Laura Scott - Christmas Amnesia

She trusted in Noah’s ability to protect them, but the thought of him putting his life on the line bothered her.

And as they made their way to ground level, Maddy couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever feel safe again.

* * *

The stark fear in Maddy’s blue eyes made Noah grit his teeth against a surge of anger. This wasn’t right. Maddy was a lawyer doing her job; she didn’t deserve to be stalked by Pietro’s goons.

Yeah, there was the remote possibility that it was someone else who held a grudge against the assistant district attorney. Maddy had assisted in putting other criminals away. Rumor had it she was one of the up-and-coming ADAs with an impressive conviction rate. Yet the timing of the assault against her was suspicious. Noah firmly believed that Alexander Pietro was the mastermind behind these recent attempts on Maddy’s life.

Pietro had the most to lose. Maddy was the ADA standing in the way of his ability to beat the charges against him. The idea that Pietro might actually succeed in getting away with his crimes was unbearable.

For a second, his younger sister Rose’s face flashed in Noah’s mind. He remembered the way he’d last seen her—pale and lifeless, lying on the floor of her bathroom, with a needle and syringe still embedded in her skinny arm.

Dead from a heroin overdose.

Then there had been Gina, the girlfriend he’d broken up with because of her relentless partying. She’d later died from alcohol poisoning.

He stopped so abruptly that Maddy bumped into him from behind. He automatically reached out to steady her. “Sorry.”

“What’s wrong?”

The way she gazed up at him, as if she actually cared about how he was feeling, made him cringe. He felt like a fraud. If Maddy’s memory was intact, there’s no way she’d be here with him right now. In fact, she’d likely demand Noah stay far away from her.

But she didn’t have her memory and the danger surrounding her was all too real. He told himself to focus on the immediate threat. They were on the ground floor and unfortunately, he had left his squad car on the street directly in front of the building.

Smart, Sinclair. If the guy inside the apartment building was the same one who tried to run her over, he knows you’re here. Idiot!

Too late to do anything about that decision now. He eased the door leading outside open a bit, looking out to be sure that no one was waiting there for them.

He didn’t see anyone, but hesitated, unwilling to make another mistake, especially with another Callahan’s life hanging in the balance.

If anything happened to Maddy, her twin brother, Matt, would never forgive him.

Noah wouldn’t be able to forgive himself, either.

“What are we waiting for?” Maddy whispered.

Good question. Was he overreacting? Maybe the person outside Maddy’s door wasn’t trying to hurt her at all, but simply had the wrong apartment.

Then again, that wasn’t a risk he was willing to take. He could call for backup, too, but he didn’t like the idea of anyone with a police scanner knowing where they were. For all he knew, the guys working for Pietro could be listening in. “Stay behind me. I need to be sure that the coast is clear before we return to the squad car.”

He could feel Maddy’s fingers grabbing on to his belt and her simple trust had him deepening his resolve to protect her no matter what. “Whatever you say,” she whispered.

The icy wind greeted him as he pushed the door open. Moving outside, he stayed close to the wall, grateful they were both wearing dark clothing that would help them blend into the night. He swept his gaze over the area, seeing nothing out of place as Maddy let the door close softly behind her.

They were on the south side of the building, and the street where he’d left his squad car was in the front facing west, so he edged closer to the back side of the building.

There was a narrow alley there, the darkness impenetrable. Noah considered their options. They could circle the building, making sure it was clear before making a run for the squad car. Or they could leave the car, making their way on foot until they could flag a taxi or car service for a ride.

He’d rather have his own set of wheels. While taxi and service drivers needed to pass criminal background checks, he knew the checks weren’t foolproof. Decision made, he crept through the narrow alley between buildings until he reached the north side of the condo.

Peeking around the corner, he still didn’t see anything out of place. Feeling better, he made his way up to the street where he’d left his vehicle.

“Ready?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at Maddy.

“Yes.”

“Here’s the plan. I want you to stay behind me. I’ll protect you until you’re safely inside the car.”

“I don’t think—” she began, but he shook his head.

“Not open for discussion. I’m wearing a vest beneath my uniform.”

“Fine.” She didn’t look happy but kept her hand on his belt. “Let’s go.”

Noah held his weapon ready as he cleared the corner of the building. The squad car wasn’t as far away as he’d anticipated, so it didn’t take long to reach the passenger door. Yanking it open, he swept his gaze over the area as Maddy ducked into the passenger seat. He shut the door, then quickly jogged around to the driver side.

He jammed his gun into the holster and then cranked the key, bringing the engine roaring to life. Pulling away from the curb, he made a quick right-hand turn and headed east toward the lakefront.

“We made it,” Maddy said softly.

He didn’t say anything, keeping a keen eye on the rearview mirror for a possible tail. The hour was approaching one thirty in the morning and he was grateful traffic was light this time on a Monday night.

“Thank you, Noah.”

He wanted to tell Maddy not to thank him, that if she knew who he was and how many people he’d let down, she’d never thank him for anything ever again, but he held back. For one thing, her memory loss was hardly her fault. And for another, it was easier to keep her safe when she was cooperating with him.

Headlights flashed behind him, the high beams blindingly bright. He was on Lake Drive now, following the shoreline of Lake Michigan, when the headlights grew closer and impossibly brighter.

“Who is that?” Maddy asked, grabbing for the door handle as Noah took the curve faster than the speed limit recommended.

“Hang on,” he warned, pressing the accelerator.

There was a loud bang as the car behind them rammed into the back of his squad car. Noah wrestled with the steering wheel, straining to keep the car on the road.

He reached for his radio to call for backup when the car rear-ended them again.

This time, his police cruiser skidded sideways off the road, heading straight for the icy waters of Lake Michigan.

He hit the brakes, but the car didn’t slow down. He tried again, desperate to avoid the freezing cold lake. If they went under, they’d surely die.

THREE

“No!” Maddy screamed as Noah yanked on the steering wheel, doing his best to keep the car from going into the water. They spun, but then hit something hard, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

She was thankful Noah had gotten things under control, but then the vehicle abruptly tipped backward, the rear tires dropping over the edge of the embankment lining the shore. There was a hiss as something hot, maybe the muffler, sizzled, the back end of the car sliding into the freezing cold water.

She fumbled with her seat belt, the car teetering precariously on the ledge. She knew that if she and Noah ended up in the lake, they risked severe hypothermia and possible death.

“Maddy!” Noah must have already unlatched his seat belt, reaching over to help her. “Hurry! We have to get out of here.”