She bit her lip as she studied him, as if she couldn’t quite trust him. “You don’t remember the fight?”

An inner voice cautioned him to sidestep that one. “No.”

“Nothing?” She seemed skeptical.

“That’s what’s weird,” he admitted. “But the doctor said I came in through the ER.”

She reached out and touched his hand, her fingers cool. Familiar. “Bobby found you.”

“Knowlton?” God, he didn’t remember that at all.

“He was the one who called nine-one-one.”

“And Megan wasn’t there?”

She shook her head, blond hair glinting under the overhead lights. “I asked Bobby, and he said you were alone.”

“He say anything else?”

“Not to me.”

James’s head was pounding, but he was trying like hell to recall anything that would help him make sense of this nightmare.

She lowered her voice even more and squeezed his fingers, only to release them. “Have you talked to the cops?”

“No. Not yet.”

“But they’ve been here?”

“The doctor said so. But I don’t remember.” And then he thought of something else. “I’m missing my phone. And this one”—he motioned to the old-fashioned phone on the bedside tray—“is useless as I can’t remember anyone’s number.”

“I’ll see if I can find it,” she said, but didn’t sound too sure of herself. She leaned in closer. “I think you should know that the police were at your house. They searched the place and took stuff.”

“What?”

She shrugged. “That’s just what I heard. Bobby said they were hauling stuff out of there.”

“My phone?”

“Maybe. Like computers and stuff.”

“Can they just do that?”

“They’re the cops. They can do what they want.”

“But there are limits.” He was trying to think. Why would the cops confiscate his belongings? Did they really think he was some kind of criminal? Wasn’t that the kind of thing they did on a drug bust? Or a murder case? His insides turned to water. Was Megan dead? Is that why the doctor wouldn’t say anything?

Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, and Sophia froze. Eyes wide, she held a finger to her lips and slipped to the side of the room, to the spot where the door would hide her should it be flung open.

It wasn’t.

The footsteps faded as whoever was in the hallway passed.

Sophia let out her breath. “I better go. But I love you,” she said. “Remember that.” Her smile was shy, her cheeks suddenly pink with the admission.

Love?

That seemed wrong. “Wait,” he said.

He needed more information, but she was already peeking through the opening of the cracked door, scouting out the corridor. Turning, she mouthed, “I’ll be back,” then pulled her scarf up over her nose and walked quickly but noiselessly out of the room.

James watched her leave.