Page 23 of Diagnosis Attraction

She didn’t know, but it was something to occupy her mind while she tried to get the rest of her life back.

Cynthia Price was back at the nurses’ station in the morning when another young man showed up. Last time, it was a guy who said he was Elizabeth’s brother, although Cynthiawondered if it was true. This time, he was different.

“I understand you had a woman here who doesn’t remember her name or anything else,” he began.

“Yes,” Cynthia answered cautiously.

“She didn’t have any identification on her?”

“No purse.”

“She was in an auto accident. Did the police check the car’s registration?”

“That was a dead end. The car belonged to someone else who’s on an extended trip outside the country.”

“Your patient’s a mystery woman.”

“Um, hum.”

“I was thinking I might be able to help her.”

“Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m a newspaper reporter with theBaltimore Observer.”

“Never heard of it.”

“We’re an online publication. That gives us the flexibility to get the news up quickly.”

Cynthia waited for him to say more.

“If I did an article about the woman—Jane Doe—someone might come forward to, you know, claim her.”

“We don’t have a picture of her.”

“But do you know where she went?”

Cynthia hesitated, weighing the upside and the downside. Polly had said not to talk about Elizabeth, but this was a newspaper reporter who might be able to help her.

“She went home with one of our nurses,” she finally said.

“One of the nurses from this floor?”

Cynthia swallowed. “Yes, but if you get someone who thinks they know her, you can call me, and I’ll contact her.”

“You can’t give me her name?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Okay. And what else can you tell me? Can you give me a description of her?”

Cynthia thought for a moment. “She was in her late twenties or early thirties. Her hair was short and dark, curly. Her eyes were blue. Her face was oval-shaped. She’s about five-foot-five tall and weighs about 110 pounds. Does that help?”

“That’s excellent.”

Cynthia was starting to wonder if she had done the right thing. “What did you say your name was?”

“Jack Regan.”

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