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  “That’s what I’m calling about. Lord, Roman. I’m at Bonneville Regional. Diana’s in the emergency room with a head injury.”

  “What?”

  Cal’s eyes closed tightly. He was too broken up to talk.

  “Say no more. I’ll be right there.”

  “Thanks,”’ Cal said in a hoarse whisper, and put the phone back in his pocket. Right now he needed his buddy to help make sense of this nightmare. “Thank God for Roman,” he murmured, hurrying to Diana’s cubicle.

  By this time another doctor was examining her, asking her questions. Cal figured it was Dr. Harkness. With eye signals the neurosurgeon indicated he wanted to be alone with his patient and would talk to Cal later.

  He fought the desire to inform the doctor that he was Diana’s husband, that he wanted to be involved. However Dr. Harkness had left him with no choice but to return to the reception area.

  Since the examination might take some time, Cal decided to go outside and wait for Roman. He needed to fill his lungs with fresh air that wasn’t tainted by the smell of antiseptic. On the way out, he asked someone to show him where his wife had fallen.

  One of the ambulance attendants accompanied him to the spot, but any sign of an accident had been cleaned up.

  “Did anyone see her fall?”

  “Not that I know of, sir. We went out when an ambulance drove in and noticed her sitting on the path. Her pupils were dilated. She couldn’t tell us any information, so we brought her inside.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  Without wasting another second he strode swiftly toward her parked car. She’d left the doors unlocked, something she normally never did for safety reasons. It meant she was in such a hurry to get inside the emergency room, she didn’t bother.

  Suddenly his eye caught sight of a rectangular carton in the back seat. It was the kind of box that held produce meant for a grocery store. With a jerk, he opened the back door and reached for the box. The empty carton had been lined with a thin, wrinkled cotton blanket.

  Dear Lord. Had she found the baby in this box?

  “Cal?” a familiar male voice called out.

  Cal whirled around to see Roman standing there. He must have flown from his office to make it here this fast.

  “What’s going on?”

  After emitting a tortured sigh, Cal told his friend everything he knew. “The hell of it is, she didn’t recognize me, Roman.”

  He felt a clap on his shoulder. “When I was on the police force, I investigated a lot of accidents and saw plenty of cases like this. Her amnesia is temporary.”

  Cal shivered again. “You can’t imagine what it’s like to kiss your wife, look into her eyes, only to see fear and repulsion there.”

  “No, I can’t. But she only fell a couple of hours ago. Give it time for her mind and body to absorb the shock. It won’t be long before she’s back to normal. Meanwhile, let’s see if there’s anything else in the car that will give us a clue as to what happened.”

  Roman’s was the voice of sanity. Together they searched the immaculate interior, but found nothing else.

  “Have you looked in her purse or her clothes?”

  “No,” Cal answered in a hoarse voice. “Her reaction to me left me too shaken up to think, period.”

  “I hear you. Let’s go inside the hospital and see if we can find anything else that will shed some light.”

  Cal nodded before the two of them went back to the emergency room. Dr. Harkness met them at the desk.

  After exchanging the amenities he said, “I concur with the attending physician’s diagnosis. She’s suffering the kind of amnesia brought on by head trauma.

  “There’s been no loss of knowledge of the things around her. For example, she knows she’s in a hospital, she can tell time, add numbers, all of those details. But for now she has blocked out past events. In time, she’ll recover her memory.”

  “How soon, Doctor?”

  “No one has the answer to that question. You just have to be patient. My advice is to feed her information on a need-to-know basis only. Her mind is refusing to let her remember, possibly because she doesn’t want to remember.” One blond brow lifted. “Has something happened recently that has been very painful for her?”

  Cal started to nod. “She’s had three miscarriages in a row. The most recent one dealt us both a severe blow. Since then, Diana has been obsessed by the idea that she might not be able to conceive again, let alone have a child. She’s wanted a baby ever since we were married.”

  “That could explain the reason why it might take longer for her to get her memory back, Mr. Rawlins. Dr. Farr tells me the baby she was holding isn’t yours, that you have no idea whose it is.”

  “None at all. Roman, here, is the head of the Lufka detective agency. He’s going to start an investigation to find out whose baby it is, and why Diana happened to have the baby with her.”

  The doctor’s expression sobered. “That’s good. But as you’ve realized by now, she believes the baby is hers.”

  “Yes. That’s what’s got me worried."

  “I confess I don’t like it, either. Dr. Farr told me you would rather she didn’t see the baby again. I tend to agree with you, yet I also feel that the other doctor has a point. The baby would be good for her right now to comfort her in her fear. She’s very frightened that she can’t remember anything about her life with you. She’s clinging to that child because she needs something to love that is familiar to her.”

  “What should I do?”

  “For the time being, the baby has jaundice and can’t be moved from the lights until the pediatrician gives the go ahead. I’ve told your wife about his condition. She seems to have accepted the fact that she’ll have to wait until he’s improved before she’s allowed to see him.

  “Thankfully the baby’s condition, which is not life threatening now that he’s being given the proper care, has bought us some time. We can hope that as you stay with your wife, keep her company and anticipate her needs, she’ll start to remember things on her own. The memory usually comes back in bits and pieces with little effort.”

  “Except that she’s repulsed by my presence,” Cal ground out.

  “She told me she’s afraid of you. That’s why I didn’t invite you to stay for the examination. It’s a natural reaction. She has to go on blind faith that you are her husband, that you two love each other and have been happily married. To her, you’re a complete stranger.

  “I’m going to have her admitted overnight for observation. In the morning, if all her vital signs are stable, and another X ray doesn’t show any problems, I’ll let you take her home.

  “For the time being, my advice for what it’s worth is to treat her like a sister rather than a wife. Slowly but surely allow friends and relatives to come around, but warn them not to upset her or act startled by her loss of memory. Always be supportive, friendly, tender, kind. Don’t overreact when she retreats. She’s only protecting herself. Don’t make physical advances.”

  Cal shook his head. “I already did when I kissed her and she didn’t kiss me back.” The pain of her rejection had gone soul deep.

  “A perfectly natural gesture on your part, but it explains her anxiety. Until her memory returns, she has to regain her trust of you. I’m afraid the burden is on your shoulders, Mr. Rawlins. However I want to assure you that I believe her condition is temporary. In time you’ll have her back as good as new.”

  He turned to Roman. “We’ve had to report Baby Doe to the police, but perhaps your investigation will produce swifter results. Let us know, will you?”

  “Of course. I’m hoping to have answers within a few hours.”

  “Good. Then I’ll talk to both of you later. The hospital will keep me notified if there are changes in your wife’s condition. If you have any concerns at all, feel free to ask someone at the desk to phone me.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Harkness.”

  He smiled. “She’s a lovely woman. I can understand you
r fear. This is the time when the wedding vows start to take on a whole new meaning.”

  Cal pondered the doctor’s words. He knew the other man was trying to commiserate, but could anyone understand a situation like this unless they had experienced it for themselves?

  “You all right, Cal?”

  The concern in Roman’s voice jerked him back to the present.

  “No, but I’m going to have to be, aren’t I?”

  The rhetorical question required no response. Roman shifted his weight. “After listening to Dr. Harkness, I think it would be better if I don’t see Diana until tomorrow or even the next day. One person at a time. It makes sense to me.

  “What I want you to do is ask an attendant to bring her belongings out here. Tell them to make up any excuse they want so they won’t alarm her unduly. I might find a clue. It’s the first place I need to start. Then I’m going back to the office. Maybe she left some kind of clue there which I didn’t see at the time.

  “We know she was on her way to work this morning and made no mention of tending anyone’s baby. So it’s my guess the baby was either placed in her car or—”

  “Or placed on the doorstep at work!” Cal blurted. “If it had been on our doorstep or in our car when she left the garage, she would have run in the house to tell me.”

  “Unless it was still kind of dark and she didn’t notice it on the back seat until she got to work.”

  “That’s a possibility, except that she almost always locks the car doors. Someone would have had to force entry to even get in the garage.”

  “Whatever, following this to its logical conclusion, if the baby looked yellow to her, she might have been so concerned, she didn’t think to call anyone. Instead she felt it was an emergency and immediately drove to the hospital figuring an ambulance couldn’t get there any faster. Obviously in her haste, she slipped and fell.”

  “That’s it, Roman! That has to be the explanation.”

  “As soon as you can, get me her things, and I mean everything, we should have answers before long.”

  “I owe you for this, Roman.”

  “Then we’re more than even. I can’t count the times you’ve come to my rescue, especially when I was working on Brittany’s case. You and Diana helped me keep my sanity before I made her my wife. Now it’s my turn to help you. I’ve never made it any secret that I love Diana. So do the other PI’s. She’s the best thing that ever happened to the agency. When the guys hear what happened, it’s going to come as a horrible shock, particularly to Brittany and Annabelle.”

  “I know. Those three have grown as close as sistets.”

  “I’ll inform everybody. You go back to Diana and let us handle the investigation.”

  Cal put a hand on Roman’s shoulder. “Wait here just a minute. I’ll get someone to bring out her things.” He found an attendant nearby and told her what they needed from Diana’s cubicle.

  “No problem. The doctor has just given orders to take her up to a private room on the fourth floor, 418 North. I’ll just tell her we’re going to load her stuff on a cart first.”

  “Perfect.”

  In short order the attendant came back with a large sack provided by the hospital containing Diana’s personal effects. Cal handed it over to Roman. “I hope you find something. For Diana’s own good, the sooner the mystery about the baby is cleared up, the better.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be fast and thorough. I’m going out to her car for the box and blanket. One of the guys will be by later to drive the car back to your house. In the meantime, as soon as I discover anything, I’ll phone you on your cellular.”

  Cal nodded. He couldn’t ask for more than that. Right now as he stared at Roman’s departing back, he realized his friend’s level-headed thinking was the only thing keeping him from going right over the edge.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “NURSE?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Rawlins?”

  “Could you call me Diana, please?”

  “Of course. If you’ll call me Jane.”

  “All right. Jane? I overheard Dr. Fair say my baby is four days old. I don’t understand why I’m not sore and bleeding after my delivery. Why hasn’t my milk come in yet?”

  “That’s something to ask the doctor when be makes his rounds this evening. Don’t worry. The baby is being well taken care of in the nursery.”

  “How soon can I see him?”

  “He needs to stay under the lights until tomorrow, at least.”

  “Then will you help me to go to the nursery so I can sit with him?”

  “That’s against doctor’s orders, Diana. We’ve just settled you in your room. He left strict instructions for you to have rest and stay quiet. You want to get better, don’t you?

  “Your husband has gone home to bring you some of your things. When he returns, you can talk to him about it. But if you can wait until this evening, Dr. Harkness will make his rounds. Perhaps he’ll allow you and your husband to go to the nursery for a peek. Everything depends on how you and the baby are feeling by then.”

  “You don’t understand, Jane. I don’t remember him being my husband- All I want is my baby!”

  “I know. But you want him to get better, too, don’t . you?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then try to be patient. I know it’s hard. After that nasty fall, you need to give yourself a chance to heal. I’d also like to see that temperature go down. Tell you what I’ll look in on you again in a little while.”

  “Don’t go!”

  The nurse walked over to the side of the bed. “What’s frightening you the most?”

  Diana hid her face in her hands. “I don’t know. Everything.”

  “Of course it is. If I couldn’t remember anything of my past life, I’d be frightened, too. But this is a temporary situation. You remember having the baby with you when you fell. That means your memory is returning. Just give it a little more time.”

  She lifted her tear-drenched face. “That’s true, isn’t it? I remembered his name was Tyler.”

  “That’s right. And you’ll start remembering more and more.”

  “But that’s just it! I don’t remember anything else. Mr. Rawlins acts so hurt around me, I can hardly bear it.”

  “Naturally he has been affected by your fall. He says everything was wonderful between you when you left for work this morning, and then he gets a call saying that you’re in the hospital and can’t remember what happened.”

  “My work?” she blurted, scarcely listening to anything else. What kind of work?

  This was another revelation she couldn’t fathom because she had no memory of it. Why would she be going to work when she’d just had a baby?

  “That’s what I understand,” Jane informed her, “but I’ll leave that to your husband to explain. He should be back soon. I must say he loves you very much. It’s obvious to the staff that he would do anything for you.”

  “I don’t want his solicitation.”

  “Maybe not, but if you could put yourself in his place for a moment, you would understand-that he is as frightened as you are.”

  “What does he have to be frightened about? He knows me.”

  “That’s true, but he’s married to a woman who doesn’t know him. You’re treating him like you would anyone off the street because you can’t do anything else. How do you suppose you would feel if your positions were reversed and he wanted nothing to do with you?”

  Diana bit her lip and turned her head toward the wall. The movement hurt the spot on the back of her head where they’d bandaged it. She didn’t like Jane reminding her that Cal Rawlins was in pain.

  “If you want company, I’ll send one of the volunteers down to read to you or whatever you’d like.”

  “No. I think I want to be alone now.”

  “I’ll check on another couple of patients, then come back.”

  “Thank you.” She fought more tears. “I’m sorry I’m behaving so abominably.”

  “The fac
t that you can apologize for something that is beyond your control tells me that at heart you’re a very kind, sensitive woman who wouldn’t purposely hurt anyone.”

  But am I? How does Jane know that?

  When the door was shut, Diana reached under the bedsheet to feel her stomach. It was flat and smooth as silk. There were no pads covering a sore incision, which meant she hadn’t had a Cesarean section.

  While she lay there, it came to her that she hadn’t given birth to her baby. She couldn’t have, or there would be all the normal signs!

  Had she adopted it?

  Nobody had said a word about anything.

  Dear God. What was really going on?

  For the first time since coming into the hospital, she was anxious to talk to Mr. Rawlins. He appeared to be the only person who could give her the answers she needed.

  But would he be honest with her? How could she trust a perfect stranger?

  Cal had barely entered his house to pack a bag for Diana when his cellular phone rang. He reached in his pocket and put it to his ear.

  “Roman? I saw your name on the Caller ID.”

  “I told you I’d touch base when I had something. You and I were right on.”

  He gripped the phone tighter. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

  “I found a note tucked in the pocket of Diana’s dress, the one folded in the hospital bag. The paper has been ripped from a steno pad. The typed message reads,

  “Dear Diana,

  My boyfriend and I talked it over and decided we had to give up the baby because we can’t take care of it. A friend told me about you and how much you’ve been wanting one, so I brought him to your work. She says that you and your husband are the nicest people in the world, and that you would make the perfect parents. She also said you have a nursery all ready for a baby boy, and I want my boy to have the best of everything, so I’m giving him to you and nobody else. I’ve asked God if I’m doing the right thing and I feel really good inside about this. Please take care of him and love him. I wish we could, but we can’t. I’ll ask one more favor. Please take him to church so he can learn about God. I always liked church and I know that if you do that for him, the three of you will have a perfect life. Thank you very much. And one more favor. When he gets older, tell him we loved him too much to try and keep him.”