“We’re pretty good friends. I mean, not like besties or anything, but good enough. I’m glad I can help.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Intense green eyes met hers, and she almost chickened out. Mustering the courage, she finally blurted out, “Were we dating? Or have we ever dated?” So much for waiting.
He choked on a mouthful of eggs and had to take a minute to chew and swallow. “Oh, well, we went out once about a year ago, but you decided you weren’t interested in that kind of relationship, so we just stuck to being friends.”
“Youwanted to keep dating, andIdidn’t?”
“Something like that,” he mumbled.
“That’s weird.” She frowned. “Did I tell you why?”
“Not really. Come on. Let’s go take a walk before the rain starts again.”
They toured the inside of the barn, and Jake introduced her to the horses. Max trotted over to say hello and tagged along while they fed the chickens and grabbed the few eggs they’d laid. Dark clouds rolled in, and for fear of getting caught in a downpour, they decided against straying too far from home. Max followed them back to the house but wouldn’t come in. Plopping down on the porch, he gave them a look that said I’ll find my way home after a nap.
“He’ll be fine out here,” said Jake as they entered. “If not, he’ll bark, and we can let him in.”
“This place is so cool,” she said, leaving her muddy shoes at the door. “I wonder if I’ve ever been on a farm or around animals.”
“Have you had any luck remembering anything? I mean, I don’t want to push you. I’m just curious.”
“Trust me. You’ll be the first to know. The doctor said I could get everything back in a rush, or it could come back piece by piece. I’m hoping for all at once, and the sooner, the better.”
She settled in at the table and got down to business. With all the files stacked neatly in front of her, she dove into figuring out as much as she could about her money situation. Flat broke was her conclusion. The good news was she didn’t seem to have many bills. And she couldn’t find any credit card debt. Her rent, utilities, and cell phone bill were pretty much it. Her diet choices may not be good for her health, but they were good for her checkbook. Flour and sugar were cheap.
The bad news was that she had a crap ton of student loans. She’d been making regular payments on them, but since she wasn’t technically obligated to make payments until after she graduated, that was one place she could save money if needed. According to the latest monthly bank statement, it wouldn’t be long before her meager savings ran out. By her calculations, she had about two months before things got rough.
“This can’t be right,” she said. “Didn’t you tell me I’d saved a bunch of money for a down payment to buy the coffee shop? I don’t see that anywhere. Do you think I put it in another account?”
“It’s possible. You didn’t mention any details, so I don’t know how much you saved or where it might be. I doubt you lied to me, though, so I’m sure it’s somewhere.” He winked.
“Oh, God.” Her eyes widened, and her breath shortened. “What if I kept it in cash? What if it was in the safe we think I owned? And now it’s gone! Please don’t tell me I was also stupid in my pre-accident life.”
“Don’t get too worked up. Thatwouldsuck, but let’s work with what we’ve got. Maybe there’s another bank account. Keeping it separate from your day-to-day account would be smart if you thought you’d be tempted to spend it if it was too easy to access. Have you gone through all the files?”
“All the ones I took from the apartment. Should we go back? And I’ll search more thoroughly this time? I’ll also check my mattress, then tear the place apart if I have to. It must be thousands of dollars!” She could feel herself getting flustered and took a deep breath to relax. Jake was right. There was no sense in panicking.
“Even if I find the money, I don’t want to dip into it unless absolutely necessary. I hope I can get back to work soon. According to all this, I can’t go very long without a paycheck.”
“We can stop by your apartment again next time we’re in town. Maybe on our way to campus. Also, we should stop by the coffee shop to ask around about old boyfriends or enemies. I’m sure the detectives talked to your coworkers, but they might be more inclined to tell you certain things.”
“Oh, yeah, someone wants me dead. I forgot about that for a second.”
“Sorry,” he said.
“No, you’re right. I’ve got to face it and figure out what I can. I don’t want the person getting away with itorfinishing the job,” she said with a laugh.
“Not funny,” he said.
“I know.” She sobered. “I suppose I should be scared, but I feel safe here and I’ve got so much else to worry about…Plus, it’s just so surreal. Maybe I’m in denial.”
He frowned. “Denial or not, you’ve got to take your safety seriously.”
“Yes. Of course.” She nodded solemnly, but for some reason, his intensity had her fighting a smile.
Laughing at being pushed into traffic? Must be some kind of coping mechanism. But what if more than just her memory had been damaged and she was actually crazy now?Not now, Hannah.
