had to trust somebody. She had no money, no identification and a headache that threatened to topple her to her knees. The night was cold, and she was beyond exhaustion. Even if she didn’t care about herself, she cared about the baby she carried.
Surely after she slept she’d remember who she was and what had happened to her. All she needed was a couple of hours of rest and everything would become clear again.
She followed him into the building and down a long hallway. Not a sound came from any of the doors they passed. It was almost three in the morning and the building held the silence of a tomb.
“This is my place,” he said softly as they passed apartment 104. “My sister’s place is at the end of the hall.”
When they reached the apartment numbered 108, Lucas knocked softly on the door. There was no reply and he rapped harder.
“I feel terrible,” she whispered. “It’s the middle of the night and you’re waking her up.”
“Loretta won’t mind,” he replied, and knocked once again.
The door cracked open and a pair of sleepy dark eyes that looked remarkably like Lucas’s peered out. “Lucas, what are you doing here at this hour of the night?” The door closed again and there was the sound of a chain being removed and then the door opened all the way.
Loretta Washington was as petite as her brother was broad. She had the same rich, black hair and dark eyes, and those eyes widened as they saw her. She opened the door wide enough to allow them entry and then belted her short blue robe more tightly around her waist.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Jane here has a problem,” Lucas said.
Jane? As in Jane Doe. She supposed for now the name would serve her as well as any. “I’m sorry to bother you in the middle of the night,” she said.
“Nonsense, come into the kitchen where I can get a look at that head wound.” Loretta had a calm efficiency about her that put Jane somewhat at ease.
She allowed herself to be led through a tidy living room and into a small kitchen with a round wooden table. “Sit,” Loretta instructed, pointing to one of the chairs at the table.
Jane complied and fought an overwhelming desire to weep with relief. She sensed safety here, at least for the moment. Lucas sat in the chair across from her and eyed her with the same wariness that she’d used on him. Looking into his dark eyes, that sense of safety was more tenuous.
“What happened?” Loretta asked as she got a first-aid kit from under her kitchen sink.
“She doesn’t know,” Lucas said, but his tone indicated that he didn’t quite believe her.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Loretta exclaimed. She got a damp cloth and began to wipe the side of Jane’s face. Jane closed her eyes against the gentle touch. “What happened, honey?”
“I don’t know.” She winced as Loretta began to clean the cut. “All I remember is running and running. Then I was tired and cold, so I crawled into the car where your brother found me.”
“She says she has some kind of amnesia or something. She doesn’t know her name,” Lucas said, and once again his voice was laced with a touch of suspicious disbelief. “For the time being I’m calling her Jane.”
Jane met his gaze. Those dark eyes of his seemed to look inside her soul, but there was nothing there for him to see.
“You don’t know your name?” Loretta asked gently. “Do you know what day it is?”
“November second or third.” Jane knew she must be right because Loretta nodded with encouragement. Loretta asked her several more questions, about the year and who was the president.
“I know all that,” Jane said. “I just don’t know who I am and what’s happened to me.” Again fear bubbled up inside her and she fought against it, refusing to show either of them just how terrified she really was.
As Loretta checked Jane’s blood pressure and pulse, Lucas continued to watch her with hooded eyes that gave nothing away.
“Well, the good news is your vitals are all normal and you don’t need stitches on your forehead,” Loretta said. “But you really need to go to the hospital to be checked out for other head injuries.”
Panic swelled in Jane’s chest. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt that if she went to a hospital or to the police, she’d only be putting herself in more danger. “No, I’m sure I’ll be fine if I can just get some rest.” She looked at Lucas once again. “Maybe you could take me to that motel we talked about earlier?”
“Nonsense,” Loretta exclaimed. “It’s almost morning now. There’s no reason for you to go anywhere. I have a spare room where you’ll be perfectly comfortable for the night and we’ll sort out everything else in the morning.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose anymore,” Jane said, offering a weak protest.
“Don’t bother arguing with her,” Lucas said. “Loretta might be small, but she’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
Loretta cuffed him on the back of the head and gave him an affectionate grin. “Why don’t you get out of here and let us women get to bed?”
“Walk me to the door?” he said to his sister.
Loretta nodded, and as she followed Lucas out of the kitchen, Jane slumped forward and cradled her belly in her arms as she felt the baby move around inside her.
At the moment the only thing she was certain of was that she loved the baby she carried. She had no idea who the father was, or what her relationship might be with that man, but it didn’t matter. She had a feeling she’d loved the baby from the moment of conception.
What would she have done if Lucas Washington hadn’t stumbled upon her? Where would she be at this moment? Still in the backseat of that car, slowly freezing half to death? And what would she have done in the morning when she had to leave the car?
She shivered and again a low pulse of fear filled her. It was more than the fear of not knowing her name. It was some innate knowledge that she was in danger. And the most frightening part was not knowing who might be after her and why.
Chapter Two
Lucas sat at his kitchen table and watched the morning sun peek over the horizon. He’d only slept for a couple of hours, but felt rested. He’d never needed much sleep. Not sleeping too soundly or too long had been a survival mechanism learned in his youth, with his father’s explosive temper that could erupt anytime day or night.
He tightened his fingers around his coffee mug as he thought of those nights of terror. If it hadn’t been for his younger sister, he wasn’t sure he’d have survived his childhood.
Initially he’d worried about leaving a stranger with Loretta for the night, but he’d realized a very pregnant woman with a head wound didn’t pose much risk. Besides, Loretta was tougher than she looked.
Jane.
