“Dammit. I can’t. I need you to remember without me putting words into your head. Don’t you see? If you get your memory back, then I want it to be your memory, not something I’ve put there.”
Saige searched his face, but Alex made sure he didn’t give anything away. Eventually Saige nodded. “I understand.” She sat back and let the silence settle. “Mr. Sterling, would it be possible to get a copy of my statement so that I can take it with me, and I noticed some photographs? If you have any of Quinten around the time he was charged, I’d appreciate a copy.”
Daniel looked at Alex for approval. Alex nodded softly. Daniel then made a sound of acceptance. “Let me pass this file to my secretary. I won’t be long…and it’s Daniel.”
They watched Daniel leave when Saige turned to him. “Will you tell me more about your brother? Not the trial, about what he was like. What did he like to do in his free time?”
He could do that. “Quinten is younger than me by two years, but he always acted like the one in charge.” A wisp of a smile adorned his face as he remembered. “We would have some arguments over the business, but the truth is, Quinten was the business minded one. I’d have screwed it all up. As to free time, he didn’t have that much, but when he did, he’d go fishing or read. He could spend all day by the river with a book. He loved suspense and I even teased him a few times because he read historical romances.” Alex smiled, having forgotten that memory until now. “My brother was a caring guy who should have never married that unfaithful bitch Jocelyn.”
Saige rubbed her brow.
A headache?
“When did their marriage end?” She rubbed at her forehead again.
“He talked to a lawyer about getting a divorce a week or so before we started working at your family home. He was saving money to actually proceed with it when his life was turned upside down, so she was the one to eventually divorce him. Good riddance, if you ask me.”
The minute the words left his mouth he realized what he admitted to, and if Saige thought she had something going on with his brother, then that probably wouldn’t sit well with her.
“Okay,” she whispered. “You know what I’m imagining, right?”
“I know.” He turned toward the door so he wouldn’t give anything away. “Let’s go and see what Daniel’s up to.” Alex offered his hand, which she took but let go of the minute she was on her feet.
“Let me look through everything and I’ll call you, but it will probably be tomorrow now as my head has started to pound. I won’t be able to read anything until the pain has disappeared.”
Alex hesitated because he wanted to be with her when she read the words she supposedly gave that implicated his brother.
“Or not.” Saige looked uncertain. “You don’t believe me? About remembering.”
“I overheard you talking to your father, but I won’t deny wanting to be with you while you read your statement.”
She nodded and wouldn’t meet his gaze. “If you want, you can bring breakfast tomorrow and the copies that Daniel is making now.” She shrugged and winced, her face paling. “At least then you’ll know I’m not reading them without you.”
She really wasn’t well and he realized that she’d made a big concession in trusting him. A part of him couldn’t help wonder why. “Don’t you fear for your own safety?”
“What?” she asked, surprise filling her eyes.
“You’ve been abducted before, yet you have no concern for your safety by inviting me back to your place.”
She opened and closed her mouth before her lips pulled tight in anger. “As you put it like that, then I suppose I’ll have to call you instead.”
Saige gripped her purse and when her hand touched the doorknob, Alex pressed his hand to the door. Once she calmed, and didn’t look to be about to leave, he stepped away from her.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pointed that out.”
“It’s the truth,” she said to the door, her voice tight with anger.
“Saige, please look at me.”
She turned.
“I was being a dick. I really am sorry, and I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
“Sometimes you look as though you hate me and I guess knowing that you believe my statement incriminated your brother, I can understand that.”
“I won’t hurt you,” he said as softly as he could manage.
She raised her gaze to his.
“You’re probably the only one who can help at this stage. You’re all he has and I promise I won’t hurt you...you need to go and rest right now. Sleep the migraine away.” He offered her a wry grin.
She nodded and then winced as they exited Daniel’s office.
Alex’s attention was diverted when he noticed the man’s secretary, Fern, bent over her desk.
He smirked and licked his lips.
Saige caught him and rolled her eyes.
He laughed, motioning for Saige to follow him out, but his eyes strayed back to the legs on display in Daniel’s office.
Day 5
8:00am
* * *