28 Days(16)
“Perhaps we did get off to a wrong start, Ms. Lockwood.” Daniel held his hand out.
“You think.” Alex needed to hold his tongue now that he had the attorney moving along.
“Please call me Saige, and I’m here to read my statement, but I’d also like you to tell me what you remember from the case—the trial.”
Daniel deflated before their eyes. “The trial was exhausting and, for what it’s worth, I never believed that young man was guilty. I still don’t. To begin with, Quinten constantly asked about you and he wouldn’t settle. No one would tell him anything because they thought he was responsible for what happened to you.”
Alex watched as Saige took in what the defense attorney said, but the more he spoke, the deeper her frown became. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head because Alex had only told her about them working for her father. She still had no idea about what she became to Quinten, or him to her...at least he didn’t think she did. He was more or less convinced about her lack of memory; after all, he overheard her conversation with her father before she even saw him.
“He was a very distraught young man,” Daniel continued. “I was there when he was charged with five counts of first degree murder and your attempted murder. He was in shock and couldn’t believe what was happening to him...then word came that you had identified him as your abductor from a lineup of photographs. I think”—Daniel paused and gave Saige a searching look—“he gave up at that point.”
Saige wiped her eyes and Alex passed her a tissue. “I don’t understand.” She looked to him.
Alex moved to the seat beside her. He hesitated before he took her hands into his and closed his eyes. “My brother cared about you. A lot.” He opened his eyes and they met hers before he squeezed her fingers, letting go. “The rest I need you to remember on your own.”
“No.” She grabbed his wrist. “Please tell me.”
“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?”