Page 97 of Fatal Witness

“I’m really sorry—you deserved better than that.” Alex squeezed her hand. “You’ve mentioned before that you don’t remember anything about your life before Montana. What’s your first memory?”

She didn’t have to think twice. “Keith telling me to never mention anything about our lives before we came to Montana, never mind that I couldn’t remember one thing about that life.”

“That must’ve been strange to you.”

“It was.” Then Dani grinned. “But you’ll laugh at my second memory.”

“No, I won’t.”

“A schedule. I didn’t talk for a year after we moved to Montana, and evidently Keith took me to a doctor, actually a psychiatrist, and told her that the move had traumatized me. She prescribed a schedule. Said that routine would make me feel safe.”

“That kind of makes sense. What kind of schedule was it?”

“Everything I did was on a board in the kitchen. School schedule, then when I was home, it was meals, snacks, playtime, bedtime—you name it, it was on that board, even down to when I brushed my teeth. I got up by the schedule and went to bed by it.”

Alex stared at her. “I can’t imagine what your life was like.”

“Me either now. But it worked and I started talking again.” She shook her head. “A few years ago, I figured out the reason I stopped in the first place was because of Keith’s warnings. I was afraid someone would come and do something terrible to us if I said anything ... subconsciously, I was probably remembering my parents’ murders.”

A car door slammed, and they both looked toward the back door. “Probably Mark,” Alex said as she stood and pulled her gun.

A text dinged on her phone, and she glanced at it. “It’s him,” she said, holstering her pistol before she unlocked the back door.

His presence filled the whole room when he came through the doorway with Gem at his side. The dog padded over to the table and put her paw on Dani’s knee.

“You really are okay.” She gently scratched behind Gem’s ear, being careful not to touch the wound. Dani looked up as Marklimped into the room, and her heart ached at how pale his face was.

“Doc said she’d be fine.”

“How about you?” Alex asked. “Much pain?”

“Enough.” His expression was grim. “Where’s Jenna?”

“Home. I told her we could hold down the fort tonight.”

He nodded. “Any more coffee?”

Alex pointed to the coffee machine. “Half a pot, but don’t drink too much and not be able to sleep.”

“It won’t be coffee that keeps me awake.” He poured a cup and brought it to the table and sat across from Dani. Gem followed and lay down beside his chair.

“Did they give you anything for pain?” Alex asked.

“They wanted to, but I told them Tylenol would be enough.”

She nodded. “Now that you’re here, I’m going to bed.” Alex stopped at the door. “Oh, Gram moved your belongings from the living room to the guest bedroom this side of Dani’s room.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d feel better about sleeping in the living room—that way if anyone tries to break in, I’ll hear them better.”

“Suit yourself,” she said. “See y’all in the morning.”

Dani stood as Alex disappeared down the hallway. “I think I’ll turn in too.”

Mark stilled her with a look. “Don’t go just yet.”

He wanted her to stay? “Why didn’t you let me know how you were?”

Mark rubbed the stubble on his face. “I can’t rightly say. I was pretty busy in the ER.”

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