“I did.” Because hedidremember what Harris had sometimes been like and he might have been the one who hurt him. Plus, Kaden hadn’t liked the threat in Harris’ voice.
“But you don’t remember breaking up with him?”
“I really don’t.”
The knife came down again, harder this time. “The hospital says there was no head injury. Which means something else happened.” His voice dropped. “Something bad. Maybe Harris hurt you. I hate to ask you this, but did he force something down your throat?”
His dad was concentrating very hard on chopping onions.
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I.”
“The last time I saw you was the day before you ended up in hospital. You’d just been to see Alistair. You’d completed one book together and were talking about a new one. We ate, then you went to meet your friends for a drink.”
That sounded normal, though it didn’t trigger any memories.
“Can I call Alistair? See if he knows anything?” his dad asked.
“If you like.”
“Send me his number. I’ll put it on speaker.”
A moment later, a familiar voice filled the kitchen. “Hello?”
“Hello. You don’t know me. I’m Kaden’s father. Charlie Bauer.”
“Ah. Is Kaden all right?”
When Alistair’s voice came through the speaker, the kitchen felt suddenly smaller.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with Jalis, does it?” Alistair asked. “Please tell me it doesn’t.”
The name slid through Kaden like a hook, but caught nothing.
He listened as his dad relayed what little he knew. The doctors hadn’t used the phrasedissociative amnesiawith him but his dad did. It was a psychological defence, the mind locking away memories to protect itself from trauma. But what trauma? His stomach churned with anxiety.
“I’m so sorry to hear this,” Alistair said.
“I was worried when Kaden told me about Jalis,” his dad said. “I didn’t approve.”
“I was concerned too. But it feels wrong to blame him without facts. As far as we know, he may not even be in the country. But you should consider informing the police.”
“No.” The word tore out of Kaden before he could stop it.
A long pause.
“Please,” he added, more quietly.
“May I speak to Kaden?”
Kaden took his glass of water over and leaned against the island unit. “Hi, Alistair.”
“You’ve been through the wars.”
“Ones I don’t remember.”
