Sudden Recall by Lisa Phillips Page B

to know.
    â€œHe had a scar on his forearm.”
    Parker’s arm around her loosened and she felt him shift until his hand closed around hers. The simple squeeze imparted strength to her shaky knees.
    Sienna crouched at the hole and ran her fingers along the dirt on all sides. Nothing undisturbed. No loose dirt. “Nothing was buried here.”
    Parker took the flashlight and circled the room, ten feet in circumference and a rough circle.
    Another tunnel began at the far side, but Sienna and Tim had never been allowed to play any farther in than this room.
    â€œI don’t see anything, either. The dirt is packed tight. We’d know if you had buried anything here.”
    Sienna blew out a breath. “I guess we aren’t going to find it here.”
    Parker held out his hand. When she grasped it, he pulled her to her feet and didn’t let go. Together they made their way back to the tunnel’s entrance.
    Sienna could see the disappointment in the slump of his shoulders, but he didn’t say anything. They’d thought this was the right place to start, but it seemed she’d led them on a wild-goose chase. If she couldn’t trust her own judgment on this, if she couldn’t trust the memories she had, how could they possibly solve this problem?
    Her shoe hit a rut in the dirt and she stumbled forward. With nothing else to grab, Sienna grasped two handfuls of Parker’s shirt. “Sorry.”
    He chuckled. “It’s all right. I need some kind of reason for being here other than as the driver—might as well be to catch you.”
    She pulled up short. “What are you talking about?”
    In the dim light she saw his eyebrow lift.
    Sienna opened her mouth but couldn’t think of anything concrete. It was just...natural that he was here with her. “Are you planning on leaving if I can’t give you a good reason why you should be here? Like dealing with Thomas Loughton wasn’t enough.”
    She’d be hard-pressed to give him a decent excuse aside from abstract need or the fact that no one really wanted to be alone.
    Parker shook his head. “Never mind. That was a dumb thing to say. You don’t remember what happened, and I shouldn’t be punishing you because of it. I’m sorry.”
    â€œApology accepted.”
    â€œJust like that?”
    Sienna lifted her chin. “Maybe when I get my memory back it’ll turn out I’m the one who needs forgiveness.” After all, she didn’t know why she’d killed their relationship. “If I offer it freely now, maybe you’ll do the same when it counts.”
    * * *
    Parker stopped at the entrance. Sienna stilled behind him, then whispered, “What is it?”
    â€œI heard something.”
    He eased to the edge of the mouth of the cave, where he could hear boots on the ground coming up the hill. A diesel engine. The rhythmic rap of a helicopter motor in the distance.
    â€œWe have company.”
    â€œShould we run?”
    Parker thought for a second as he weighed the decision to run for it and risk getting hit by gunfire or stay put and end up being pinned down in the cave.
    Neither option was good, but there was usually a better one in these situations. It wasn’t like he’d never been in a standoff with his enemy before. Parker was just used to having a team—whether it was SEALs or marshals—to back him up. Sienna had the gun she’d found in the SUV. The bulge was clear on her lower back, under her shirt. He didn’t begrudge her the need to arm herself, especially not when it may even come in handy.
    Parker grabbed her hand and stepped out. He’d made his decision. He would cover Sienna, and they wouldn’t be stuck here waiting for death to come. But it wasn’t to be.
    Shots pinged the cave entrance beside him and flicked up shards of dirt that rained toward them like hail. Stinging erupted on his cheek, way too close to his eye