it. Do you think you can sit up?”
Very slowly, he pushed himself into an upright position. He felt the back of his head and winced when he discovered the lump. The pain seemed to radiate through his skull. “Do you have any aspirin?”
“Yes, of course. Let me help you up, and I’ll get it.” Holding one of his arms, she struggled to get him to his feet. He swayed, and she grabbed him around his waist to steady him. He felt familiar, despite the added pounds. When he looked as though he could stand on his own, she went into the kitchen and grabbed the aspirin bottle and a glass of water. She turned and discovered he was watching her.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He just stared at her.
He was beginning to frighten her. But that was ridiculous; they had lived together for five years, had known each other almost seven. “Here, you’ll feel better after you take this.” Maddy shook two aspirin into his palm and handed him the water.
“Thanks.” Michael popped the aspirin into his mouth and drank all the water before returning the glass. He took in his surroundings, the plaid sofa and chair with plump cushions, the dried-flower arrangement, and the matted and framed photographs that hung on the wall. The empty fireplace made him frown. “It’s freezing in here. You should have a fire going.”
Maddy wondered at his impersonal tone. He’d obviously been very successful at shutting her out of his life; she almost hated herself for the buckets of tears she’d cried after leaving him. “The wood is wet, Michael,” she said. “I carried in a couple of loads, but it’s going to take a while for them to dry out.” His gaze landed on her once more. “I’d better find that ice pack. The sooner we get that swelling down the better.” She started for the kitchen, and then paused. “Would you like something? A cup of coffee or some hot chocolate? We don’t have much water, so we’ll have to conserve as much as we can until we find the water valve.”
“Huh?”
He looked at her as though she’d just rattled the whole thing off in German. Maybe he was still dazed. In that case, she wouldn’t want to give him more to think about than he needed at the moment. “I asked if I could get you anything,” she said.
“Some answers would be nice,” he said sharply. “For starters, I’d like to know where the hell I am. Once you answer that, you might tell me who you are.”
Chapter Four
Maddy was too stunned at first to speak. “You’re saying you don’t know who I am? Is this some kind of joke?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
She had to admit he didn’t. His eyes were dark and hooded, impenetrable. There was an aloofness about him that made her edgy. His body language told her he was as tense with the situation as she was. She didn’t like what she was thinking. Surely to heaven he didn’t have amnesia. Those things only happened on TV, not in real life. “No, you don’t.”
The bedroom door opened and two dachshunds raced out, going into a fit of barking the minute they spied Michael. They skidded to a stop and attached themselves to the hem of his jeans, growling and snarling as though they had every intention of tearing them off his body.
Danny followed close behind. He looked hurt and embarrassed. “I’m sorry I said those things about Grandma, Uncle Michael,” he said, trying to make himself heard over the noise. Maddy was on her knees trying to pull the animals free. “I was just trying to get you to wake up. I’m glad you’re okay.” Without warning, he threw his arms around Michael.
Maddy managed to pry Muffin loose, but Rambo refused to give up, dodging all her attempts to grab him. She would have to close the female in her bedroom, then try to wrestle the male free. She stood and noted the frantic look on Michael’s face. He obviously didn’t know what to make of the boy.
“Uh, Danny, I have something to tell you,” Maddy began, struggling to hold her pet, who seemed bent on diving from her arms and rejoining her brother.
As though sensing a problem, the boy dre
w back and looked into his uncle’s face. “Is something wrong, Uncle Michael?”
“Your uncle doesn’t recognize us, honey. He has amnesia.”
Danny looked from one to the other. “Is this for real or are you guys being weird again?”
Michael, who was trying to pull free from the animal’s grasp, glanced up. “It must be real because I don’t have a clue what’s going on here.”
“What do you remember?” the boy asked.
“Well …” Michael took a few steps into the living room, dragging the dachshund as he went. He heard the sound of denim ripping, and he hoped he hadn’t paid a lot for the jeans. He had a sudden urge to toss the dog out in the snow, but the woman grabbed the mutt before he could act on it.
“I’m so sorry,” Maddy said, wondering what had turned her pets into beasts. They obviously sensed Michael wasn’t an animal lover. Still, that was no excuse. She carried them down the hall, one tucked beneath each arm. Their tails wagged excitedly, slapping against her back as she fussed. “You two can forget having any T-R-E-A-T-S for a while,” she said, spelling out the word because she didn’t want them to become more excited than they were. She set them down inside the bedroom and ignored their sad-eyed expression as she pulled on the jeans and sneakers she’d worn on the drive up. “Go to sleep,” she ordered the dogs, and closed the door. She found Michael sitting on the sofa when she returned to the living room. “Have you remembered anything?”
He looked at her. “I remember waking up this morning and going to work,” he said. “I know I’m a lawyer. I don’t know how I know, but I do. That’s about it. Look, it’s really cold in here. Why don’t I get some firewood out of my trunk?”
“You have wood in your trunk?!”
He suddenly looked baffled. “Gee, I don’t know. I must. Otherwise, why would I have said it? I guess the only way to find out is to check.” He stood.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Maddy told him. “Give me the keys to your car, and Danny and I will look. You need to sit down and put this ice pack on your head.”
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