into X-ray, satisfied themselves her shoulder was only bruised, then sent her out. With nowhere else to go, and too tired to think about it, Lucy sat and watched the news coverage on the television. Wow, if she hadn’t experienced the crash firsthand, she’d never know she’d even been on board the same plane from listening to the reporter doing a live shot outside the hospital.
“Miss Cameron?”
She looked into a pair of flat, blue eyes.
“I’m Mike Lovelace with the National Transportation Safety Board. I need to ask you a few questions…”
She must have given him the answers he needed. When he finished, she asked, “Will you need me for anything else or can I go home?”
“To the resort or to your permanent address?”
“Home. I believe I’ve seen all I care to of mountains and snow for some time to come.”
“We’re through. I have your information if we should need to reach you. Someone may contact you for a formal deposition.” He paused for a moment. “Do you have anyone here to give you a ride?”
“I can.” The voice came from behind her. Lucy turned, somewhat curious, to find Matt Petersohn waiting, his fingers tucked into his jeans pockets. Lovelace nodded at them both, then walked down the hall. Matt squatted in front of her. “Have they seen you?”
Lucy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, yes. I just have some bruising, so there’s no need for me to stay. I should be thankful for how lucky I was.” She looked into Matt’s steady gaze. “Why, in a week or so, I’ll have absolutely nothing to remind me of this and can put it from my mind.” Lucy stopped and clamped down on her lower lip with her teeth.
“Lucy…”
“Don’t!” she hissed at him. “If you’re going to give me a ride, then let’s do this. You’ll accept my apology, I hope, if I’m not the most scintillating conversationalist on the trip up the mountain. For some odd reason, it keeps sticking in my mind I had to leave a dead man sitting in his plane overnight with nothing more than a tarp wrapped around him. And after I hauled the other man out of the wreck to find us both shelter, he doesn’t even remember who I am. But I’m sure I’ll be able to put it all from my mind. It will fade like the bruises on my shoulder.”
Their eyes met. In his, she saw an immense amount of understanding and she had to look away before she cracked. As if sensing her turmoil, he drew her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here. The news crews are so busy making sure they get the medevac chopper in the background of their live shots, I doubt they’ll even notice us.” Even saying so, he hurried her along the sidewalk and out to the parking lot, where a van from the resort waited. Matt made sure she was buckled in, then slid behind the wheel. “You know, his dad did ask about you. He wants to thank you.”
Lucy stared out the window. “I think that would be a little awkward under the circumstances. I want to get my things packed, then I want to get on a flight home.”
“Lucy,” Matt grated, “amnesia like this is almost always temporary…”
She turned and put her hand on his arm. When he looked at her, she said, “I don’t want him to remember. It would be better if he never remembers.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“I do. You need to understand this. I am not anyone Brandon should even know. My real name is Lucy Cameron, but I have a work name–Jasmine LeFleur. I’m an exotic dancer at a high-end club in DC. How well do you think that will stack up in Brandon’s life? If it became public, rival media outlets would have a heyday with it. And I saw his parents. My God! She practically flies a DAR banner behind her, and he’s got Yacht Club written all over him. I doubt they’d appreciate the finer points of pole dancing.” Lucy jerked her head away and mumbled, “Just let me get out of here, and when I’m gone, do everyone a favor–lose
“Miss Cameron?”
She looked into a pair of flat, blue eyes.
“I’m Mike Lovelace with the National Transportation Safety Board. I need to ask you a few questions…”
She must have given him the answers he needed. When he finished, she asked, “Will you need me for anything else or can I go home?”
“To the resort or to your permanent address?”
“Home. I believe I’ve seen all I care to of mountains and snow for some time to come.”
“We’re through. I have your information if we should need to reach you. Someone may contact you for a formal deposition.” He paused for a moment. “Do you have anyone here to give you a ride?”
“I can.” The voice came from behind her. Lucy turned, somewhat curious, to find Matt Petersohn waiting, his fingers tucked into his jeans pockets. Lovelace nodded at them both, then walked down the hall. Matt squatted in front of her. “Have they seen you?”
Lucy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, yes. I just have some bruising, so there’s no need for me to stay. I should be thankful for how lucky I was.” She looked into Matt’s steady gaze. “Why, in a week or so, I’ll have absolutely nothing to remind me of this and can put it from my mind.” Lucy stopped and clamped down on her lower lip with her teeth.
“Lucy…”
“Don’t!” she hissed at him. “If you’re going to give me a ride, then let’s do this. You’ll accept my apology, I hope, if I’m not the most scintillating conversationalist on the trip up the mountain. For some odd reason, it keeps sticking in my mind I had to leave a dead man sitting in his plane overnight with nothing more than a tarp wrapped around him. And after I hauled the other man out of the wreck to find us both shelter, he doesn’t even remember who I am. But I’m sure I’ll be able to put it all from my mind. It will fade like the bruises on my shoulder.”
Their eyes met. In his, she saw an immense amount of understanding and she had to look away before she cracked. As if sensing her turmoil, he drew her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here. The news crews are so busy making sure they get the medevac chopper in the background of their live shots, I doubt they’ll even notice us.” Even saying so, he hurried her along the sidewalk and out to the parking lot, where a van from the resort waited. Matt made sure she was buckled in, then slid behind the wheel. “You know, his dad did ask about you. He wants to thank you.”
Lucy stared out the window. “I think that would be a little awkward under the circumstances. I want to get my things packed, then I want to get on a flight home.”
“Lucy,” Matt grated, “amnesia like this is almost always temporary…”
She turned and put her hand on his arm. When he looked at her, she said, “I don’t want him to remember. It would be better if he never remembers.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“I do. You need to understand this. I am not anyone Brandon should even know. My real name is Lucy Cameron, but I have a work name–Jasmine LeFleur. I’m an exotic dancer at a high-end club in DC. How well do you think that will stack up in Brandon’s life? If it became public, rival media outlets would have a heyday with it. And I saw his parents. My God! She practically flies a DAR banner behind her, and he’s got Yacht Club written all over him. I doubt they’d appreciate the finer points of pole dancing.” Lucy jerked her head away and mumbled, “Just let me get out of here, and when I’m gone, do everyone a favor–lose
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