Page 17 of State of Retribution (First Family #9)

E rica Lucas called to tell Archie she’d located Harlowe’s efficiency apartment at a hotel near the yoga studio. “The manager wants her permission to allow me into the room to retrieve her clothes.”

“Let me take the phone to her,” Archie said.

He went into the living room, where she was resting on the sofa after her conversation with Dr. Trulo. “Erica has found your apartment and needs you to give your permission to the manager so she can go in and get your things.”

Harlowe took the phone from him. “Hello?” She listened to Erica and then spoke to the manager. Then she handed the phone back to him.

“I’ll be there shortly with a bag for her,” Erica said.

Archie went into the kitchen and lowered his voice. “She feels safe with me. I want it made clear to her parents that she’s not leaving here under any circumstances.”

“I’ll let them know not to push for that. Not now.”

“Thanks, Erica.”

“No problem.”

“What’re you hearing about the rape kit?”

“Nothing yet, but like I said before, I’ve requested a rush on it.”

“Thanks for everything you’re doing.”

“It’s no problem at all. Whatever we can do for her—and you.”

“Means a lot.”

“I’ll be there within the hour.”

“I’ll see you when you get here.”

Archie put the phone in his pocket and went into the living room to see if Harlowe needed anything.

“No, thank you. I’m good for now.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“A little better since I ate that delicious meal you made.”

He noticed her brows were furrowed, as if she was worried. “What’s on your mind?”

“Haha, not much.”

Archie smiled, relieved to see her making a little joke. “Poorly worded question.”

“I don’t get how I understand words and situations, such as you’re a police officer and Erica is and your friend Sam, too.

Like, I get what that means. I knew to say your meal was delicious.

Why do I know that stuff but not where I was staying or why I’m upset with my parents or anything about what happened to me? ”

He took a seat on the coffee table and held out his hand to her, wanting any contact between them to be on her terms.

She wrapped her hand around his, filling him with the same overpowering sense of rightness he’d experienced with her from the start.

“I’ve seen this before when people suffer a serious head injury. Everything is a muddled mess while the brain is healing. Nothing makes sense.”

“That about sums me up.”

“I know it’s hard to be patient, but your brain is on its own timeline, and there’s no sense trying to rush it.”

“You’re so very sweet to put your life on hold to be here for me.”

“I’m happy to do it.”

She threaded her fingers through his. “Why does this feel… special? That’s the only word I can think of to describe it, although I’m not sure what I’m basing that on.”

“It was special between us. We connected right away. I couldn’t wait to see you again after that first night. I actually left work right at five o’clock for the first time in longer than I can remember. I did that three days in a row .”

Her smile lit up her pretty eyes. She looked more like the woman he’d first met than she had since before the attack. “I wish I could remember what we did.”

“You wanted me to show you some of the places I like best in the city. The first night, we took a long walk in Rock Creek Park, and then we had tacos and beer. I teased you about being a beer girl, and you said you always have been. You remembered sipping from your grandfather’s beer glass when you were a kid.

The second night, we worked out together at my gym, and then we brought takeout back here. ”

“Wait. I was here before?”

“Yes, once, a few days before you stopped replying to my texts.”

“Did we… you know…”

“No, we didn’t, but we wanted to. There was a lot of kissing and stuff. You said we needed to save something for our third date.”

“What did we do on that date?”

“I took you to Old Ebbitt Grill, a DC institution, and then we went to a bar with live music. We both thought it was too loud, so we didn’t stay there for long.

You had an early meeting in the morning, so you got an Uber to go home after that.

You had plans to go to yoga with Deb on Friday night.

We were supposed to go to a Caps game on Saturday, but I never heard from you, which was rather upsetting. I was afraid you were ghosting me.”

“I’d never do that!”

“You seem very sure of that.”

She appeared to give that some thought. “I think maybe I had that done to me at some point, but I’m not sure. Somehow, I know I wouldn’t do it to someone else.”

“I didn’t think you would either. I was really worried when I didn’t hear from you, but I didn’t want to overreact in case something had come up.”

“I’m sorry you were worried.”

He shrugged. “That’s my nature. Fifteen years as a police officer has made me into a worst-case-scenario thinker.”

“In this case, you were right to be worried.”

“I had a feeling something was wrong, but I didn’t want you to think you’d been seeing a psycho, so I held off reaching out to Deb. I wish I hadn’t done that.”

“It’s silly, isn’t it? The stuff we worry about when a relationship is new and we’re getting to know each other.”

“Exactly. I tend to overthink everything, which is also thanks to my job. The last woman I was seeing said I was too intense for her, which was in my head when I held off on sounding the alarm on you not responding to me. I didn’t think I had the right to overreact on your behalf. At least not yet.”

“Please don’t blame yourself for something other people did, Archie. I don’t blame you.”

A knock sounded at his door. “That’ll be Detective Lucas.

” He released her hand and got up, shaken to his soul by her nearness, her sweetness, her beauty and her courage.

It felt like his life was changing forever with every minute he spent with her.

Did he want his life to change forever? If it meant having her in it, maybe so.

He opened the door to Erica, who held up a canvas bag. “Clothes and toiletries.”

“Thanks, Erica. She’ll appreciate having her own stuff.”

“No problem.”

“Come in.”

He led Erica to the living room, where Harlowe greeted her with a smile. “Thank you so much for your help, Erica.”

“Glad to do it. You’re looking much better today.”

“I feel a little better. I just wish I could remember things.”

“That’ll come.” Erica sat in a chair across from Harlowe. “Archie told you that your parents are coming to town today?”

“He did.”

“I’m picking them up at the airport when they arrive. Do I have your permission to speak freely with them about what to expect when they see you?”

“I… I mean, I guess so? I feel like there was some tension between us, but I can’t remember why. It’s all a blank.”

“I’ve fully investigated them.” She withdrew several sheets of paper from a portfolio she’d brought. “There were photos of you on their social media, which I’ve also provided.”

Archie ached for her as she sifted through the pages, looking for clues about who she was and where she’d come from. “Does any of it look familiar?” he asked after several minutes had passed in silence.

“It does. I remember them, but not what’s been going on between us lately.”

“It’s okay,” Archie said. “It’s only been a week since you suffered a serious head injury. It’ll take some time.”

“How much time?” she asked, her eyes full of tears. “I don’t remember things about my own parents.”

“It’ll take as long as it takes,” he said gently. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but that’s the best I can do.”

She wiped away tears. “I know. It’s not your fault or Erica’s. I’m sorry to be cranky.”

“Anyone would be after what you’ve been through,” Erica said. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“My parents may not understand what’s wrong with me.”

“I’ll let them know your memory has been affected by your injury and ask that they not push you on trying to remember things. Would that help?”

Harlowe nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

“There’s one other thing…”

“What’s that?”

“They’ll want me to go with them so they can take care of me. I’m not leaving here. I want to be with Archie. I trust him.”

A tsunami of emotion took him by surprise as he realized he’d kill for this woman, if it came to that. He really hoped it didn’t, but if it did…

“We won’t let them take you anywhere,” Erica said. “You’re in charge here. What you say goes, okay?”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“If you need anything at all, you can ask either of us. We’re here for you.”

“It means so much. You didn’t know me before… but you’re so kind.”

“We’re with you for the long haul. We want to see you through this and get you back to your life as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.”

Erica stood to leave. “I’ll be back with your parents when they land. I’m picking them up at Reagan National at five.”

“See you then,” Harlowe said.

“I’ll walk you out,” Archie said to Erica.

At the door, Erica turned to him. “How’re you holding up?”

Archie rubbed the back of his neck, where all his tension seemed to gather. “I’m doing okay as long as she is. How are things at work?”

“Don’t worry about that. Take care of yourself and your friend. Your very capable team is taking care of work.”

“Thanks again for everything.”

“No problem at all.” Erica glanced toward the living room. “You two seem… committed or something like that.”

“I don’t know what we are. All I know is I care.”

“She does, too. That’s very obvious to me.”

“You think so?”

Erica smiled. “I do. She wants to stay with you because you make her feel safe. That’s huge, Archie. Keep doing that. It’ll matter to her when she looks back on this upsetting time.”

“I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

“We will indeed, and frankly, I can’t wait to see what this becomes.”

“Don’t jinx me. We’re in a very strange situation here.”

“Understood, and I don’t mean to make light of it.”

“I know. But you’re right. There’s a vibe for sure. There was before this happened, and there still is. For me, anyway.”

“Proceed carefully.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll text you when I’m on the way with the parents.”

“And you’ll tell them she’s asked to stay put?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks, Erica.”

“You got it, pal.”

He closed and locked the door and then went back to check on Harlowe, who’d dozed off.

As he covered her with a light blanket, he wished he could stretch out next to her, wrap his arms around her and promise her that everything would be okay.

But since she was in no way ready for such things, he sat across from her and tried to chill for a bit so he could get some rest and be ready for whatever came next.