Page 99 of Amnesty

“I don’t care what the doctor said.”

“They think it’s best you be with a woman after everything that’s happened to you—”

“I want you!” she burst out, her voice echoing around the store.

All the muscles in my body stiffened, my senses on high alert. “Sadie.”

She shoved me away but then just as suddenly came back, wrapping her arms around my middle and pressing her face into my chest. “I want you, Eddie. You’ll protect me. I know you will.”

I hugged her back. I felt the tremble of her body. “Protect you from what?” I whispered.

She lifted her head. “Fromhim.”

I felt my eyes narrow, white-hot anger whooshing through me. “Who is he, Sadie? What’s his name?”

“We weren’t allowed to call him by name,” she whispered, her voice hollow.

I hugged her tighter. I didn’t want to ask, but damn, didn’t I have to? How would I protect anyone if I had no idea what I was up against?

“Do you know his name even though you never used it? Did you ever hear anyone call him by it?”

She nodded. “Her.”

“Amnesia?”

“Daniel,” she whispered. “She called him Daniel.”

“Did you tell the police, Sadie?” I asked. “Do they know who to look for?”

She looked back up at me, pleading with her brown eyes. “I can’t tell anyone but you. I can’t. He’ll know.”

“Shh.” I soothed, pushing her head back into my chest. “It’s okay. Telling me is enough.”

“You have to let me stay with you,” she pleaded, her voice muffled. “He’s coming. He wants us back.”

“Us,” I echoed, everything inside me icing over.

She nodded. “Lily and me. We belong to him.”

Chills raced up my spine. She sounded haunted by him, as if a piece of him lived inside her.

“Where is he?” I demanded, pulling her away from my body, giving her a slight shake. “Where is he, Sadie? Tell me.”

“He’s watching,” she murmured, her eyes glazed over. “Waiting.” She blinked, brown eyes again focused on me with perfect clarity. “He’s coming, but I want to stay with you.”

A tear spilled onto her cheek, and her lower lip wobbled.

I cursed, knowing I pushed too far. But damn, someone had to. We needed answers, and we wouldn’t get them by tiptoeing around.

“Eddie?” Sadie clutched at my back.

“I’ll stay at Maggie’s tonight, okay? I won’t let him hurt you.” I assured her.

That seemed to pacify her, which was good.

But it didverylittle to pacify me.

She called us sisters. Called me by name. A name I didn’t identify with. I remembered, albeit briefly, us braiding each other’s hair and feeling glad she was down in that hole with me.

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