Undercover Memories. Lenora Worth

but you are under protective custody. My protection.”

      “Not your custody, though. You can’t force me to stay here.”

      Before he could respond, the front door of the house swung open and an older woman with shoulder-length grayish hair came out onto the porch. “Ryder, bring her on inside. It’s hot and muggy out here.”

      Emma glanced at the truck’s still-glowing dashboard clock. It had taken almost an hour to get here. “Midnight. Your mother is up late.”

      “She never sleeps,” he said. Then he got out of the truck and came around to her door.

      “Must run in the family,” Emma retorted, opening the door before he could.

      “Hello there, I’m Nancy Palladin,” the woman said as she greeted Emma by placing both of her warm hands over the one Emma extended. Nancy wore a blue T-shirt over worn jeans and boots.

      “Hi,” Emma said, fatigue tugging at her. “Thank you so much for allowing me to...stay here.”

      “Nonsense,” Nancy said. “We don’t get many visitors, and it’s a rare day when my son brings home a pretty woman.”

      “Mama,” Ryder said, clearly uncomfortable with that comment, “this is Emma. Is her room ready?”

      “Of course,” his mother replied, letting go of Emma’s hand to take her by the arm. “C’mon in and we’ll get you settled. We can get acquainted in the morning.”

      Emma followed Mrs. Palladin into the house where the huge entryway led to big rooms on both sides, one a den with a massive fireplace and the other a formal living room. The wide staircase stretched beyond the entry and central hallway.

      The house was lit with muted lamps here and there but Emma had seen enough to tell it was well maintained and comfortable, and it smelled of spices and lavender.

      “We have two guest rooms downstairs,” Nancy explained. “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” She stopped and waited for Emma. “I elevated the pillows on your bed. That’s important after a head trauma. No reading, online browsing or texting, and no exercising. If you wake with a headache, take your meds. You might have trouble sleeping, but that’s normal. And your emotions will be all over the map, so just go with it for a few days. Mainly you need to rest.”

      “I feel as if I’m back in the hospital,” Emma said with a smile. “Ryder told me you’re a retired nurse.”

      “And a bossy one,” Ryder added, nodding. “Mom, she doesn’t have a phone or a laptop, so she has no choice but to rest.”

      “Good.” Nancy turned to Ryder. “And I fixed up the room across from Emma, just as you asked.”

      “What?” Emma said, turning to face Ryder. “You’re staying here tonight?”

      “Yes,” he said, daring her to complain.

      She complained anyway. “I don’t need you across the hall from me.”

      “Yes, you do,” he retorted. “It’s late and you need to rest. My sister, Stephanie, found you some pajamas and an outfit for tomorrow. I’ll take you to your room.”

      “I can take care of things myself,” she retorted, trying to find a suitable reason to ditch him.

      “I’m going to be across the hall,” he replied, stubborn all over his face. “And that’s that.” Then to push the matter home, he added, “My family is here, too. I have to watch out for all of you.”

      Since he had a point, Emma didn’t want to make a scene in front of the man’s mother. “All right,” she said. “I just want to go to sleep.”

      Then she turned to Nancy. “Thank you again. I’ll be more human tomorrow, I hope.”

      Nancy chuckled and glanced at her son. “I understand so much more now than I did before.”

      Emma saw the exchange between mother and son. But she wasn’t sure she liked what that exchange implied.