us all quite a scare, on many levels. Iâm Dr. Martin. What is your name?â
John grimaced. âI donât know. Iâve lost my mind.â
Dr. Martinâs eyes widened for a fraction of a second. âYou sustained a rather dramatic blow to the head as well as some hypothermia. You have a linear skull fracture that will heal with time. I saw no evidence of a brain bleed. You certainly have a concussion, so youâll need to be monitored for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Most likely the severity of the inciting event coupled with the force of the hit to your temple region caused your memory loss. Retrograde amnesia isnât uncommon. What can you remember?â
âNothing before waking up here.â John darted a glance at the deputy. Sheâd said heâd awakened last night and that was why she seemed familiar. But he had a feeling she was holding back, not telling him everything. Why would she do that?
The doctor listened to his heart and his lungs, then checked his pupils. âYou seem to be in good order. I have no doubt your memories will return. Just be aware that they may come in spits and spurts and be disjointed. Like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Eventually your memories will slide into place, and youâll be back to your old self.â
Foreboding prickled his flesh. Whoever heâd been was someone worth killing. What had he been mixed up in? Something illegal? Was he a criminal? âI shouldnât stay here. Whoever broke in last night might return. I donât want to put anyone at risk.â
Deputy Martinâs gaze zeroed on the sheriff. âThe captainâs place. I could take him there.â
The sheriff shook his head. âNo. The safest place for him, and our town, is a jail cell.â
âWhat!â The deputy shook her head. âNo way. We canât lock him up without any evidence of wrongdoing. That would be setting us up for a lawsuit.â
The sheriff arched an eyebrow. âNot if putting him in a cell is for his own safety. I know the law, Audrey.â
Ah, so that was the pretty deputyâs name. John liked the sound of it. He rolled the name around his brain and tried to remember if heâd known her before his memories had been wiped clean, but his mind remained empty, like a void in space. At least thinking about Audrey didnât induce any pain in his head.
Audreyâs shoulders dropped slightly, and her mouth pressed into a straight line. âYou donât think I can handle this situation?â
The distress in her voice had John tensing. He wasnât sure what was at play between these people, but clearly she had a chip on her shoulder. A strange protective urge surfaced. His hand clenched a fistful of sheet. He didnât know why he wanted to defend this woman. He wasnât sure if she deserved to be defended or not. Maybe she couldnât handle his situation. Maybe she could. But the one thing he did know was he didnât want to cause her harm.
âI didnât say that.â The sheriffâs tone suggested theyâd discussed this conversational land mine before. âBut you have to admit, this isnât something we deal with often here in our little corner of the world.â
Audrey opened her mouth to reply, but the doctor held up a hand. âDavid, Audrey, take your discussion outside, please. This is upsetting to the patient.â
âNo, wait,â John was quick to say. âThe sheriffâs right. The best place for me is somewhere I wonât pose a threat to innocent bystanders.â Or a pretty deputy sheriff.
Audreyâs eyebrows pinched together as she turned her baby blues on him. âYou wonât be comfortable there. Youâre recovering from a nearly fatal head wound, not to mention nearly drowning and freezing to death in the ocean.â
âBetter Iâm uncomfortable than anyone getting hurt.â
Her gaze narrowed.