Page 16 of Fracture

Adam nodded, and the three of them kept cleaning up the rest of the apartment.

The three women returned with two suitcases and one duffle bag. Vinnie looked at the volume of stuff and wondered how she didn’t have more.

“It’s too much, isn’t it? I shouldn’t have packed that second suitcase,” Lorelei said, glaring at one of the bags.

“I figured you’d have more,” Vinnie said without thinking.

Everyone froze.

Lorelei snorted. “I guess I don’t have a lot of stuff. At least, not a lot that feels like me right now. Maybe if I knew who I was or felt comfortable in what I have, but I just don’t know.”

“Do you have your guns?” Adam asked.

Lorelei patted her hip, then pointed to a suitcase. “I have a safe with one in it, and I’m carrying.”

“You’re carrying now?” Cade asked.

Lorelei shrugged. “I might not remember it, but it felt natural. Like I was?—”

A noise at the door had all of them turning. Before anyone could say anything, the door swung open and revealed a short, gray-haired woman.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Lorelei barked, gun drawn and trained on the trembling woman’s chest. “I asked what you’re doing here! Why are you here?”

The woman’s eyes were huge. She dropped her handbag and the tote she carried, hands flying up.

“Lorelei!” Adam barked, moving toward her. He took a step between Lorelei and the woman, breaking Lorelei’s focused attention. “Lorelei! Look at me. Listen to me. That’s Anabelle. She’s your housekeeper. She’s supposed to be here.”

Lorelei stared at Adam, trying to piece together what Adam was telling her.

“Ms. Sloane?” Anabelle whispered from the door. She hadn’t moved since the door opened and she had a gun pointed at her.

Adam reached for Lorelei, and she realized he was reaching for the gun.

Lorelei handed it over to him, leaning back against the wall behind her. She pulled a gun on an innocent woman. A woman who had no right to be treated like she was wrong.

Adam handed the gun to Vinnie, then faced Anabelle. “Lorelei was attacked last week. She has no memory of who she is or who anyone else is. I know if she knew what she was doing, she never would have done what she did.”

“Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Is she okay?”

Adam nodded and moved to the side so Lorelei could see Anabelle.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I…” Lorelei couldn’t say anything else. She turned and thunked her way to the bathroom as quickly as her crutches would carry her.

Voices raised behind her, but Lorelei couldn’t go back. She couldn’t believe she thought carrying a gun was a smart move. That she would know who was a threat and who wasn’t.

That wasn’t why she wanted it. As soon as she picked it up, she felt better. Safer. Like she wouldn’t end up beaten and half-dead and unable to stop whoever stole her memory.

She felt stronger. But it was a false strength because if Adam hadn’t been there and Lorelei had pulled the trigger, she would have hurt a woman who was no more guilty than Lorelei was herself.

She couldn’t be trusted.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door, and Lorelei hoped it was Vinnie before she heard Karli’s voice.

“Are you okay?”

Lorelei laughed mirthlessly. “No. I can’t believe I just did that.”

“Anabelle is okay. And she understands. She’s only worried about you and if you’re going to be okay. She’s very sweet.”