His Badge, Her Baby...Their Family?

Nodding, Vince said, “My partner and I questioned her last night. We’re trying to come up with her identity.”

“Well, I hope you do, and soon. From what I can gauge, she’s probably going to deliver her baby in the next two weeks or somewhere about. I don’t have to tell you she needs to be in the care of her personal physician. Not to mention the support of her family.”

Two weeks. That could feel like an eternity or the blink of an eye, Vince thought.

“Does that mean you don’t expect her memory to return before then?”

The doctor considered his question for a moment before he finally answered, “That’s impossible to predict. Her memory could return at any moment. Or it could be weeks, even months from now.”

It was all Vince could do to keep from cursing with frustration. “Then I need your medical advice.”

“About Jane Doe?”

“Dr. Merrick, she isn’t Jane Doe. Not exactly. Her name is Geena.”

Relief passed over the doctor’s face. “Oh, so you’ve found out that much already.”

Vince grimaced. “I already knew that much. You see, Geena was my wife for five years.”

“Was.” The shocked doctor repeated the key word. “Obviously that was some time ago.”

“Before last night I’d not seen her since we parted six years ago. When I questioned her, she looked at me like she’d never seen me before! Am I supposed to share this information with her? What will it do to her if I tell her she used to be Geena Parcell? Or should I not reveal anything about this until later?”

The other man thoughtfully stroked his beard, then glanced pointedly at his wristwatch. “Give me a few minutes to consult with Dr. Dunlevy and I’ll get back to you.”

“I’ll wait down in the cafeteria,” Vince told him.

* * *

A half hour later, Vince walked into Geena’s hospital room and found her sitting up on the side of the bed, eating from a breakfast tray. Her gold-blond hair had been brushed loose around her shoulders and a soft pink color had returned to her cheeks. As he moved farther into the room, he realized the years had only added to her natural beauty.

Laying her fork aside, she looked at him hopefully. “Good morning, Detective. I hope you’re here to tell me who I am.”

The doctors had concurred that Geena was emotionally and physically sound enough to handle the revelation. As Dr. Merrick had reasoned, no matter the circumstances, she would have to confront her past at some point in her recovery. Yet the vulnerable look in her green eyes made him want to turn tail and run. It would be so much easier to let Evan, or someone else from the sheriff’s department, deal with her.

But this woman had once been his wife. She’d loved him. Wanted him. And tried to give him everything he’d needed. She deserved to hear the truth from him and no one else.

“I don’t want to interrupt your breakfast,” he told her. “I can come back in a few minutes.”

“I was nearly finished anyway.” She pushed the mobile table to one side, then gestured to a plastic chair sitting near the head of the bed. “Please, have a seat.”

“I’d rather stand.” His heart was suddenly pounding so hard he felt sick. He’d often wondered how she might react if the two of them ever happened to cross paths again. But this was a different situation. As far as she was concerned, she was looking at a man she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to see you or your partner today,” she said. “My case must seem very petty compared to what you normally deal with.”

He tried to smile, but his face felt stiff. “It’s definitely a change from burglary or homicide.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, her green eyes remained fixed on his face as she waited for him to give her a glimmer of good news.

“The debris of your vehicle—what little was left of it—was hauled to the police lab last night. I’m sorry to say they were unable to recover the VIN. The tags were totally destroyed, too. So we’ll have to use other means to find your identity.”

Instead of appearing panicked by this news, she simply lifted her chin and gave him a brave smile. The Geena he’d known had been fragile and needy. This woman staring back at him was displaying strength in spite of her dire situation, and the courage on her face filled Vince with admiration.

“Well, I did remember one piece of information last night, Detective Parcell. I believe I’m twenty-nine years old. Why that fact came to me, I have no idea. And I’m not certain it’s correct. But I wanted to pass it along just in case it might be helpful.”

Swallowing at the tightness in his throat, he moved a step closer. “You’re right.”

Her delicate brows lifted in question. “Right?”

“About your age. You are twenty-nine.”

Her eyes widened. “How could you know that? Even the doctor said he couldn’t accurately determine my age.”

Tell her, Vince. Just blurt it out and get it over with. Waiting isn’t going to help either one of you.

As the taunting voice sounded in his head, he struggled to keep a professional rein on his emotions. This was more than his job, he thought, and Geena was far more than just a woman who’d lost her memory.

“I didn’t come here just to give you the news about the tags and VIN,” he said quietly. “There’s something else—something very important, and you’re going to be confused when you hear it. Probably even shocked. So maybe you should brace yourself.”

Alarm flickered in her green eyes, and then she reached out to him. Instinctively, Vince clasped his hand around hers, and the feel of her soft fingers against his suddenly whirled him back to a time when she’d touched him with hot desire and tender love.

“What is it? You’ve discovered I’m a criminal?”

Her question made him realize she was living in a blank world. Without a past, she had no way of knowing where her future might lead. He couldn’t imagine how terrifying that would be, and more than anything he wanted to make it all better for her. He wanted to take away her fears and doubts. Not add to them.

“No. Nothing like that.” As he drew in a deep breath, his gaze drifted to the mound of baby. Somewhere out there a man was probably searching frantically for her. But so far, not one person had contacted the sheriff’s department about a missing woman. Nor had anything that fit Geena’s description popped up on the national database for missing persons. Vince wasn’t sure what that might mean. He only knew that he felt responsible for her well-being. “I doubt you’ve ever committed a criminal act in your life.”

A wry smile caused the corners of her lips to quiver. “You’re a detective. I suppose you know what a criminal looks like. I’m glad I don’t fit the description.”

“Unfortunately, they look like me and you and everybody else on the street. I know you’re not a criminal because I—” Pausing, he searched for the right words. Yet there were no right words, he realized. No way to buffer the shock. “I know who you are. Your name is Geena. It was Geena Parcell.”

Her eyes grew wide, her lips parted. “Parcell? But that’s your name! Am I related to you? Why didn’t you tell me last night? I—”

“Wait. Slow down and let me explain,” he interrupted. “I couldn’t tell you about anything until I consulted with your doctor. I needed to make sure you could handle this news.”

She lifted her chin to a challenging angle. “All right. I’m not falling over in a dead faint or anything, so tell me. Are we relatives? You said my name was Parcell—does that mean I got married and it changed? If that’s the case, why hasn’t the rest of the family come forward?”

“Because I—we don’t know about your family now. You see, we—you and I were once husband and wife. But we divorced six years ago. Since then I don’t know what’s happened in your life or have any idea what your last name might be.”

Stunned couldn’t begin to describe the look that swept over her face. Her cheeks were paper white and her eyes took on a wild, dazed light.

“You?” The one word came out as little more than a husky whisper. “You were my husband? That—that can’t be!”

“I assure you that we were married. For five years to be exact. We lived in Reno during that time. I worked for the police department there and you were going to college.”

“Reno? You and I—together? But I don’t know you! If you were my husband I’d surely recognize you! I’d feel something—remember something!”

Her voice rose with each word while dark pink color spread across her white cheeks. He couldn’t imagine what must be going through her mind, but the intimate thoughts racing through his only proved what he’d already known for years. He’d not forgotten one thing about Geena or their time together.