Chapter Two
Tess lifted her fork and bit into the syrup-soaked pancake. Sweetness burst across her tongue, and she sat back to savor it. She hadnt realized until that moment how truly hungry she was.
As she chewed, she tried hard to remember the last time shed eaten. Nothing came. No memory of food or any other interesting tidbit about her life floated to the surface. What she felt was a total void.
She shifted slightly on the hardwood chair, thankful that Betty had found some clothes for her. Strange, but until the moment Betty had put an arm around her and ushered her into the tiny laundry room off the kitchen, Tess had no idea she was naked. It was if her mind had lost its ability to register anything about herself. As if shed suddenly become this clean slate, aware of nothing.
The jeans Betty had given her were too big, and none of the belts Betty offered had fit her small waist. So, shed been reduced to using a piece of clothesline to keep them from falling down around her knees.
The T-shirt, one with a logo of a giant combine and Mid-State Farm Equipment lettered across the pocket was long enough and boxy enough to serve as a dress. One side kept sliding down, baring one shoulder, and she had to keep hitching it up. But the clothes were soft, smelled freshly laundered and rested smooth as silk against her skin.
She took another bite and then glanced around, surprised to find everyones attention focused directly on her. Four pairs of eyes held the same questioning look, but Tess knew she didnt have any of the answers.
Heck, she couldnt even answer her own questions, and things didnt get much scarier than that. She was totally lost. No matter how hard she tried, she couldnt remember anything other than her first name.
And even then, she wasnt sure that was her name. It was simply the one that had popped into her head when Donovan had asked her for a name. But that sure didnt mean it was the right one. Shed realized fairly quickly that no amount of trying to force the memories was going to help.
Even now, as she tried to pull something-anything-out of the confusion swirling around in her brain, a stab of pain shot through the center of her head. The harder she tried, the more it hurt. It was as if someone had done a nasty root canal on her without the required Novocain.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Tess, are you all right?
She recognized the voice immediately. Ryan Donovan. The handsome doctors voice. She cringed inwardly. Shed barely met him and already she was thinking of him in terms of looks.
But what bothered her even more was the fact that he seemed to hold some kind of power over her-at least his voice seemed to possess that kind of power. The sound of it soothed her jitteriness. She wasnt sure why but it unsettled her.
She kept her eyes shut, determined not to respond to those deep raspy tones with the velvet undertone to it. Something told her that if she looked at him, shed be giving in, submitting to him in some way. And as crazy as that sounded, Tess wasnt about to let it happen.
But as soon as the thought flashed into her consciousness, she questioned it. Why in Gods name would she think that a doctor, a man who insisted he only wanted to help her, was out to hurt her? He was a healer, held to a higher oath. Dedicated to helping people. Wasnt he?
Finally, Tess looked up, steeling herself to meet his gaze, and she immediately found herself drowning in a sea of Caribbean blue. She bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her focus. His eyes were so stunningly blue that she found it hard to breathe. Hard to look away. He smiled at her and she felt as though she might melt.
It wasnt a particularly beautiful face. Rather, it was a tough face, one that was in direct contrast to the velvety tones of his hypnotic voice. A face shadowed with lines of fatigue beneath beautiful light-colored eyes. A face with interesting angles and deep grooves in lean cheeks. The grooves deepened with his smile, telling her that things hadnt always been easy for Ryan Donovan.
He leaned forward, his muscular arms coming to rest on the table, and his broad shoulders shifted effortlessly beneath the somber-colored cloth of his suit. His movements were graceful for such a big man.
His hair was black, thick and meticulously styled. An expensive haircut. One that spoke of a man who took care of himself and liked looking good. But in spite of the precision cut, several strands had escaped and fanned out over his forehead, giving him a slightly unruly appearance. A few shots of gray highlighted the sides. Not much, but enough to make things interesting.
Tess wanted to respond to the smile but she didnt. Couldnt. She recognized Ryan Donovan for what he was-danger. Someone to be avoided. The sooner she got herself outside his range of charm and potent masculinity, the better off shed be.
She broke eye contact and rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to concentrate, trying to understand why her mind was screaming for her to back off. To be cautious.
Are you in pain, Tess?
Apparently Donovan wasnt in the mood to back off, because instead of picking up on her unwillingness to engage in any type of verbal exchange, he was going to use that deep, whiskey-smooth voice until she couldnt ignore him for one more minute.
She looked up again, and her chest tightened. She forced a smile. Ive got a slight headache, thats all.
She looked up again, and her chest tightened. She forced a smile. Ive got a slight headache, thats all.
We need to get-
Before he could finish, the phone rang. Betty reached over and picked up the receiver, cradling it between her shoulder and ear as she flipped the remaining cakes on the grill. Hello?
Just a moment, please. She turned and extended the phone toward Chief Cole. Its for you, Chief.
The big man grunted and stood up, pulling the napkin out of the neck of his shirt. He grabbed the phone. Cole here.
Tess shifted restlessly, trying not to stare. For some reason, the beefy cop made her nervous, created an anxious flutter in the pit of her stomach. Whenever he moved, the gold bars on his collar glittered, sending off a blinding flash of light. She squinted, trying to hear what he was saying on the phone.
But she couldnt make it out. The Chief talked low, darting covert glances in her direction every few seconds. Suddenly he straightened up, his dark eyes meeting hers across the length of the room.
He nodded. All right. Well be right there. Dont let anyone touch anything. He hung up the phone hard, the receiver rattling in its cradle. He hit her with his best cop stare.
What? she asked.
He didnt answer.
Tess swallowed against the lump of pancake that caught in the back of her throat. She fumbled for the glass of orange juice, trying to wash it down. It tasted like grit.
Something wrong, Chief? Donovan asked, his coffee cup halfway to his lips.
Chief Coles gaze moved over to Donovan. Seems that this was a night for strange happenings. Theres been an accident out on the Plank Road. A car plowed into Bill Johnsons cornfield-the one that borders Buds and is backed up against the research centers fence. He moistened his thick upper lip with the tip of his tongue. The drivers dead.
From beneath lowered lashes, Tess watched Donovan stand up, towering over the table. Damn, he was tall and powerfully built. Concern etched deeper lines around those magnificent eyes. Anyone else hurt?
The Chief folded his arms, the leather of his holster creaking loudly. No. He turned, his cop stare back on her. No one else in the car. Just the driver. He moved over to stand next to Tess, his frame seeming to loom over her, his bloated belly inches from her face. You wouldnt know anything about that car in the cornfield, now would you, miss?
Tess shook her head and took another bite of pancake. She didnt know anything about the car, but her stomach was clenched up tighter than a fist. It took all her concentration to get the small bite down.
I think its time you told us your full name, Cole said, pulling a notebook out of his hip pocket.
I-Id love to. Tess laid her fork alongside her plate. Unfortunately, I seem to have forgotten it.
Donovan moved to the other side of her, and he reached out to lightly touch her shoulder in a protective gesture. She could almost feel his concern, his compassion, radiate down through his long, masculine fingers. Welcome warmth saturated her shoulder. She shot him a grateful look.
Dont push so hard, Cole, Donovan warned.
The Chief snorted. Look, you two, I aint playing games here. I want her name, address and an explanation of what the hell shes doing here in Half Moon.
You seem to think Im trying to be uncooperative. Tess paused, pressing the tips of her fingers to her forehead. Her head ached. But I-I cant tell you anything that I have no memory of.
Ryan held up his other hand. Back off, Chief. She isnt yanking your chain. She really doesnt remember.
Yeah, right. And Im the freakin Pope. Give me a break, Doc. Shes playing you-playing all of us. That little nudie show was to keep us all interested.
Anger surged through her, and Tess stood up, pushing her chair back so quickly it crashed to the floor. I dont have to take any of this.
She started for the door, but Cole stepped in front of her, grabbing her upper arm. Tess struggled, but he had a good grip on her.
You arent going anywhere, missy, he said. I want answers and I want them now.
Tess stopped struggling and stepped in close. So close she could smell the heavy stench of old coffee and bacon on his thick breath. Her stomach recoiled in protest.
But she didnt back down. I dont need this kind of harassment from you or anyone else.
Cole matched her toe-to-toe. Dont sass me, little lady, Ill-
Donovan stepped between them. Thats enough, he ordered. You, he said to Tess, sit back down. When she hesitated, he gently spun her around and pointed to the chair. Now.
He waited until she was actually seated before turning back to the police chief. And you need to back off. Youre not going to get anywhere with that tone of voice. If Tess knew her name, shed tell you. She isnt trying to hide anything, and you trying to force her to answer questions obviously isnt working.