Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

9 ∞ not the truth

Day Two ∞ Saturday afternoon

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG for the girl to fall asleep again. Danny sat at the end of the bed and watched it happen. He couldn't blame her. During the short time she'd been up, he'd pretty much caused her to go through an emotional roller coaster ride. There was no doubt that not being able to remember troubled her. She hardly spoke while they had lunch. Now it wasn't going to be enough for him to just watch over her.

As soon as she was strong enough he would help her in any way he could to get her memory back, for her to find out where she belonged, for her to find out what had happened to her. And anything else she needed.

Like clothes, he thought, glancing at the dresser where his sister had left a few for the girl. He was sure those would be a couple of sizes too big. And the clothes she came in that hung freshly washed inside the closet—they were all she had.

Just the clothes on your back. That won't do.

He looked back at her, nodding to himself. That would be his mission from now on. At least now he didn't have to think of her as just 'the girl' anymore. She had a name. Well, it might be a temporary substitute, but still... It was a name he could call her by. Mickmi.

The sound of barking interrupted his thoughts, and then the toot of a horn. That must be the doctor. He sighed and rose. She wasn't going to get much sleep right now.

When he got outside he found Zorro sitting beside the Maverick keeping guard, with teeth bared. Phil was jokingly baring his teeth back at the dog. 

"Okay, I got your message. I'm not getting out. Good afternoon, Danny."

"Afternoon," Danny replied. "It's okay, Zorro, come here." He walked over to the side of the house where the runner leash was. The dog trotted promptly over to him so he could attach the clip to its collar and give it a rub between the ears. "Good boy."

He returned to the front. "You can come out now."

Phil nodded and stepped out with his bag. Danny watched as he reached back into the car for a file on a clipboard.

"Gina's not here, you know," he commented.

Phil closed the car door and straightened himself. "Yeah, I know. She called me last night." He followed Danny onto the porch. "A shame, really. I was going to take her out for dinner tonight."

Danny stopped by the screen door to look at the doctor. "Oh?"

"Yeah. To cheer her up."

Danny nodded. Gina would have appreciated that.

"How's the patient?"

"She's better. She's been up and eaten since morning. She doesn't remember anything, though." Danny pulled the screen door open and entered.

Phil followed. "That's not surprising."

Danny glanced back at the doctor. "Well, apart from a name—kind of." He led the way up the stairs. "How are the tests you took?" he threw over his shoulder.

"They're all negative. She appears in good health, and she's type O-negative. However, there is a... an anomaly that concerns me. I need another blood sample to investigate it properly."

Danny stopped in front of the guest room and glanced at the doctor again.

"Oh." He hesitated, not sure what Mickmi would say to that. "I'll wake her." He pushed the door open.