ENED. For several seconds, Karen didn't move. Rain continued beating a

ir

ifted his eyes

ng to trace

ong about it. Only a few people knew what had happened three ye

d th

s,

door. Cold rain imm

er called. "Sho

ped. "Wait

now if it's

ard the police s

alked int

it still. She had been staring at the front

not he

at him. "How

ated. "He ha

't mean he'

the window. The rain outside made

ld be o

in

ld be w

ice tr

"We have offi

itterly. "You d

lp me un

w could she explain something she couldn't remem

w why I'm af

I don't remember him hurting me

th us even when m

m. "Then why do I

didn't

remember h

her hand and stared

why

e became

remember h

frowned

y looked awa

s an image of Karen smiling at her. It made everything more confusing. The man she remembered smiling didn

uddenly

d some

ately shook h

ed at hi

't know what ha

e a police

frightened

s. "You're treating

ng to pro

ut humor. "Everyone

at her. "Wha

eps saying that. Where h

a memory

an's

and

g to protect

round quickly.

okay?" Da

white room. Bright lights. Someone standing bes

ve to f

y ga

memory di

the edge o

ushed to

in

ulled

told me t

ared at h

fingers against her temples

get

n't k

rned. "Maybe you sh

N

in

N

hoed through

door sudde

opped br

turned

ely in black. Rainwater dripped from his hair and

steppe

he sa

art st

re

m becam

couldn

ouldn't

ined finding her. He had imagined seeing her again. But n

Her hair was wet and messy.

of

nside him tighten, but

k one ste

iately stop

o, Ci

vo

acted. Her breathing became uneven.

N

es changed

in

come

"I'm not goin

It was a te

hat every

ession becam

ryo

with? Where had she been? He wanted answers. Thousa

t

stepped

. V

ed at him.

s frig

n see

en them. "Don't talk abo

perly. Cindy felt something strange. A painful pressure ins

spoke. "You

her head.

s his face. Pain, or an

me?" h

ice wa

qu

wallowe

le

or several seconds. "

n caught he

red at hi

uldn't

d briefly to her hands and the

emember a

became defensive.

yo

es nar

breath. "I'm not t

came

he police

found

"I've been looking fo

ok her he

urt more than

y for a moment,

you're

That doesn't ans

was

The tension in the room had

ly at Karen. "Why d

e became

e I lov

y fr

d, but something inside h

ook he

N

eyes d

N

omeone and make t

pond. His silenc

ee

t him. "You don

r. "I don't know w

ember

tell

y st

ne careful s

diately st

opped

e what

t him. A mem

oo

cked

cre

ding in fr

yes w

ou

oice

n wa

were

ression

he

was b

diately loo

cont

e standi

tightened.

wer

zed her e

't rem

n't look

oked

er eyes. "Why

eyes m

m n

re ly

said n

't alone. Two men stood outside the station,

ly stepped cl

are t

oked beh

secu

cur

nervously. "

ked at he

expressio

ps your men shou

are ou

stomach twist. She suddenly remembered another man. Someone

ga

ticed im

t is

backed

N

in

N

memory became stronger. A hallway. T

h

uns

scre

one f

pushed past him. She ran straight to

Daniel

uld have reached her. He was faster. Bu

low me!" s

ppeared throu

rned towa

't m

emained fixed

terri

kno

ive her

. "Officer, my wife has be

didn't

police station covered in blood wit

ecame serious.

N

voice

don

cer star

the hallway. "I don't k

saw something beneath Kar

e

l f

brated. He pulled it out.

ved across

tire body b

N'T HAVE C

message

WHEN SHE DIDN'

xpression

hotograp

stared

lost al

l not

t is

didn't

stepped

. V

wly lifte

d Ci

frowned

ow

hy

His voice was low, and for the

ot the only ones

room. She had locked the door. Her hands were

was

d fou

osed h

seeing h

of her want t

e sudden

y fr

wly loo

ph

remember

bag and found the dev

WN CA

stared

ans

el

seconds, n

an's voice

trust

opped br

are

n didn't

ipped th

are

e became

aped onc

eyes w

't escap

all e

the phone, her

ocked on the st

y ju

in

n's

ered he

open t

idn't

in

ice wa

ca

eas

erious woman had told her not to trust Karen. But Kar

osed h

aw

was si

en spoke

ot lea

es filled

hy

er si

ime, l

aren a

already los

still. Her hand slowl

uld unlock it, he

nal me

PENED TO THE WOMAN

nd her blood turned cold. She

anding on th

it

y, Cindy kn

e was

didn't