Christmas Amnesia. Laura Scott

on to his belt and her simple trust had him deepening his resolve to protect her no matter what. “Whatever you say,” she whispered.

      The icy wind greeted him as he pushed the door open. Moving outside, he stayed close to the wall, grateful they were both wearing dark clothing that would help them blend into the night. He swept his gaze over the area, seeing nothing out of place as Maddy let the door close softly behind her.

      They were on the south side of the building, and the street where he’d left his squad car was in the front facing west, so he edged closer to the back side of the building.

      There was a narrow alley there, the darkness impenetrable. Noah considered their options. They could circle the building, making sure it was clear before making a run for the squad car. Or they could leave the car, making their way on foot until they could flag a taxi or car service for a ride.

      He’d rather have his own set of wheels. While taxi and service drivers needed to pass criminal background checks, he knew the checks weren’t foolproof. Decision made, he crept through the narrow alley between buildings until he reached the north side of the condo.

      Peeking around the corner, he still didn’t see anything out of place. Feeling better, he made his way up to the street where he’d left his vehicle.

      “Ready?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at Maddy.

      “Yes.”

      “Here’s the plan. I want you to stay behind me. I’ll protect you until you’re safely inside the car.”

      “I don’t think—” she began, but he shook his head.

      “Not open for discussion. I’m wearing a vest beneath my uniform.”

      “Fine.” She didn’t look happy but kept her hand on his belt. “Let’s go.”

      Noah held his weapon ready as he cleared the corner of the building. The squad car wasn’t as far away as he’d anticipated, so it didn’t take long to reach the passenger door. Yanking it open, he swept his gaze over the area as Maddy ducked into the passenger seat. He shut the door, then quickly jogged around to the driver side.

      He jammed his gun into the holster and then cranked the key, bringing the engine roaring to life. Pulling away from the curb, he made a quick right-hand turn and headed east toward the lakefront.

      “We made it,” Maddy said softly.

      He didn’t say anything, keeping a keen eye on the rearview mirror for a possible tail. The hour was approaching one thirty in the morning and he was grateful traffic was light this time on a Monday night.

      “Thank you, Noah.”

      He wanted to tell Maddy not to thank him, that if she knew who he was and how many people he’d let down, she’d never thank him for anything ever again, but he held back. For one thing, her memory loss was hardly her fault. And for another, it was easier to keep her safe when she was cooperating with him.

      Headlights flashed behind him, the high beams blindingly bright. He was on Lake Drive now, following the shoreline of Lake Michigan, when the headlights grew closer and impossibly brighter.

      “Who is that?” Maddy asked, grabbing for the door handle as Noah took the curve faster than the speed limit recommended.

      “Hang on,” he warned, pressing the accelerator.

      There was a loud bang as the car behind them rammed into the back of his squad car. Noah wrestled with the steering wheel, straining to keep the car on the road.

      He reached for his radio to call for backup when the car rear-ended them again.

      This time, his police cruiser skidded sideways off the road, heading straight for the icy waters of Lake Michigan.

      He hit the brakes, but the car didn’t slow down. He tried again, desperate to avoid the freezing cold lake. If they went under, they’d surely die.

       THREE

      “No!” Maddy screamed as Noah yanked on the steering wheel, doing his best to keep the car from going into the water. They spun, but then hit something hard, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

      She was thankful Noah had gotten things under control, but then the vehicle abruptly tipped backward, the rear tires dropping over the edge of the embankment lining the shore. There was a hiss as something hot, maybe the muffler, sizzled, the back end of the car sliding into the freezing cold water.

      She fumbled with her seat belt, the car teetering precariously on the ledge. She knew that if she and Noah ended up in the lake, they risked severe hypothermia and possible death.

      “Maddy!” Noah must have already unlatched his seat belt, reaching over to help her. “Hurry! We have to get out of here.”

      “I know.” The hood of the car was raised up at an angle, the back end submerged. She gasped in alarm as the car slid backward another inch. No doubt the trunk was filling with water, and she had no idea how much longer they had before the rest of the vehicle would sink silently beneath the inky surface.

      Hurry! Hurry!

      The restraint fell free and Noah grabbed the computer case that was nestled between her feet. He looped the case over his shoulder, accidentally knocking the police radio off his collar in the process. Using both hands, he pushed open the driver-side door, then reached down to grab the radio before jumping out of the car.

      “This way,” he said, keeping his arm wedged beneath the heavy door. Maddy climbed over the console, sucking in a harsh breath when she cracked her elbow against the computer mounted on the dash. The space from the floor of the car to the ground was farther than she anticipated.

      She lightly jumped down, but the uneven terrain caused her to stumble against Noah. He caught her up against him, holding her close and preventing her from hitting the ground. But she accidentally hit the radio draped over his arm, sending it down into a pile of slush. She knew water and electronics were a bad combination and Noah must have agreed because he didn’t bother attempting to retrieve it.

      Headlights pierced the night, pointing directly at them. She averted her gaze from the blinding glare, searching for someplace to hide.

      “Hold on to me,” Noah said, keeping his arm anchored around her. “See the rows and rows of boats stored up on blocks? That’s where we’re going.”

      She didn’t answer, concentrating on following his lead as they quickly ran, slipping and sliding over to the closest row of boats.

      The sound of a car door slamming shut caused her heart to leap into her throat and she imagined the driver of the car was already running after them. She clung to Noah, grateful for his support as she struggled to keep up. The boats were large and provided some cover from the bright headlights, but not enough that they wouldn’t be seen.

      Fear tightened around her throat. Did Noah believe they could outrun the guy behind them? Maybe if he was alone, but she knew her being here was an added liability.

      If only she was wearing her running shoes.

      Did she have running shoes?

      This wasn’t the time to worry about her lost memory. With the threat before them, the throbbing in her temple had lessened a bit, and she tried to ignore it. Pushing the ridiculous thoughts from her mind, she focused on following Noah as he moved from one boat to the next. He seemed to be checking them out, for what she had no idea. Plastic shrink-wrap covered most of the boats, protecting them from the harsh winter weather.

      When they reached the middle of the sea of boats, Noah stopped. She leaned against a fiberglass frame, using the opportunity to catch her breath. Noah was doing something with the boat next to her, unlatching bungee cords holding a tarp in place, rather than the usual shrink-wrap. Peering through the darkness, she could see that two of the boats had tarps in lieu of plastic, and Noah worked on both