“You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve heard when I came to work for Shadows. I have helped people see that, yes, they’ve been through something I’ll never understand, but I can still help them find their way back home.” He leans forward. “Funny thing is, sometimes going home is going backward for them. Some find starting a new life somewhere else is their ticket to freedom.” He raises one hand to rub his jaw. “Let this place protect you and also heal you. You’re lucky. Not everyone gets to have this privilege. Just keep telling yourself that you’re free, you have a voice, and you have choices.”
“All right,” I whisper. His words make the ache dull momentarily.
“Now,” he stands, picking up his bag, “our session ran a little bit long today.” I glance at his watch. We have been talking for two and a half hours. “Have you taken the horses out for a ride yet? If not, you should. There’s plenty of countryside to see. Enjoy the rest of your day. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cole
Cole checks his watch for the fifth time in sixty seconds, waiting impatiently for Dr. Roberts to finish this session with Savannah. He doesn’t have time to waste; he needs to know what the good Doc got out of her this morning. Mark Lopez, his best friend and one of his most trusted men, had overheard their conversion from the patio. He said she sounded really upset and thought maybe the doc had made a small breakthrough. Cole wanted to check on her himself and make sure she was okay.
He hasn’t seen Savannah since that night in her room when he had wanted to tell her how he felt. As usual, his pride got in the way, and he couldn’t. He knew better than to cross a line with a “guest,” of course. It was totally unprofessional and not like him at all. He knew she was avoiding him, although Abigail assured him that she just needed some alone time. Kidnap victims tended to take one step forward and two steps back, so he was letting her be, but when Mark came to him, there was nothing he could think of other than making sure she was all right.
He marched right down the hallway and burst into the room. In hindsight, he was glad they were out on the balcony. He felt like a Neanderthal with his lack of courtesy. When Cole moved toward the open doors and heard her sobbing, the doctor caught his eye and shook his head for him not to interrupt. Once he saw she was all right to some degree, he nodded, leaving the room.
What is with this woman? Getting him to drop everything and go find her right in the middle of a conference call? Living with two generations of Special Forces men lends itself to a certain kind of lifestyle. It’s a structured, no bullshit, do-your-job-and-do-it-well way of life. He had girlfriends before, but never had much time for them with the family business. A few women never liked the fact he couldn’t share much, and how he’d disappear for days at a time. He didn’t find he cared enough to let them in. It was easier to hold them at arm’s length, especially after the last woman. Yeech!
But with Savannah, it’s different. From the moment his eyes met hers, he couldn’t shake the protective feeling he had about her. He leans his forehead against the wall with a groan. His father said this could happen one day, but he never believed it. He just wasn’t the relationship type; he was married to his job.Christ, get a grip, man!
He pushes off the wall—he will not let this ridiculous feeling cloud his judgment. She’s just another pretty face who needs help. He lets out a steady, long breath.Stop thinking about her!It’s just that this damn woman is keeping him up at night. He needs to separate himself from her, and it needs to start now.
Suddenly, her bedroom door opens. He takes a step forward, ready to pounce on the good doctor, when instead she comes out, wiping her eyes with a tissue.
“Oh, hi.” Her wide, watery eyes look up at him.
Shit. “Are you all right?”What was that you were just saying?He groans internally.
She nods, forcing a smile. Is she nervous? She’s acting nervous.
“Yes—mm, I just need some fresh air.”
Holy shit, she’s nervous; all the signs are there. He holds up his hand to stop her, but Dr. Roberts comes out, scanning his notes. She slides around him and hurries down the hall. Slippery little woman. He shakes his head. She is probably rattled from her session.
“Oh, Cole.” Dr. Roberts holds up his recorder. “We should talk.”
“So, no real description of The American, just that he was there and confirmed she was who they said she was.” Cole clicks the audio recorder off, plugging it into the USB cord. He hits a key, uploading the session onto his computer.
“Only that he had flashy boots,” the doctor adds. “Honestly, in my professional opinion, she doesn’t know anything. You’d have to be one hell of an actress to pull this off.”
Cole agrees with the doctor. Not that he thinks Savannah is anything but innocent—it just feels good to have someone confirm it. “Wow.” He shakes his head. “This is the third case with this son of a bitch. I wonder what his connection is.”
Dr. Roberts rubs his face in thought. “I don’t know, but it’s still beyond me that they kept her alive all this time. Why not make the exchange? Granted, fifty grand is peanuts, but they’ve had seven months to up it to a million. It cost them money to keep her fed, not that she ate much.”
Cole’s stomach turns, remembering what she said about making a promise to herself.
“I don’t get it. It’s like they kept her on ice. What were they waiting for? I think there’s a lot more to this case than what we’re seeing.” Cole taps his pen on the arm of the chair. “I think you’re right. We’ll keep her father in the dark. I don’t trust it won’t go public. There are leaks everywhere. Too many eyes on him.”
“Yeah, the man sure loves the media,” Dr. Roberts mutters.
“Overall, what are your thoughts on Savannah adjusting here?” Cole has to ask. He needs to know what is making her nervous. Was it today’s session or something else?
“I’d say she’s doing well. Just the fact that she started talking after fourteen days was impressive. She’s an interesting woman. She picks up on a lot more than you’d think. Watch her when you’re in a group. She studies people’s behavior, then once she feels she understands them, she’ll engage. I suspect her trust in people was tested a lot while she was held captive, perhaps even before.” He reaches for his bag. “I feel after some time she’ll come around, but don’t be taken by her feisty behavior. It could be a front. She uses it as a shield to keep people who make her uncomfortable at arm’s length. Though if you read her file, she is a bit of a spitfire at times.” He stands, fixing his tie. “One thing her physician and I agree on is she was not raped. She shows no signs of any sexual assault.”
Cole sinks further into his chair.Thank fuck!
“That being said, it sure opens up another whole box of questions.”
“Yeah, it sure does.” Cole leans forward and shakes his hand. “Okay, Roberts, see you tomorrow.”
Cole rises, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window. He tucks his hands into his pockets and watches the clouds float across the mountains. He can’t wrap his head around it—no sexual abuse, no million-dollar ransom. They keep her alive for over seven months, and despite her psychological state, she’s relatively all right. It just doesn’t add up. He needs to start laying out the pieces to this growing puzzle. They’re not going to let Savannah get away that easily.