Darkness Unknown Read Free

trifold wallet and carried it over to the lamp to see better. When he pulled out a wad of money, a foil packet fell onto the table. Gwen pretended not to see it while her brother blushed and hastily stuffed it back in the wallet.
    â€œDoesn’t look like he was robbed.” He studied the driver’s license. “His name is Jarvis Donahue, and he has a St. Louis address. How do you think he ended up in our woods?”
    â€œWe’ll have to ask him when he wakes up.” She dried the last cut and carefully taped a gauze pad over it with surgical tape. “If he’s like you, he’ll sleep through the night while his body heals. Come morning, though, we should get some answers.”
    Chase crowded closer to the bed. “He really is like me.” The boy’s voice cracked, a sign of how intensely the discovery affected him.
    â€œIt would appear so. Do you want to be there when I question him?”
    â€œYes.” Then Chase shook his head. “No, you do it after I leave for work. You can tell me what he said when I get home.”
    â€œBut…” she started to argue, but changed her mind. As volatile as Chase’s temper had been lately, there was no telling how he’d react to his problems being discussed with a total stranger.
    Gwen stretched her weary back, then gave her brother a weary smile. “Let’s get this mess cleanedup and throw his wet things in the washer. I had to cut his shirt off, so he’ll need something to wear in the morning. Can you toss one of your shirts downstairs when you go up to bed? You’re pretty close in size.”
    Chase nodded as he stooped to pick up the jeans and dirty towels and headed for the mudroom. “I’ll set his shoes on the dryer, too.”
    â€œGood idea. Oh, and one other thing. When you come back, bring that rope from the cabinet over the washer.”
    Chase’s head jerked around. “Rope? What are you going to do with that?”
    â€œI’m going to tie him to the bed, once I’ve got him under the covers.”
    Chase returned to study the stranger. “Why? If you’re that worried, maybe we ought to call the sheriff.”
    â€œThat’s part of it, but mainly I’m afraid he’ll thrash around when he starts waking up. Last time you fractured your arm, you almost broke my jaw when I leaned over to check how you were doing. I’d guess he outweighs you by a good thirty pounds, with most of it muscle.”
    Chase flushed with embarrassment. That hadn’t been the only time he’d hurt her when he was in the throes of healing. He couldn’t help himself; it was just the way things were for him. She’d learned to approach him with great care.
    â€œCan you roll him to one side for me while I get rid of the shower curtain? Lying on that plastic won’t be comfortable.”
    Chase set down the wet clothes and towels and turned the stranger on his side while she tugged the curtain out from beneath him. Then they pulled the blankets up to cover him and put a pillow under his head.
    â€œThanks, Chase. If you’ll start the washer, I’ll put the clothes in the dryer later. Once you’ve done that and gotten me the rope, go on up to bed. I’m going to stay down here tonight.”
    â€œI can take a shift. What if he gets loose?”
    Gwen mustered a reassuring smile. “I’ll bring the dogs in to sleep by my chair. They’ll sound the alarm if he tries anything. I’ll be fine.”
    Chase didn’t like it, but he left to do as she asked.
    She checked her patient one more time. His skin was warmer to the touch, and his color had improved considerably since they’d brought him into the house. The unhealthy blue tone to his skin was gone, and his face had relaxed into peaceful sleep. She was pretty sure she’d made the right choice in bringing him home instead of turning him over to the authorities.
    She could only