Page 5 of Special Agent Joseph

“See. There’s an example of what youthinkyou know. Yet when I go over your medical records, you’ve been prescribed different medications, which I have no doubt you took.”

Joe listened and then questioned, “I have? Which ones?”

“Some antibiotics, different sleeping pills, and of course Viagra.”

“Viagra. Gentle Joseph, I use that stuff?” He felt depressed at the thought. “Tell me, have I been to the doctor’s a lot?”

Though the doctor laughed at his use of the personalized idiom, Joe’s sour expression and lowered head seemed to concern him.

“No. Actually, you’re a bit of a health nut. Which is what you’ve shown us here with your insistence on building your strength back. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you today, Once we take out the last of the stitches on your face, I see no reason why you can’t go home later this afternoon. The housekeeper who filed a report on your behalf has the FBI’s approval to come and pick you up. And I believe Agent Kramer will be joining her to see to everything on your behalf.”

Joe’s worries ramped up big time, and filled with misgivings, he couldn’t help feeling intimidated.Swell. I’m heading into the confusing world with a woman I can’t remember, a man who can’t stand me, and my memory lost in the empty wilderness. Oh, goodie.

A sudden flashback made him grip his head in both hands. Through the fog, he heard a sarcastic male voice using those same two words to him while he’d laughed.

***

From the first moment the sexy, blonde, big-busted woman appeared, he felt out of place and totally sickened by her fawning behavior. She took liberties with him that didn’t ring true. Yet the empty look in her eyes said she only did so as a part she played. And that turned him off even worse.

As soon as she’d strutted into his hospital room and approached him with the sweet-talking bullshit he knew she didn’t feel, he hated the fake performance. Made him believe he held something over her, and so she acted in the way he expected.

As she approached, her eyes lowered, her voice theatrical, she pushed her boobs forward and wiggled toward him. “Mr. Joseph. I worry with you not home so long.”

Hearing the strong accent, Joe figured she’d be Eastern European. He shied away from her boldness, saying, “Right. Agent Kramer mentioned you filed a missing person’s report on my behalf. Thanks for that.”

Eyes widening, she stuttered. “O-of course.” For the first few seconds, she looked at him closely, then her glance darted everywhere but his way. “I didn’t want you angry for me to call the authorities. I know how – how private you are. But I get worried. It wasn’t right you don’t contacted me such long time.”

“Speaking of contacting you, I don’t even remember your name. I’m sorry. Not sure they explained that my memory seems to have been affected from the accident.”

Again she studied him closely before replying. “Maria. Maria Petrov. You hired me a year ago. I worked in the Mirage Casino, don’t you remember? Before they destroyed it. You used to come to the lounge all the time. We hit it off, and you felt sorry for me. You gave me a job to help me pay my ahh… debts.” Strangely, her English suddenly improved drastically.

Joe sensed there was something else to her story, something she wasn’t saying. Then he made a wild guess. “Have you been paid your wages?”

She slumped then, as if a weight had been lifted. “No. You take care of all the household accounts.”

Aha! Now it made sense. She wanted her money. Of course, she did. Rent free was one thing but having cash for expenses and bill payments was totally different.

“I’ll take care of that as soon as I get back into the swing of things. Guess I’ll have to deal with the bank and well… everything.”

Maria hesitated and then continued as if fearful of his reaction. “Mostly, you keep the household money in the safe.”

“I do? But, since I’ve lost my memory, I have no idea of the combination.”

“Don’t need to. Every other time, you just put your face close to the pad and the lock opens.”

Thinking of what she said, he realized it must be a safe that uses a biometric scan for his facial recognition in order to open. But with all the scars and swelling that hadn’t quite disappeared, would it still work? If not, he’d have to contact the company that installed it.

Overwhelmed with the mountains of crap and details facing him, he felt almost thankful when Tom entered the room. Someone he could trust to help him with all these necessary chores.

When Maria passed over a set of clothes for him to wear home, he couldn’t believe the expensive, stylish garments were his. Once he’d changed, he saw that the clothes fit loosely but that made sense since he’d lost weight. What bothered him was the tight style of the slacks and the bright colors in the form-fitting shirt. Looking in the mirror, he didn’t feel right. Instinctively, he’d disliked them immediately.

What he wouldn’t give for a pair of well-worn, loose-fitting jeans.

Chapter Four

Special Agent Megan Whittall pretended to sleep while her earphones transmitted her latest best seller from her phone. Her dark-haired, curly wig had begun itching again… blasted thing. Knowing it would go to the goodwill first chance she got, she couldn’t wait to get it off. She removed her headphones and cautiously scratched the skin on the back of her neck. That’s when she overheard the start of a brawl in the seat across and two rows down.

“Hey, girlie, don’t act like a brat. I just want to sit beside you.” A man pushed at the teen, not happy for her to be blocking his right to a seat. “Behave, will ya?” The gruff male voice meant business, intending to get his way.

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