She wondered where Bree was and if she was trying to reach her. She clicked on the link and wrote out a message for Bree to contact her at the hotel. She didn’t go into details, only mentioned that something had happened and she needed to speak with her. Since she was using a stranger’s account, she wished she had some inside knowledge to prove to Bree that it really was her, but those memories wouldn’t come. She pressed Send and had no choice but to hope her sister would see it soon and respond.
She flipped through Bree’s social media pages and found the same photo posted on the same day. But the other photos in her profile were of Bree with a man, and their poses were more intimate with captions like “Me and Travis” followed by several heart emojis.
Must be Bree’s boyfriend—or maybe her ex?
The most current photo with Travis was dated over six months ago. It was possible they’d since broken up. Reaching out to him, too, might be a risk, but Ashlee decided to take the chance. She quickly typed a message to Travis with the same info and asked him to have Bree call her if he saw her. Then she hit Send. A sense of unease gripped her as she stared at the photos of Travis. She must not have liked her sister’s boyfriend much, but hopefully, he could be of some help to her in reaching Bree.
Ashlee shut down the computer and returned upstairs to her room, securing the locks behind her. She hoped someone would reach out soon. She needed answers about what was happening in her life to have caused all of this. She needed to know. Lawson hadn’t seen her in years, so he had no idea what she’d been doing. Ashlee could only hope that Bree would know, or maybe this Jake Stephens.
She took a shower and tried to wash away the fear and worry that had overtaken her since yesterday. She slipped into a hotel bathrobe and was towel drying her hair when she stepped out of the bathroom and someone grabbed her from behind.
She gasped as he pinned her arms behind her back with one hand and pressed a knife to her throat with the other. She glanced up. It was the same man who’d attacked her yesterday. “What...what do you want?”
“Where is it?”
Fear rustled through her. “Where is what?”
“The money! Where is the money?”
“The police took it. They have it. Please, please don’t hurt me.”
“If you don’t have my money, then you’re no use to me anymore.” He dug the knife into her throat and she screamed out as it sliced through her skin. But the blistering pain also pushed away the fear that had kept her paralyzed. In that moment, she knew one thing about herself with absolute certainty.
She wasn’t the type of person to give up without a fight.
She headbutted him and he cried out. Ignoring the mix of blunt pain to the back of her head and the sharp jab from the knife’s edge, she headbutted him again, then kicked and struggled until he stumbled backward and lost his balance. They both hit the floor and as the knife fell from her neck, she slipped out of his grip. He swore and reached out to grab her again, but not before she snatched a lamp from the nightstand and slammed it over his head.
Blood ran down his face and he’d dropped the knife—but he wasn’t unconscious and he’d gotten back to his feet. She had to run.
Ashlee lunged for the door, turning the locks and rushing into the hallway. She reached the elevator just as it opened, and as she hurried inside, she saw her attacker stumbling out of her room. He spotted her and headed her way. If he reached her before the doors closed, she was dead, but she decided staying put was the best choice of action.
She was right. He reached the elevator just as the doors closed.
She nearly doubled over in relief at the near miss, but reminded herself that she wasn’t safe yet. He would still be after her. He was probably rushing down the stairs to meet her at the bottom and she willed the elevator to go faster. When it stopped and the doors slid open, she crept to the opening and scanned the lobby and the people milling about. He wasn’t anywhere in sight. She had no idea where he was, but surely he wouldn’t be brazen enough to come after her with all these witnesses.
She bolted for the front desk and the clerk on duty. “Help me! I need help.” Adrenaline fading, her legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor as the desk clerk rushed around to help her.
Two attacks in two days.
And she was all alone.
* * *
Lawson received the call from Cecile about the attack. Immediately, he jumped into his truck and headed for the hotel. He knew he should just let Cecile handle it, but he had to make certain for himself that Ashlee was all right.
He reached the hotel and found her huddled in a chair in the manager’s office, her white robe covered in blood and Kyle Deaver, a two-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, standing watch over her.
Kyle spotted him and turned to Ashlee. “I’ll go call Cecile and let her know Lawson is here.”
“Thank you, Deputy Deaver,” she said, giving him a forced smile of gratitude.
Lawson thanked him, too, then took the chair beside Ashlee, reaching for her hand. It was still trembling with fear. “What happened?”
“A man. He was in my room when I got out of the shower. He put a knife to my neck.”
He spotted the bandage where she’d been cut. That accounted for the blood on her bathrobe. “Did he say what he wanted?”
She put her hand over her mouth as if holding in tears before she answered him. “He wanted the money. He said it belonged to him. What does that mean? Did I steal it?”
That made no sense to him. The Ashlee he knew wasn’t a thief. But he forced himself to acknowledge that he didn’t really know her anymore. “Have the paramedics been here?”
“Cecile called them, but I refused to go back to the hospital. They just left.”
“You should get checked out.”
“I’m fine. He cut my neck, but it’s not deep. I don’t want to spend another night in the hospital. I don’t need to.”
The elevator dinged and Cecile stepped out carrying the suitcase Lawson had brought for Ashlee when she’d checked into the hotel.
Lawson and Ashlee both stood to meet her. “I thought you might need this,” Cecile said, handing over the case. “I noticed you hadn’t unpacked and I figured you could use a change of clothes. Plus, I’m going to need that robe for evidence.”
Ashlee glanced down at the red stains on the robe. “I’ll run into the bathroom to change.” She hurried into the attached bathroom and closed the door.
Lawson turned to Cecile. “Did you find anything?”
She nodded as he took his seat again. “Blood on the lamp and the floor from where she hit him. We’ll run it for DNA to see if we have any matches. We’re also fingerprinting the room, but it’s a hotel, so getting a good lead with fingerprints will be tough.”
He hated to think this guy might get away clean again. When Ashlee returned, now dressed in a pair of jeans and one of his sister’s button-up shirts, he had more questions for her. “How did he get into your room? Were the doors locked?”
“Yes, I locked them. I even had the bolt latched—I’m sure of it because I had to unlatch it when I ran out. He must have gotten in when I came downstairs to the business center.”
Irritation bit at him. He’d told her to stay locked inside her room and she’d done just the opposite...just like she always had. “Why did you do that?”
“I found my business card in my wallet. I wanted to look up the company, see if it would trigger any memories. I also spoke to my boss and found out I’d taken time off from work.”
“Was he able to tell you about anything dangerous you might have gotten into?” Cecile asked her, cutting off any further questions Lawson was going to ask. She shot him a glance that told him plainly that now was not the time to chastise her, but to get answers.
She was right, of course, and he was glad she was the one assigned to Ashlee�
�s case.
Ashlee shook her head. “No, he really believed I was sick. He’s getting on a plane to come here as soon as he can.”
That struck Lawson as odd. “Why is your boss coming here?”
“Because apparently he’s also my boyfriend. We’ve been dating a few months.”
Her words rocked him like a punch to the gut and nearly sent him to his knees. Her boyfriend was coming here. Someone she would rather be with than him. He stood and tried to regain his bearings after that blow. He didn’t want to know this man and he didn’t like the idea of his arrival, but it was right that the man do so, wasn’t it? He was her life now, not Lawson. He had more reason to worry about her than a six-years-past ex did.
“At least we know the money is in play. This guy was after it. Did you tell him the police have it?”
Ashlee nodded. “I told him. He said he had no more use for me then. That was when he tried to slit my throat.”
Lawson shuddered at how cold that sounded. His blood was boiling at the idea that someone had placed a knife to her throat and was ready to use it to kill her. And if the attacker’s behavior at the hospital was any indication, he wouldn’t have hesitated, either. She’d survived because she’d fought back. But what if her efforts hadn’t been enough? This man was strong. Determined. And lethal. She’d become a target of a killer’s wrath.
Cecile took out her phone. “I’m going to call the evidence room to alert them in case this guy decides to try to retrieve his money.”
“When can I go back to my room?” Ashlee asked Cecile.
“We’re still processing the scene. It may be a while. I’m sure the hotel can arrange for another room for you.”
Lawson glanced around, astounded at the lack of security in the place. How could he have left her here unguarded? He’d mistakenly believed she would be safe with the locks and the increased patrols and the security staff. He would have a conversation with the management later.
Still, it was clear to him that she wasn’t safe here. This guy knew where to find her and she was a sitting target in this hotel. Somehow, her assailant had tracked her, possibly by the use of her credit card—or maybe he’d followed them from the hospital. Whatever the case, she couldn’t stay here and she wouldn’t be any safer in another hotel. It would only be a matter of time before he tracked her there, too.
Lawson realized they were playing a race against time game. Could this guy get to her before she regained her memory?
But how could she work her way through amnesia when she was under so much stress, in sterile, impersonal environments? She needed to be someplace familiar where something might spark her memory. Plus, the closer she was, the easier it would be to keep her safe.
“I think you should come stay with us at the ranch.”
Both Ashlee and Cecile turned to stare at him.
Ashlee protested first. “I don’t know.”
“Look, I know it’s not the place you want to be, but it’s secure and no one will find you there. My brothers are in town, so they’ll be around to help protect you. Plus, it’s a familiar place. You were there a lot once upon a time. Maybe it will help to spark something.”
Cecile gave a resigned sigh. “Much as I hate to admit it, I think it’s a good idea. With your brothers in town, plus you and Josh and your dad, it’s probably the safest place in town for Ashlee.”
He saw the look of concern on Cecile’s face. She and Josh had been friends for years. She knew the history with Ashlee and knew Josh, always the overprotective brother, would not be happy with Lawson’s suggestion. But it was Lawson’s home, too. In fact, he handled most of the day-to-day operations of the ranch. He had a right to bring whomever he liked to stay there.
“I’ll tell Josh. You finish up here.” He glanced at Ashlee and hated the hesitation he saw on her face. She couldn’t even remember him or their past, yet her dislike for the ranch was clearly evident with or without her memories.
“I don’t want to be a burden,” she said.
“You won’t be.” He steeled himself against the rejection in her tone for the place he loved so dearly. He consoled himself that she couldn’t remember how much his family’s homestead meant to him. She wasn’t intentionally putting him down. But Silver Star was in his blood. It had been in his family for six generations and he was thankful to be able to call it his own and work the land every day. He’d never wanted anything else in his life...except for Ashlee. But he hadn’t realized he couldn’t have them both. That had been his downfall.
She finally gave in. “Okay, I’ll go.”
He walked her outside to his truck, but he didn’t get right in. First, he had to alert Josh and the rest of his family that he was bringing her. He didn’t want to blindside them.
He made the call, got in behind the wheel, then stopped by a local pharmacy to let Ashlee pick up a few necessities. On the way home, he drove around for a while, taking the back roads and watching his mirrors, making certain they weren’t being followed.
The danger she was in had him worried, but he told himself everything would be fine. There was no way anyone would connect her to the ranch. She hadn’t been a part of their lives in a long time. She would be safe.
He was far less certain about the safety of his heart.
THREE
Lawson pulled off the main road, guiding them under the ranch gate entry sign that read Silver Star Ranch. Ashlee glanced out the window and took in the grass fields and trees for as far as she could see. The area seemed like a beautiful place to grow up and she wished she remembered more of it—or why she’d left.
“This is your family’s place?”
“Yep. Silver Star Ranch has been in my family for six generations.”
She liked the idea of stability. Something about that kind of history appealed to her. “That’s nice.”
He grimaced, but remained silent.
“What?” she insisted.
“You didn’t used to think so. You thought I was foolish for wanting to stay here. You called me unambitious, but all I ever wanted was to run this ranch and start a family with you, Ash.”
Her face flushed with embarrassment. How could she have run out on this good-looking guy who seemed to have loved her so much? Even with an addled brain, she knew she must have been crazy.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could explain.”
“I wish you could, too. I wish you had talked to me instead of running away, Ashlee.”
Again, her face burned with embarrassment. “You’re judging me on something I don’t remember doing.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. This isn’t a reunion—not for you, anyway. You’ve been through something terrible and I need to remember that. I didn’t mean to make this an inquisition. No more talk about the past. I promise.”
She turned away and watched the landscape flowing by instead. No point in talking about something she didn’t even remember. Besides, she apparently had more important things going on in her life than once having broken the heart of Lawson Avery.
He parked in front of a beautiful white farmhouse with a wraparound porch. She got out and looked around, noting a vegetable garden on the side of the house and a large barn close by. Everything about this place was lovely and welcoming, and she felt instantly at home here.
And safe. She felt safe here.
Lawson walked up beside her, the suitcase in his hand. “I called ahead to let everyone know what was happening with you so they wouldn’t be surprised to see you. They know you don’t remember them.”
She recalled Josh’s earlier reaction to her and braced herself, trying to remember she had a history with these people that she couldn’t recall. “How many brothers do you have?” she asked as they stepped onto the porch.
“Four brothers and a sister, but Kellyanne returned to Dallas yesterday. My brothers, Colby and Miles, are st
ill here. They’ll be leaving in a few days—but while they’re here, you can trust them to keep you safe. Colby’s an FBI agent and Miles is a US Marshal.”
She knew about Josh, but that still left one brother unaccounted for. “With Josh, that’s only four kids.”
“Paul is Special Forces. He was injured in a SEALs’ combat mission several months ago. He’s staying here while he recuperates.”
He opened the front door and led her inside. His family greeted her cordially, but she felt their stares, their silent judgments. She’d hurt someone they cared about, and they held a grudge. She couldn’t blame them for that.
“I’m Diane Avery,” a woman said, stepping forward to take her hand. “Lawson’s mother. It’s good to see you again, Ashlee.”
“It’s nice to see you.”
Lawson pointed out four men who’d stood to greet her. “You met my brother Josh at the hospital. These are my other brothers, Colby, Miles and Paul, and that’s my father, Marshall.”
“It’s nice to see you all.” She purposely didn’t say it was nice to meet them since, apparently, she had already met them all before. She’d nearly been a part of this family, but she’d run off instead. It didn’t make sense to her. But it must be true, and not just because she didn’t believe Lawson would lie about something like that. There was something familiar about this house and the warmth of it. She’d been here before—had felt happy and safe. She could only hope that she might someday feel that way again.
“I’ll show you where you can stay,” Diane told her.
Lawson handed her the suitcase, then nodded her on. “I’ll check on you soon.”
She followed Diane upstairs to a room at the end of the hallway. A terrible feeling of guilt washed over her, like she’d done something wrong and shouldn’t be here. Well, yes...she’d run out on her wedding like a scared little girl.
Diane opened a door for her and led her into a nicely antique-furnished room. It was simple, but clean and fresh.
Texas Twin Abduction Page 4