“Sounds like a concussion to me. And that may explain his confusion or memory issues. Anyway, if he gets in contact with you bring him back or at least encourage him to see his own doctor. Concussions aren’t something to be taken lightly.”
“Will do, thanks Clare.” Sophie disconnected the call and glanced around for her car keys then stopped. Where was she going to look for the man? She didn’t know anything about him. The most probable place he’d show up would be the island, or a dock where he could get a boat to it.
She jogged out to her car and then drove to the shore, where she spent the next two hours trolling the docks looking for a manin sandy jeans and a spotty, dirty shirt but with no luck. Finally, she headed back home, a knot in her throat that the thought of him in the surrounding brushland. If he got confused and wandered enough, he could even get caught up in the bogs. She checked her watch and thought about boating to the island, just to check. Since she’d left the boat key at the cabin, she mentally calculated if she’d need more gas for the motor as she drove.
When she entered the house and saw Ephraim sitting at the worn, wooden table her grandfather had built, she threw her car keys at him. “You jerk!”
He watched the keys sail by him then turned to her. “Why jerk? Why not dastardly dude or buffoon?”
“Or something I don’t call men anymore! I was worried about you.” She stomped past the table to the couch on the outer wall of the cabin and leaned over to retrieve the keys from behind it. “The clinic called over two hours ago.”
When he didn’t respond she stood, her feet apart and her hands on her hips. “You could have called me.”
“Don’t have a phone, don’t have your number.”
“But you found my address and my house, apparently.” She huffed, unwilling to let go of the anger fueled by concern.
“Your address was easy, the clinic asked for mine and I couldn’t give it to them. I just told them I was staying with you for a few days and they put that in. When the nurse left the room I just looked at the computer screen. A ride out here was a little harder. This is in the middle of nowhere,” he finished with what she considered way too much satisfaction.
“Who brought you out?”
“A ranger. Told him I’d hitchhiked to town for a burger and needed a ride back to the campsite.”
“The campground is almost a mile from my house.”
“Yep. Nice walk, though.” He stood and after holding onto the chair for a minute, stretched and then eyed her with a serious expression. “We need to get out to the island.”
“No, we don’t,” she bit out and turned her back on him. She headed to her bathroom. She hoped aspirin wouldn’t hurt his wound but at that point she wondered if she cared that much.
She made him take the aspirin and repeatedly told him she was not going to the island. Ignoring him, she went to her planner on her phone and checked her cleaning appointments. She’d had several cancellations which put her savings account money down even further but freed up the rest of her day. She’d send her guest on his way and then try to decompress, maybe get out her sea glass and make some jewelry.
“I can call someone to come and pick you up if you want to go to a motel in town. There are plenty and most have a room for one this time of year.”
He shook his head and scratched at his elbow. “Got some old sweats or things I could change into? I need to wash these clothes.”
She was sure her eyes bugged out of her face then. “Wash your--- Look, I’m sure you need some clean clothes but the motels have plenty of washers and dryers.”
“I’m not leaving this house until I figure out who was following you when you left the clinic earlier today.”
She stared at him. “Following me?”
“A dark car, probably blue, maybe black. My vision isn’t the greatest right now. When you pulled out of the parking lot the car almost took out a pickup to get behind you.” He looked at her with clear concern then. “Someone was following you, Sophie and I’m afraid it’s because you helped me.”
CHAPTER 4
SOPHIE STARED AT HIM, REFUSING TO BELIEVE SHE’D BEEN FOLLOWED YET SEEING THE DARK CAR IN HER REAR-VIEW MIRROR. “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”
HE SANK INTO A CHAIR AT THE TABLE, HIS FACE PALE AND SWEATY. “LOOK, SOPH, I’M SORRY, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR ME MAY BE LOOKING FOR YOU NOW, TOO.”
SHE ADVANCED UNTIL SHE STOOD OVER HIM. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN PEOPLE LOOKING FOR YOU? DO YOU REMEMBER WHO HURT YOU?”
HE SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SWALLOWED CONVULSIVELY. “I DON’T REMEMBER WHO HIT ME OR TOSSED ME INTO THE SEA OR WHATEVER HAPPENED, BUT I DO REMEMBER THINKINGSOMEONE WAS AFTER ME. AND DON’T ASK ME HOW I REMEMBER THAT AND NOTHING ELSE. I DON’T KNOW.” HE GLANCED UP AT HER, HIS EYES FILLED WITH PAIN. PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL? SHE DIDN’T KNOW.
“SO, JUST BECAUSE I HELPED YOU, I’M IN SOMEBODY’S SIGHTS NOW?” SHE SHOOK HER HEAD IN DISGUST. “JUST LIKE BEFORE.”
“BEFORE?” HE ASKED AND SHE IGNORED HIM, WALKING OVER TO THE REFRIGERATOR AND REMOVING A SODA. POPPING THE TAB, SHE HANDED IT TO HIM. “THIS MIGHT STEADY YOUR STOMACH. I’M CALLING SOMEONE TO COME AND GET YOU.” UBER WAS OUT OF HER PRICE RANGE AND HAPPY TRAIL CABS WAS USUALLY BUSY THIS TIME OF YEAR, GOING TO AND FROM AIRPORTS, BUT SHE’D GIVE IT A TRY
“I’M NOT LEAVING,” HE SAID IN A TIRED VOICE AND SHE WHEELED ON HIM, READY TO REAM HIM FOR PUTTING HER IN DANGER, ONLY TO FIND HIM RESTING HIS HEAD ON HIS FOLDED ARMS ON THE TABLE. “EPHRAIM.”
