Page 17 of Storm Surge

“For being honest with me. My father—Aunt Betty--only want to share good things. They think I’ll fall apart if I hear anything bad.” She scraped back hair from her face. “That’s why there are no TVs in the cabin. Aunt Betty believes she can shield me from the world.”

He smiled. Something about it triggered a memory she couldn’t bring to the surface.

“Your aunt cares about you.”

“She does.” Jamie hesitated. There was something she wanted to know. Would he tell her about this woman he’d loved so much?

“What is it?” he prompted when he saw the need on her face.

“Will you tell me more about Lizzy?” She couldn’t explain it, but there was something about the pictures—the name—that triggered flashbacks from a different life. One she couldn’t relate to at all.

“What do you want to know?” A cautious look appeared on his face. Why?

“Everything. I want to know everything about her.” She had no right to ask him these personal questions, but she did.

Will dragged in a breath. Let it go. Stared at a spot on the ground. “You already know she looks like you. Only different. Her hair was shorter, but other than that, you could be her twin.” It wasn’t the truth. She knew she didn’t appear healthy. Too much time spent inside. Alone. Fearful. It had taken a toll.

“Tell me about where you two first met?” Jamie tucked her hair behind her ears and focused on his face. She didn’t want to miss a single reaction. “Afghanistan is an odd place to meet.”

He smiled as he recalled the memory. “It was. I was finishing my final tour of duty. Couldn’t wait to get home. I’d been in Afghanistan for years and had always heard about the Babur Tomb in Kabul, but I’d never seen it. So, I figured it was a good time to play tourist.” He chuckled as he recalled the time. “Even with her hair covered, she took my breath away.”

Jamie fought a stab of jealousy at the love he still had for Lizzy. It was there on his face. His voice. “Did you go over and speak to her?”

“No, she came over to me. Lizzy was full of life and a risk taker. She certainly took one on me. She introduced herself. Said she was celebrating her graduation and wanted to know if I would like to go have coffee with her.”

She realized she had no idea what Lizzy’s last name was before she and Will married. “What was her surname?”

“Vermillion,” he said and searched her face for some hint of recollection.

She recognized the name immediately, though it didn’t fit into context with what he said. Vermillion was her mother’s maiden name. She found out that piece of information from Mark along with the connection they shared.

“Anyway, we finished touring the gardens there and then went for coffee. It was the beginning of a week-long courtship. When it was time for her return home, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. But I still had a month left before my tour was finished.”

“You had to say goodbye.”

He nodded. “We did. We didn’t make any future plans to meet up. I knew where she lived. She told me if I was ever in the neighborhood, I should look her up. And I did. I stopped by her apartment the first thing after I was back in the states. A week later, we were married, and I started looking for work in the D.C. area.”

“D.C.” She’d been told she’d lived in Washington before the accident. She’d attended Georgetown.

He narrowed his gaze. “That’s right. Lizzy went to the same college as you. She planned to attend the FBI academy later on.”

“And then what happened?” Something bad. She could tell from his expression.

“She was abducted. I came home one day, the front door was open, and she was gone. Lizzy had disappeared into thin air.”

Jamie studied his face. “You never found her?”

“No, never. There was a serial killer working the D.C. area at the time called the Van Gogh Killer. He’d killed five women at the time. Lizzy’s disappearance matched the others. The only difference was their bodies were found. Lizzy’s wasn’t.”

Tears were close and she fought them. “I’m so sorry.” She couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for him never to have the closure he needed. Always wondering.

“Me, too. She deserved better. Lizzy was a good person who was full of life and had so much to offer the world.”

Jamie couldn’t explain it, but she touched his face. “Oh, Will.” His jaw tightened as his gaze found hers. “I wish I could take it all away. For you.” And she meant it.

He stepped closer. Enveloped her hand in his. “What happened to you, Jamie?” The words came out so softly that it was a moment before she realized what he’d said. “Your aunt claims you had an accident, but it was more than that, wasn’t it?”

Her heart thundered in her chest like it did every time she tried to remember that time. “I can’t talk about it.” The words were but a whisper.

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