Amnesia

Chapter Twenty-Seven – Mallory

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Mallory

Turning over, I moaned as my head throbbed. My mouth felt like someone had stuffed cotton into it, and I was pretty sure the smell of alcohol was coming from me. I slowly sat up and turned to see MaryAnne passed out next to me.

“Or it’s coming from you.”

She groaned and opened her eyes. “Oh my God, I’ve never felt so bad in my entire life.”

It was dark in the bedroom, with just a small lamp on in the corner of the room.

“What time is it?” I asked as I swung my legs over the bed and forced myself to stand.

“Um, I can’t read my watch, my eyes are blurry still.” Then she giggled. “It looks like it’s eleven.”

Then she sat up so fast she let out another moan. “Oh God, Billy must be so mad at me. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved me.”

I stretched and started for the bathroom. “I need to brush my teeth. I have mouthwash if you want some. Your breath stinks of booze.”

“Mine?” she asked, following me into the bathroom. “You smell like someone poured it straight over your head.”

We both chuckled.

After I brushed and MaryAnne rinsed her mouth and then her face, we both headed out of the bedroom. The lights were on, and I assumed it was because Liam and Billy were still up. I came to a stop, and MaryAnne bumped into me from behind.

“Chad?” I said as I looked at him, and then to the beautiful woman to his right. She was mixing something in a bowl and was clearly pregnant.

“You must be Mallory,” she said as she put the bowl down and made her way over to me. She drew me in for a hug, then stepped back. “And you must be MaryAnne?”

MaryAnne nodded. “I’m guessing you’re Krista?”

“I am!” Krista said as she gave MaryAnne a hug.

I glanced around the room. “Where is Liam?”

“Down at the main barn,” Billy replied. “Another mare is foaling and he’s with the vet and Larson. She’s having a bit of trouble.”

Nodding, I turned to my left and saw Jimmy and Howdy in the living room. Howdy was asleep on the sofa, and Jimmy was watching a movie and drinking a beer.

“Um, why is everyone here?” I asked.

Chad stood. “Do you want some coffee, or tea, maybe? You look like you’ve been to a frat party.”

I smiled. “I feel like it as well. Coffee sounds good. I may make something to eat…MaryAnne, are you hungry?”

“Starving,” she replied as she slipped onto a stool. “But the idea of eating makes me want to hurl.”

Billy chuckled. “Why don’t we head on upstairs, you take a shower, and I’ll make you half of a sandwich.”

“How about I do all of that and you find some crackers and bring those to me and water. Lots of water.”

Krista giggled and made her way into the hidden pantry. She reappeared and handed Billy a box of saltine crackers. “This should help.”

MaryAnne pointed to Krista. “I already like you. New bestie.”

Krista beamed and nodded. “Okay!”

Billy took the crackers and guided MaryAnne out of the kitchen and through the house to take her upstairs.

I turned toward the refrigerator and looked around for something to make.

“I’ve got coffee cake in the oven, and if you’d like, I can make you up an omelet. Chad needs to talk to you about some stuff.”

Turning to look at Chad, he gave me a soft smile. “We can talk here while Krista makes that for you. She likes to cook when she’s nervous.”

My eyes went back to Krista, who was already busy getting veggies and eggs out. “I do as well.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s what Liam said.”

Chad cleared his throat. “Um, while you were, um…sleeping.”

I laughed. “You mean passed out from too much scotch?”

Grinning, he said, “Yes, that. Liam asked me to come over to talk about you. He told me everything, and we discovered a few things.”

Sitting on the stool I asked, “Like what?”

“The guy who kidnapped you, the one in the picture.”

I nodded.

“I’ve met him before.”

My entire body went stiff. “What?”

“He’s a friend of Jonathon’s.”

I blinked a few times as I replayed the words in my head. “Wait. What?”

Chad cleared his throat. “I’m making a mess of this. I’m still in a bit of shock myself. I’m sorry.”

Reaching for his hand, I said, “It’s okay. Just take a deep breath and start at the beginning.”

After Chad was finished telling me everything, I sat there, stunned. “Do you think they’ve taken other women from Chicago?”

Chad shrugged. “I don’t know. It wouldn’t surprise me. Nothing would right now. I still honestly can’t believe that Jonathon would be involved in something like this. I’ve known him since school. He was my best man at my wedding.”

Krista walked over and placed a plate filled with fruit and an omelet in front of me.

“This looks amazing. Thank you, Krista. You have to be exhausted. Are you staying here? Please tell me you’re not driving home this late.”

Chad shook his head. “I told Liam we’d stay here.”

“I hate to ask this, but do you have anything I might be able to sleep in? Something in an extra-large size!” Krista asked as she placed her hands on her swollen stomach.

“Yes! Let me go get something.”

She reached for my shoulder and held me down. “No, you eat first. I’m going to make my way upstairs and take a hot shower, I think. Billy said to go to the first door on the right.”

I nodded. “That room has an en suite in there.”

Krista kissed Chad on the cheek and then headed out of the kitchen.

Chad sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “This is all so messed up.”

“And no one knows where Jonathon is?” I asked.

“No. I’ve even tried to call him, but only once. I was hoping if he thought I wasn’t aware of what was going on, he’d give me a call.”

I sighed, suddenly not hungry anymore. I wasn’t about to let the food go to waste, though, especially since poor Krista had made it and she was most likely exhausted.

“Let me run and get something for Krista really quick so you can head on upstairs. You look tired yourself.”

Chad frowned. “I was going to stay awake and–”

“You need sleep as well, Chad. Besides, Howdy and Jimmy are here.”

Glancing back into the living room, Chad chuckled. “Howdy is asleep and Jimmy is barely awake.”

“It will be fine,” I said as I slid off the stool and quickly headed to Liam’s bedroom. I guess it was my bedroom now as well.

I found an oversized T-shirt of Liam’s and some shorts for Krista. The shorts wouldn’t fit over her belly, but she might still want to wear them.

“Here you go. I hope they work.”

Standing, Chad took the clothes and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Mallory. I somehow feel like I’m to blame for this. If Jonathon hadn’t come to Chicago with me…”

I took his hands in mine. “You are not to blame. That picture of Donald was taken well before you came to Chicago. That tells me they had been possibly watching me. Waiting.”

My entire body shook, but I pushed it away. “In a way it was a good thing. It brought me to Liam.”

Chad smiled. “That is a good thing.”

“Go on and head upstairs.”

He frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“Finish this meal, clean up, take a shower, and climb back into bed.”

He nodded. “Sleep well, Mallory. You’re safe.”

“I know. Thanks, Chad.”

After eating and cleaning up the kitchen, I headed to the bathroom and took a much-needed shower. My headache was gone, and I was starting to feel normal once again. I reached for my phone and called Liam.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

I smiled. “I’m okay. How are things going there?”

“Vet just got the foal out, looks like they’re both going to be okay. It was touch and go there for a bit.”

“You’ve got to be so tired, it’s nearly one in the morning.”

“I am tired. Did anyone tell you what was going on?”

“Chad did. He feels so guilty, and I tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault.”

“I’m sure he’s in a bit of shock as well. Jonathon and he were really good friends.”

“Have you heard anything? Does anyone know where he is?”

“Randy called me about an hour ago. No sign of Jonathon, but they found out he bought three-hundred acres of land about seven years ago. He never told anyone, and it was under a corporate name.”

My hand came to my mouth. “Are they going to search it?”

“Yeah. I told him I wanted to be there, but he said it wouldn’t be a good idea. Plus, they didn’t want to risk the case with me there. Someone could say I planted something.”

“That makes sense. When are you coming home?”

“I’ll be home in a little bit. There is a cop stationed at the gate, so that at least makes me feel somewhat better. But this ranch is huge. If anyone wanted to get on it, they could.”

An uneasiness crept into my body, and I shivered from an unexpected rush of cold air.

“Well, be careful coming back and…”

A loud boom came from outside, and I jumped, letting out a scream. Howdy and Jimmy both jumped up, and Jimmy pulled out a gun. My mouth fell open. Where had he kept that?

“What was that?” Liam asked.

“Fire!” Jimmy yelled.

“Fire? Did someone just yell fire?” Liam shouted.

Chad and Billy both came running down the steps, both of them were still dressed.

“It’s a trap,” Billy said.

“Bubba is in the barn!” Howdy cried out in horror.

“Mallory!” Liam screamed. “What is going on?”

I looked around the room and out the living room window at the glow of red. “There was a loud bang, and now there is fire coming from the barn. Bubba was in the barn.”

“Is he okay? Stay in the house, don’t you leave.”

“I…I won’t.”

“Bubba is calling me, sweetheart.”

The line went dead, and I rushed into the living room. “Bubba just called Liam.”

Billy turned to me. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?”

My eyes went wide. “No!”

“I do!” Krista stated as she came down the steps. She had her pants on and my T-shirt. “I grew up shooting all kinds of different guns; my father was a police officer.”

Billy ran into the kitchen and down the hall. I wasn’t sure where he was going, to the office or bedroom. He suddenly appeared with a few rifles and gave a handgun to Jimmy.

“It’s loaded and ready to go. Just take off the safety,” Chad said as he took a gun from Billy and gave it to his wife.

His pregnant wife.