“He called and left a message. I haven’t called him back.”
“Elizabeth,” I hear the exasperation in his voice. “We talked about this.”
The murder investigation of my family and my attack is still open because there is no expiration date on murders. The homicide detective from the Criminal Investigation Division has been wanting to talk with me again since I arrived back in North Carolina. I honestly don’t know what more I can tell him. Which is basically nothing since, oh yeah, I can’t remember.
Daniel sighs on the other end of the line. “You need to be safe, Elizabeth. Call Dr. Clairemont. Call the detective back. Video us tonight so we can see you, alright?”
“Yes, sir.” I mock salute him with one hand since I’m holding the phone with my other. I hold my eye roll from fully forming. I know he’s just worried about me being here on my own for the first time in a year. “Big kiss to Drew. Talk to you later tonight.”
“Bye, sweetheart.”
I shove my phone in the back pocket of my frayed jean shorts as I approach my car. Daniel had it transported from Seattle and it arrived yesterday morning. It’s the one thing I convinced him to let me buy myself with the money I received from my parents’ life insurance. Money which now sits in a testamentary trust. Money that I refuse to touch. Well, the exception being my car. There was something about that cherry red Challenger Hellcat that felt familiar to me. When I first saw it sitting in the lot of a garage in Seattle, my heart pounded and adrenaline rushed through my veins like liquid fire. I had to have this car. I fucking love this car.
“That’s a nice ride,” a male voice comments to me from my side peripheral. My hand automatically goes to the pepper spray canister inside my bag. A guy my age with blond spiky hair who is a few inches taller than I am approaches me, a wide grin on his face. He’s wearing dark sunglasses, board shorts, and a muscle tee that shows off his half-sleeve tattoo.
“Thanks. I like it.” I like his ink too. Since getting my butterfly tattoos, I have come to appreciate ink as an artform. His are really nice. I love unique geometric designs and this guy’s are exceptional.
Facing me, he leans casually back against the car parked next to mine, like we’re two old friends stopping to chat. “Do you go to school here?”
My eyebrow cocks up with a smirk. “Isn’t that an obvious question?”
He chuckles. “Yeah. Guess that was a stupid question. My name’s Preston.” He holds out his hand for me.
“Elizabeth,” I reply, taking his hand and shaking it. He grins again before releasing mine. He nods to my car.
“The custom work on your car is impressive. Who did it?”
“Place near Seattle.”
“Is that where you’re from?”
“Are we playing twenty questions?”
Preston chuckles again. “Sorry about that. I tend to get nervous around really beautiful women.”
Now I really do my eye roll. Is this guy flirting with me? Perhaps, I should consider flirting back. Do I even know how to flirt? That thought makes me wonder if I ever had a boyfriend growing up.
At the thought of having a boyfriend, something heavy presses and squeezes my heart, like a hand’s crushing grip. The pressure is suddenly unbearable. Sadness and a deep longing envelop me, threatening to pull me under. I close my eyes tight and see flashes of silver and light brown.
“Hey. Elizabeth. Are you okay?” I feel a hand shake my shoulder. I blink.
“Huh?”
“You started staring off into space and breathing really weird. Are you having an asthma attack? Do you need me to get you anything?”
Shit. Not again. These episodes have become more numerous since I arrived in North Carolina. I experienced a few before in Seattle. My doctors said it was likely a memory trying to resurface but struggling to get out. And just like every other episode, nothing tangible comes. I’m still a blank slate of nothingness.
Not wanting to explain myself to this guy, a guy I just met and don’t know, I brush off his concern. “Sorry. Low blood sugar. Haven’t eaten today,” I fib.
“Well, let me remedy that for you. Come on. There’s an awesome deli across from the quad in the student center that serves the best hoagies. My treat.”
I consider Preston. He’s a great looking guy. He seems nice and he hasn’t done anything that would set off my internal alarm bells. What the hell. I need to start my new life at some point. Since I can’t remember the past, I’m damn sure going to make a new future. No more hiding. No more fear. It’s time I start living again.
“Lead the way,” I tell him.
Chapter 1
Ryder
