Silent Run

said we’re ready.” His gaze narrowed. “You disappeared right in front of me, went into your head. What did you see? What did you remember?"
    Before she could answer, the cameraman was counting down the seconds, “Five, four, three, two, one, go."
    Dylan dragged Jake out of the shot as the reporter said, “This is Jillian Davis reporting live from St. Mary’s Hospital, where an amnesia victim needs the public’s help to find her missing child.” Jillian turned to Sarah with an encouraging smile. “Tell us what we can do.”

Chapter Seven

    With a suspicious eye Jake watched Sarah stumble through her answers. Something had happened to her. She’d gone into herself, remembered something that scared her. Did it have to do with Caitlyn?
    Sarah appeared to have gathered herself together now, but he could see that it was a struggle for her to speak. Her answers were short, clipped, and no matter what Jillian did to encourage a longer response, Sarah remained maddeningly brief in her replies. Finally it was over. The lights went off, and Sarah slumped in her chair.
    Dylan shot him a pointed look, reminding Jake that his brother thought Sarah’s behavior was odd, too. Nothing new there. Fortunately Dylan walked Jillian and the cameraman out of the room, leaving Jake alone with Sarah. He needed to talk to her before she got her guard back up.
    â€œI didn’t do well,” she said, looking down at her hands. “I froze when it started."
    â€œYou froze before it started.” He moved over to her, squatting down in front of her so they were eye-to-eye. “What did you remember? Don’t try to lie. I know it was something."
    â€œI was in a building, and there were reporters’ news trucks outside. There were a couple of other people in the room, and they were talking about getting me out without anyone seeing me. I didn’t want to go, but this man said I had to go, that I was dead, and it was the only way out.” She raised her gaze to his, and he could see the fear in her eyes. “I had the feeling that whoever I was that night I was never going to be again."
    Jake considered her words, his gut churning. Her statement confirmed what he already knew --   that Sarah had once been somebody else. But who?
    â€œThe fact that you were involved in something that the press was covering is very interesting,” he said slowly.
    Sarah nodded. “Yes, but I don’t know where I was."
    â€œWas anyone wearing a uniform? Could you have been at a police station? What about a courthouse? Did you see a judge, a court officer, a bailiff?"
    â€œNo one was wearing a uniform, just suits, nondescript suits,” she said with a shrug. “I was in some sort of an office. It could have been in the courthouse or in a police station, but I can’t say for sure."
    â€œYou saw faces this time?"
    â€œThey were vague, but sort of,” she said.
    â€œYou’re going to have to do better than that, Sarah."
    â€œIt was a flash, Jake. It lasted, like, ten seconds in my head. I didn’t know it was coming. I couldn’t get ready for it."
    â€œJust think for a minute. Can you describe the people in the room?"
    â€œOnly that it was a man and a woman. The man was tall. He had a commanding air about him. It felt like he was in charge. They talked about getting me out through a side door."
    It sounded to Jake as if someone had been trying to help Sarah hide. It could have been the cops, her family, friends -- how could he know? But the fact that there had been news trucks implied that whatever she’d been involved in was big enough to warrant press coverage. That meant there must be a paper trail regarding that particular story, if he could figure out what the story was.
    He stood up as Deputy Manning and his brother paused just outside the room, conversing with the hospital’s head of security.
    Sarah grabbed his arm. “Don’t tell them what I just said,” she pleaded.
    Jake wondered why. “I’m not going to keep your secrets.” But when Manning and Dylan walked over to join them, he decided to hear what they had to say first. He needed to think about Sarah’s latest flash of memory, figure out what it might mean. He also wanted to ask her why she’d panicked at the idea of him discussing her memory with the police.
    â€œI’ve spoken with Mr. Jamison in security,” Manning said. “They