Double Trouble Read online

  “No. He must have been hit on the head pretty hard. He says he doesn’t know who he is. He’s lost his memory.”

  “You mean, like amnesia?”

  Lee nodded. “You want a ride to the hospital?”

  Rosie drew an uneven breath and nodded. ”I must go see him. Let me put on my shoes and get my purse. I’ll be right with you. ”

  She climbed into the police car with him and he drove off. “This happened at our building?”

  “Yes. Apparently he’d just arrived in a taxi at the side door. An employee saw the taxi pull away, then heard a yell and saw a van pulling away. He found Ken lying on the blacktop, out cold. He called 9-1-1. ”

  “How awful!”

  “Yeah. When Ken came to later, he said he didn’t remember anything, not even who he was or where he lived.”

  She shivered. “That must have been terrifying.”

  Lee glanced over at her. “You always think first of how the other person feels, don’t you, Sis?”

  “Well…”

  “It’s okay. You’ve been doing it since we were kids. I’m used to it. You know I’m not crazy about the guy, but I shouldn’t object to you caring about him. I’m not going to try to tell you who to marry. But I hope he deserves you.”

  Rosie stared at Lee. “What a thing to say.”

  Was he saying that because of Ken’s gambling? She knew Lee hated that. She started to tell Lee the wedding was off, when a thought struck her.

  Oh, God. How could she break up with Ken now that he was hurt and needed help? What rotten timing! She’d have to put it off again. But as soon as he got his memory back, and everything was back to normal, she’d return his ring; she promised herself. And take the consequences. She could always find another job if Ken fired her. She’d done it before, hadn’t she?

  ~ * ~

  Kirk lay in the hospital bed, frustrated and uncertain, though for some reason he was sure he was not usually a person incapable of taking care of himself. Amnesia, the doctor had said. What a stupid thing to have. You’d think his head was hard enough not to be injured in that way.

  Vaguely he recalled someone saying he had a hard head. A brother, maybe? Sister? It seemed like something siblings said to each other.

  Gingerly, he touched the lump on the back of his head. That was where the guy had hit him. And he had a scraped nose and cheek and had another lump on his eyebrow from his face meeting the pavement when he fell.

  Luckily, one of the officers had explained that an employee had claimed to know him and said he was Kenneth Latham, one of the Lathams who owned the business in the building where he’d been found. Managed the place, the officer said. Ha. How would he remember how to manage a business when he didn’t remember his own name or where he lived?

  Though the officer had seemed to think he was faking the memory loss. Why in the world would anyone do that?

  His nurse, a slim, young policeman in uniform and a pretty woman walked in. They paused at the foot of his bed and looked at him. Odd, the woman and the young officer looked a lot alike. Were they related, maybe?

  He focused on the pretty woman. She was maybe five foot six, lithe, yet curvy, with full red lips and long, shiny, blonde hair. Dressed in a red silk dress and high heels showing off those long legs. He was supposed to know this looker? If so, why didn’t he remember her?

  The policeman stood back, watching him carefully. Did the officer think he would harm the woman? Or did he think he was pretending to have a memory loss, too?

  “Is this him?” the nurse asked anxiously.

  The blonde nodded. “Hello, Ken. Oh, your poor eye is all swollen. You’re going to have a shiner. That must hurt. How’re you feeling, otherwise?”

  She had a nice voice, too. Soft and low, not strident like some women’s voices. “Hello,” he returned cautiously. “I’ve had better days. Bit of a headache is all.”

  “You don’t remember her?” the nurse asked.

  He started to shake his head, but that hurt, so he stopped and spoke instead. “No. Who are you?”

  The blonde stepped forward, and started to speak, but the nurse grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Wait,” she said. “Give him a minute. Think, Mr. Latham,” the nurse said to him. “Try to remember.”

  When he sighed and said no again, the nurse pursed her lips, turned and walked out.

  The officer told the blonde, “I’ll wait for you downstairs, Rosie,” and followed the nurse.

  A frown marred the blonde’s smooth forehead. She moved closer and sat on the chair beside his bed. The pleasant, floral scent of her perfume floated over him. “I’m your assistant at Latham, and your fiancée, Rosie Kapp.”

  He sat up sharply, shocked, wincing at the pain the sudden movement caused him. “My fiancée! Like in getting married?”

  “You needn’t sound so shocked. It was your idea,” Rosie said dryly. “In fact you claim to love me and asked me to marry you several times.”

  “I must have been out of my mind.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Thanks a lot.”

  Now he’d done it. She looked upset. How the hell was he going to get out of this predicament?

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you’re not an attractive woman and that I wouldn’t want you or anything like that… Oh, hell, don’t cry.”

  “I never cry,” she insisted. “I’m just upset that you’re hurt and you don’t know me.”

  Well, now she did look more angry than sad. He reached over to his nightstand and plucked a tissue from the box sitting there and held it out to her.

  “Well, whatever it is you’re doing, here -- wipe away the water that’s coming out of those lovely green eyes.”

  That brought a laugh through trembling lips. She took the tissue and dabbed at her eyes. ”I’m sorry. I’m dressed like this because we were supposed to go to dinner at the Country Club. I was pretty mad at you for standing me up. I’ve probably messed my mascara, too.”

  “Yeah, some. Here, let me. I’m sure I’d never intentionally stand up a pretty woman like you.” He grabbed another tissue and removed the black streak under one eye.

  That remark brought a nervous laugh to her full lips. “Now, let’s start over. They tell me I’m Kenneth Latham. Are you sure that’s my name? Apparently the mugger took my wallet and ID. ”

  “I’d know you anywhere, Ken.”

  “And I’m in Minneapolis and my family has a building supply store here?”

  “That’s right. It’s a family-owned chain of retail stores. The home office is in Chicago and your Uncle Lester is in charge. ” She eyed him doubtfully. “You don’t even know where you are? Where you live?”

  “Nothing I’ve seen thus far is familiar.”

  “How awful for you.”

  Good. She’d stopped crying and was concentrating on him. He hated tears. “It does feel pretty weird.” That was an understatement. His stomach was tied in knots of panic, but he wasn’t going to admit that. “So, I’ll need you to help me find my family or someone who can help me get my bearings, straighten out my ID, pay the hospital bill and find my home, and so on.”

  “Of course. You don’t have any other family here, though. There’s a brother and uncle in Chicago. Your parents retired to Arizona and I think they’re on a cruise right now. So, I guess it’s up to me. But we’re engaged. Why wouldn’t I take care of you? In sickness and in health -- ”

  “Don’t say that!”

  She stared at him and then gave a nervous little laugh. ”It’s in the wedding vows you keep asking me to take with you, Ken.”

  “I’m sorry, Rosie. I can’t marry you. ”

  She was still staring at him. He put out a hand to cover her slim soft one. Surprise made her eyes dark and wide. He was sorry to have to hurt her, but what else could he do? He might not remember his own name, but he knew he wasn’t a marrying man.

  “I’m sorry, Rosie. But there’ll be no wedding. How can I marry someone I don’t even remember?”

  Ro
sie lifted her chin as though she’d received a blow. “We won’t talk about that now, Ken. Let’s wait until your memory comes back to discuss it.”

  Kirk swallowed. She wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He tried again.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Rosie. It’s not that I don’t like you -- that is, I’m sure I will, when I get to know you. But I can’t pretend to love you. I feel as though I’m taking advantage of you, allowing you to help me get my bearings, when I have no intentions of settling down with anybody.”

  Her voice was bright and cheerful, almost as though she were talking to a child, or someone not-too-intelligent.

  “Don’t be silly. You’re not taking advantage of me. I’m not doing anything you couldn’t do by yourself, just by picking up the phone book and finding your company’s office number. Any of your employees would be happy to fill you in with the same information.”

  He shrugged. ”But you’re not just any employee.”

  “No. I’m your fiancée as well as your assistant. Either way, it’s my job to help you.”

  He shook his head and said regretfully, “Only my assistant. I’m sorry. I don’t even remember you. I can’t be more, at least not until I get my memory back.” And he’d bet anything that when he did, he wouldn’t remember being engaged, however lovely she was.

  Her chin lifted again in that prideful way she had. She had a nice chin, round and firm. Her skin was so smooth and creamy, except her furrowed brow. Now she was angry. Naturally. She didn’t like being dumped. Well, he couldn’t blame her for that. No woman would.

  Would she quit? If so, where would he be without an assistant as well? Not too bright, fella. But his gut insisted it was the right thing to do. He swallowed hard, waiting for her answer.

  She smiled. “If that’s how you want it.”

  He gave a sigh of relief. “That’s how I want it, Rosie. You can tell everyone you dumped me, if you’d like. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” She twisted a solitaire diamond ring from her finger and handed it to him. He took it and stared at it as if it were something bad.

  Feeling stupid, he blurted, “Did I buy this for you?”

  “Yes. We picked it out together a couple of months ago.”

  He dropped the ring on his bedside table as though it had burned him. ”Maybe my memory of all this will return – ”

  “Maybe.” She nodded, her eyes a bit too bright and appeared anxious to change the subject. ”The doctor says you can go home in the morning. I’ll get your medical insurance information from your file at the office and take care of the paperwork with the hospital. And I’ll come back to pick you up.”

  He frowned. She’d pick him up. Like a helpless child. Don’t I have a car?”

  “Yes, of course. A white Cadillac.” She looked at him. “Do you remember where you left it?”

  He shook his head.

  “The police said you were mugged in the parking lot of our store, but your car wasn’t there. The employee who saw you arrive, said you came by taxi. Why didn’t you drive?”

  Again he lifted a shoulder, feeling helpless to come up with the answers she wanted. He struggled to remember, but his mind stayed blank.

  She chewed her lip. “You were supposed to take me to the Country Club dinner. You always drive. Don’t you have any idea why you used a taxi?”

  “No. Perhaps I had car trouble? Would it still be at my house? Or do I have an apartment?”

  “An apartment. Perhaps you’re right and your car’s there. We’ll look tomorrow.”

  She continued, almost as if to herself, “But if you had car trouble and were going to be late, you would have called me. You always have. So why didn’t you call tonight? And I called you, both at your apartment and on your cell phone. I got a message saying the user wasn’t accepting calls. Why didn’t you answer?”

  He lay back against the raised bed, suddenly exhausted from trying to piece things together. “I have no idea. No one mentioned a cell phone. Did I have it when they brought me here?”

  “I’ll ask. I’m sorry. I know you said you don’t remember. You look exhausted and I shouldn’t even be asking these things.”

  Her light floral perfume enveloped him as she rose and leaned over him. Embarrassed, he wondered if he was supposed to kiss her.

  But she only kissed his cheek lightly and smoothed back his hair, giving him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about all of this now, Ken. Either you’ll remember or we’ll figure it out from things other people tell us. Try to rest, now.”

  She turned to go.

  Heat sizzled along his veins from that little kiss, still he shivered. “Thanks, Rosie. Can we still be friends?”

  She gave him a rueful smile. “If you say so. Friends it is.”

  “Thanks. Goodnight, Rosie.”

  “Goodnight, Ken. I’ll bring you a change of clothes to wear home. See you in the morning.”

  He watched her walk out, the red silk dress softly caressing her body as she moved.

  They’d been engaged. Were they also intimate? Heat settled in his lower regions as he wondered about their relationship. Maybe letting everything continue as she had seemed to want wouldn’t have been such a bad idea.

  No. That would have been unfair to her. He might not remember his name, but he knew he wasn’t a settling down sort of guy. He pressed the button to lower his bed to the sleeping position. He closed his eyes but that didn’t shut out her image nor assuage the guilt he felt for hurting her.

  ~ * ~

  Rosie walked back downstairs, her mind in turmoil. Ken had neatly solved the problem of their engagement. That had come as a shock! It didn’t seem like something Ken would do at all. He hadn’t even sounded like himself.

  She had so many questions and no one seemed to have any answers. She no longer had a fiancé, but at least she still had her good job. She should be feeling happy instead of upset and confused.

  Lee was in the waiting room, reading a newspaper.

  When he saw her, he put aside the newspaper and came to walk beside her out into the cool evening.

  “You okay, Sis?” he asked.

  “Yeah, fine,” she murmured, though she felt anything but fine. “A little confused, though.”

  He nodded and put a comforting arm around her as they walked down the sidewalk to his car.

  Rosie got in and turned to him as he started the car. “Do you think he’ll be okay?”

  “Don’t worry, Sis. I’m sure he’ll be okay. The doctor said amnesia patients often recover completely, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, but... it seems so strange, having him look at me like he’d never seen me before. “ Rosie shuddered, then said quietly, “He broke our engagement.”

  “I’m sorry. That sucks, Sis.” He reached over and squeezed her hand, then returned his eyes to the road. “But hey, maybe he’ll change his mind when his memory returns.”

  “I hope not. I planned to break up with him after the dinner tonight, myself.”

  Lee turned and gave her a sharp look. “Oh? So that’s why you’re not very upset about it.”

  “No, I’m not that upset about it. I’m feeling more relieved than anything, I guess. Like a big problem is solved.”

  “Mom was the one who really wanted this marriage, right?” Lee guessed shrewdly. “And you went along with it to keep her happy because she was dying?”

  Rosie laughed. “You know us too well. Mom thought Ken was a real catch.”

  “But you weren’t so sure?”

  “Oh, I agreed he was rich and handsome. But sometimes I just couldn’t please the guy, you know? I mean, I’m human, like anyone else. But he was so finicky about a lot of things. He seemed to think I should always be perfect.”

  Lee nodded. “Well, let’s get you home for some rest. Don’t think about it now, okay?”

  “But there are so many things we don’t know about what happened today. Like, where is his car? Why was he in a taxi?”r />
  Lee sighed, put the car into gear and agreed. “I know. I was supposed to ask you a lot of this. But I thought it might be better to wait until morning.”

  “No, I’ll just lie in bed and think about it. I’d rather we talked now.”

  “Okay, then, how about stopping for a cup of coffee and a hamburger? I didn’t get any supper.”

  “Neither did I, except for raiding my refrigerator a little. I was planning on the Country Club dinner. A hamburger sounds great.”

  Lee pulled into the parking lot of an all-night restaurant and they took a booth inside.

  He took out his notebook. “Okay, let’s go through the facts. What time was he supposed to pick you up?”

  “At a quarter to seven. And he’s always right on time.”

  “But not tonight?”

  A waitress served them coffee and took their orders.

  Rosie sipped the hot brew gratefully and shook her head. “No. And Ken always called if he was going to be late. When he didn’t, I tried calling him but he didn’t answer at home and I got a ‘user isn’t accepting calls’ message from his cell phone.”

  “Which means he’d turned it off?”

  She nodded. “Only, Ken never turns off his phone. He’s fanatical about missing messages. What time did the employee call in?”

  “That’s what’s weird. According to your employee, the mugging didn’t happen until past eight. So why didn’t Ken answer his phone earlier?”

  The waitress brought their hamburgers and they both ate hungrily.

  Rosie shrugged. She wasn’t in any mood to give Ken the benefit of the doubt tonight. She griped, “Maybe he was doing something he didn’t want me to know about.”

  Lee gave a little bark of laughter. “You think? Hey, Sis, guys don’t always tell their gals everything they do.”

  “I suppose,” she said, biting into another French fry. “He gave me the afternoon off, saying he was going fishing this afternoon. He usually comes in before dark, but I suppose he could have still been out on the lake.”

  Ken nodded and drank his coffee. “True. But when he was mugged, he was wearing dress slacks and a shirt, not his fishing jeans.”