Scene of the Crime: Deadman's Bluff (3 page)

“We found nothing at the crime scene,” Sheriff Atkins said as they began to walk down the hallway. “The wind started howling out there and sand was blowing everywhere.” He released an audible sigh. “I was hoping we’d get some answers by talking to her tonight.”

“She’s obviously still traumatized. We’ll probably get some answers in the morning. She needs to rest tonight.” Seth was as frustrated as the sheriff, but nothing could be done for the remainder of the night. “I would like to get the files from the other two crimes that you believe are linked to this one.”

“You’re staying at your sister’s house?”

Seth nodded. “It looks like I’ll be there until we get this mess cleaned up.”

“I’ll have one of my men bring you the files sometime this evening.”

“One more thing, I’d like the names of the young men who were out there on the dunes with me when our mystery woman was found,” Seth said.

“The short one with the dark hair is Jerome Walker. He’s nineteen and home for the summer from college. The blond is Ernie Simpson, also nineteen and works at the hardware store.”

“And the tall one?” Seth asked, thinking of the kid who had stood as if frozen in shock while all the activity had gone on around him.

“Sam Clemmons. He’s twenty-one, spends his evenings working part-time as a bartender at a tavern on Main and most of his days out at the dunes riding.”

Seth mentally took note of each name, intending to check them all out. Just because they’d been there to help him didn’t mean they’d had nothing to do with how the woman had gotten into the sand. It was possible they’d been burying her and had only stopped and pretended to discover her when Seth had shown up. At this point everyone in Amber Lake was a potential suspect.

“I’m glad to have you on board,” Sheriff Atkins said as they stepped out into the waning light of day. “The first young woman I just assumed was some kind of freak party accident. When the second one showed up a month ago I had a bad feeling. And now this...” He allowed his voice to trail off and then continued, “I’m just glad your director allowed you to join me on this.”

“I’ll meet you at your office at seven tomorrow morning and then together we’ll head over here to see if our Jane Doe can wrap things up for us. If this is some kind of a serial killer at work, then she might be able to give you a description, some information that will lead to an arrest.”

Sheriff Atkins raked a hand through his hair. “I hope so. You need a ride back to your sister’s place?”

“No, thanks. We’re close enough that I can just walk there.” Linda’s house was only three blocks away and Seth needed to expend some of the adrenaline that still coursed through him. The walk would do him good.

“Then I’ll see you in the morning.”

Seth watched as the sheriff got into his cruiser and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Only when the cruiser had disappeared from view did he begin the walk to Linda’s place.

It’s just a job,
he told himself, like so many he’d worked before in his career. But, even though that was what he thought, he knew it was more than that. Something had happened in that split second of eye connection they’d shared, something that made him decide long before he’d been officially assigned to the case that he was in until the end.

Chapter Two

She awoke in increments of consciousness, first aware of the sharp smell of antiseptic and then the feel of the stiff mattress beneath her. A hospital. Full consciousness came to her like a slap in the face, bringing with it a spill of memories that were too strange for her to want to claim as her own.

Sand...and sun...and a terror so huge she couldn’t now embrace what she knew she’d felt before. Safe. She was safe now. Her head filled with a vision of a handsome, dark-haired man with soft gray eyes. He’d told her she was safe and she’d believed his low, calm voice, the steady assurance of his gaze.

She heard the approach of a rattling cart in the hallway, smelled the scent of coffee and bacon and realized she was ravenous.

A hand control allowed her to raise the head of her bed at the same time a nurse came in. “Ah, good. You’re awake,” she said cheerfully. “And just in time to enjoy Amber Lake Memorial Hospital’s finest cuisine.” With an efficiency of movement, the nurse pulled out a table and swung it across the center of the bed and then placed a tray on top.

She looked at the nurse with her short, curly dark hair and eyes that were a blue-gray and remembered her from the night before. She’d been kind.

“My name is Linda,” she said as she pulled the cover from the tray, exposing a plate of bacon and eggs and toast. There was a cup of coffee, a carton of orange juice and a small fruit cup, as well.

Linda smiled at her once again. “It was my brother, Seth, who found you yesterday.”

So, Gray Eyes had a name. Seth. Even just hearing his name took away some of the knot of anxiety that pressed tight against her chest.

“I don’t know if you remember or not, but we got you off the IV in the middle of the night. Your vitals are all good and the doctor should be in later this morning to see you. I know Seth and the sheriff are going to be here anytime, so you’d better enjoy your meal in peace and quiet before they get here and start bothering you with questions.” Linda’s smile faded into a look of concern. “Is there anything else I can do for you now?”

Tell me this is all a dream,
she thought.
Tell me I’m going to wake up soon and all of this has just been a crazy nightmare.
She shook her head to indicate that she was fine and then picked up her fork.

As she began to eat, Linda hesitated a moment at the door. “Can you tell me your name this morning?”

Her hand trembled slightly as she shook her head.

Linda offered her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay...maybe later.” She left the room. The scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly and the bacon was crisp. The coffee was a bit strong, but it warmed her a little bit as she drank it. And she needed the warmth, for there seemed to be a cold hand clenched around her heart that refused to release its hold.

She focused solely on the meal, not wanting to think about anything else, afraid to delve too deeply into her own mind until she figured out some things.

She ate everything on the plate and then swung the table away so that she could get out of bed. She needed to use the restroom. She moved her legs to hang off the side of the bed and sat up, wanting to make sure there was no dizziness that would create a potential fall.

As she got to her feet, she was grateful that the IV was gone and pleased to discover that she felt strong. She quickly made her way into the bathroom, the green-flowered hospital gown swimming around her small frame.

The reflection that greeted her in the mirror was that of a stranger. The knot of anxiety that had momentarily subsided grew bigger, tighter in her chest.

She didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror with her blue, widened eyes and her dark hair hanging limp and dirty to her shoulders. She reached up to scratch her itchy scalp and her fingers came away with tiny granules of pale sand beneath the nails.

Sand...everywhere, pressing in on her, suffocating her. She couldn’t move as she heard the scrape of a shovel, felt the weight of the sand covering her. As the strange memories shot through her she slapped a hand over her chest to keep her rapidly banging heart from beating right out of her skin.

She whirled away from the mirror, took care of her needs and then quickly exited the bathroom and got back into the bed.
Safe, you’re safe now.
The words reverberated through her head, finally slowing her heartbeat to a more normal pace, and the trembling that had taken hold of her eased.

She wasn’t in bed long before an aide came in. She looked like a teenager and chirped a cheerful greeting as she removed the breakfast tray and then disappeared out of the room.

Linda came back in the room, carrying a pair of lightweight blue jogging pants and a matching T-shirt and underclothes. “Do you feel up to a shower?”

She nodded eagerly. There was nothing she’d love more than to wash the sand out of her hair, to feel clean again. Maybe a shower would better prepare her for whatever happened next.

Even though she needed no help, Linda offered her an arm to lean on as they walked to the bathroom. This time she consciously avoided looking in the mirror and leaned against the wall as Linda started the water in the small shower enclosure.

“I brought you some clothes,” Linda said. “Actually, they belong to my daughter, Samantha. She’s sixteen and you look to be about the same size. Shampoo...soap, it’s all in the shower. Take as long as you need and I’ll be back to check on you in just a few minutes.”

Moments later she stood beneath a warm spray of water and scrubbed the shampoo into her hair. It took three shampoo-and-rinses before she felt as if all the sand and grit were finally gone.

She’d wanted to thank Linda for the clothes, for her kindness, but she was afraid to speak, afraid that somehow the sound of her own voice would make this all frighteningly real. And she didn’t want it to be real.

There was toothpaste and a toothbrush, a hairbrush and a comb on the sink and she used them all before finally leaving the bathroom. She almost felt human again...almost.

As she returned to the bed and sat on the edge, the knot of anxiety returned, make her feel half-breathless. Amber Lake Memorial Hospital. The name was everywhere. But where exactly was Amber Lake, and how had she gotten here?

At that moment the sheriff and Seth walked into the room. Linda entered as well, leaning against the wall and out of the way.

She immediately looked into Seth’s eyes, seeking the same kind of calmness she’d found there the night before. She wasn’t disappointed.

“Well, you look much better this morning than when we left you last night,” the sheriff said with obviously forced cheerfulness. “How are you feeling?”

She knew an answer was required from her, but her mouth would form no words, and her diaphragm refused to work to allow her any speech.

The sheriff frowned. “Are you up to a few questions?”

She hesitated a moment and then nodded.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

Tears began to press hot at her eyes. Sand...it was everywhere, stifling her ability to draw a deep breath, filling her mouth and making it impossible for her to speak, to move.

“Ma’am? Can you tell us who you are?” the sheriff asked.

She was aware of the tears beginning to trek down her cheeks as she remembered the weight of the sand on her body, the sound of the shovel scooping up more...more sand to throw on top of her.

She couldn’t seem to get past those moments of sheer terror. She couldn’t access any other information. She was trapped in that moment, her mouth, her brain filled with sand, unable to move forward from the experience.

Seth stepped closer, his chiseled features softened. “You know you’re safe now.” She hesitated a moment and then nodded. “Can you talk to us?” She paused again and then slowly shook her head negatively as the tears fell faster down her cheeks.

“Maybe we should try this again later in the day,” Linda suggested, her concern for her patient obvious.

Seth’s gaze never left hers as he reached out for her hand. Again she hesitated and then slipped her cold hand into his warm one. He squeezed slightly. “Will you talk to us later?”

She wanted to please him, this man who’d saved her life. She wanted to be able to give him whatever it was he and the sheriff needed to know, but she couldn’t. Slowly, she once again shook her head.

“She needs more time,” Linda said. “She’s obviously still traumatized.”

Seth released her hand and stood, a frown tracking across his handsome forehead. “We met Dr. Kane on the way in. He gave me the name of a counselor for her to see if necessary and told told me she’s free to go, that he intends to release her.”

“Release her to where?” the sheriff asked.

Once again her heart began to bang a sickening rhythm. Where would she go? What would happen to her now? At least here in the hospital she knew where she was, she knew she was safe. But safe from what? Safe from who? Who would try to kill her by burying her? Why would anyone want to do that to her? She shoved the horrifying questions to the back of her mind and instead focused her attention on the conversation between the sheriff and Seth.

“We’re a small town. We don’t have the resources to put her up someplace until we can get some information from her,” the sheriff said.

“She’ll come to my house,” Linda replied smoothly. “Seth is there, she’ll be safe there and I’ll be able to look after her whenever I’m home.”

“Are you sure about this?” Seth asked.

“Positive. You can bunk on the sofa and I’ll give her the guest room.” Linda smiled at her. “Would you be okay with that? Staying at my place and giving yourself a little more time?”

She nodded. She had no reason not to trust the kind nurse and the man who had rescued her. And she was terrified by any other alternative.

“If you could just tell us your name then we could find out where you live, maybe call some relatives to let them know you’re here.” The sheriff took another step closer, his frustration wafting off him. “Just your name. Can you just tell me your name?”

She’d love to do that, but the problem was she didn’t know her name. She didn’t know who she was or where she lived. It was as if the sand where Seth had found her had given birth to her. She had absolutely no memories before that time and it was that particular horror that kept her from speaking.

She had nothing to say that could help them and she’d rather they thought her mute from trauma than admit that she had no idea who she was or where she belonged.

* * *

I
T WAS JUST AFTER TWO
in the afternoon when Seth went back to the hospital to pick up Jane Doe and take her home to Linda’s place. Since their early-morning visit with her, Sheriff Atkins had taken her fingerprints to see if anything would pop up in the system to identify her.

His deputies had searched the area for a car, scoured the dunes in hopes of finding a purse or a wallet that might let them know her name. But at the moment she remained Jane Doe.