Chapter 23

Trevor rushed through the restaurant,paused on the sidewalk, and glanced around.

Where had the man gone?

Movement across the parking lot caught his eye.

It was him! The man who’d been watching him at the restaurant last night. The one who’d shot at him.

Trevor took off after him. But the man had too much of a head start.

Earlier today, he’d wondered if Guy had been the man running away from the fire at the office. But this man didn’t have Guy’s build.

Was there more than one person involved in this ordeal?

That was Trevor’s best guess.

But that only made this whole situation even more complicated.

The man continued to dodge parked cars. Trevor stayed behind him, quickly closing in.

The next instant, a blue sedan with dark windows pulled to a screeching halt in front of the man.

The guy jumped into the back.

Then the car squealed away, blowing through a red light, causing several drivers to lay on their horns and throw on their brakes.

Trevor committed the license plate to memory, though he knew it probably wouldn’t do much good. If this was the same person who’d hit Sadie, he’d known to steal a vehicle and then ditch it. It would probably be the same case this time.

Just like the person who’d called Sadie yesterday but said nothing. It had been an untraceable burner.

Trevor watched as the vehicle disappeared, his muscles hard.

He shouldn’t have let the man get away. If that car hadn’t pulled up to help the man escape, he wouldn’t have. Trevor would have chased this man until he caught him.

For now, he stalked back to the restaurant.

He committed what the man looked like to memory. The guy had worn all black, including his hat. His clothing made it nearly impossible to distinguish any of his features. But Trevor saw some light-brown hair peeking out from beneath his baseball cap.

A touch of relief filled him when he saw that Sadie was okay—although she looked terrified as she sat wide-eyed at the table.

Their food had been delivered, but she hadn’t touched hers.

He slid into the booth across from her. “He got away.”

“I know. I saw everything.” She frowned. “Anything about him catch your eye?”

Trevor shook his head. “I got a few more details but not much. At least two people are working together because someone picked this guy up.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Sadie rubbed her arms as if chilled.

“Me neither. Don’t worry, we’re going to keep looking into this.”

“Thank you. I appreciate all you’re doing for me.”

“It’s my job. It’s what I’m paid to do.” Trevor immediately regretted the words, especially when he saw the red flash across her cheeks.

For some reason, it felt necessary to say those words to create distance.

But he didn’t mean what he said. He would have stayed here to help her, even if she hadn’t hired him. In fact, no one would be able to keep him away.

He cared about her. That much was obvious.

Except now he really had no idea who this woman was.

Strange how twenty-four hours could turn everything upside down.

* * *

Sadie picked at her burger and fries, trying to force herself to eat. The food was tasty, but her appetite had disappeared.

Trevor, on the other hand, ate everything in front of him before pushing his plate away. That was a good thing. He needed the nourishment if he wanted to keep up his energy.

He took the check and pulled some cash from his wallet.

She didn’t bother to argue this time.

However, unless she regained some memories, she wouldn’t have a job. She would need a way to earn a living.

The unknowns battered her a moment until she pushed them away.

She’d figure that out later.

It’s my job. It’s what I’m paid to do.

His words slammed back into her mind, and she cleared her throat.

She was so thankful he’d been the one to save her. That he’d stuck around to check on her. That he happened to work for a security group.

If she believed in coincidences, then she might think that was what had occurred. But she believed things happened for a purpose. She believed her path had crossed with Trevor’s for a reason.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

More Scripture popped into her mind, seeming to confirm to Sadie that she was a believer.

Did she go to church around here? Would that be a way to find answers?

It was something to think about.

“What now?” Sadie asked after the waitress returned with his change.

Trevor let out a long breath. His muscles were taut—and nicely bulky as his arms rested on the table. His gaze was intense and intelligent. His cheek twitched with thought.

The man really was handsome.

She wanted to know more about him, about how he’d gotten to this place in his life.

But this didn’t seem like the right time to ask.

“I’m trying to think of other places I could take you to regain some of your memories,” Trevor finally said. “We’ve been to your house and to your workplace.”

“April at the office mentioned that I liked to go to the beach. Maybe if we went back to the scene where this all happened, I could remember something.” Sadie knew she was probably getting desperate. But she was willing to throw whatever necessary at the wall to see what stuck.

Trevor studied her with concern in his gaze. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Sadie shrugged. “I don’t see where it could hurt. There’s a good chance I’m not going to remember anything anyway.”

“But if you do, it could be . . . traumatic.”

“If it traumatizes me, then I know you’ll handle it. You’ll take me to the hospital if that’s what needs to happen. I don’t want to relive the horror of being hit by that car, but I need to remember my past.”

Trevor stared at her another moment as if contemplating her words. Finally, he nodded. “Then let’s do it.”

Several seconds later, they took off in his truck again.

Sadie studied the landscape around her as they drove. The trees. The sandy earth. But just as expected, nothing looked familiar or triggered any memories.

Finally, twenty minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot. A sick feeling swirled inside her.

This was where it happened. Where her whole life had changed.

When she saw the lot, however, nothing triggered her.

She felt nothing. Nothing at all.

Trevor parked in a space one row back and pointed to an area near a walkover. “That’s where the car hit you.”

Sadie stared at it, still feeling nothing except anxiety. “It’s all blank.”

He nodded grimly. “I’m sorry.”

Disappointment bit deep. She’d thought if anything could trigger a memory, it would be coming here.

But her memories were all still a sea of emptiness, vast and deeper than the massive, ocean-like lake in front of her.

“I want to look around,” she murmured.

“Of course.”

They climbed out and walked toward the dunes. Near a walkover, she paused and imagined everything playing out.

Imagined herself standing there with a beach bag. Imagined herself seeing a car hurtling toward her. Imagined the fear she must have felt.

Imagined herself lying on the ground and then waking up, having no recollection of what had happened.

She sucked in a shaky breath before studying the ground around her, looking for anything the police may have missed. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find. Still, it seemed worthwhile to look around, just in case.

At that thought, something nestled in a crevice in the pavement caught her eye. She gingerly picked it up.

“What’s that?” Trevor stepped closer.

She squinted. “I’m not sure how I know this, but it almost looks like . . . one of those earpiece things. You know, like one of those things that could be used by cops during a sting operation or something.”

He leaned closer for a better look. “I think you’re right. Or someone jogging could have dropped it while listening to some music.”

“You’re right.” She laughed at herself. “Of course. That’s probably what it is. It’s probably not even mine.”

But, even as she said the words, she didn’t believe them.

Something about the small electronic device in her hands felt familiar, though she wasn’t sure why.

Just in case, she slipped it into her pocket.