More Than Memories Read Free

don’t know that either. Everyone in town was
tested for a DNA match.” He watched her closely to say, “I even got tested. We
couldn’t get a DNA match on anyone that knew you. It appears likely it was a
relative, though, because it was close, but not exact, to DNA taken from
samples in the house.”
    “I’m completely puzzled. I have no idea what
happened.” If it didn’t match any of them, who could it be? She didn’t have any
relatives that ever visited her in California. Of course, there could have been
relatives before that.
    “Unless the police missed someone in Ridge City,
which could happen, someone was there that other people didn’t know about,
someone from out of town.”
    “Why did you say the police might have missed
someone in Ridge City?” she asked.
    “It’s possible someone was there and lied about
it, but it’d have to be someone who usually wouldn’t visit you.”
    “Oh.” She paused for a long minute. “I suddenly
don’t want everyone knowing I’m here, not right away. You’ve told me so much. I
don’t know what to think.”
    Trent looked like he wanted to touch her, reach
out to her. He didn’t, of course. Maybe she was being silly.
    “That’s fine,” he said. “Just in case someone is
looking for you, it might be a good idea. And maybe you’ll remember now that
you’re back in your hometown.”
    “Hometown?”
    He looked puzzled now. “Oh, I was going to ask you
about that. Mol, you lived your whole life here.”
    Molly felt stunned and knew it showed. Why had her
parents told her they moved around often? She had to blink back sudden tears.
    Looking up, Molly saw the concern on Trent’s face.
She couldn’t miss how rugged and handsome he was, or how he made emotions swirl
through her. She didn’t remember feeling attraction in the last four years. Her
neighbor in Redding sure felt it for her and wasn’t shy about it. She just didn’t
feel the same, and had tried to tell him she only wanted to be friends. She
needed friends.
    “I searched all over for you.”
    Why would you do that? She didn’t respond,
and was glad she didn’t when he continued.
    “We followed all kinds of empty leads.”
    She realized he was speaking as a police officer.
All this time, she’d wondered why no one seemed to miss her.
    “We got coverage in the news, sent your pictures
to police here and in Washington, California, and Idaho.”
    The conversation lagged. She didn’t want him to
leave, though. “So who are you, Trent Williams?”
    “Me?” Trent studied her like she was somehow the
answer to her own question. “I grew up here, too, on a farm a little ways out
of town with my one sibling, Alicia. I grew up wanting to be a cop, and now I
am. That’s about it.”
    She didn’t believe that. “I’ve noticed a few
things about you.”
    He gave her a small, slow smile. “So tell me.”
    “The way you stand.” She pulled her body up
straight, demonstrating, and started laughing without any unease at teasing
him. It made him grin.
    “It’s not about being cocky, you know. I know what
you’re thinking. But stand up and I’ll show you.”
    She rose, arms folded across her chest because she
felt like she was under a microscope now that his attention was on her.
    “See?”
    “I don’t get it.”
    He gave her a nudge and caught her by the arm
before she stumbled. He pointed down to her feet. “Put your feet out like
this.” He nudged her again. “It’s about safety. Now pretend you have a gun
under this arm and you don’t want me to get it.”
    “Can I run?”
    He didn’t smile or laugh, so she looked up at him,
wondering what he was thinking. She had to look away so his eyes wouldn’t
hypnotize her.
    “Put this foot back. It’s your gun leg.” He tapped
her thigh. “Keep this side of your body turned away.”
    “So if I ever carry a gun, I’ll know how to keep
it safe,” she said.
    “Well, now you know why cops stand the way they
do.”
    She liked that smile of