Bombshell: A BWWM Billionaire Amnesia Romance Suspense Novel Read online

  When he got upstairs, the nurses stopped him before he took two steps into the ward.

  “Sir, where are you going?”

  Merrick cursed under his breath.

  “To see my fiancée,” he said without stopping.

  A large nurse, moved faster than Merrick could imagine and blocked his path. “I’m sorry, sir, this is not an open ward. No visitors allowed without a doctor present.”

  “Well, then, you’re in luck,” said a woman’s voice.

  Merrick turned around to see a striking middle-aged woman wearing a short skirt and a low-cut blouse under a well-cut gray suit. “Merrick Flynn, I presume,” she said, extending her hand and smiling broadly.

  “Doctor Garcia?” Merrick said. The moment he said “Doctor,” the nurse stood aside. She ran over to the desk and grabbed a sign-in sheet.

  “Please sign-in, Doctor Garcia, I’ll let Doctor Armavir know that you’ve arrived.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that very much. May I take Mr. Flynn with me to see the patient?”

  Yes, Doctor,” said the nurse. She got on the phone, and Doctor Garcia started down the hall. “Oh, I forgot to get a number.”

  “That’s alright, I know where she is.”

  Merrick’s heart expanded inside his chest, when he saw that her eyes were open and she was sitting up in the bed, eating off a tray. He hadn’t realized how frightened he was that she might not ever wake up. Her hair had been smoothed down, since he’d last seen her, and there was lipstick on her lips. Her face showed alarm at first—but then calmed down. Her lips almost seemed to quiver. Her voice cracked. “Merrick?”

  “Yes, sweetheart, it’s me,” Merrick said, running to her side and taking her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  “I want to go home,” she said as she looked into his eyes like he was the only man in the world.

  Merrick’s heart squeezed. What did she mean? Did she mean a home with him, or did she want to go back to Misty Falls?

  “To the mountain home, or to the beach home?”

  “Wherever you live,” she said.

  Her response struck him as odd. But, he let it slide.

  “Bombshell, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Doctor Garcia—she’s here to help you with your amnesia.”

  Her eyebrows disappeared under her bangs, then relaxed.

  “I have amnesia?” she said. “Oh dear, I forgot all about that,” she added with a twinkle in her eye.

  Everyone laughed. Then Doctor Garcia moved Merrick aside and pulled up a chair next to her new patient.

  “I’m glad that you can take this with a sense of humor dear, but it’s important that you understand, losing so much of your past is not a laughing matter.”

  Merrick saw his girl’s face grow serious. She nodded, ready to cooperate.

  “Why don’t you give us a little alone time?” the doctor said.

  “Alright,” Merrick said. He stepped out into the hall, but stayed close by to eavesdrop. After his unsettling conversation with the FBI, he wasn’t ready to leave his girl alone with anyone.

  The psychologist was speaking and Merrick strained to hear. “So, tell me, honey, if I asked you to go back to your farthest memory – what would it be?”

  Merrick held his breath as he waited for her answer. Maybe getting the glass out of her head had restored all of her memory. Would she still want him?

  She was saying something, but he couldn’t understand. He moved closer to the edge of the room and craned his neck. When his phone buzzed in his pocket, he almost had a heart attack. Fingers racing to the phone he pressed the button to stop the call and held his breath, wondering if they’d heard.

  “Excuse me a minute,” the psychologist said.

  Merrick didn’t hesitate. He turned and bolted for the next room. The door was ajar, so he ran inside, and hearing feet coming down the hall outside, flattened himself against the wall. The footsteps stopped, then receded, and when he heard the door to Bombshell’s room click shut, he let out a breath, relieved.

  “Did you bring my jello?” said a high pitched and raspy voice.

  Merrick grabbed his chest and spun around. He’d walked into someone’s room. The older woman had propped herself on her bed, and stared at him.

  “Jello? Did you bring my jello?”

  Merrick realized she must assume he was hospital staff.

  “No, but I’ll get you some,” Merrick said. He left the room and hurrying back to the entrance. He rushed past the front desk, then doubled back.

  “What is it now?” said the nurse asked.

  “The lady next to my fiancé, she wants her jello,” Merrick said, then walked out of the ward, and into the waiting room. He pulled out his phone and checked to see who had called him at exactly the wrong moment. It was Charlie and Joann’s telephone number from Misty Falls. He considered, ignoring it, considering how strained things had been with Joann– but, he changed his mind. He was tired of avoiding people and things.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Joann answered on the first ring. “Merrick Flynn,” she said in a hard, unhappy voice. Merrick pushed a hand through his hair. Now what?

  “What is it?” he said, sounding more annoyed then he intended, but this day was starting to get on his last nerve.

  “I have a bone to pick with you. Do you realize what you’ve done to that poor girl?”

  Merrick stared at the phone. “I’m sorry, what are you talking about?”

  “The girl you kidnapped, the girl you whisked away from danger, leaving her friends and relatives behind to pick up the damn pieces.”

  “What?” Merrick wasn’t processing what she was saying.

  “I’ve got a goddamn Missing Person’s flyer here with her picture on it, would you like me to read it to you?”

  Merrick’s jaw tightened.

  Merrick could hear Joann taking in a deep breath before speaking in a newscaster’s voice, “Missing—Jana Peters—twenty-six years old. Are you with me so far?”

  So, there was someone missing, people go missing in every city, every day. What did it have to do with him?

  “Are you listening?” Joann said.

  “Joann, please don’t address me in that fashion,” Merrick said, his dander flying up.

  “Sorry,” she said, clearly without meaning it. “Shall I continue?”

  “Yes, please.” A small throbbing began behind Merrick’s right eye. He dropped his hand holding the phone for a moment and rubbed his temple. He could hear Joann speaking, so he put the phone back to his ear.

  “…last seen … tall white male driving white SUV, partial plates…. Need I go on?”

  Merrick squeezed his eyes shut. Shit, shit, shit. He couldn’t deal with this right now.

  “I’m sorry, Joann,” he said. “I can’t talk right now, text me the flyer.” He hung up, and a few seconds later, his phone pinged. He checked to make sure he’d received an attachment, but he couldn’t bring himself to open it. Not yet. Instead, he forwarded the text to Tony.

  A moment later, his phone buzzed. He answered it.

  “Bro, holy shit,” Tony said.

  “I know, Tony, I know. I feel like an idiot not considering that she’d have friends or relatives looking for her. And now that the FBI is wanting to talk to her.”

  “Say, what?”

  “Yeah,” Merrick said. “Apparently, she’d been seen coming out of his house, and for some reason the FBI is investigating him. They showed me a surveillance photos of her, and asked me if I’d seen her. They didn’t know who she was. I told the agent that she was Mona Lisa Van Dyke and upstairs in a coma.

  “You mean the FBI will find out we gave her fake ID? Way to go, slick,” Tony said, sarcastically. “What are we looking at, 10 to 20?”

  “I’m sure it won’t come to that.” Merrick said. The two men were silent for a beat. “Listen, Tony, I’m calling the FBI agent back, we’re not going to get in trouble – because we’re cooperating. I’m going to tell her a
bout the flyer.”

  They hung up and Merrick called the agent’s number.

  “Is she out of the coma?”

  “Yes, actually, she is.”

  “I’d like to talk to her, but I’m headed out of town. But, I’ll be back tomorrow after noon. Where will she be around two?

  “I’m not sure,” Merrick said.

  “Well, keep me posted,” Agent Carson said.

  “That’s why I called.”

  “Is there something else?”

  “Yes, I know her real name. Just got a missing person’s flyer – with her picture on it, can I text it to you?”

  “Please do,” Agent Carson said. “And thanks for your cooperation.”

  She hung up and Merrick wondered how Dr. Garcia would suggest they handle telling Bombshell the news that he’d been lying to her all along and that her name wasn’t Mona Lisa Van Dyke.

  When he returned to the sixth floor, Doctor Garcia was waiting for him.

  “They want to release her,” she said.

  “Already?”

  “Yes, and she’s very excited about going back to the hotel and spending more time with her fiancé.” Doctor Garcia’s lifted an eye brow, clearly curious about his reaction.

  Merrick sighed and pulled out his phone. “I need to show you something,” he said and opened the image of the flyer and handed his phone to the doctor.

  The doctor spent several minutes reading the flyer.

  “Look, I’d like to go back to the hotel and get some sleep and then I’d like to gamble and have some R&R. Let’s stick to the current script for now and tomorrow, I’ll have a plan for how best to break it to her.”

  “When, doctor – because, the FBI wants to question her sometime after two o’clock, tomorrow and they’ve seen that flyer – so they’re going to tell her, her real name.”

  “Alright, then let’s have you bring her to my room, say ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I’ll have a strategy by then.”

  Merrick thanked her, and called Linda to send a car for the doctor as he walked her to the elevator door. “Oh, can you text me that flyer?”

  Merrick pulled out his phone and the image went from his phone to her before the elevators closed.

  Before Bombshell was released from the hospital, Mama G, Linda and Tony arrived.

  “We thought you might like some help getting Bombshell settled,” his mother said.

  “Thanks, guys,” Merrick said.

  “She’s ready to go now. Who wants her?” said a voice from behind them.

  Everyone turned around and saw a nurse pushing Bombshell in a wheelchair. She was dressed in regular clothes and had her purse on her lap. Merrick thought she looked nervous.

  “Merrick?” she said uncertainly. “Do you still want me around?”

  Merrick ran to her side and took point behind the wheelchair.

  “Yes, I’m taking you home.”

  They all piled into the elevator, and no one spoke as they descended to the main level. His phone buzzed, and he checked it. The text was from Agent Carson.

  Change of plans, on way now to interview Peters.

  Merrick cursed under his breath and quickly shut off his phone. “Tony, everyone – something’s come up at the site - can you guys take Bombshell back to the hotel, and get her settled?”

  Bombshell looked alarmed, but Merrick squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll be home soon. These guys will take good care of you,” he said motioning to his half-brother, his mother and his cousin.

  They all nodded reassuringly.

  “But, I don’t want to be alone.”

  “No one will leave you alone,” Mama G said. “One of us will be with you until Merrick comes back.”

  Merrick watched them drive out of the parking lot, and as soon as they were gone, Agent Carson drove up. His heart raced as he waited to see if he’d noticed their car getting away – but, when Agent Carson stepped out of the car, he relaxed. They clearly had paid no attention to the van full of people leaving the hospital.

  Merrick walked over to Agent Carson and said. “What are you doing here? I thought you were flying out of town?”

  “Change of plans,” said a man stepping out of the passenger seat of the FBI agent’s car.

  Merrick looked at the tall black agent, then back at Agent Carson.

  “This is Agent Johnson,” Agent Carson said. “He’s my boss – he saw the flyer and decided he couldn’t wait until tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I see,” Merrick said. He glared at the new FBI agent, then spoke to Agent Carson as if the man wasn’t there. “And did you explain to your boss that Ms. Peters doesn’t know who she it? And that she’s just had brain surgery and she was to meet with her psychologist first – before being questioned by anyone?”

  Agent Johnson came around from his side of the car. “Mr. Merrick Flynn. Are you trying to obstruct our investigation?”

  Merrick didn’t back away. “No. Absolutely not. All I’m trying to do is protect this women from having a serious adverse reaction because you people can’t wait until two o’clock tomorrow, like we agreed.”

  Agent Johnson looked at his subordinate. “Did you agree to this?”

  “Yeah, well – I mean – you’d asked me to fly out to Misty Falls, so I wasn’t going to be back until tomorrow – and when I was by the hospital, earlier today – I couldn’t question her, because she was still in a coma.”

  “A coma?” Agent Johnson worked his mouth, then turned to Merrick.

  “Alright. I didn’t realize about the coma. She’s fine now?”

  “Yes, but still recovering.”

  “Alright. Text Agent Carson where you’ll be tomorrow at two o’clock and make sure you’re shrink sees her beforehand. Any more delays, and I’m going to start wondering if you’ve got something you’re hiding.”

  ~~*~~

  After the FBI left, Merrick thanked God that he’d been able to stop what could have been a disastrous interrogation. He pondered what he should do next. He wanted to be with her, but at the same time, he worried about not being able to keep his mouth shut. He wished he could talk to the psychologist again and come up with a game plan for the next morning. He couldn’t imagine how there was anything the psychologist could say which would keep Bombshell from becoming upset about her real identity and the truth about how they’d met and the bullshit about the engagement.

  Rather than get his car from the valet and drive aimlessly, he walked over to a coffee cart and ordered a hammerhead coffee. He needed to think. And he could use some extra energy.

  He sat down at a bench near a fountain and took a sip of the espresso. Too hot. He pulled out his cell phone and remembered that he hadn’t called Joann back, as he’d promised. Shit. He placed the call, but it got voicemail.

  “Joann, this is Merrick, sorry it took so long to call you back. Thanks for sending me the flyer, I appreciate it.”

  That responsibility out of the way, his mind wandered back to the situation at hand. How would Bombshell react, after her chat with her psychologist? He slumped forward putting his head in his hands, feeling sick that he would soon be causing her more pain. She’s going to hate you for lying to her.

  “You still here?” Merrick looked up and saw Doctor Armavir, Bombshell’s surgeon standing in front of him with a Frappuccino in his hand. “I thought we already released you’re girl?

  Merrick stood quickly and shook the doctor’s hand. “She just left, I wanted to ask you a question.”

  “Alright, but you only get two minutes, then I start charging you.”

  Merrick smiled and took a moment to formulate his question.

  The surgeon sat down on the bench and sucked some whip cream and said, “Ahh, life’s simple pleasures truly are the best.” He put the lid back on and set his drink down on the ground. He looked at his watch. “Ah, only ninety seconds left…”

  Merrick spoke. “I want to understand how delicate she is.”

  “That’s more
a question for Dr. Garcia, don’t you think?”

  “I don’t mean, psychologically, I mean physically.”

  The doctor examined Merrick’s expression and he felt himself blushing under the scrutiny.

  “You want to know if it’s too soon to have intercourse,” said the doctor.

  Merrick’s ears burned. That wasn’t exactly what he’d been thinking, but now that the question had come up, hell yes, he wanted to know.

  “Would it hurt her brain if we had sex anytime soon? Could I break something?”

  “You have to understand that the procedure we performed on her was about as minor as brain surgery gets—which is why she’s already leaving the hospital in less than twenty-four hours. Honestly, as long as you don’t bang her head against something while you do it, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

  “Really?” Merrick couldn’t believe it. He felt like a school kid who’d just been informed that school had been cancelled because the whole class was going to Disneyworld.

  “Really - it might even be good for her. Sex helps the body heal, or so some studies have shown. But, I can’t vouch for her emotional and psychological readiness. I suggest you run this question by Doctor Garcia as well. Just to be safe.”

  While Merrick waited for his car, he called Doctor Garcia. He felt stupid asking people for permission to have sex, but he didn’t want to take any chances – no matter how badly he wanted to experience her, while she still was under the delusion that she loved him. He got her answering service. She was off duty. Did he want the doctor on call? He said that he didn’t and hung up.

  When he got back to the hotel, he walked through the lobby and headed to the casino. Doctor Garcia stood at a craps table. She wore a slinky black dress with a scandalously high slit. She was throwing dice. The whole table erupted in cheers when they cubes stopped rolling. Merrick stood back and waited for her winning streak to end. He motioned to the pit boss to cut her off. She complained until she saw Merrick.