Twist of Fate (3 page)

Sam reached forward to turn up the heat in his beat-up SUV, feeling the dampness of the spring rain deep in his bones. Oh, the coffee and fresh air had sobered him up enough all right, except the part of his brain that never forgot about Kate. There lay the problem. He quickly shook his head and cracked the window, hoping the spritz of rain would knock some sense into him.

As his truck rounded a bend in the road, he slowed. A dark sedan sat on the shoulder, barely visible through the thickening fog. Rain pelted against his face when he stuck his head out the window to survey the situation. Sam noticed the broken guardrail and three different sets of tire marks on the road.

“Must be they’re okay,” he said as the sedan crept back onto the road and drove off. There were no signs of flares or that emergency vehicles had been on the scene. His foot hovered over the gas pedal when the sour feeling in his stomach returned.

“Aw, what the hell.” He hit the brake instead. “Better be sure.”

Pulling his truck off the road, he grabbed the flashlight from the glove box and turned on his hazard lights before leaving the front seat. Sam shined the light as he looked around for anything out of the ordinary, scanning the base of the hill several times before he saw two taillights dimly glowing through the mist. When the sedan had left the scene, they never said a word about getting help and they didn’t seem in a hurry either. That alone was suspicious.

Without hesitation, he started down the hill. His work boots slipped, and he almost lost the flashlight as he faltered to keep his balance. When he reached the door, he wiped the window and held up his light. Peering inside, he saw what he thought was a body slumped against the deployed airbag. Sam knocked on the window to be sure the heavy fog and moonlight weren’t playing tricks on him. The flashlight glinted off the person’s watchband.

“Hey, are you okay?”

No answer.

He tried to open the door but found it locked. “Can you hear me?”

Still no response.

Sam rushed to the other door, and his foot gave way beneath him. He took a step and was instantly knee deep in water. “What the hell?”

He was sinking.

Heavy winter snows had made the waters of
Panther
Lake
rise to dangerous levels. The saturated ground was like mucky quicksand beneath the water, which meant the car was slowly inching its way into the lake. It wouldn’t have to go far before being picked up by the current. Sam didn’t have much time.

“Listen, I’m going to get you out. Hold on.” He struggled to get back up the hill, seizing the crowbar from his tool chest in the back of the truck. Mud plastered to the wet legs of his jeans as he slid back to the bottom.

After half a dozen hard hits, the window caved enough for him to pop it out with his hands. He opened the passenger side door and leaned on the seat, very conscious of the subtle movement of the car. The smell of lilies assaulted his senses, and a sudden tightness gripped his chest. For an instant, he had to fight for a breath.

It couldn’t be…

“Kate!” he yelled as he clasped her shoulders, leaning her back against the headrest. “Kate, it’s Sam, can you hear me?” Blood pounded in his ears, and a lump formed in his throat. She was unconscious and cold.

And sinking.

Her breathing sounded shallow as panic filled him to his very soul. “Okay, Sam, keep it together. Keep it together.” He breathed heavily just to hear his own voice against the bitter silence.

Tenderly, he brushed her blood-tinged curls off her cheek then reached across to open her door. “You’ll be all right. I’m here now. I’ll get you to a doctor.”

As he rounded the front of the car, anger flooded him like the raging current. “I knew I should have followed you. What the hell were you thinking, taking off in the rain like that?”

His heart raced with fear when he carefully pulled her from the car. She could have more injuries than what he could see, which wasn’t much through the cloudy night sky. Clawing and digging in with the toes of his boots, he struggled to carry her up the hill.

A million thoughts ran through his mind while he sped toward the hospital, Kate’s limp body secure in the passenger seat. How long had she been there? For the life of him, he couldn’t remember what time it had been when he’d last seen her.

That had been the least of his concerns.

He touched her leg. No warmth came through her clothes. Her body didn’t even shiver. “I’ll take care of you,” he whispered.

For the first time in years, Sam prayed.

Chapter Two

Sam was still praying in the red vinyl chair when the doctor appeared in the waiting room. He immediately stood and ran a hand down his wrinkled, wet clothes.

“Mr. Hackett, I’m Dr. Wescott. Your wife is stable now.”

Sam shook his head to clear it. “Doc, I’m-”

“I’m sure you’re relieved.” The silver-haired doctor removed his gloves and shook Sam’s hand. “You can see her in just a moment, son. I want to update you first.”

“But she’s-”

“Going to be just fine.” Dr. Wescott motioned toward two chairs. “She needs plenty of rest for the next couple of days. From what my staff told me, she’s very lucky to be alive.”

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Sitting down, he rubbed both hands over his face. He’d been so worried. Now he couldn’t wait to see her, touch her. Every muscle that had been tensed for the last few hours began to relax.

“She has a slight concussion. The CAT scan shows some trauma. We won’t know how much until she’s more coherent. Tr
auma amnesia is a possibility.”

“Amnesia?” Sam lifted his face from his hands. “You mean she won’t remember the accident? Her family, her friends...me?”

“Easy, son, it’s hard to say at this point. Right now she does remember the accident, and you. She doesn’t remember where she lives or what you do for a living.”

Sam blinked and Dr. Wescott continued, “There may be some things from the past she doesn’t remember, like your wedding anniversary or your mother’s maiden name, what you did to celebrate your birthday last year.” He paused. “You see, the trauma from the accident may trigger her brain into subconsciously blocking out select pieces of her memory. For example, your wife might block out anything from her past that made her feel hurt or uncomfortable. With that said, she may fully recognize some people while memories of others remain out of reach. Simple, day-to-day activities may be difficult for a while. The brain is a very complex organ.”

“But Doc, you don’t understand. Kate and I-”

“You don’t have to say anything.” The doctor gave a knowing smile which somehow comforted Sam. “She told me you two argued. She doesn’t remember why.”

“Will her memory come back?”

“It may. After a couple days of rest, she may be fine. What little she doesn’t remember may return as familiar sights and sounds stimulate the brain. Or, they may not come back at all,” he said matter-of-factly. “Whatever you do, son, don’t do anything that might upset her.”

The doctor must have seen his worried expression because he placed a reassuring hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Your wife seems like a strong woman. She may only have suffered the concussion and nothing more than some scrapes and bruises.”

“Doc, I have to--”

“Yes, I know. Tell her. Tell her you love her. Tell her the fight doesn’t matter. That’s what she needs to hear. Amnesia or not, use this as your starting point. Accidents of any nature can be frightening and recovery from brain trauma can be challenging. She’ll need you to lean on, to be there for her, you understand?”

“Yes, can I see her now?”

“Of course. Don’t ask her too many questions. Don’t try to figure out her state of memory. I don’t want her to worry about it, either. No stress. We’ll re-evaluate her in the morning.”

“Thanks, Doc.” Sam walked into the room and pulled a chair next to Kate’s bed. His heart ached for her now. A thick layer of gauze covered her head. He was almost afraid to touch her, she looked so fragile. She stirred slightly from his touch as he laid his hand in hers. He smiled when her eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Sam?” her voice was faint. “Don’t leave, okay? Stay with me.”

“I will. I’m not going anywhere.”

“About the fight ... I’m sorry. I should never have--”

“It’s okay. Don’t think about that now. Close your eyes and get some sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“Promise?” The corners of Kate’s mouth twitched into a smile and made Sam’s heart jump.

“Promise.”

When she drifted off to sleep, he gently eased his hand from hers. She’d practically torn his heart out at Jed’s. He felt like a loser for being so sarcastic to her. She didn’t deserve to be laying here with amnesia. Leaning back in the uncomfortable hospital chair, he turned on the television. There before him, on the local news, was Kate’s car being pulled out of
Panther
Lake
.

“No way.”

He stared blankly at the small screen and rubbed his eyes to be sure he wasn’t imagining things. Turning the volume up as much as he dared without disturbing her, he listened in shock as the newscaster spoke of possible foul play. The man said
Tompkins
County
law enforcement was in the process of running the plates to identify the owner. No body had been found in the car itself. Water level and current were making the search difficult. Officials said they would be dragging the lake as soon as it was deemed safe. Police also said a dump truck was found, abandoned, a couple miles from the scene. They were investigating to see if both incidents were related.

“Foul play? Dragging the lake?” He glanced toward the bed, thinking he spoke too loud. Kate remained asleep.

Were the people in that sedan part of the Santini family? How the hell did Kate get involved with these people? More importantly, could she safely get out now that it appeared she wanted to?

They must have planned on watching her drown until he showed up, which meant they would be searching for her. Thank God the hospital mistakenly listed her last name as his. Shutting the television off, he ran his hands over his head and propped his elbows on his knees to think. How much time did he have before they figured it out?

Whatever problems they’d had in the past, he couldn’t let Kate down now. He pulled the court notice from his pocket and studied it. He knew there was more to her story then she was letting on, and this paper held the key. Until he found out what it was and why she’d been so upset, he needed to keep her safe. She needed time to heal and Sam didn’t want to add to her confusion or have to go into a long explanation with the hospital administration.

If the staff had given Kate the impression they were married, hell, he’d better make it look good. A bizarre thought crossed his mind and his body immediately shuddered at the absurdity of it. There was no way something like that would work. It was too big, even for him. No stress, the doc had said. Then again, he was pretty isolate
d at the north end of the lake.

Sam took a quick look at her, the blinking machines giving him all the confirmation he needed. He would take her to the cabin. No one would have to know. When she was strong enough to handle things, he’d fill her in and then she could leave to solve her own problems.

Now was the time to call Rusty. If this was really going to work, he’d need all the help he could get.

**
*

“What do you mean you don’t know where she is?” Dante Pizzaro’s voice rattled the walls of books lining the spacious office suite. “How could you let this happen?”

A large man in a black trench coat and flat-top haircut approached the polished cherry desk. “Sorry, boss. We were doing what you asked until this dump truck came from out of nowhere.”

“Yeah,” interrupted the shorter, bald man, “he hit her car and she went down into the lake.” He slapped his gloved hands together, forming a visual explanation of events, then leaned over the desk as he spoke, “Don’t worry, boss, we took care of that driver-fella.”

Dante inched his face closer, keeping his voice low as if the walls of the twenty-story office building had ears. Since becoming Carlo Santini’s personal attorney, Dante had no privacy. Cameras were another story. “What did you do, Joey?”

Joey sliced his index finger across his throat. “He won’t be singing anytime soon.”

“This is my wife we’re talking about,” Dante growled. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” The curious looks from his men didn’t go unnoticed. He knew what they were thinking. The divorce wasn’t final yet, and if he had his way, it never would be. Kate and Hope were his. They were a family. The sooner she realized that, the better.

Paulie, the larger of the two, stepped forward and added, “We were going to pull her out, but then this other guy showed up.”

“What guy?” Dante narrowed his eyes, forming barely visible slits.

“It looked like the same guy she met up with at that bar.” Paulie wiped the perspiration from his brow with a meaty hand.

“She met a man?” Dante balled his fists at his sides in an attempt to channel his rising anger. Murdering the truck driver was collateral damage. Murdering his wife’s lover was a privilege Dante wanted for himself. Once Kate was safely back where she belonged, he would make the fool disappear. It would be as if the man never existed.

“She didn’t leave with him. But he must have followed her, too. Didn’t take him long to catch up.”

“Did he see you?”

“We left so he wouldn’t ask us questions,” Paulie answered. “By the time we circled back, they were both gone. We think he might have pulled her out.”

“You think?” Dante’s voice boomed through the room. He slammed his palms on the desk, knowing he’d need to stop at the dojo to burn off the tension before going home to his daughter.

“Well...” both men stammered, looking dumbfounded at each other.

“You’d better do more than think. You’d better find out if he did take her, and what the hell he did with her.” Dante rubbed the sting from his hands. “And you better hope he wasn’t smart enough to pick the number off your license plate, or we’ll all be answering to Carlo.”

“Sure thing, boss, we’ll get right on it.” Paulie shoved Joey as if to wake him up.

“Just find her.” Dante pointed toward the door. Both men scampered to be out of his sight.

His wife was missing. Soon to be Ex, to be exact, a fact he still wasn’t used to. Dante paced to the wet bar and poured a glass of single malt scotch from the crystal decanter. As the rich, buttery liquid passed over his palate, the strong peppery tones blended well to match his mood. Even though they’d been separated for eight months, to think Kate could be with another man made his blood burn. Could she be that shameless after all he’d given her? Did she once stop to consider what the media would do, or what he would do with such information?

It had been two months since she’d served him with divorce papers. And now, how dare she even think about fighting him for custody of their daughter? Dante took a slow sip of the deep, amber liquid, closing his eyes as the tension released. The corners of his mouth tipped to form a satisfying smirk. No, Kate wouldn’t block him out of their daughter’s life, she knew better. She knew there would be consequences.

There was no place she could go where he wouldn’t find her.

**
*

“Where are we going?” Kate tried to hide the nervousness in her voice as she watched the passing scenery. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen another house, just an ever thickening forest of trees.

“Home, where’d you think?” Sam tossed a grin in her direction, but it did little to calm her.

“I thought our penthouse was in the city. This isn’t the way, or are we going someplace else?” She inched around in the seat, her hand settling on the door handle as she fought the urge to exit. This didn’t feel right to her at all. The doctor had warned her to take it easy. So far the ride home had been anything but relaxing. The frustration of silently trying to remember the details of her life had given her an atrocious headache.

“Penthouse?” Sam’s voice cracked. He glanced at her then back to the road, clearing his throat. “We don’t live in a penthouse, silly. You must be thinking of Jennie’s place. We live in the country, in the house I built for us.” She furrowed her brows in his direction, trying to conjure the memory, and then continued to study the scenery behind them as if looking for a high rise to appear within the mountainous evergreens. “Don’t worry. You’ll know it when you see it,” he encouraged, and she refused to say she didn’t believe him.

Heaving a sigh, she faced the front. “I guess.” Resting her head against the back of the seat, she closed her eyes. “I had this sudden flash of a chocolate-brown leather sofa and the city skyline. The picture was so vivid in my mind. I could have sworn it was our place.”

“Remember what the doctor said? There may be some confusion for a while, but that’s normal.”

He placed a reassuring hand on her knee while her fingers twisted the hem of her leather jacket. As much as she wanted to put her hand on his, she couldn’t. Her heart egged her to reach for him, while her mind erred on caution. Now, alone with him in the truck, she had the strangest feeling she didn’t belong there. She knew she shouldn’t be so uneasy, but as hard as she tried, she couldn’t get rid of the feeling of--

Damn her memory for not cooperating!

Dr. Wescott had told her it would take time. She shouldn’t try to rush things. She easily remembered almost laughing when the nurse ushered ‘her husband’ into her hospital room, but stifled her protest when she’d seen Sam’s worried expression. The nurses told her how he hadn’t left her side until he was certain she was out of danger, and he’d catered to her every need during her hospital stay. Though she was comforted to see Sam when she regained consciousness, she couldn’t get an image of darker hair and a mustache out of her mind.