“Sorry. Not thinking. How safe is that area across the lake? There has to be a way to get here from there.”
“There is by boat, but the banks pretty steep. There’s an old dilapidated house and garage over there and a dirt track that leads to an old abandoned road. I’ve got a car stashed there in case we have to bug out. If we did have to vacate in a hurry, the chances are we would go out by helicopter, but you know me. I like to have a Plan B.”
“Well, let’s hope you won’t need it. The walk into the woods doesn’t look easy from here, and it’ll be a while before Nancy can manage that. You might need a Plan C.”
“Who says I don’t have one?” Todd answered and winked. “Why don’t you go down and see if Ewan’s having any luck with that flash drive? The sooner we know if it’ll help us, the better.”
“Yes, sir,” Neil saluted and barely escaped the towel Todd snapped at him.
Chuckling, he went downstairs. After punching in his identification code, Neil opened the door to the communications’ room and stepped into a futuristic world filled with electronics and state-of-the-art surveillance equipment. Twelve monitors filled one wall, six of them showing a different section of the area surrounding the house, the others showing the inside including the door to Nancy’s room. One screen highlighted the main gates which could only be opened from here, but the camera was angled on the gates and not on the area across the way. Ewan sat in front of the largest monitor Neil had ever seen. On the screen were a number of folder icons, and a steady blip flashed in the right corner of the screen.
“Quite the setup you have. Anything we can use?” he asked walking over and standing beside the desk. “I’m assuming that’s the USB flash drive from Nancy’s bag?”
Ewan looked up. “Yes it is, and I don’t know. I haven’t been able to open all the files. Are you sure she doesn’t work for the CIA?”
“Nancy took her responsibilities seriously.” Neil chuckled. “When she said your information was secure, she meant it.”
“Well, she won’t defeat me. I’ll figure this out or die trying.”
“I don’t think we need to go that far,” Neil said, shaking his head. “Can you tell what was uploaded or opened recently?”
Ewan nodded. “Yes. The most recent encrypted information was uploaded about a week before the massacre. I think that’s even before she knew about the Paxton case, so there’s probably nothing on it to help us, but now my curiosity is aroused. I’m using a standard CIA decryption program. Most of the files have six character passwords, but that one has a twelve character one, so whatever she’s got in it must be important. I’ve managed to open one of her personal files—her resumes. It’ll take the system a while to figure out that last one.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then.” He was about to turn away and stopped. “What’s that flashing at the bottom of the screen?”
“You’ve heard of spyware?”
Neil nodded.
“Well, this is anti-spyware. It’s a security program that masks my location when I’m online. It’s been acting up, but it’s nothing to worry about. Anderson contacted someone in Washington. CIA stuff doesn’t work half the time, but they’ve got an upgraded decrypting password software I might try if this doesn’t work within the next hour or so.”
“Let me know if it does,” Neil watched the blinking at the bottom of the screen. He had a basic knowledge of computers, but when things went wrong, he was the last person to call.
“You’ve got it. I can play around with it for a few minutes longer before I get back to work on the Paxton files they sent me.” Ewan clicked on a small icon at the bottom of his screen and typed.
Neil left the room and headed back upstairs. He needed to talk to Nancy again and tell her about WITSEC.
* * *
Dan’s voice startled Nancy awake.
“Okay, pretty lady. Up and at ’em. We can’t let you sleep the day away.”
She blinked her eyes owl-like. It seemed like he’d told her to rest just moments ago.
“It’s half-past eleven, and I’d like to see you enjoy your lunch at the table. That way you’ll eat more than you’ll wear.” He winked.
He’d given her a thorough examination earlier and had explained a lot about retrograde amnesia and how the fact she didn’t remember the incidents would and could affect her reaction to them. She was sad, but not overly so, and while that could be from the anti-anxiety medication he’d given her, she wasn’t going to let it get her down. Four years had passed since her mother’s death. There was nothing she could do but accept it now and move on, just as she had to with everything else. She’d never thought of herself as a pragmatist, considering herself too emotional for that, but now her logical streak was taking over and working fine. Maybe that would be a good thing.
After breakfast, Julia had helped her bathe and re-bandaged her head so that her glasses sat properly, and she reached for them on the table beside her. Without the bandages, she looked like a washed-out version of Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics, but the multicolored scarf Julia had wrapped around her head brightened her wan complexion. Dressed in a pair of turquoise Chinese-styled polyester silk pajamas, minus all the plastic tubes attached to her, she felt both comfortable and confident.
“Your chariot awaits,” Julia said, wheeling a walker over to the side of the bed, and removing the hummingbird quilt, one of her mother’s that Nancy had recognized by its workmanship. She’d shed a tear when Julia had found it and a ceramic baby angel in the bag full of clothing she didn’t recognize.
“Why do I need that?” She indicated the walker. “Is there something wrong with my legs?” she asked.
“Nothing, aside from the fact you haven’t been on them in a month,” Julia said. “You’ll be weak, and we want this to be easy for you.”
The nurse pulled down the blankets and helped her sit upright. Dizziness filled her.
“How are you doing?” Dan asked, his arms folded as he watched her.
“A little dizzy,” she admitted.
“That’s normal. You haven’t been fully upright in a while. Just sit still until it passes. We’ll move on when you’re ready to.”
She nodded. “I’m good. What’s next?”
“This isn’t a race, and we’ll only do what feels comfortable. I want you to grip the handles on the walker and stand. That’s all you’re going to do, just stand.”
Slowly, Nancy pulled herself up. Her arms and legs trembled, out of practice with the task they’d been given. Leaning heavily on the walker for support, she managed to stand up straight and grinned.
“Ta da!”
“You’re doing great. I’m going to remove the brake locks. The walker won’t move unless you push it,” Julia said. Bending down, she unlocked the mechanism, and then straightened. “How do you feel?”
“Strange. My legs are limp noodles, ready to collapse at any minute.”
“That’s to be expected. The nursing staff did passive exercises with you, but those aren’t the same as actually moving your body and having gravity at play, too. If you’ve had enough, we can quit for now and try later,” Dan offered.
“No,” she said forcefully. “You promised me lunch at the table, and I’m hungry.”
Her stomach rumbled to punctuate her words.
“Okay, then, when you feel up to it, start walking, pushing the walker ahead of you for balance. Easy does it.”
Nancy gritted her teeth, determined to do this. Sliding one foot ahead, she slowly propelled the walker forward and continued her mini-steps across the room toward the table. The chair Dan turned outward for her didn’t seem to be getting any closer, but she refused to give up. Inch by inch, she moved across the oak floor. When she finally reached her destination, she knew she couldn’t go another step and doubted she’d have the strength for the return journey. Noticing the wheelchair folded on the far side of the dresser, she exhaled before collapsing gratefully onto the chair’s padded seat. Dan turned the chair
with her in it, and pushed her closer to the table.
“Bravo. I’m impressed. After you eat, we’ll help you into the lounger if you like. You’ve spent enough time in bed.”
“Can’t wait,” she said letting out a big breath. “This may be my chariot, but I want that limo for the ride back.” She indicated the wheelchair. “What do I get for lunch? Not grits, I hope, although they weren’t as bland as I remember.”
He laughed. “I understand Todd has homemade chicken soup, raspberry gelatin, applesauce, and milk. He might’ve thrown in a couple of crackers, and I think there’s weak tea, too.”
“What? No margarita? What kind of celebration is that?”
“Best we can do this time, sorry, but I do have another surprise for you. Julia, if you please?” The nurse pulled open the curtain to reveal the exquisitely landscaped yard.
Nancy grinned. “It’s beautiful! When can I go sit outside?”
Dan laughed. “I’ve created a monster. We’ll see how well you do, but Todd has to agree to it. Your safety is his primary concern.”
“I guess it has to be,” she said. The sooner she remembered something, the sooner she would get her independence back.
“How about getting her lunch now?” Dan asked Julia. “We don’t want that stomach grumbling again.”
“Right away,” the nurse answered, closing the door behind her.
Dan sat on the chair across from Nancy.
“Comfortable?”
“Yes. Thank you. What’s up? It’s like I’m waiting for that second shoe to drop. Not more bad news, I hope.”
“Nothing gets by you, does it? I was just wondering if you had any more questions for me. The last amnesia patient I treated didn’t even know her own name.”
Nancy winced. “That would be awful. This is bad enough.” Her mouth drooped. “Why did I lose six years?” she asked the question that had been bothering her since Neil had told her the truth about her lost memories. “I understand what you said earlier about traumatic events, so not remembering the shooting sort of makes sense, but the other stuff ... it just feels wrong.”
Dan leaned back. “The brain is the final frontier in medicine. We’re just starting to understand how it functions. Why six years? Why not five or seven? I don’t know. What I do know is that you aren’t the same person who walked into that restaurant, Nancy, and you may never be. I would imagine that losing your mother and child the way you did was an extremely traumatic event, especially when you most likely followed it with a postpartum depression. If those memories come back, and I’m not saying they will or won’t, your reaction might be different again. Don’t force it. Just let it happen. Talk to Neil about the past, ask your questions, but don’t focus on the bad times. The good times may be the cues you need to recall your life. Better yet, start over. This is your life now. If things are going to come back, they’ll do so at their own speed. Living in the past isn’t good for anyone.”
The door opened, and Julia entered carrying a tray with two meals on it.
“Here she is now. Enjoy. I’m going to grab something to eat and get some rest. I’ve got the nightshift again tonight.” He left the room.
Julia removed the dishes from the tray. “I thought I’d join you for lunch. Todd sent Neil to check on something across the lake, but he’ll be back to spend the afternoon with you.”
Nancy’s mouth watered, and she smiled. “This smells fantastic,” she said, sniffing the air in appreciation.
“Todd’s a great cook.” Julia handed her a napkin.
While her hand trembled slightly, she managed to spoon the delicious soup into her mouth. Had anything ever tasted this good?
About twenty minutes later, she pushed her tray away. “I’m stuffed. It was all delicious, but now I feel like a well-fed baby. I need the bathroom, and then I’m ready for a nap.”
“Do you want the bedpan or will you walk?” Julia asked.
“How about we compromise and use the chair? The sooner I can do things on my own, the better I’ll like it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Neil ran his hand through his hair, still damp from the shower. He’d taken the boat across the lake as Todd had asked and had found and marked the easiest landing spot, but the walk would still be a hard one if anyone had to attempt it, especially in the dark. He punched in the code and opened the door to the solarium.
“Look who’s here,” Julia said, putting down the novel she’d been reading.
Nancy closed the magazine she held and smiled up at him.
His heart flip-flopped when he saw her. She’d worn headscarves in the past, and seeing her now, he could almost believe everything that had happened had been some kind of weird, convoluted nightmare like she’d sworn this morning.
“Come sit down.” She indicated the chair next to the chaise.
He dropped into it, nodding to acknowledge Julia. “How was lunch?”
“Delicious,” Nancy answered. “It was the best soup I’ve ever tasted.”
“Todd’s a hell of a cook. Dan says you’re making incredible progress.” He grinned.
“She certainly is,” Julia said, standing and reaching for the tray of dishes. “But we don’t want her rushing things. She has to be a patient patient. I’ll bring these back to the kitchen and give you two some privacy. I’ll be back in an hour or so. If she needs anything before that, page me.” Grabbing the pager off the dresser, she left the room.
Nancy chuckled. “As I recall, patience isn’t one of my virtues, but you on the other hand, have an extraordinary amount of it. I remember you trying to teach me to ski. Did I ever get it?”
Neil shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but you were the prettiest snow bunny on the hill.”
“No, I wasn’t, but keep telling yourself that.” She sobered. “It’s strange talking like this. What I remember so clearly as days ago was years ago for you. Even my mother’s death. It seems like only yesterday that I left her at the cruise ship. She was so excited about sailing off into the unknown—the ship was skirting the Bermuda Triangle.” She sighed. “For me, it looks like she’s never coming back from that cruise.”
“Hey,” Neil reached for her hand. “Let’s take it one day at a time. The fact we don’t know exactly who’s after you means we have to hide you away someplace safer than this. The world thinks you died from your injuries, and we want to keep it that way. You’re going into WITSEC as soon as you’re strong enough. You’ll get a new life, a new identity, and a whole new future. If you do remember something later, it can be passed onto the proper authorities.”
What little color she had vanished. “I’m a package? That’s what you called the people you were protecting, isn’t it?”
Neil frowned, surprised she remembered the terminology. “Most of the time. Sometimes we referred to them as assets. Using a name could be dangerous if it were overheard, but you’re much more than that. You’re my wife, even if you don’t recall that, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. Didn’t I promise I wouldn’t leave you?”
Her eyebrows disappeared into the scarf. “But what about your job? I may not remember much, but I do know it means everything to you. How can you stay with me, hide me from the world as it were, and still be a marshal?”
He smiled. “Being a marshal’s important, but it’s not the only thing. You might say I’m getting my cake and eating it, too. I’m on permanent assignment—you. They’ll find something to keep me busy, maybe a job as a forest ranger. I would love working outside, and I’ll need a paycheck after all. I wouldn’t mind living up north again.”
She smiled. “Snow.”
“Only someone who grew up without it would see that as the best thing, but yeah. They’ll find a job for you, too, if you want one.”
“At one time, I wanted to teach.”
“Maybe you can.” He licked his lips. “It’s safer to go in as husband and wife, or if you don’t want the official sounding title, as a couple living together. That way I’ll
be with you twenty-four hours a day. Living separately isn’t as effective if something does go wrong. Todd’s in charge, and he’s damn good at his job.”
“Todd? Did I know him?” She scrunched up her face, trying to remember. “The name sounds familiar.”
“I might’ve mentioned him that weekend. He’s my partner. Believe it or not, the lack of memories will make WITSEC easier on you. You’re going to get well, and you’ve got a whole new life ahead of you.”
“Julia says Meredith Stone is leaving today. I’d hoped to talk to her, but I’m glad it’s safe for her to go home.”
“It might be, but we aren’t sure yet. They’re sending her to another location for a while. If the marshals looking after her don’t see any danger, she’ll be free to go back to her old life. If they do see a problem, then she’ll have to go into the program, too. That would be a shame since all she did was arrange for Larry Jackson to hire you.”
“Did I tell her something?” Nancy asked, her brow furrowed.
He shook his head. “Not really. You’ve always been close-mouthed about your clients. I wish you had, then we might know more about who’s behind all this. By the way, they’re holding a funeral for a substitute Nancy Frost next Monday. I’ll be there and see if anyone asks about her. I can try to get a picture of the stone if you like, but you won’t be able to keep it and seeing your name on it might be a little unnerving. I see you got the quilt.” He pointed to her lap. “Was there a ceramic angel, too?”
“It’s over there. The quilt is one of Mom’s, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, she gave it to you just before the accident.” He licked his lips. He didn’t want to bring that up again, but it seemed to creep into every conversation they had.
“Someone scratched off the information under the angel,” she supplied crossing her legs and leaning back on the chaise. “Why?”
“You made it yourself after you got out of the hospital. It had Trevor’s name and date of birth on it. That could lead to questions...” He let her draw her own conclusion.
She nodded. “Of course. I should’ve realized that. Dan says I should ask you about the good times we had—something about positive memories being cues. I recall we were good friends, shared lots of laughs, and had an incredible day on the slopes, even if I spent more of it down than upright.”
Sworn to Protect Page 18