The airport courtesy van turned into the circular driveway. There were already several cars there. The people from those cars were waiting for the single passenger in the van to arrive home from her trip.
Megan recognized Lisa’s car along with two unmarked squad cars. Megan saw Lisa, Peter, and another woman whom she didn’t recognize waiting for her. She started to panic and it was hard to catch her breath. Something was wrong. Something was wrong about Andrew. Megan started to cry just as the van pulled up along side the other cars.
Lisa walked briskly up to the van and slid open the side door. She saw that Megan was already crying. Lisa grasped hold of Megan’s hand and helped her exit the van. Lisa looked at the Peter and Talia with a nod to retrieve Megan’s luggage. She held on to Megan, whom was trembling uncontrollably with tears just streaming down her cheeks.
“Let’s go inside,” Lisa insisted. Megan just nodded.
Lisa opened the front door and walked Megan into the family room. She had Megan sit down on the sofa. Lisa grabbed a box of tissues from the fireplace mantle and brought them with her back to the sofa.
Peter carried Megan’s luggage into the foyer and set it down. Talia followed closely behind him. Soon the both of them joined Lisa and Megan in the family room.
Lisa had her arms around Megan, whom rested her head on Lisa’s shoulder. From time to time she dried her eyes, but the tears kept coming.
Peter looked at Talia first, then said, “Um, uh, Megan we have some bad…” Peter couldn’t finish he words. He broke down. When Lisa saw her husband, the usually tough guy crying, she started crying too.
Talia sighed deeply. It was up to her to tell Andrew’s wife what happened.
“Missus Knight,” Talia began. “I’m here to inform you that your husband is…” Talia paused. How could she tell Andrew’s wife that he died while begin pursed by her and her deputies. She didn’t force him to do it. Talia pressed on, “That your husband fell through the ice on the lake by JFK Prep. He was there because…” Talia stopped again to collect her thoughts.
“Why was he there?” Megan finally spoke. Talia glanced at Peter and Lisa. The looks they had on their faces told Talia it was up to her to answer, not them.
“Two deputies and I were at JFK to investigate the disappearance of six teenagers on the property,” Talia explained. “We were just coming out of the dormitory when Mister Knight was spotted. He took off running.”
“Why did he run?”
“I had issued an arrest order,” Talia answered.
“Why?”
“Mister Knight had interfered with a previous investigation,” Talia said in her defense. “The orders were if Mister Knight were caught anywhere on the premises of a Sheriffs department investigation, he would be placed under arrest.”
“Why?”
“As I said, he was interfering,” Talia answered. She was angry at being questioned by Megan. It was Knight who was breaking the law that day, not her. How dare his widow have the indignation to question her? Talia shot back, “We gave pursuit and Mister Knight chose to invade us by going across the lake. He was unaware of the sign warning about thin ice. It was not our fault. We broke off the chase. Mister Knight chose to continue.”
“Why?”
“Why do you keep asking me why?” Talia growled.
“Why are you still here?” Megan screamed back. Talia found no support from either Peter or Lisa. It was strange at how, in a room full of people, one could be so alone. She rose to her feet. “I’m truly sorry.” Megan did not answer, but sought out instead, the comfort of Lisa’s embrace.
Talia walked out of the family room and the house. She got in her car and slammed the door shut. They hadn’t recovered Knight’s body as of yet. According to the fire department, the lake at JFK Prep was a spring fed and 30–40 feet deep at the center. With the depth and freezing temperatures of the lake, Knight would only have minutes to get to land and possibly survive. Even then, hypothermia would set in and he’d be dead anyway. Although Knight had shed his coat and he may have been a good swimmer; he would have to get on land and find a way to keep from freezing to death. It sounded too impossible to even believe that Knight could do that. Since they couldn’t locate Knight’s body, Talia had sent a request to have special imaging equipment brought in from the State Crime Lab. Hopefully they would be able to find the body. Unfortunately, it would be weeks before the equipment would arrive, since it was being used by another law enforcement agency in Marathon County. So for now the search for Knight’s body would just have to wait. Talia knew it was rather morbid to just sit by and do nothing, but what else could she do in this case? Talia started the car and drove out the circular driveway.
Leslie tore open the man’s icy shirt. She figured that he must have fallen through the ice on the lake at JFK Prep because it was the only water near her horse ranch. He was in great physical shape and that was probably the only reason he made it this far. She opened the kit and attached the pads and wires as shown by the directions. Leslie turned on the power and waited for it to charge. As soon as the screen indicated it was ready, Leslie hit the button. The man’s body convulsed for a several seconds and then lay still. Leslie felt for a pulse, still none. Leslie charged it again. She stopped to look at the open barn door. There was no sign of Hannah or the sounds of sirens. When the unit was fully charged, Leslie hit the button again. Again, the man’s body rose from the lifesaving charge and quickly fell again. Leslie checked, still no pulse.
“Damn it,” Leslie said. If it didn’t work next time, she would start CPR. There was no way she was going to let this handsome stranger die in her barn. Leslie charged the unit again and when ready, hit the button. This time he gasped for air, his eyes opened and started coughing. He closed his eyes again. Leslie felt for a pulse. There was one and his was breath was shallow. Leslie got up and grabbed some horse blankets. She returned to the man and covered him up. Hannah finally entered the barn.
“I called 911, Mom,” Hannah announced.
“Good honey,” Leslie hugged her daughter.
They heard the approaching sirens.
The first responders swarmed the barn. They checked the man’s vital signs and stabilized him. They wrapped him in a thermal blanket to maintain his core body temperature. With one swift movement, they had him on the gurney and ready for transport to the hospital. Hannah hung onto her mom tightly as they wheeled the man out of the barn. They followed behind and watched them load him into the ambulance.
“Is he going to be okay mom?” Hannah asked, worriedly.
“I think so honey,” Leslie answered.
The ambulance took off with sirens blaring as it headed to Bayport Memorial Hospital.
Megan was sitting in the family room. She was paging through their wedding album, looking at photos of her and Andrew. Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes welled up with tears. Megan closed the album and tossed it aside. She grabbed some tissues just as the doorbell announced a visitor. Megan got up and went to answer the door.
When Megan opened the front door, she saw Chloe, whose eyes were red from crying. They quickly rushed into an embrace and didn’t let go. What didn’t help was that they started crying again. Several minutes later, they parted and Megan led Chloe inside the house. They went to the family room. They sat down next to each other on the sofa. Chloe saw the wedding album.
“Why are you torturing yourself,” Chloe asked holding up the album.
“I really don’t know,” Megan muttered.
“Any news about Dad’s body yet?” Chloe stuttered a bit. It felt surreal to even ask. How could his life just end like that, drowning in a lake? She had read all his case files and was amazed that he had survived all of those dangers. And he died because of an accident?
“Did you call Maggie and Sam?” Chloe asked.
“Lisa called them for me,” Megan answered. “They will be here tomorrow.”
“What about Father Michaels?” Chloe said, blowing her nose.
“He’s coming over later to discuss the memorial service,” Megan replied.
“I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Chloe sniffed. “I…I finally just got to…” Chloe broke down sobbing. Megan put her arms around Chloe and held onto her.
Doctor Granger and his team were waiting for the ambulance to arrive. They had everything ready to treat the patient’s hypothermia. Now it was just a waiting game. They did not have to wait too long.
The ambulance pulled into the drive-thru portico of Bayport Memorial Hospital. The crew unloaded the patient and rolled him into the emergency department. Doctor Granger and his team took over moving the gurney into room two.
Leslie and Hannah arrived a few minutes later at the hospital. Leslie wore a heavy winter coat over a pair of jeans ripped at the knees and a cardigan sweater. Hannah was also dressed with her favorite down coat, jeans and pink turtle neck. Both had on matching brown winter boots. Leslie parked her car in the employee parking lot and after getting out, they both headed for the emergency department. When they got inside, Leslie with Hannah in tow, walked up to the check-in desk.
“Hi Janice,” Leslie said to the nurse on duty.
“Hi Les,” Janice answered. “I thought you had off?”
“Yeah I did,” Leslie answered. “But the man they just admitted was from my place.”
“The cute one,” Janice replied.
“Yeah him.” Leslie searched the admitting charts.
“He is in ER Room Two,” Janice informed her.
“When can I see him?” Leslie bit her lip.” “I…I mean to make sure he’s okay.”
“As soon as they put him in a regular room,” Janice said. She noticed the nervousness in Leslie’s behavior. “I’ll let you know as soon as he gets in a room.”
“We’ll be back.” Leslie led Hannah that away.
One of the nurses’s hooked the man up to the monitor for his vitals. Another started an IV as Doctor Granger removed the thermal blanket and checked the man over. Fortunately there were no external signs of frost bite. Another nurse checked the man’s clothing for identification. She didn’t find any. Doctor Granger placed a call to the Bayport Police department to inform them that they had an unidentified male and to send over a detective to talk to the man. Thirty minutes later they had the man stabilized and moved him into a regular room.
Detective Salerno was the investigator on call that afternoon at the station. She took the call about the unidentified male patient. Lindsey gathered her briefcase with the papers she needed to interview the man, along with a camera.
Leslie and Hannah were just finishing up eating some lunch, when they heard the page. She rushed over to the cafeteria phone and called the emergency room desk. Leslie listened and quickly thanked Janice for giving her the room number. Hannah smirked as she watched her mom straighten her hair and adjust her sweater.
From the cafeteria they took the elevator to the third floor. Once they had gotten off, Leslie and Hannah headed down the hall to room 322. The door was slightly open. Leslie felt nervous and her hands were sweating. Hannah let go of her mom’s hand while making a yucky face. She had never seen her mom this nervous before.
Leslie exhaled deeply and with Hannah close behind, entered the room. The man was awake and was lying in an elevated position on the bed. He looked at her strangely.
“I’m Leslie Sommers,” Leslie introduced. She gestured toward her daughter, “And this in my daughter Hannah.”
“Nice to meet you,” He now smiled back. “Do I know you?”
“My mom saved your life!” Hannah blurted out as an eleven year old would do. Leslie blushed and was about to scold her daughter.
“Then I owe you a great deal,” He smiled.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Leslie walked up to the side of the bed. He had nice looking eyes. No wedding ring either.
She smiled and went on. “It was touch and go for a while there. I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it.”
“Thank you,” He stretched out his hand. Leslie was hesitant at first, but then placed her hand in his. “Thank you Leslie.” He looked past her and smiled at Hannah, “And you too, Hannah.” Hannah grinned.
There was a light knock on the door. A willowy woman with black hair walked into the room. She appeared to be one of the staff with a white coat over a shiny blue blouse and black slacks. The only thing that seemed out of place was her black pumps and not more casual looking shoes.
“I’m Doctor Claudie Straussman,” she introduced. “I’m the resident psychologist here on a consult from Doctor Granger.” She looked at Leslie and Hannah. “May I have some private time with the patient?” Leslie and Hannah reluctantly left them alone. Once they were gone, Claudia walked over, pulled a chair up to the bed, and sat down.
“Could you tell me your name please,” Claudia began. He thought for a minute with a perplexed expression on his face. “Do you know your name?” Claudia asked, noticing the look on the man’s face. “No,” he replied. Claudia read over his chart.” Claudia was about to go on, when there was a knock at the door. She told him she would be right back and went to answer it.
Claudia saw a young woman professionally attired upon opening the door.
“I’m Detective Salerno,” She announced showing her identification. “I’m here to interview the man Doctor Granger called us about.”
“I’m in the process of doing just that,” Claudia was a bit miffed at the intrusion. “Does it have to be now?”
“Yes,” Lindsey insisted.
Claudia stepped aside and allowed Lindsey inside.
Lindsey moved the curtain aside and was shocked. “Mister Knight,” Lindsey gasped.
“Who?” he answered.
“You’re Andrew Knight,” Lindsey insisted.
“I don’t know you,” He grew angry. “The last thing I remember is waking up in a horse barn. That’s all!”
“They have been searching for your body in the lake at JFK Prep,” Lindsey told him. “Everyone thinks you are dead. Detective Sergeant Roberts and Sheriff Delsmann went to see your wife earlier this morning.”
“Wife?” He rebuked, and looked at his ring finger. He raised his hand for her to see, “I’m not married.”
Claudia finally joined them after listening to their verbal exchange. Lindsey looked confused at her. “Why doesn’t he remember?”
“As I earlier suspected, Mister Knight is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Claudia explained. “It is a direct result of the near drowning and subsequent heart attack that he suffered. His mind is trying to shield him from those traumatic events.”
“How long will it last?” Lindsey asked.
“It could be days, months or even years,” Claudia answered.
“Hello there!”
They turned around to face him.
“I am a real person,” He chastised. “Not some stupid psychological test subject. If you’re going to talk about me, at least do it to my face.”
“I’ve got to tell Detective Sergeant Roberts about him,” Lindsey announced. She immediately walked over to the room phone and placed the call to the Bayport Police Department. She waited and then spoke, “This is Detective Salerno. I need to speak to Detective Sergeant Roberts immediately. Yes, it’s very important. She waited until Peter was on the other end, and blurted out, “Andrew Knight is alive!”
Talia was ready to leave for JFK Prep to continue the search for Andrew’s body. Fortunately, the State Crime Lab had located another set of imagining equipment and it was being delivered to the lake in an hour. The phone rang and she stopped to answer it. Talia let the receiver slip from her trembling hand. Andrew Knight was alive! She quickly recovered. She thanked the caller. Talia hung up; she knew exactly what had to be done.
Megan was sitting at the breakfast nook. Chloe was making pancakes on the griddle. The fresh brewed coffee added its own to the plethora of aromas wafting about the kitchen.
The front door bell rang. Chloe removed the pancakes and took off her apron. She was about to go answer the door, when Lisa rushed into the kitchen. She slid next to Megan and gave her a big squeeze. “He’s alive,” Lisa blurted out. “Andrew is alive!” Chloe slid in on the other side of the table.
“But how, when?” Megan stammered.
“Peter called me at the office this morning,” Lisa told them. “Andrew turned up at a horse ranch near the JFK Prep grounds. The woman and her daughter found him in the barn. Peter told me that Andrew had to be revived from a heart attack.”
“Dear Lord!” Megan cried out.
“It’s okay Megan,” Lisa hugged her again. “The woman is a nurse and she had a portable defibulator.”
“We need to go,” Chloe slid out and stood up.
“Wait,” Lisa held up her hand. “There’s more.”
“What more?” Megan asked drying her eyes.
“Andrew is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Lisa informed them. “The resident psychologist at the hospital, Dr. Straussman, told Peter that, as a result of Andrew’s near-drowning and heart attack, he has amnesia.”
“I’m going to see my husband,” Megan nudged Lisa to move. Lisa obliged and Megan slid out of the breakfast nook. “I’m getting dressed.” Megan left to go upstairs.
“Okay.” Chloe put away the food. “We’re going.”
Talia and her two deputies stepped off the elevator. Their very presence overwhelmed those at the third floor nurses’ station.
“What room is Andrew Knight in?” Talia demanded.
“Room 322,” one of the nurses answered checking the charts.
“Thanks,” Talia said. They left to the nurses’ relief.
It was just a short walk down the hallway to Andrew’s hospital room. When they got closer, Talia saw a Bayport police officer standing guard at the door.
She briskly walked up and brushed past him. Talia reached for the door knob, the officer grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her hand away. Talia blasted him with a stern look.
“Sorry no one goes in,” he informed her.
“Don’t you know who I am?” Talia barked. “I am Sheriff Delsmann from the Bayport County Sheriffs department.” She pointed to her two deputies, “We’re here to arrest Mister Knight.”
“Sorry,” the officer said again. “I have my orders.”
“Step aside,” Talia commanded.
“Is there a problem here?”
Talia turned on her heels and saw Detective Sergeant Roberts along with two other detectives, who she did not recognize.
“I gave the order,” Peter said.
“Why is that?” Talia balked.
“Mister Knight is in the protective custody of the Bayport Police Department,” Peter informed her.
“It doesn’t matter,” Talia shot back. “He interfered with an ongoing investigation. And after being warned once more, he violated that order.”
“Mister Knight was working for a client at the time,” Peter returned the volley.
“Step aside,” Talia growled.
“Mister Knight is well respected by the Bayport Police, the community, and will be treated accordingly,” Peter now stood toe to toe with Talia. He glanced at the deputies and then back to Talia. “If you or your deputies take one step into that hospital room, all three of you will be placed under arrest.”
“What about professional courtesy,” Talia retorted.
“Like you did?” Peter said, with unmasked sarcasm.
“This isn’t over.” Talia pressed her index finger against Peter’s chest.
“He has amnesia,” Lindsey spoke up.
“What?” Talia looked at her. “He’s faking it.”
“You can’t fake amnesia,” a woman’s voice came from behind.
Talia turned around to see a dark haired woman wearing a white lab coat. The other was a red-haired nurse.
“And you are?” Talia asked.
“Doctor Straussman,” Claudia replied. “I’m the hospital’s resident psychologist.” She gestured towards the nurse with her. “And this is my nurse, Veronica”
“And your diagnosis is amnesia?” Talia scoffed.
“Yes,” Claudia answered. She went on to say, “The amnesia he has is a direct result of the near-drowning and heart attack Mister Knight experienced. This is his mind’s way of protecting him from the recent traumatic events that Mister Knight experienced.”
“May I talk to him,” Talia asked. She had calmed down now. Peter thought for a second, and said, “Okay, but we’re going with you.” The police officer stepped aside and allowed them all passage to the room.
When they walked into the room, the person all of them knew as Andrew Knight had his eyes closed. He opened them with the noise from their footsteps.
“What now?” He was perturbed at the intrusion.
“I’m Sheriff Talia Delsmann,” Talia introduced herself to him.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked.
“No,” Peter winked.
“Do you recall what happened at the Higgins home?” Talia went right into her questioning. She kept up the pressure. “At JFK Prep or at the lake?”
“No,” he was a bit miffed at her barrage. “I only recall waking up in the emergency room, which was full of strangers. There was also Leslie Sommers and her daughter Hannah that came to see me. She told how she revived me in the horse barn.” He muttered, “I don’t know what JFK Prep is, who are the Higgins and nothing either about the lake. Don’t you understand?”
“So you have no memory beyond that,” Talia moved closer and stood at the side of his bed. She stared at his face and eyes. Talia was looking for any kind of recognition or reaction to her or her questions. She finally realized that it was like staring at a blank canvas, which was waiting for the painter to give it life. Talia stepped away and left the room.
“Like I asked,” he said. “Do I need to worry?”
“No.” Peter reassured him.
“Thanks,” he said and closed his eyes again. All he wanted to do was get some rest. They walked out quietly so he could do just that.
As soon as Peter exited the room, Talia pulled him aside so the others could not hear their conversation.
“Listen,” she spoke softly, and ardently, “If Knight ever does regain his memory or even comes near one of our ongoing investigations, and I will have him arrested. This I promise you.”
“Now it’s your turn to listen,” Peter got up in her face. “You do not want to be on Andrew Knight’s bad side, trust me.” Peter walked away.
Talia waved her deputies over and then they left. As they walked along, Talia thought that this thing with Knight was far from over. One way or another she would have his head on a platter.
The car ride to the hospital couldn’t have been any longer as far as Megan was concerned. She kept checking the speedometer to see how fast Lisa was driving.
Chloe was sitting in the back seat and was just as impatient. She just kept biting the nubs of her fingernail tips which were long since gone. She tried not to think about her dad at the moment because it would have just started her crying again.
Lisa kept thinking about Andrew as she drove them to the hospital. What would she say to him? She thanked God that Andrew was still with them, among the living. It truly was a miracle.
Bayport Memorial soon came into view as their car rounded the curve and over the bridge that spanned the river. Once they were over the railroad tracks, Lisa turned the car onto the street that ran in front of the hospital. Minutes later they were in the visitor parking lot. Once Lisa parked the car, they quickly exited and walked up to the hospital.
The circular door didn’t move fast enough for them, nor did they bother to talk to the receptionist at the main desk. They just breezed past and to the elevators.
Chloe pressed the button and again, they had to wait. Megan felt the baby kick and she gently caressed her belly. The elevator finally arrived, the doors opened and they all stepped inside. Chloe pressed the button for the third floor, the doors closed, and they were finally on their way.
Megan was the first one off the elevator when the doors opened to the third floor. She took off quickly as she could with Lisa and Chloe not far behind. When they got to the room they saw the police officer on guard. He saw them coming, recognized Lisa, and stepped aside. Megan drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly and walked into the room with Lisa and Chloe.
The only sound in the room was the man’s snoring as he slept. Megan walked over, bent down, and brushed his cheek with a kiss. He awoke somewhat startled. There were three women standing in the room. Their faces were sad, yet unrecognized. This couldn’t be good he thought.
The woman standing beside him with the black hair looked really pretty in her purple maternity blouse and black slacks. The others, the red head and brunette were dressed more casually in jeans and sweatshirts.
“And who are all of you?” He asked as he looked at each one in turn.
“Lisa Roberts,” the red head was the first to start. “We went to high school together. Now we sometimes work together on cases.”
“Right,” he nodded. “I’m a private investigator.”
“I’m Chloe,” Chloe took her turn. “Chloe Hawkins, your daughter. I’m also a private investigator too.”
“And that would make you…” Andrew looked at Megan.
“Your wife,” Megan finished his sentence. “And we’re going to have a baby.”
“I see that,” he said. He looked from one to another. “This is a bit overwhelming and I’m sorry, but I just don’t recognize any of you.”
“But D…” Chloe abruptly stopped, rethought her next words, and said, “We’re here to help you, not here to force anything on you.”
“Chloe is right,” Lisa agreed. “We’re here to help, because we love you very much.”
“I can see that,” he answered, his voice sounded sad. “It’s just that I don’t know you.”
Megan touched his hand, he drew it back. “You feel nothing.” Her eyes welled up with tears.
“I’m sorry,” he turned away from her. Megan left the room bawling. Chloe left to go after her. Lisa remained behind.
Lisa approached and sat on the bed. He didn’t move, which was a good sign.
“What would you like to know?”
“Who am I really?”
“You are Andrew Knight, a private investigator. You are adept in martial arts; know several languages, and your investigative skills are unrivaled. That is what you do, not who you are.”
“Go on.”
“You are a husband, father, friend, and are loved by all those around you. You are kind, loving, caring, and would do anything for anyone, at any time.”
“Sounds like an obituary.” He commented. “This is all good and such, but it still doesn’t help me.”
“The Andrew Knight we all know is in that head of yours. You just have to find him.”
Lisa got up, smiled a little, and left him alone.
Chloe finally found Megan. She was in one of the family waiting rooms staring out the big picture window. Chloe joined her on the floral sofa. Megan grabbed another tissue.
“What we do for a living is not necessarily who we are,” Megan shared her thoughts. “I believe they are our workself and our homeself.”
“True, but sometimes they overlap, influence us, and guide us in what we do whether at work or at home,” Chloe added. “My dad just can’t stop being a detective one minute and a husband the next. That’s who he is.”
Megan stood up and walked back over to the window. Chloe stayed on the sofa and did not follow.
“Andrew is my husband, my lover, my best friend. But I don’t know how much more I can take of what he does. It’s too much of a strain for me to deal with right now.”
“All I know is that the Andrew Knight we all love and care for is buried some where in the mind of the man in that room. We have to wait and see if that man rises from the ashes, or if it will be someone new.”
Chloe finally joined Megan over by the window. The subdued colors of the winter sun stretched their way across the azure skies. The day was near an end; a new one was waiting to be born.