Roy jumped in. “It was a black Lexus. No one around here drives a fancy car like that.”
Roy rambled on, but Vince couldn’t hear him over the roaring in his ears.No!He gripped the edge of the table so tight the Formica dug into his palm.How did this happen?
“...said the woman has multiple broken bones, but I guess she fared better than the driver, though, huh?”
The woman? They found her in the trunk?Vince swiped a hand across his mouth to loosen his clenched jaw. Talk about complications. Why couldn’t she have died? It would have saved him the work of putting a bullet in her, and it would have wrapped up this whole messy job. He didn’t care that there was still evidence out there somewhere of the boss’s illegal activities.
Frankie was dead!
He bolted to his feet, knocking the table so hard with his thigh his Coke tipped over again.
Roy’s buddy gaped at him. “Boy, you’re the clumsiest person I’ve ever met.”
Seeing the pretty waitress headed his direction with another bar towel, he tossed a twenty on the table and bolted for the door.
* * *
The womanin the bed traced the weave of the hospital blanket across her lap with a fingernail, trying to determine whether it was gray or blue. The drab color matched exactly how she felt.
The pain meds kept her pain at bay, but a restlessness and helplessness filled her.How long before the sheriff returns to tell me who I am?
Would her fingerprints reveal her identity? She doubted the picture he took would help identify her since her face was so discolored and misshapen. She hadn’t seen it yet, but if the pain emanating around her left eye and brow were anything to go by, she looked horrible.
A light knock sounded on her door before it swung open. Faith Winters stepped into the room. “Ah, it’s much less crowded in here without all those men towering around.”
The woman watched Faith as she checked the IV and blood pressure monitor like she knew what all the lights and symbols actually meant. Her visitor was petite and slender with the slightest hint of gray in the blond hair that framed her oval face. She couldn’t believe Faith was the mother of the two men who had to be at least six feet tall.They must get their height from their father.
Faith turned compassionate eyes on her. “How are you feeling?”
“Pretty good, I guess.” She doubted Faith wanted to know the truth; that she felt anxious, scared, and all alone.
“I understand they had to cut your clothes off yesterday. Not that you’d be able to wear them with your casts. I’ll pick you up some clothing. Would you rather sweatpants and t-shirts or loose, summer dresses?”
“Um...”Do I prefer sweatpants or dresses?She wrinkled her brow, causing her stitches to pull.Ouch, I really need to remember to stop doing that.“Maybe, both. If the dresses are long and loose, not confining.”
Faith gave her a reassuring smile. “Of course, sweatpants for sleeping in, and dresses for lounging around the house. You’ll likely spend the first few days in bed since your body needs rest to heal. Do you have a color preference? Not that Providence has much of a selection of dresses, or sweatpants for that matter. I suppose I could make a trip to Kennewick. It’s not like I’m doing anything nowadays.”
She detected the wistful note in Faith’s voice, but what caught her attention was the name of the town where they were.Providence.The knowledge did her no good, though. Not much of a selection meant Providence was a small town. But none of the people she’d met so far recognized her, so she probably wasn’t from around here.
Color?What was her favorite color? Shouldn’t this be part of her personality? Something she should remember.Why am I blocking this?Hiding her frustration, she responded. “Any color will do, I guess. I don’t recall... what color I like.”
Her consternation must have shown on her face because Faith clasped her hand. “I’m sorry. Of course, you don’t. I’ll see what I can find.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
Faith waved her hand. “It’s no trouble at all.” She pushed the nurse’s call button. When a nurse responded, she asked for a piece of paper and a pen. “My kids keep telling me to use my phone to keep notes and lists, but I like tangible things. With technology, it’s so easy to accidentally push a wrong button, you know. And then when I lose something, I have no idea how to get it back. Smart-phones are supposed to make things easier, but they make me feel dumb and cause me anxiety.”
Smart phones? Do I have a cell phone? I must, but where is it? My whole life would be on that phone. It could help me remember.Hope surged in her breast.
A nurse walked into the room. “Here you go, Faith.”
The woman sat up, causing pain to slice through her ribs. “Where’s my phone?” At the nurse’s confused stare, she attempted to quell her excitement. “I mean... my personal belongings.”
The nurse pulled a white bag from the small closet and Faith took it. “There’s not much in here. Your clothes are basically rags. What are you looking for?”
Her chest tightened at the wordsJane Doewritten on the bag. “Um... my phone. Maybe it could help me remem—” her words died off when she saw Faith’s grim face.
“There’s no phone in here. Only shoes and your ruined clothing.”
