Free Hide My Memories: A Romantic Suspense Thriller Series (Hide Me Series Book 1) by Lisa Ladew Page A

to fend it off.
    West squeezed her hand again. "Look Katerina, I'll believe you. You just have to tell me what's going on."
    Katerina sucked in the deepest breath she could and eyed the distance from them to the ambulance. She had to tell him the truth. She had no other choice.
    "Three days ago, I worked my last day at my old job," she began.
    She finished by telling him about the dreams, just as they reached the fence they needed to climb over. He climbed over first and then helped her over. Their eyes met in the middle. She watched him closely, understanding how ludicrous it all sounded. What was she going to do when he didn't believe her? If he didn't believe her, there was no way the police were going to.
    They walked across the street in silence. He climbed into the driver's seat of the ambulance. She stood and looked at him. He motioned for her to get in and she did. He started the ambulance and pulled out of the driveway. She looked at him in disbelief. They were leaving? Instead, he pulled across the street and parked in a small, gravel turnoff.
    "We just had to get out of that lady’s driveway," he told her.
    He pulled out his cell phone and made a phone call. Katerina looked across the field and tried to still her galloping heart. She heard someone pick up on the other end of West's phone. It was dispatch.
    "Hi Lydia, it's West. We've got a bit of a situation out here. Our patient is fine, we're clear from the call, but we found a body across the street. Is there any way you could send me a police officer from Westwood Harbor?"
    West listened carefully and then spoke again. "Yes, I know it's out of their district, but it's pretty important. In fact there is a certain police officer I want. I know he's working today. Do you have any friends at police dispatch that you could sweet talk into sending him?"
    West listened again. Katerina turned to look at him. A small smile played on his lips. "Thanks Lydia, you're the best. His name is Blaise Cornwall. Tell him it's me and tell him to get out here as soon as possible."
    West hung up but immediately made another phone call. "Yes, let me speak to Mr. Brookshire. Tell him it's West Shepherd. Hello, Pearson, it's West. I need you out in Tetam County. No, it's not for me, it's a friend of mine. I'd rather explain once you get here, but it's important that you come now. Okay, we'll see you then.”
    West recited the address and hung up. Katerina asked him, "Who was that?"
    "My lawyer," he said simply.
    "West," she whispered. "I can't afford a lawyer."
    "He's on retainer," West said, as if that explained everything.
    Katerina pressed her hands to her eyes and wished this would all go away.
    They sat in silence for a few moments, Katerina staring across the field, physically able to feel the weight of what was in the woods. Then West spoke. "Tell me it all again, start with the very beginning."
    Katerina sighed, and then realized this would definitely not be the last time she told the story. After she had finished again, she glanced up at West. His eyes did not show any disbelief at all. She felt it was a small miracle.
    "So who is the guy?" He asked.
    "What guy?"
    "The guy you gave the massage to. He's the killer, right?"
    Katerina was struck dumb. She thought about it. The images came from him. Of course, it was the only thing that made any sense. Why hadn’t she thought of it before?
    Because the only time you’ve been able to think straight is when you've been at work , a small voice in her mind answered.
    "I don't know who he is. I think Pam said his name was –" Katerina thought hard, remembering when she was in the bathroom kissing the toilet. "Mr. Smith, yeah, that's right, it was Mr. Smith."
    West glanced at his watch. "Would Pam still be at work?"
    "What time is it?"
    "5:45"
    "No, the office closes at five."
    "Okay, we'll have to call her tomorrow and have her pull the records. We need his full name and his phone number or address or whatever she's got."
    Katerina