Page 6 of Hush Money

Another vague frown. “Why are you taking care of me?”

“I’m a nurse.”

She nods, her attention drifting lower. “I like your necklace.”

Oh, shit.

Guilt swoops in. I quickly grab the little car charm that Lucien gave me during our day on the beach in Corfu, the one he said he hoped would remind me of my late father, the auto mechanic. Dad died last year and gave me my love of fancy cars, which is one of the things that Lucien and I have in common.

“Thank you,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant while also trying not to blush. Both impossible tasks. “I like cars.”

She takes another little rest, closing her eyes again as a faint smile drifts across her lips and disappears. “My husband gave me a necklace like that. Our first Christmas together.” She hesitates. “It was a heart, I think. Or was it the sun?” Her eyes open again, focusing in on me. “Why can’t I remember?”

“It’s okay,” I say, determined to keep her calm. “It’ll come back to you.”

She looks around, making a sound of vague dismay as she registers the pressing shadows and the rain pattering against the windows. “Why is it so dark?”

“The storm knocked the power out. Daniel went to find some candles and flashlights.”

“I’m at Ackerley?”

“Yes,” I say, gently pushing her back when she tries to sit up again. “Everything’s okay. I want you to rest.”

“But where’s Lucien?” she says sharply. “Is he here?”

“Yes.” I give her arm a reassuring squeeze, eager to ward off any incipient anxiety attacks. “He went to get you some dry clothes. He’ll be right back.”

That seems to work. Until it doesn’t.

She yanks her arm free and pushes herself upright in a sudden display of strength that startles me. “This isn’t right,” she says, her voice pitching higher. “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know why you’re touching me when I don’t know you. I don’t understand what’s happening.”

I ignore her growing panic and stay right where I am, determined to block her from standing up. She’s a real fall risk in her injured and agitated condition, and the last thing we need is for her to aggravate her poor, suffering head.

“It’s okay,” I say, grateful I’ve had experience with altered patients in the emergency room and the psych ward. “My name is Tamsyn. I’m your nurse. I’m here to take care of you?—”

“Lucien?” She rises to her knees and uses real force to push my shoulders. “Get away from me! I don’t want a nurse. I want my husband. Lucien? Lucien!”

Luckily, a new distraction arrives in the form of pounding footsteps out in the hallway. Then a sudden beam of light slices through the darkness and drives a knife right through my pupils.

“What’s going on?” comes Daniel’s voice from the other side of that blinding light. “Everything okay?”

“Lucien?” Ravenna is screaming now. “Lucien?”

“Daniel, thank God,” I say, standing and blinking furiously to get my eyes back online. I abandon all efforts to be gentle and protect Ravenna’s modesty as the blankets fall away from her naked body and hit the floor. My only focus is on grabbing her shoulders and pushing her back before she really hurts herself. “Help me restrain her, please.”

“Ravenna, everything’s okay,” he says, quickly dumping his flashlights and candles on the nearest table and coming to assist. “No one’s going to hurt you.”

“Lucien!” She struggles against us, taking wild swings that force Daniel and me to duck and dodge. “Lucien!”

Mercifully, there’s another burst of hurried footsteps in the hallway just then.

“What the hell’s going on in here?” Lucien barks, appearing in the circle of light cast by the flashlights with an armful of clothes. He quickly tosses them to the floor and hurries over to help. “Stop it, Ravenna. Calm down. You’re going to hurt someone.”

He puts himself directly into the line of fire, standing in front of me and forcing me back several steps. “Stop it, Ravenna.” He grabs her, hunches down in her face and gives her a stern shake. “Stop it. You’re not going to do this.”

She immediately goes still and cocks her head, tears streaming down her face as she focuses on him. Then she pivots on her knees to face him as he drops onto the sofa next to her. “Lucien? Where were you?”

“Where were you?” he says gruffly.

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