TWELVE
“Then I’ll protect you as before. So far we’ve only had contact with law enforcement in the surrounding towns and counties, besides the sheriff in Tom Green County,” Lee answered, pivoting toward her in the SUV. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll drive you to and from work.”
“Go back to watching my every move?” Heidi sighed, closing her eyes.
Lee clasped her shoulder. “Only if you want. We’ll be cautious and alert.”
The touch of his hand on her solidified his support through this new situation. From deep down she knew she’d never experienced the kind of emotions he stirred in her. “Fine. It was nice feeling free for a few days.”
“You still are. Most likely whoever killed Peterson is long gone. And we don’t even know if you witnessed the murder or even knew about it.”
She looked him directly in the eye. “Then why did I have his car?”
He frowned. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.”
The fear and panic that had subsided when West was captured began to resurface. Heidi shoved it down. She wasn’t going to let it rule her life. Molly talked about turning her problems over to the Lord. That was what she was going to do now. She was in a safe place with people who cared about her. Worrying would only add stress to an already strained situation. “I’m fine with whatever you think you should do.”
“Good. I’m hoping the photos will help you. Not just the crime scene, but the area around it.”
Fifteen minutes later, while Heidi sat at the table with the pictures spread out before her, nothing came to mind, no sense of recognition. Ever since Lee had shown her William Peterson’s photo right after they’d discovered the car, she’d tried to remember seeing the man but couldn’t recall anything. Now was no different.
Heidi’s shoulders slumped forward, and her gaze suddenly fell on one picture to the right of her. A view of the left side of the building with a field stretching out behind it. A vision of her running as fast as she could flashed across her mind and disappeared. She tried to pull it back up but couldn’t.
Tapping the photo, she said, “I was there. I think I was running from the store.” Another image flickered in and out of her thoughts. She hugged her arms against her chest. “Someone was chasing me.”
“Who?”
As she waited for another revelation, she curled her hands into fists. A hazy figure materialized in her mind. Vague. Wavering. “All I can tell is tall. Big.” Tension left her rigid with her muscles locked in place to the point they hurt. Finally, she blew out a breath. “That’s all. I can’t remember anything else.”
“That’s a good start. What I think we should do is go to the crime scene. Let you walk around and get a sense of the place. What day this week works for you?”
“Wednesday. I’m off that day. I hate to ask for a time off when I just started working there.”
“Fine. Day after tomorrow will be perfect. I have some things I’ll follow through with tomorrow, and that’ll free me up to go on Wednesday. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Lee scooped up the photos and dropped them into a manlia envelope. “If you can wait a little bit, I’ll put out the message about you to the law agencies in Texas and the surrounding states. The sooner we figure out who you are, the sooner you can get your life back. Maybe knowing who you are will nudge your memory.”
Lee left her in the interview room, wondering about his statement concerning getting her life back. How could she expect a man to fall in love with her when she really didn’t know who she was? That was something she’d been thinking for the past week. Now it appeared Lee was thinking that, too. He might care about her—even want to date her—but her past did matter to him whether he acknowledged it or not.
* * *
“I know it’s troubling that the man’s body was found, but it’ll bring some closure to his family, at least.” Molly handed Heidi a plate to put in the dishwasher.
“I know, but I feel I’m so close to recalling something and just can’t. I even see a guy. Not clear, though.”
“You helped Lee with the case here in Sagebrush. He’ll help you.”
The back door opened, and Lee came into the kitchen with Abbey and Kip following him. “I think these two would stay outside all night if I let them, especially if I agreed to stay, too, and throw the ball for them.”
Molly dried her hands on a dish towel and hung it up. “You timed that perfectly. We’re through with cleaning up.” She shifted her gaze from Lee to Heidi. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to bed early tonight.” Covering her mouth to hide a yawn, Molly shuffled toward the hallway.
Heidi yawned. “I have to agree with Molly. My first day on the job has worn me out.”
“Good, then you’ll have no trouble getting some sleep tonight. I was concerned with all that has happened that you might be too wound up to sleep.”
“No. I’m exhausted.” She patted the side of her leg, Abbey’s cue to walk beside her. “I guess with having not worked for over a month that I’ll have to build up my stamina.”
“That makes sense.” Lee trailed behind Heidi from the kitchen. “Where would you like to go on our date this weekend?”
Not lifting her foot enough, Heidi nearly stumbled on the stairs. She gripped the banister and steadied herself.
“You haven’t forgotten about our date, have you?”
“No. I don’t know what’s around here. I’ll let you decide.” One less decision to make.
“I thought you didn’t like surprises.”
“I don’t, so you’ll need to tell me beforehand. Okay?”
At the second-story landing, Lee stopped in front of his apartment and said to Kip, “Stay.” Then he started for the staircase to the third floor.
“I’m really all right. I know my way to my place. I know this has been a long day for you, too.” She had to learn to take care of herself. She couldn’t depend on Lee all the time.
The corners of his mouth hitched up. “It has, but I’ll sleep better if I check out your apartment.”
She swung around in his path. “Why? Do you think I’m in danger?”
He stared at her for a long moment, one shoulder lifting in a shrug. “No. If someone was in your apartment, Abbey would have alerted you earlier.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
He crossed to her, cupped the back of her neck and kissed her, hard, full of pent-up feelings. “Good night.”
Heidi watched him stroll to his door, glance back, then disappear into his apartment. She grazed her fingertips over her lips, imagining the touch of his mouth on hers all over again. Goose bumps rose on her skin. If their lives were normal...
Abbey nosed her hand. She looked down at her pet. “Sorry, girl. You caught me daydreaming. Let’s go to bed.”
Twenty minutes later, Heidi sank onto the covers and closed her eyes, sleep descending quickly.
* * *
Lee paced his bedroom, unable to go to sleep like he’d proclaimed. For the past hour the silence had mocked his attempts until he’d given up and gotten out of bed. He glanced down at Kip, who was watching him with his head resting between his outstretched legs.
“I know. No matter what I tell myself I can’t seem to get her out of my thoughts. What secrets does she hold in her mind?” He could certainly understand if her subconscious suppressed what she’d witnessed if she’d seen Peterson being beaten then strangled.
But how would she be able to move on if she never remembered? It would haunt her, a barrier to any relationship she wanted to have. The cop in him needed answers; the man didn’t care, so long as she was safe.
Staring at his bed, he decided to give sleep one more chance before he gave in and fixed a pot of coffee. The thought of him being forced to make the brew was enough to motivate him to get some rest. He closed his eyes, but all he saw before him was Heidi standing with her arms open wide, blood soaking her front.
He rolled over and pun
ched his pillow.
Crash.
Lee flew out of bed, cocking his head to make sure he really did hear something above him in Heidi’s apartment.
Another thump sounded, then something smashing against the hardwood floor.
He rushed toward the door to his apartment, only stopping long enough to snatch up his weapon and his set of keys. There was one to Heidi’s place that she gave him after the shooting of Zoller on the back stoop.
He took the steps two at a time, Kip racing after him. In seconds he was inside Heidi’s apartment. He signaled his dog to go into the bathroom off to the side while he crept through the dark toward Heidi’s bedroom.
Suddenly, a figure came out of Heidi’s room and flipped on the overhead light. He blinked at the sight of Heidi, her hair tangled, her eyes wide.
She stared at the gun he had aimed at her. He quickly dropped the weapon to his side.
“Sorry. I heard a noise like something crashing to the floor. I thought someone might have gotten in here, after all.”
“I—I...” She gestured toward the room behind her.
Kip trotted over to Abbey coming out of the bedroom and sniffed her.
Her face ashened, Heidi folded her arms over her robe. “I remember. At least some of what happened that day.”
“What happened in there?”
“I must have had a wrestling match with my covers and they won. The lamp on the bedside table did not. It’s shattered along with the table on its side.”
“You’re bleeding.” He pointed to her bare feet.
“I cut the bottom when I tried to pick up the pieces to the lamp.”
“Sit. I’ll find something to stop the bleeding, then you can tell me what happened.”
While Heidi hobbled to the couch, she said, “There’s a first-aid kit in the bathroom under the sink.”
He found what he needed and sat next to Heidi, picking up her leg so he could tend to the bottom of her foot. After cleaning it out with hydrogen peroxide, he patted it dry, then checked to make sure no more slithers of glass were embedded in her skin before putting a bandage on the cut.
“Now tell me why you were wrestling with your covers.”
“I saw the person who killed William Peterson in a dream.”
Tension whipped through him. “Can you describe him?”
“He’s about six and a half feet. Broad shoulders. Muscular arms. He limped.”
“How about his face?” he asked.
“It was in the shadows, but the limp should help.”
He met her eyes. “Could you see what was wrong with his leg?”
“Yes. I stabbed him with some scissors. It was bleeding.”
“Tell me about the dream,” Lee said, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes and scooting closer on the couch.
“All I saw was his back because he had me by the arm as he dragged me toward the abandoned store after I tried to escape him. I knew if he got me inside he would beat me up, possibly kill me. He was so angry at me. Shouting over and over how worthless I was. He knew me. He wasn’t a stranger.” With shaking hands, she rubbed her eyes. “That’s when William Peterson pulled up. He didn’t like how I was being treated and wanted to help me. That was his mistake. The killer yanked me the last few feet into the dark store, turned toward me and hit me with his fist a couple of times. I blacked out. It happened so fast. Everything was a blur.”
Lee took her quivering hands and held them. “Then what?”
“When I came to, the guy had William Peterson on the floor in the store and was pounding his fists into the man. I jumped on the assailant’s back and tried to pull him off. Blood was going everywhere. He flung me into some shelving like I was a piece of trash he was throwing away. That’s when he choked William Peterson to death.” A sob escaped her throat and her eyes grew wide. “I saw a set of keys on the floor near the door and knew my one chance to get away was then or never. I grabbed the keys and flew outside to the stranger’s car.”
“And?”
“That’s when the lamp shattered on the floor in the bedroom.”
“Do you remember what happened after that?”
She shook her head. “I don’t—want to. It was...” Her voice trembled to a halt, her teeth digging into her bottom lip. She swallowed hard several times before continuing. “That man can’t find me. He’ll kill me.”
Lee kneaded his thumb into her palm, the action drawing her away from the memory of the nightmare and focusing her attention on him. “You don’t remember how he knows you?”
“I think we were married once, and he was angry because I left him and filed for a divorce. I say that because he said divorced or not, he wouldn’t remove his wedding ring. A court decree meant nothing to him.”
She dropped her head, and when she lifted it again, tears shone in her eyes. One leaked out and rolled down her cheek. Lee’s heart twisted. Any feelings he was developing for her had to be put on hold. That kind of past had to be dealt with. From her description of the man, he most likely abused her and kept her tethered to him through fear. He’d seen it enough as a police officer. Right now, all he could do was protect her and be a friend.
He drew her to him and enclosed his arms around her. “You’re remembering more and more every day. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes back to you. Our trip on Wednesday to the crime scene might be what you need. Maybe you lived somewhere in Tom Green County and someone will recognize you in person.”
“No. I didn’t live there.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “I think I left where we lived to get away from him.”
“Where?”
“Not around here. I don’t even think in Texas.”
He nodded. “Then quietly inquiring with the law-enforcement agencies in the surrounding states should give us something.”
“I hope so. I don’t like knowing a faceless man is out there wanting to harm me.”
He gently lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “You have people who care here.”
“I know.” She smiled. “The best thing that happened to me is when you tracked me down in the Lost Woods.”
“At least we now know how and why you had William Peterson’s car and why both your blood types were on the cloth in his car.”
She yawned.
“I can stay out here while you try and get some sleep.”
“Are you kidding? No way am I closing my eyes again. My heartbeat is just now calming down.” She disengaged from his tender embrace. “I’m going to make some tea and stay up.” She glanced at a clock on a table nearby. “It’s only a few hours to dawn. You go back and get some sleep. I’ll be fine with Abbey and your apartment one floor below mine.”
“Are you kidding?” he echoed. “I’m not going to sleep, either. I’m wide-awake now and could use a huge cup of coffee. Especially if I don’t have to make it.”
“That’s one thing Molly didn’t have to teach me. I know how to make coffee.” Because he insisted she learn. “I’ll make some for you.”
“Perfect.” Lee waved his hand toward Kip and Abbey sitting next to each other watching them. “I know it’ll make Kip happy to stay.”
She swiveled toward him, one hand on her waist. “How about you?”
“I don’t think I have to answer that.”
“Ah, yes, my knight in shining armor.”
“My armor might be a little dented and tarnished. I’ll go get some coffee.” While Kip stayed, Lee hurried to the apartment and returned in record time. He didn’t want to leave her alone.
“Not from my point of view.” She strolled toward a counter where she had a hot plate, microwave and a few other cooking items off the living room and busied herself making the coffee and tea. After they were on, she asked, “So how should we pass the time for the next couple of hours?”
“Let’s take turns answering a question the other asks.”
“Sure, but you’ll be at a disadvantage.” She smiled. “I probably won’t be able to
answer very many questions.”
“I know, but you might be surprised what comes out when you aren’t thinking about remembering.”
While Heidi retrieved two mugs from the cabinet, Lee relaxed back and observed her preparing the coffee. She didn’t even ask him how he liked it, but she automatically fixed it the way he preferred with two scoops of sugar. Alexa always asked him one or two spoonfuls of sugar. Sometimes it was the little things that spoke volumes in a relationship.
* * *
“Captain, can I have a word?” Lee stuck his head into Slade’s office midmorning on Tuesday, not long after dropping Heidi at the library.
“What’s up?”
Lee came into the room and took the chair in front of his captain’s desk. “I need tomorrow off. I’m taking Heidi to see the crime scene in Tom Green County.” He went on to explain what she remembered from the night before.
“So she thinks she was married to the man who killed William Peterson. That makes it more important than ever to find out who she is. Some men can’t let go even when something is over.”
“I think Heidi will remember more when she sees the actual place where everything happened. For a time I wasn’t sure she really wanted to remember what her past was. She even said that to me.” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “She was afraid of what lead her to be in the Lost Woods that day I found her. Now she realizes she has to remember. There’s a killer out there.”
“Well, I hope you can figure it all out. Heidi helped us get one step closer to bringing down this crime syndicate in Sagebrush. Keep me informed.”
Lee rose. “Will do, Captain.”
At his desk Lee started making his calls. When he talked with a police detective in Santa Fe, he got a hit.
“We got a missing-person’s report two days ago on a Lucy Cullen. She taught at a private school in the south part of the city.”
“She’s been missing for over a month. Why did it take them so long?”
“She called into work saying that her mother was critically ill. She asked for some time off while she went back home to Louisiana to care for her. Her mother didn’t have anyone else. They granted it.”
Detection Mission (Texas K-9 Unit) Page 17