“Yes,” Lindsey insisted.
Claudia stepped aside and allowed Lindsey inside.
Lindsey moved the curtain aside and was shocked. “Mister Knight,” Lindsey gasped.
“Who?” he answered.
“You’re Andrew Knight,” Lindsey insisted.
“I don’t know you,” He grew angry. “The last thing I remember is waking up in a horse barn. That’s all!”
“They have been searching for your body in the lake at JFK Prep,” Lindsey told him. “Everyone thinks you are dead. Detective Sergeant Roberts and Sheriff Delsmann went to see your wife earlier this morning.”
“Wife?” He rebuked, and looked at his ring finger. He raised his hand for her to see, “I’m not married.”
Claudia finally joined them after listening to their verbal exchange. Lindsey looked confused at her. “Why doesn’t he remember?”
“As I earlier suspected, Mister Knight is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Claudia explained. “It is a direct result of the near drowning and subsequent heart attack that he suffered. His mind is trying to shield him from those traumatic events.”
“How long will it last?” Lindsey asked.
“It could be days, months or even years,” Claudia answered.
“Hello there!”
They turned around to face him.
“I am a real person,” He chastised. “Not some stupid psychological test subject. If you’re going to talk about me, at least do it to my face.”
“I’ve got to tell Detective Sergeant Roberts about him,” Lindsey announced. She immediately walked over to the room phone and placed the call to the Bayport Police Department. She waited and then spoke, “This is Detective Salerno. I need to speak to Detective Sergeant Roberts immediately. Yes, it’s very important. She waited until Peter was on the other end, and blurted out, “Andrew Knight is alive!”
Talia was ready to leave for JFK Prep to continue the search for Andrew’s body. Fortunately, the State Crime Lab had located another set of imagining equipment and it was being delivered to the lake in an hour. The phone rang and she stopped to answer it. Talia let the receiver slip from her trembling hand. Andrew Knight was alive! She quickly recovered. She thanked the caller. Talia hung up; she knew exactly what had to be done.
Megan was sitting at the breakfast nook. Chloe was making pancakes on the griddle. The fresh brewed coffee added its own to the plethora of aromas wafting about the kitchen.
The front door bell rang. Chloe removed the pancakes and took off her apron. She was about to go answer the door, when Lisa rushed into the kitchen. She slid next to Megan and gave her a big squeeze. “He’s alive,” Lisa blurted out. “Andrew is alive!” Chloe slid in on the other side of the table.
“But how, when?” Megan stammered.
“Peter called me at the office this morning,” Lisa told them. “Andrew turned up at a horse ranch near the JFK Prep grounds. The woman and her daughter found him in the barn. Peter told me that Andrew had to be revived from a heart attack.”
“Dear Lord!” Megan cried out.
“It’s okay Megan,” Lisa hugged her again. “The woman is a nurse and she had a portable defibulator.”
“We need to go,” Chloe slid out and stood up.
“Wait,” Lisa held up her hand. “There’s more.”
“What more?” Megan asked drying her eyes.
“Andrew is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Lisa informed them. “The resident psychologist at the hospital, Dr. Straussman, told Peter that, as a result of Andrew’s near-drowning and heart attack, he has amnesia.”
“I’m going to see my husband,” Megan nudged Lisa to move. Lisa obliged and Megan slid out of the breakfast nook. “I’m getting dressed.” Megan left to go upstairs.
“Okay.” Chloe put away the food. “We’re going.”
Talia and her two deputies stepped off the elevator. Their very presence overwhelmed those at the third floor nurses’ station.
“What room is Andrew Knight in?” Talia demanded.
“Room 322,” one of the nurses answered checking the charts.
“Thanks,” Talia said. They left to the nurses’ relief.
It was just a short walk down the hallway to Andrew’s hospital room. When they got closer, Talia saw a Bayport police officer standing guard at the door.
She briskly walked up and brushed past him. Talia reached for the door knob, the officer grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her hand away. Talia blasted him with a stern look.
“Sorry no one goes in,” he informed her.
“Don’t you know who I am?” Talia barked. “I am Sheriff Delsmann from the Bayport County Sheriffs department.” She pointed to her two deputies, “We’re here to arrest Mister Knight.”
“Sorry,” the officer said again. “I have my orders.”
“Step aside,” Talia commanded.
“Is there a problem here?”
Talia turned on her heels and saw Detective Sergeant Roberts along with two other detectives, who she did not recognize.
“I gave the order,” Peter said.
“Why is that?” Talia balked.
“Mister Knight is in the protective custody of the Bayport Police Department,” Peter informed her.
“It doesn’t matter,” Talia shot back. “He interfered with an ongoing investigation. And after being warned once more, he violated that order.”
“Mister Knight was working for a client at the time,” Peter returned the volley.
“Step aside,” Talia growled.
“Mister Knight is well respected by the Bayport Police, the community, and will be treated accordingly,” Peter now stood toe to toe with Talia. He glanced at the deputies and then back to Talia. “If you or your deputies take one step into that hospital room, all three of you will be placed under arrest.”
“What about professional courtesy,” Talia retorted.
“Like you did?” Peter said, with unmasked sarcasm.
“This isn’t over.” Talia pressed her index finger against Peter’s chest.
“He has amnesia,” Lindsey spoke up.
“What?” Talia looked at her. “He’s faking it.”
“You can’t fake amnesia,” a woman’s voice came from behind.
Talia turned around to see a dark haired woman wearing a white lab coat. The other was a red-haired nurse.
“And you are?” Talia asked.
“Doctor Straussman,” Claudia replied. “I’m the hospital’s resident psychologist.” She gestured towards the nurse with her. “And this is my nurse, Veronica”
“And your diagnosis is amnesia?” Talia scoffed.
“Yes,” Claudia answered. She went on to say, “The amnesia he has is a direct result of the near-drowning and heart attack Mister Knight experienced. This is his mind’s way of protecting him from the recent traumatic events that Mister Knight experienced.”
“May I talk to him,” Talia asked. She had calmed down now. Peter thought for a second, and said, “Okay, but we’re going with you.” The police officer stepped aside and allowed them all passage to the room.
When they walked into the room, the person all of them knew as Andrew Knight had his eyes closed. He opened them with the noise from their footsteps.
“What now?” He was perturbed at the intrusion.
“I’m Sheriff Talia Delsmann,” Talia introduced herself to him.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked.
“No,” Peter winked.
“Do you recall what happened at the Higgins home?” Talia went right into her questioning. She kept up the
