Silent Run

Witness Protection,” Jake suggested. The idea had been running around in his brain since Sarah had told him about the memory. “Think about it -- if Sarah witnessed a crime, then she could have been asked to testify. Her life might have been in danger. And if her testimony was important, someone might have tried to hide her. Maybe that’s why she lied to me about her past,” he added, feeling as if the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to make sense.
    â€œThat’s a lot of ifs,” Dylan told him.
    â€œTrue. But we know that Sarah saw someone get shot."
    â€œOr that’s what she wants us to think. She drops a few key details here and there and paints a picture that could be true or not."
    Jake nodded. “You might be right, but let’s go with the theory that her complete memory is lost and the bits and pieces that she’s remembering are clues to her past. Do you have any contacts in Witness Protection?"
    â€œI can look into it."
    â€œGood, thanks. I’ll stay with Sarah tonight. Tomorrow I want to go out to the accident scene. After that, if Sarah is well enough to leave the hospital, I’d like to take her down to LA. Manning gave me the address on the car registration. Apparently there is no one at that address who knows anything about the owner of the car, Margaret Bradley, or Sarah, but it’s an apartment building, and Manning didn’t check with everyone living there."
    â€œSounds like a plan."
    â€œNot much of one, but all I’ve got,” Jake said. “I just hope we get more leads from the broadcast tonight. I appreciate you setting that up. In fact, I appreciate everything you’ve been doing."
    â€œIt’s no problem. I owe you, Jake. We both know that."
    â€œNo, you don’t,” Jake said quickly.
    â€œYes, I do,” Dylan replied, meeting his gaze.
    Jake saw a flash of pain flit through his brother’s eyes and knew that despite his best efforts Dylan would be forever haunted and damaged by their past. What his mother had started with her sudden unexplained departure when Jake was ten and Dylan was seven, his father had finished with his brutal bullying of Dylan, who could never do anything right. Jake had tried to protect Dylan, but he hadn’t always succeeded.
    â€œStop giving me that look; I’m fine now,” Dylan said, reading his mind.
    â€œYeah, that’s what you always say."
    â€œForget about me. We’ve got more important things to worry about. We need to get your kid back."
    Jake threw a couple of dollars on the table and stood up. “Did you find a motel for the night?"
    â€œI will when I leave here. Be careful, Jake,” Dylan said as he got to his feet. “If someone wants Sarah dead, it’s not a stretch to think they’d take you out to get to her."
    * * *
    Sarah couldn’t believe she was actually missing Jake’s presence. She’d spent most of the day wishing she could find a way to get rid of him. His never-ending suspicions kept her nerves on edge. But there was also something about his intensity, his determination to find his daughter, his strength and confidence that made her believe that if anyone could bring Caitlyn back to her, it was Jake. Not that he intended to hand his daughter over to her; she’d have to fight him for that. Surely, once her memory returned, she’d be able to do just that. But right now all she really wanted was to know that Caitlyn was safe. The rest would work itself out.
    She flipped through the television channels with restless fingers. While her body was tired, her mind was still keyed up from the interview. She had done a terrible job. She’d felt as if every word she spoke was taking her down a path she didn’t want to go. She’d gone against her instinct to stay in the shadows because of her desire to find her daughter; but somewhere inside she was terrified she’d done more harm than good.
    Jake opened the door, and her pulse jumped at the sight of him.
    When he came into a room she never knew what to expect. Most of the time he was extremely pissed off at her, but here and there she saw moments of softening, of kindness, or maybe she just wanted to see something good in him. She needed a friend, an ally, someone to trust, but was Jake that person?
    He took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the chair next to the bed. Then he sat down and stretched out his long legs in front of