Identity Crisis, page 12
He stared at her, as if seriously considering her offer. “Might not be a bad idea,” he admitted. “I’ll look for a grocery store on the way. But please stay here, Alyssa. I gave Jonah our room number and he might try to swing by. I’d hate for him to come when neither of us is here.”
She narrowed her gaze, hating how he’d boxed her in a corner. She didn’t want Jonah to come here while they were both gone, either. “Okay, I’ll wait here. But I expect you to be back in less than twenty minutes. I mean it, Gage, no going off on your own without me.”
“I promise I’ll be back in less than twenty minutes.” He rose to his feet and strode toward the door. Then he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. “What do you think of becoming a redhead?”
She hid her wince and nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Gage flashed a quick grin and then eased out of the motel room door.
She must have dozed because when she woke up, Gage was sitting at the small table, munching a French fry. “I didn’t want to wake you,” he said by way of apology. “You looked as if you needed sleep more than food.”
She grimaced and pushed her hair away from her face. “I suppose, but cold fries don’t taste very good.”
“I wrapped them in tinfoil to help keep them warm.” He took out a burger and the foil-wrapped fries and handed them to her.
Burgers weren’t on her list of top favorite foods, but right now she was so hungry she didn’t care about the high fat content. Eagerly, she dug in. Even the lukewarm fries weren’t too bad. “Have you heard from Jonah?” she asked between bites.
Gage nodded. “He texted me. He wants me to meet him at the fountain in Rainbow Park at nine.”
“Nine? Tonight?” She glanced at her watch, surprised to see it was already seven-thirty. She’d slept later than she’d realized. “Why not come here?”
“He’s afraid he’ll be followed. He’s already in trouble with his boss because we managed to escape from the motel earlier this morning. He doesn’t want to let on that he’s helping us.”
The burger and fries she’d eaten congealed into a hard lump in the pit of her stomach. “Did he get arrested?”
“No, but apparently they threatened to. They took him off duty and placed him on administrative leave until we’re caught.”
“Poor Jonah,” she murmured. “I hope he doesn’t resent helping us.”
“Jonah is a good friend. He’s angry, but not with us.” Gage finished his food and balled up the wrappers. “He takes his oath to serve and protect very seriously. There were some problems with his uncle who used to be on the force, which is why he doesn’t appreciate anyone attempting to tarnish his badge.”
“Still, I feel bad he’s put his career on the line for us.”
Gage stared at her, then quirked a brow. “Sounds like you admire him.”
She frowned at the slight edge in his tone. “I do admire him. It wasn’t easy for me to trust the police, but I trust Jonah.”
The muscles in Gage’s jaw tightened. “Jonah goes to church regularly. He’s very religious.”
And Gage was telling her this—why? “I imagine a man who puts his life on the line every day has a good reason to have a close relationship with God.”
“Maybe once this is over, you and Jonah can go out sometime.”
“What? Are you crazy?” She couldn’t believe he was trying to set her up with his friend. “I’m not interested in Jonah.”
Gage avoided her gaze. “He’s more your type than I am.”
For several long moments she could only stare at him in shock. “Gage, what are you trying to say? I know I lost my memory, but I thought we were a couple. I wouldn’t date another man if I’m already involved with you.”
“What if you weren’t involved with me?” he countered. “What if you broke up with me over a month ago? Would you be interested in Jonah then?”
“Broke up?” She could hardly comprehend what he was saying. “Are you really telling me we broke up?”
“I care about you, Alyssa. More than you could possibly know. I didn’t lie about that. When we both thought you were Mallory, you assumed we were together, and I didn’t correct you. But it’s time you knew the truth.” He paused, took a deep breath and met her gaze head-on. “You broke up with me, for the reasons I mentioned earlier.”
She remembered he’d claimed she wasn’t happy about the way he was so overprotective and that he didn’t have a close enough relationship with God. Still, it didn’t seem right that she would have broken up with him. Not when she was still so attracted to him. “I did?”
“Yes. You did.” His mouth formed a grim line. “I don’t blame you, but I want you to know, I have changed. I’m working on the overprotective part, and I’ve already learned the value of prayer.”
His words thrilled her. “I’m happy for you, Gage.”
“Thanks.” He cleared his throat loudly. “I’m relieved to hear you’re not interested in Jonah, because that means I can ask you to give me a second chance.”
* * *
Gage held his breath, waiting for Alyssa’s response. He’d tried to give her an out, knowing Jonah was far better suited for her than he was, but she declined and now he wasn’t about to give her up. Not without a fight.
He ignored the tiny voice in his brain that warned him against getting too emotionally involved. When Alyssa’s memory returned, she’d likely remember she didn’t care about him in the same way anymore.
But he’d needed to lay his cards on the table, to make sure she understood how much he still cared.
“Gage, it wouldn’t be fair for me to give you an answer now, when I still don’t have my memory back.”
His flicker of hope died. “I understand. And I didn’t mean you had to give me a second chance right now, but once your memory has returned and we’re safe, I hope you’ll consider my request.”
“Do you think my memory will return?” she asked with a troubled gaze. “What if it doesn’t?”
“It will,” he responded confidently. “The doctor seemed to think your memory will return, so we just have to think positive.”
“Right.” She gave a tight nod. “Think positive.”
“Are you finished?” he asked. She’d finished her burger but still had half her fries left. When she nodded, he quickly took care of the mess. “We have to get ready to meet Jonah. Are you sure your ankle is up for another long walk?”
She grimaced but nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
He didn’t believe her. “Have you been taking those meds the doctor prescribed?”
“Of course.” She hesitated and then frowned. “Most of the time.”
He wished she’d stay here, safe in the motel, but knew she wouldn’t. He didn’t push the issue. Hadn’t he just claimed he was trying to change? Ignoring his screaming instincts, he waited for her to dig a dark sweatshirt out of their bag before opening the motel room door.
The sky wasn’t nearly dark enough to suit him, although the dark clouds moving in helped a bit. At the fast-food restaurant several people were talking about the storm they were supposed to get later tonight. He hoped the rain would hold off until after their meeting with Jonah.
Rainbow Park wasn’t that far, but he set a zigzag course, taking them well out of their way, just to be on the safe side.
Alyssa stumbled once and he quickly grabbed her arm before she could fall. “Lean on me,” he offered.
She obliged him by putting her arm around his waist, allowing him to help support her. He knew her ankle must be causing her a lot of pain, and he swallowed a wave of frustrated helplessness.
Alyssa should be back at the motel, sleeping, with her injured ankle elevated on pillows, not being dragged through the dark city streets.
He slowed his pace to accommodate her needs. He didn’t mind having her lean on him for support. In fact, he wished he had the right to hold her in his arms. Glancing at his watch, he realized he’d have to take the direct route from here if they were going to make the meeting on time.
“I’m slowing you down,” Alyssa murmured.
“Don’t worry, we’re fine. We have almost fifteen minutes yet, and the park isn’t that far from here.”
She didn’t say anything else as they made their way down one street and then took a left. He sensed her relax when she saw the sign for Rainbow Park.
The fountain was in the center of the park, and he swept a sharp gaze over their surroundings as they made their way along the well-lit path. He was glad the sun had gone down completely now. The darkness was their friend.
The fountain was up ahead and he slowed his pace, scanning the area for any sign of Jonah.
“Where is he?” Alyssa asked in a hushed whisper. “We’re not early.”
No, they weren’t early. “I don’t know,” he admitted.
“Should we split up and search for him?”
“No, we’re not splitting up.” Not now, not ever as far as he was concerned. The park seemed deserted, but they couldn’t afford to take chances. The back of his neck itched and his instincts were telling him that something was wrong. “Let’s walk around to the other side,” he instructed softly. Could be that Jonah was hiding in the shadows until they arrived.
She tightened her grip on his waist and he tucked his cheek against her hair. He’d bought the red dye, but she hadn’t taken the time to use it yet. He couldn’t deny he’d miss her soft blond curls. Although he preferred her hair longer, the way it used to be.
The lights in the park were brighter than he remembered. Staying as close to the shadows as he could, he made his way off to a small patch of trees on the other side of the fountain. If Jonah was afraid he’d been followed, he wouldn’t stand out underneath a streetlamp.
Once they reached the trees, he paused to give his eyes a chance to adjust to the complete darkness. “Jonah?” he whispered.
Nothing.
He took a few more steps and then stumbled against something soft. Was there something dark on the ground?
“Oh, no, Jonah?” He heard Alyssa’s horrified gasp.
No. Not Jonah, too. Not after losing Dan. His heart pounded with dread as he dropped to his knees and felt for Jonah’s wrist. A pulse. He wasn’t dead. They weren’t too late. His friend was still alive.
For a moment overwhelming relief washed over him. Thank You, Lord! Thank You for sparing Jonah’s life.
“Call 911,” he said tersely, handing Alyssa his cell phone and then ripping off his shirt to hold pressure over Jonah’s bleeding abdominal wound. “Tell them to hurry!”
ELEVEN
Alyssa peered through the darkness, barely making out Jonah’s ashen features. A wave of helplessness hit hard. When would this nightmare end? As soon as the thought formed, she was ashamed of herself. She needed to trust God’s plan. Her fingers shook as she quickly dialed 911 on Gage’s cell phone. After giving the dispatcher their location, she snapped the phone shut. She shoved aside a wave of hopelessness and knelt beside Gage. “Let me see how bad he’s hurt.”
“It’s too dark to see much,” Gage said, his voice terse. “I think he may have been stabbed in the side.”
She kept her fingers on his pulse, reassured by the faint beat. “Is the weapon still in the wound?”
“No. But I’m assuming this is another knife wound, similar to Dan’s, but lower and to the side, as if Jonah sensed his attacker behind him and turned at the last minute.”
“Here, use this.” She shrugged off her hoodie and handed it to him. “You’ll need to use your body weight for pressure to stop the bleeding. If the knife wound nicked the liver he’ll be in danger of losing lots of blood.” As Gage followed her instructions, she ran her hands along Jonah’s arms, legs and the rest of his body, blindly searching for other injuries. A large lump on the back of his head was the only additional injury she found.
“I feel like we’re sitting ducks out here,” Gage murmured. “I hope this isn’t a trap.”
She sucked in a harsh breath, glancing around fearfully. She sensed Gage moving and she quickly grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave me.”
“I won’t,” he assured her. “We need to move him closer to the streetlights,” he said thoughtfully. “The police will come with the ambulance. Officer Crane could have done this himself, and is right now waiting for the call to come across his radio.”
The mere thought of Officer Crane showing up made her pulse kick into triple digits. Once again, she glanced around, feeling as if there was a large bull’s-eye painted on her back. “He’ll arrest us for sure this time.”
“We’re not going to let that happen,” Gage said grimly. The wail of sirens filled the air. “Come on, help me move him.”
She gripped Jonah’s legs, while Gage moved up to his heavier upper torso. Together, they managed to shift Jonah closer to the fountain and the bright overhead streetlights. When Gage stepped back and reached for her hand, she shook her head. “No, we can’t leave yet. Not until we find a rock or something heavy to place over his wound.”
They both began searching even as the sounds of sirens grew louder, indicating they were close.
“Here’s one.” Gage lifted a large rock and put it on top of her hoodie. The sirens grew louder and she couldn’t help glancing fearfully over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“I can’t leave,” she whispered. Leaving Jonah here, alone and injured, went against every fiber of her being. Even though she felt certain this was a trap set by Crane. Even if Crane wasn’t the one who responded, there were likely warrants issued for their arrest. “Wait for me behind the trees,” she urged.
“I’m not leaving you alone,” he argued.
“You have to—we’ll attract too much attention otherwise.” She caught a glimpse of the red lights from the ambulance, and the police car wasn’t far behind. “Hurry!”
Gage finally moved back into the shadows, just when the ambulance pulled up. Two men jumped out and grabbed their supplies out of the back before hurrying over.
“What do we have here?” the first paramedic asked, as he kneeled beside her.
“Deep penetrating flank wound on the right. May have nicked his spleen. He has a pulse, but I’m afraid he’s been down for a few minutes.”
“What happened?” the second paramedic asked as the first one quickly started a large-bore IV in Jonah’s right arm.
“I—don’t know. I was just walking through the park on my way home and found him like this.” The police car pulled up, and she knew she had just seconds to leave. “Excuse me, I think I’m going to be sick.”
She bolted away, lunging for the protection of the trees. Gage grasped her hand and she followed his lead as he melted into the darkness, moving quickly but quietly.
Lord, please keep Jonah safe in Your care, Amen.
* * *
Gage’s heart was pounding so loudly, he feared the police could hear it. He should have insisted they leave before the paramedics arrived, but it was too late now. There were some trees providing coverage, but then there was a wide-open area they had to cross before they could seek shelter in the thicker grove of trees.
“Stay low and run toward those trees as fast as you can,” he said, his mouth close to her ear. “I’ll be right behind you.”
She didn’t argue, and she managed to sprint faster than he’d given her credit for as she made her way toward the sanctuary of the trees. He stayed right behind her, protecting her in the only way he could, expecting to feel the hot streak of a bullet hitting him in the back.
Alyssa reached the trees and he followed two seconds later. He thought he may have heard a shout, but he didn’t bother to look back. The trees offered protection as they weaved their way in a diagonal pattern toward the northeast side of the park.
“This way,” he said, tugging on Alyssa’s arm. She stumbled, and he reached out to grab her before she could fall. All this running had to be excruciating for her injured ankle. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She obviously wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity.
He risked a quick glance behind them but didn’t see anything other than trees. So far so good. Turning forward, he tried to envision where the road was. Following his instincts, he changed their direction slightly, and soon they found the road. There were houses on the other side, across from the park, and he led the way toward two that didn’t have any lights on in the windows. Ducking between them, he ran through the backyards to the next street down, praying they didn’t stumble across any dogs.
He could hear Alyssa’s heavy breathing and tried to slow down, for her sake. But he kept cutting through people’s backyards to confuse anyone who might be trying to follow them.
Fifteen minutes later, Alyssa slowed to a stop, bending over and putting her hands on her knees. “Break,” she croaked. “I need to rest.”
They weren’t far enough from Rainbow Park to relax their guard, but he could see Alyssa was at the end of her strength. She’d kept up with him admirably. He glanced around, trying to get his bearings, wishing they were closer to the motel.
There used to be a small all-night diner just a couple of blocks away. “Can you manage just a little longer?” He anchored her arm around his waist, encouraging her to lean on him. “Two more blocks then you can rest for a bit.”
She nodded wearily and he half carried her to the diner. It was a public place, but he didn’t know what else to do or where to go. His only trusted police contact was right now on his way to the hospital, fighting for his life. Jonah couldn’t help them anymore.
They were on their own.
