A Shaft of Light Read online

  Megan nodded her head. Anything to be able to stay right here.

  “Rose has cooked up another marvel in the kitchen. Shall we join her?” Sam stood up and gestured to Megan.

  As they headed back to the house, the cobblestone crunched noisily under her feet. “Dr. Timmons, this was the house you grew up in?”

  “Sure was. I have a lot of memories here.”

  Megan noticed Sam wince at his choice of words. “That’s okay. Did your parents move away?” Even before the words were out of her mouth she realized she shouldn’t have asked. “I’m sorry. I’m not being nosy. I was wondering about the history of this place. It’s so peaceful here. It’s as if . . . well, it’s like a refuge. I couldn’t help but wonder about the lives that lived here. I’m sorry.”

  Megan cringed inside, wondering why she rambled on so. She felt like a gawky thirteen-year-old around Dr. Timmons.

  “Megan. Ask anything you want. My dad and mom lived here all of their married lives. They died in a car accident five years ago. I couldn’t part with the place. My dad gardened and landscaped for a living. So much of who they were is here. I guess this is where I still feel close to them. They believed in creating a piece of heaven while they were on earth. I’d say they succeeded.”

  “I’m real sorry for your loss.” Megan responded quietly, then added. “There is too much pain in this world. You have something very special here. You and Rose.”

  Megan grew uncomfortable with the turn of conversation and was glad they were back at the house.

  Rose greeted them and invited them to sit out on the porch since the evening was so mild. Dinner was truly a wonder. Sauteed spinach with ham, smothered in a garlic and cheese gravy. Asparagus steamed to perfection. A meal fit for a queen. Megan felt spoiled. She tried to quell the growing restlessness she felt.

  Sam sat back and rubbed his stomach. “Rose, you’re going to make me fat.”

  “You are the most amazing cook, Rose. I can’t remember enjoying a meal more.” Sam and Rose stared at Megan. Megan laughed. “That was a joke. Seeing as I can’t remember much of anything.” It felt good to laugh.

  Still chuckling, Sam stood from the table. “I’m going to turn the weather on. We’re supposed to be in for some fierce storms tonight.” Sam grabbed some dishes on his way inside. He turned on the small television that was on the kitchen counter.

  Megan came in from the porch, carrying her glass of water. Sam’s eyes were glued to the TV. The local news had started, and the reporter was speaking about his upcoming interview with the candidates for governor.

  This is the third night in an ongoing feature where we ask the three candidates for governor your questions. Tonight we have the privilege of interviewing the Mayor of Piedmont, Mayor Richard Dwight. Richard Dwight has been an extremely popular mayor for almost eight years now. He . . .

  “Sounds good, if you can believe a politician.” Sam glanced up at Rose as she entered the kitchen.

  Rose stopped in her tracks and stared at the screen. Her face paled.

  “No.” Her voice sounded strange.

  Megan heard Rose, but could not pull her eyes from the face on the screen that seemed to be staring directly at her.

  She could feel her strength leaving her body, only slightly aware that Sam had run to her side. Guiding her to the table, he took her glass and set it down.

  “Megan, what’s wrong?”

  She glanced again at the screen. That face. Large, leering eyes seemed to know her, effortlessly piercing her guard, causing a cascade of unwanted emotions. In that moment, the TV, Sam’s face, and the entire kitchen disappeared into blackness.

  Chapter 7

  Sam checked in on her again. He could see she was slowly coming to. Rose sat next to her bed. A nurse came in and took her vital signs again, Sam looked them over. Nothing remarkable. Her blood pressure was returning to normal, and her breathing had calmed. Rose’s eyes were closed. Praying. Sam’s hands curled into fists. He blew out a long sigh. He wanted answers. Prayer seemed to elude him these days. Actually, if he was honest, prayer had become a distant note to a song he had once known. His instinct kicked in, and with it, impatience. Prescribe medicine, alter diets, fix the issue. But this situation was different. She needed something more.

  What could have triggered her reaction? He needed outside help, but he couldn’t risk alienating her. Rose had given him that lecture already. Sam turned to leave when he heard Rose call his name.

  She was waking. He walked back in and stood close to the bed.

  “Megan. It’s me, Sam. How do you feel?” He did not try to mask his deep concern.

  Rose reached out her hand and held onto Megan’s. “We’re right here, dear.”

  Megan opened her eyes, and at once her brows knit together in unspoken confusion. Sam guessed she was probably wondering why she was back in the hospital.

  “You became faint and passed out. We brought you in just to be sure nothing serious was going on.” He avoided mentioning her reaction that preceded her passing out. “How are you feeling?”

  Megan glanced around the room, echocardiography at the bedside registered increased heart rate. Sam saw the look of panic on her face that had become all too familiar. What was she so terrified of? He knew that other than the panic attack, she was fine to be discharged.

  “I need to go. Please.” Her voice was desperate. Her eyes pleading.

  “We are going to take you home. You’re fine to leave. I just want to hear you say that you’re feeling okay.”

  “I am.” It was a mere whisper.

  “Okay. Rose will help you dress and take you home. I’ll meet you there later.”

  Sam stopped at the local corner store to grab a cup of strong black coffee. He needed it. The town time-and-temp clock read 11:30, reminding him he should be in bed. He couldn’t, not now. He phoned Gabe, inviting him out for a late night java. His friend mercifully agreed. Sam needed to talk.

  He stepped into the precinct at precisely midnight. Gabe was already headed to the door.

  “Hey, we haven’t done this in a while.” His friend and confidant gave him a jovial smile, giving the impression this wasn’t his first cup of the night. Gabe offered to drive over in the police car, explaining that he would need to split if a call came in.

  Arriving and ordering their hot coffee blends, Gabe started. “You don’t meet me at the cafe at midnight without a really good reason. It’s about the woman with amnesia, isn’t it?”

  What? Sam shot a glare, but Gabe just raised his free hand. “One of your nurses is a friend of Kim’s. She mentioned a patient had amnesia from a fall over at Tuckerman’s Trail. That’s a rough pass.”

  “I guess I don’t need to beat around the bush. Yes, that is what I want to talk to you about. But I promised her I would keep it anonymous. She’s terribly frightened, had a few panic attacks. She’s staying with Rose for now.”

  “Another stray, huh?” Gabe teased.

  “Sort of. She ran from the hospital before she should have been released. I found her out at the campground and talked her into staying out at the lakehouse.

  “You may be in over your head, my friend. Do you think she is in trouble with the law?”

  “No. I really don’t. I think something happened to her. She is constantly looking over her shoulder, feeling like she needs to keep running.”

  “Do you think she would talk to Kim? That’s right up her alley.”

  “Yeah, that’d be great. Megan has no money. No ID. Nothing except an old letter and a very large dog.”

  “Why don’t you invite us over? No. Not me. Just Kim. Kim could stop by for some of Rose’s dried herbal concoctions and meet Megan. What do you think?”

  “I like it. I should have thought of Kim right away. Let me talk to them both, I’ll get back to you. Right now, I need to get to bed.”

  Gabe laughed. “What? You don’t like the nightwatch hours?” Sam noticed Gabe hesitate then offer, “Don’t forget prayer, my fr
iend.”

  Sam stood up, giving Gabe a slap on the back. “Thanks. I needed this.”

  “Anytime, friend. You know that. Listen, I’ll talk to Kim tomorrow morning.” Gabe added in afterthought, “It’s odd, though. No one looking for her? No ID? It doesn’t make any sense, you know?”

  They left separately and Gabe drove back to the precinct. Sam got into his car, wishing he were already home, that 5:00 a.m. wasn’t quite so soon. All would seem better in the daylight, maybe Megan would be ready to talk about what happened yesterday. Somehow, he wasn’t convincing himself. Help, Lord. I am in over my head. It was all Sam could think of saying. Since his parents had passed away, he felt as though God had drifted away as well.

  The next morning did come too soon. He showered half-awake, spilled his coffee, and burnt his toast. He turned the TV on to catch the headlines. There he was again. Mayor Richard Dwight. A picture of Megan fainting yesterday when the news was on invaded Sam’s mind. He would be relieved to have Kim talk to her. It would take some pressure off of him. Did she have a panic attack? Was something else going on he couldn’t see? Didn’t Rose mention something about having known the mayor that was running for governor? He had the impression she didn’t like him. Sam hadn’t been paying much attention at the time. He would have to ask Rose about it later.

  For now, he wanted to pull more information out of Megan, but knew better. Her injuries weren’t only on the outside. He had to be patient. Sam left for work, but work was not what was on his mind.

  “Dr. T, your patient in room twenty-one insists on speaking to you again.” Nurse Halloway’s nasal voice irritated him more than usual.

  “Please inform room twenty-one I will be back in when my rounds are done.” Sam flipped through the pages on a clipboard, musing, Politeness does not always pay off.

  “I’m sorry, Doctor, I told her that already. She is really putting up quite a fuss. We don’t know what else to do. I suppose I could see if Dr. Dan would stop in and see her on his way out, or I could . . .”

  Sam interrupted Nurse Halloway’s discourse. “Tell her I will be in to see her as soon as I can.” He hoped his voice held a strong hint of finality, which it must have, because Nurse Halloway left in a bit of a huff. Sam sighed.

  Two nurses called in sick when not one could be spared. Two patients died, one being the elderly friend of Rose’s. When it couldn’t get worse, Gabe stopped by to let him know Kim was out of town for the weekend, spur of the moment, and wouldn’t be around to meet Megan. I don’t have a weekend to wait. He knew he needed all of what Megan remembered, all she was holding back, and he needed it today. It was as though a tsunami was rising, sneaking up on them unseen. He could sense it. He needed to be prepared as much as possible. What happened to her? Without her memory, she was like a victim being stalked by an assailant with a cloaking device. How can one defend themselves?

  His inner struggle was only beginning. He wanted to pray, to ask for help but it had been so long . . . there seemed to be a mountain between him and God he couldn’t summit.

  Sam didn’t know the answer. Praying now seemed to take so much effort, like an old rusty door on weak hinges, resisting opening . . . It wasn’t how it used to be, before the accident. Memories of a closeness to God he once knew lingered in the back of his mind. He brushed them aside. Time to get moving.

  Chapter 8

  Rose offered Megan a trip to town. Megan greatly appreciated the break from thinking, as well as the tension that continually seemed to build up around her.

  She grabbed her blue cap and they headed out the door.

  Strolling through the quaint shopping plaza, she picked out a simple outfit as well as some personal items. It felt so good to get out and do something normal. Rose’s generosity had made this day possible. Megan thanked her profusely for the trip.

  The late summer day was muggy. By lunch, both had run out of energy.

  “Megan, let’s grab a bite from the sandwich shop and take it across the street to the park. We have some beautiful fountains and a flower garden.”

  Megan agreed readily. Her stomach growled, voicing its approval.

  After deciding to eat sandwiches, they took the bagged lunch and walked, not in any hurry, out to the street.

  “Just over there is a park bench, right near the fountain of roses. It’s my favorite spot.”

  Megan looked over as they crossed the street. The park was definitely lush and filled with extravagant color. She wondered if Dr. Timmons’ father had created it. A gate made out of a grape arbor waited to welcome them on the other side.

  The screeching of tires and roar of an oncoming vehicle shattered the moment’s peace. A car sped around the park corner and headed right for them. Rose hollered something. Megan grabbed her arm and pulled her out of harm’s way. In the rush, her ball cap flew off of her head and onto the street, leaving her hair flying loosely in the wind. A reckless black Porsche zoomed past. Megan glanced at the car. Sweat pricked her skin. Once again, as though demonic eyes followed her, Megan felt a surge of panic, and with it, memories . . . no, more like impressions. Emotions. Fear.

  “Idiots!” Rose shouted after them. Megan grabbed her cap from the street and placed it back on her head. She echoed Rose’s comment, but her thoughts remained on what had just happened. Was she losing her mind? Maybe she already had.

  “I can’t believe people these days. I bet it was a young kid, or some self-serving businessman who was late for lunch. Did you see that car? It was a fancy schmancy sports car, no doubt.” Rose’s face was very flustered, her lips pursed. Megan had never seen her so upset.

  She grabbed Rose’s hand, and pasted on a smile. “So long as our lunch is safe, I’m happy.”

  Rose attempted a laugh as they approached the park bench. “Let’s eat!”

  Megan hardly heard her.

  Chapter 9

  With only a few timid rays of light coming in through the window, Megan resented the fact that she could not nap. She was exhausted and craved an escape. But restlessness plagued her. It was time to face this head on.

  She began to write furiously in her journal. Why had the image of the mayor startled her so? She felt like she was a little girl cowering in fear. How did she know him? Did she know him at all? It was a place to start. Even though it made her shudder, she spent time researching on the laptop Rose had provided her with, and found that most people thought very highly of him. He was the Mayor of Piedmont, and a very successful businessman — generous as well. Perhaps he simply reminded her of someone else.

  She hadn’t even come out for tea, feeling a great need to write it all down. She knew that Bear was taken care of, and that she needed to capture every thought, every feeling, every memory, in case her mind would shut down again.

  The sports car that nearly ran them down in town yesterday was another piece of the puzzle that didn’t fit. Was she that prone to panic attacks or was she simply not remembering because she didn’t want to? Megan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew the answers were coming, she wasn’t sure she wanted them.

  A gentle knock on the door woke Megan from her sleep. She realized, groggily, that she had fallen asleep at her desk. The sun was setting, and the evening air was cooling off her room.

  “Yes. Come in.”

  Sam opened the door. “Hey. Rose was worried about you. I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

  “I’m sorry I worried her. I fell asleep at the desk. I guess with what happened, I decided I needed to write down as much as I could.”

  “Would you be willing to come down, have a bite to eat? We could talk some.”

  Megan hesitated. She really wasn’t sure how much she should tell. Or how much she could tell. The fragments, the panic, it was all so personal, so hard to understand.

  Sam gently prodded her. “I would like to talk about what happened to you yesterday, and some ideas I had that might help.”

  He was only looking out for her wellbeing. She knew she shoul
d trust him. She wanted to trust him. If only he could really help . . .

  “A sandwich does sound good right now.” Megan stood and made her way to the door. “I’m just not sure what to say.”

  “Let’s start by having supper. Rose has gone out for the evening, but she left us some of her chocolate chip cookies. Dessert is always a good way to start.”

  “Hmm. Dessert first. Didn’t someone once say, ‘Life is uncertain, eat dessert first?’”

  “Amen to that.”

  Megan and Sam headed to the kitchen. The lighter conversation eased her mind. The cookies were out on the counter, and Sam passed one to Megan.

  “Mm. Even better than they look. Must be those fresh eggs.”

  “Would you like me to make you a sandwich? We can take them outside on the porch.” Sam gestured to the screen door off of the kitchen.

  “Just a half for me. Ham is good.” Megan grabbed napkins and iced tea, turned and headed outside.

  The quiet between them was comfortable. Megan caught herself smiling at a peace she hadn’t felt for days. His presence inspired confidence, and created a depth of safety she hadn’t experienced in a long time. He never pushed her, only offered her a listening ear and an open door. He could have invited a whacko into his house. He took a chance with her. She owed him something.

  She looked back through the screen, watching him attempt to tame his curly brown hair with his hand. That cowlick of his must torment him. She stopped her thoughts and turned her gaze away, allowing a sigh to escape. If only things could be different . . .

  Dr. Timmons pushed open the door with his arm and stepped to the table with their food. Bear lumbered up the porch steps and put his teddy bear head on Megan’s lap. She kissed his ear, and snuck him a small bite of her sandwich. He slobbered on her pants in approval.