B.J. Daniels - Into Dust

She hadn’t believed him. She’d snatched up her cell phone, but his calm, reassuring voice had stopped her.

“Who are you going to call, Sarah? The sheriff? Your former husband? One of your daughters?”

She had looked down at the cell screen, her fingers momentarily frozen over the keys. Russell. He’d said to call him. He’d known Dr. Venable would come for her again. He’d known that Dr. Venable wasn’t finished with her.

“Even Russell can’t help you like I can,” the doctor had said, surprising her that he knew about Russell. Knew that was who she was thinking of calling.

“I can clear this all up for you, Sarah. You want answers? I can provide them. I am the only one who can. Put down the phone. I’ve come back to help you—just as we planned.”

She had looked from the phone to his face. Even as she’d tried to deny what he’d been saying, she’d known it was true. She had called him that night. She had trusted him. Even if she didn’t remember, there was one thing she had known. Dr. Venable had all the answers she desperately needed.

That day last spring, she’d asked, “You know why I tried to kill myself?” The knife had wavered in her hand, the cell phone forgotten.

He’d nodded. “I know everything from the first time you and I met all those years ago.”

She had begun to cry. He’d stepped to her, taking the knife, then the cell phone and putting them aside before he’d taken her in his arms like a kindly father comforting her.

“It’s all right, Sarah. You’re going to be all right now. I’m here. I’m going to help you. It’s time.”

Now, months later, she still felt afraid and angry. She still wanted to kill him. But they both knew it was true. He was her only hope if she ever wanted to get the memories back. She needed answers before she could be with Buck as his wife again. Dr. Venable kept telling her they had to return her memories slowly. She wasn’t sure she believed him, but she’d had little choice.

“I can’t keep living like this,” she said now. “I have to know what it is you’re hiding from me before I can commit to Buck. I don’t care if that’s your plan or not.” She dug her heels in. Just the fact that Dr. Venable was determined that she get back together with her husband made her resist.

He didn’t just scare her. It was clear from the moment she found him standing on her doorstep that he wasn’t just here for her. Whatever his ulterior motive was, it had something to do with her—and Buck.

Dr. Venable opened the small black bag he carried. He could have passed for a country doctor fifty years ago. He took out a tiny dark blue velvet bag. “I promise you that by the time he arrives, it will all be very clear.”

Her mouth went dry. She stared at the bag in his fingers, suddenly terrified. “What are you going to do to me?”

“I’m going to help you remember everything you need to know so your husband will be the next president and you will be by his side. Right where you are destined to be.”

Destined to be? Something in those words... Sarah felt her heart shudder. Suddenly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to remember.

* * *

WHILE CASSIDY CHANGED into the clothing he’d bought her, Jack stepped out into the hall and called his father.

Tom Durand answered on the second ring. “Son, I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

Jack took a breath and let it out slowly. Had Ed recognized him earlier? Had he told his employer what had happened? “I didn’t like the way we left things the last time we talked,” he said, feeling his way cautiously.

“Neither did I. So I’m glad you called.”

“How’s LA?”

“Crowded compared to Texas.”

Jack could hear something in the background. “Are you on a plane?”

His father laughed. “A boat. Headed for Catalina Island. I have a meeting out there.”

It was several hours earlier on the West Coast, so not evening there quite yet. But still, there was no way his father could have gotten from Texas to California unless he’d jumped right on his private jet after Jack had seen him.

“How’s the weather?”

“It’s beautiful. Amazing sunset.” Tom Durand sounded downright cheerful. Jack was beginning to wonder if he had misread what happened at the cemetery. Maybe the money had nothing to do with the abduction of Cassidy Hamilton. Maybe his father was in California. Maybe he was on a boat to Catalina Island. Otherwise—

“Jack, if you’re at the ranch, could you do me a favor?”

He felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. “Sorry, I’m in town. Had to run a few errands. Is it something I can do when I get back there?”

“No, it can wait.” The sound of the boat motor seemed to be getting louder. Or was it an automobile motor and the sound in the background wasn’t waves but actually traffic on the highway? “I think I’m going to lose you. We’ll talk later. I’m glad you called.”

“Me, too.” He disconnected, more confused than ever. His father had sounded too cheerful. Also, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his father had only asked if he was at the ranch because he wanted to know where Jack was.

He was just putting his phone away when the hotel room door opened and Cassidy stuck her head out.

“I thought I heard you out here,” she said, her expression tensing when she saw that he’d been on the phone.

“I had to cancel a dinner engagement I had.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No,” he quickly assured her. “It wasn’t anything important.” Stepping back into the hotel room, he closed the door, winging his story as he went and hoping she bought it. “I was just verifying something. I saw a logo on one of the men in the van’s jacket sleeve. It’s a local warehouse company. It might be a place to start.”

She raised a brow in admiration he didn’t deserve. “Nice job. What company?”

“T.D. Enterprises Inc.” He saw from her expression that she’d never heard of it. “You look nothing like Cassidy Hamilton,” he said, glad to be able to change the subject. He’d picked up a pair of dark-framed glasses for her with clear glass lenses. The clothes, the hair, the glasses. The change was truly remarkable. No one would recognize her as the perky blonde she’d been hours ago.

Cassidy did a twirl, then smiling, asked, “So what’s our next move?”

Our next move? “I’m not sure you should go with me for this part,” he said, but she was already shaking her head before he finished.

“Like you said, I look nothing like Cassidy. So whatever you’re planning to do, I’m going with you.”

That was a bad idea on so many levels that Jack was at a loss for words. First off, they would be going to his father’s business. He didn’t want Cassidy knowing yet who he was or that his father might be behind this. Add to that the danger. They could be caught. They could even run into Ed.

“I’m going with you,” she said, standing her ground. “I’m the one who got you into this. So stop trying to think of reasons I shouldn’t.” She looked around the dingy hotel room and hugged herself. She was still scared and didn’t want to be left alone here. He couldn’t blame her.

And it was true. She didn’t look like the cute blonde Ed had tried to abduct earlier. Since he had a key to the facility, the two of them could waltz into his father’s offices without being questioned should the night guard catch them. Also, he could tell by her determined expression that she wasn’t going to sit tight and wait for him to figure this out.

If he hoped to help her, he couldn’t keep her locked up in this hotel room. Which meant he had no choice but to take her to T.D. Enterprises Inc. with him later tonight.

But first he had to retrieve his truck. If Ed had found it, then Jack was pretty sure he’d be waiting for him. It was why they’d taken a taxi earlier. He couldn’t leave the truck there overnight, though. Also, it was the best vehicle to take to the office. Which meant he was going to have to risk it.