Ruby Falls (2 page)

“Ma’am, are you okay? You have an accident or something?” he asked.

“I…I don’t know. I fell, I think …”

“You think?” His eyes slid to his companion, and then back to her. “What’s your name?”

She hesitated, looking down at the ground a moment, thinking. When she looked back up at him, there were tears in her eyes.

He wasn’t sure whether it was that, or what she whispered, that knocked the breath out of him. “What did you say?” he asked, not sure he’d heard her correctly.

In a small, trembling voice she repeated, “I said, I don’t know. I can’t remember my name. I can’t remember…anything.”

The two men exchanged a look, not sure what to make of an answer like that.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” the blonde man asked.

“I…I can’t remember.”

“It’s a simple question. What’s your name?” he pressed.

“I told you. I don’t know.”

“You don’t know your own name?” he asked disbelieving.

She shook her head, the movement barely perceptible. The gravity of the situation hit her. If they didn’t help her, what would she do? Maybe she could use their phone, but she didn’t even know whom to call. Was there anyone worrying about her, even now?

A tear slowly slid down her cheek. “Please help me. I don’t know who I am. Or where I am. I…” She began to feel dizzy, and the last thing she saw was the stunned looks on their faces, as everything went black, and she crumpled to the gravel drive.

“She’s breathing. She just passed out,” the blonde man said.

The two men were squatted down next to the woman’s prone body, lying in the gravel drive.

They leaned over her and noticed the lump on her forehead.

“Well, the blow to the head would explain the memory loss, I guess,” the man with the shotgun said, setting the gun on the ground. He reached to lift the woman’s head up, and his hand came away with blood on it. “Damn, Steve. She’s bleeding.”

He turned her head and brushed aside her hair. They saw the wound on her head and exchanged knowing looks. They both had hunted long enough to recognize a bullet graze when they saw one.

“Jesus, Steve! Somebody shot at her. And came dame close to killing her. If that bullet had come a fraction of an inch closer…”

“Where the hell did she come from, Cary?” Steve murmured, looking up the drive toward the road, searching for a vehicle.

“Damned if I know. I was sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette, and all of a sudden Rocky takes off down the driveway, growling. I grabbed the shotgun and followed. She was walking up the drive. I never heard a car pull up. I think she’s on foot,” Cary explained.

Steve scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the house, with the other man following. “Cary, grab the door.” Steve nodded toward the wooden screen door as he carried the unconscious woman in his arms, up the stairs and across the porch.

Cary took the steps two at a time, pulling the screen door open, and stepping back out of the way to let Steve pass. Steve carried her through the house, toward the kitchen in the back. He crossed the faded linoleum kitchen floor and gently set the woman, who was coming around, on a wooden ladder-back chair.

She raised her hand to her forehead, and her face grimaced with pain, as the pounding headache returned.

Steve squatted down in front of her chair. “How’re you feelin’, ma’am? Are you still feelin’ dizzy?”

She opened her eyes. The unaccustomed brightness of the fluorescent light made her squint and blink. She looked at the blonde man squatting down in front of her with concern etched on his face. “I…I think I’m alright, now.”

He frowned, as if not quite sure he wanted to take her word for it, as if he half expected her to slide off the chair at any moment. Without taking his eyes off her, he half turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. “Cary, bring her a glass of water.”

She watched as the dark haired man moved to a cabinet and pulled down a glass. She noticed the blonde haired man stayed in front of her, as if he felt he might need to catch her if she fainted again.

A tall glass of water was set before her. As she raised the glass to her lips, she looked over the rim of the glass at the two men. She noticed the fact that her hand was shaking with tremors was not lost on them.

“My name’s Steve Garrett. I own this place, and this is Cary McBride. He works for me.” The blonde man explained, nodding over his shoulder, indicating the second man.

“Hello,” she replied, nodding shyly.

“Ma’am, let me get a look at that gash on the back of your head,” Steve said, standing up to gently brush her long hair out of the way. “Cary, bring me a washcloth.”

Cary brought him over a clean cloth and watched over Steve’s shoulder as they both examined the wound.

Steve pressed the cloth to the wound, to staunch the flow of blood.

She winced.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I’m trying to be gentle.”

“What does it look like?” she asked.

“Well, you definitely need to have it looked at by a doctor. We need to get you to the hospital. Besides this wound, you also have quite a lump on your forehead, and your arms and legs are pretty scratched up,” he observed. “Do you remember anything about how this happened?” he asked.

“I just remember waking up in the forest and not knowing where I was, or how I got there,” she answered softly.

“Nothing else?” he prompted, squatting back down so that he was eye level with her again.

“Well, I remember being very scared, and I thought I heard something…like twigs breaking, like something was there. And I just knew I had to run from it. I don’t know why I felt that way. I just knew…it just felt like something was after me.”

“So you ran. Then what happened?”

“I came to the road. I tried to see if there was a road sign, but I couldn’t see one. Then I crossed the road and started walking down the hill. I remember seeing a truck with a spotlight, coming from behind me. I hid in the trees. I don’t know why. Maybe he was a friend out looking for me.”

Steve and Cary exchanged a look over her head.

“He?” Steve asked.

“Yes. I could see, when he passed by, that it was a man. I mean, I couldn’t see him well, just the silhouette, but he had broad shoulders and a cowboy hat on.”

“Go on,” he encouraged.

“Well, he went on past, the spot light shining on the woods, and I remember wondering, if he was a friend out looking for me, why wasn’t he calling out? I mean, wouldn’t you call out the person’s name?” she questioned, looking from Steve to Cary for an answer.

“Yeah, I guess you would. That would make sense,” Cary agreed.

“I stayed hidden in the brush until he was gone,” she continued. “Then I just walked down the road, looking for help. This was the first place I found.” She finished her tale, looking into Steve’s eyes.

“Well, I have to be honest with you, sweetheart. That looks like a bullet graze to me,” he admitted reluctantly.

“A…a bullet graze? You mean…you mean someone shot at me?” she asked stunned.

“Well, I don’t know, but it sure would explain the instinctive feeling you had to run, that feeling that you had that you were in danger.”

She sat there in shock, staring into space, and then she began to shake.

“Darlin’, you’re safe here,” he reassured her. “Take it easy. You’re okay. You’re gonna be fine,” Steve murmured, putting his hand over hers, trying to comfort her.

She didn’t respond.

“Cary, bring the truck around. We need to get her to the hospital,” Steve said, turning to look back at the other man.

“Yeah, sure thing, boss.” Cary turned and headed for the door.

“Thank you for helping me,” she whispered.

Steve turned back, stared into her pretty blue eyes, and wondered at the jolt that went through him. “Sweetheart, don’t worry. I’m gonna take care of you,” he promised.

Chapter Two

Steve sat in the emergency room waiting area, nursing his third cup of coffee. Cary was asleep in the chair across from him. Steve glanced up at the clock on the wall for the millionth time, it seemed. It had been almost two hours since they had arrived. Steve had told the triage nurse all he knew about the injured woman, which wasn’t a whole hell of a lot.

“Mr. Garrett?” a nurse called his attention. “There’s an officer who would like to speak with you. If you’ll follow me, please.”

He rose from his seat and threw his coffee cup in the trash. He followed her to the nurse’s station, where a County Sheriff was standing, writing notes on a clipboard. He turned as Steve approached and surprise and recognition crossed his face. “Hell, Steve, you’re the one that brought her in?”

Steve nodded his head also recognizing the officer. Kyle Bennett had been the County Sheriff around here for years. He and Steve had gone to high school together. “Kyle. How are you?” They shook hands.

“Confused as hell by this case, that’s for sure. Tell me what you know.”

“Yes, sir. She walked up to my place, asking for help. Said she couldn’t remember what had happened to her, or even who she was.” He proceeded to tell the man everything he could. When the Sheriff had finished copying down the information, Steve asked, “How is she doing?”

“She’s had a severe blow to the head. They’re going to keep her overnight for observation. She’s a Jane Doe, until we find out her identity. I’ll be checking missing person reports to see if anyone fitting her description has been reported missing,” he stated.

The Sheriff started to turn away. Steve stopped him. “Kyle, wait, one other thing. I looked at that wound on the back of her head, and it looked to me like a bullet graze.”

“Well, I can’t say for sure if it is or not. The doctor wasn’t sure what had caused it. I really don’t have a lot to go on with this case. I’m hoping her memory comes back and she can tell us what happened to her,” he answered.

“How long will they keep her here?” Steve asked.

“I think just overnight to make sure she’s okay,” he replied.

“What happens to her then? When they release her, I mean,” Steve pressed, shrugging his shoulders. “If she can’t remember who she is?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I’ve never had a case of amnesia before. I guess they’ll contact Family Services and see if there’s a shelter they can get her into, but don’t worry, Steve. They’ll take care of her.” The Sheriff patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. “Thanks for your help, though.”

“Can I see her before I leave?” Steve asked.

“Well, I guess that’d be okay,” the Sheriff responded. “I think she’s already been taken up to a room, though. You’ll have to check with the nurse.”

“Thanks, Kyle.”

The nurse gave him directions to a room on the fourth floor, but told him it was after visiting hours and he could only stay a minute.

When he walked in, she was alone, lying in a bed, looking out the window.

She turned her head when he entered. When she saw him, she smiled.

“You’re pretty when you smile,” he said.

“Even with the bump on my forehead?” she asked, laughing.

“Yes, ma’am.”

They stared at each other for a few moments.

“I was just laying here wondering if you’d left already or if I’d ever see you again and get the chance to thank you,” she confessed.

“Oh, you can’t get rid of me that easily,” he teased. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. They want to keep me overnight, just to make sure,” she answered.

“So I heard. The Sheriff said he’d check to see if you’ve been reported missing.”

“Yes. He told me.”

Just then a nurse came in to check her chart and asked how she was feeling. She promised to bring up something for her to eat from the cafeteria in a few minutes. Then the nurse told Steve he could only stay a few more minutes and she left.

Steve sat on the bed. “You want me to get you a candy bar or something? There’s a vending machine down the hall. I hear hospital food is pretty bad.”

“No, thank you,” she replied, smiling. “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Steve asked, smiling back at her. “You may get stuck with lime gelatin.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I’ll be okay.”

“All right then, but me, I’d go for the Snickers,” he replied, grinning.

They stared at each other for a moment. Steve couldn’t help but notice how fragile she looked, lying there in the hospital gown. “Well, I guess I should be going before they run me out of here,” he finally said.

“I…I want to thank you for all you did for me tonight.”

“Oh, it wasn’t much. Just brought you to a doctor.”

“But you stayed and waited with me. It made me less afraid…having you here with me,” she said softly, reaching over and touching his hand.

Steve looked down at her hand and wondered at the feelings running through him, feelings that went straight through him to his heart. “Uh, look, I’m going to come back by in the morning and check on you. See what the doctor has to say, if that’s okay with you.”

“Well, sure. I’d like that, but I know it’s out of your way, and-”

“Hey, it’s my excuse to goof-off tomorrow morning. Don’t take that away from me.” He grinned.

She smiled back, glad he was coming back. “Okay.”

Steve leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Get some sleep, sweetheart.” And then he was gone.

She slept fitfully, tossing and turning all night long. She was haunted by bad dreams, but each time she awoke with a start, she couldn’t remember the dream. Exhausted, she finally drifted off for a few hours just before dawn.

When Steve arrived at nine a.m., the doctor was just coming out of her room. Steve stopped him in the hall and asked how she was.

“Are you family?” the doctor asked him.

“No, I was the one that brought her in. She came to my place asking for help last night.”

“Oh, I see. Well, I really shouldn’t be talking to you about her condition.”

“Is she being released? Can you tell me that?”

“Yes. I’ve released her.”

“Does that mean she has her memory back? Has she called someone to come get her?”

“No. She hasn’t regained her memory yet.”