small cut on her forehead, and she was complaining of a severe headache.â
âDidnât she have any identification?â
Wyatt shook his head. âIt must have been in the car. Iâm going to search it after it cools down, but I doubt thereâs a chance in hell Iâll find anything. Your sister-in-law, Maggie, saw the accident. She was still with the young woman when I got out there to investigate.â
âMaggie didnât know her?â
âNo. The woman says her name is Gabrielle Carter. I thought it mighty odd she could remember her name but nothing else.â
âGabrielle Carter,â the young doctor repeated. âThe name doesnât ring a bell with me. Do you think she might have some connection to my son? Maybe the kidnappers sent her to the ranch for some reason?â
Losing baby Bryan had put a strain on the whole family, but Wyatt could see it was beginning to crush Matthew and Claudiaâs marriage. Especially now that the DNA testing to determine paternity of Taylor had shown Matthew was the father. Matthew claimed it could only be the result of a sperm bank donation heâd made years ago, but Claudia was distraught and skeptical. Wyatt was checking out the sperm bank lead, though.
âI canât rule that possibility out, Matthew. Or she might even have some connection to Taylor. We really wonât know until she comes clean with her memory or I can find out who she really is.â
âThen you think sheâs lying?â Matthew asked.
Wyatt grimaced. âI donât know. I just have a gut feeling somethingâs not quite right. But I could be wrong. Youârethe doctorâis it possible the accident caused her to lose her memory?â
Matthew thoughtfully rubbed his chin. âItâs possible, though amnesia is certainly not something that happens routinely. You say she has a head injury?â
âHer forehead was cut at the hairline and she was complaining of a headache. Could you examine her, Matthew? Iâd like to have your opinion before I do anything. And who knowsâyou might recognize the woman.â
The young doctor glanced at his watch. âIâm not due for rounds for another thirty minutes. Letâs go in, and weâll see what we can find out.â
The two men left the shade and as they approached the entrance of the building, Wyatt placed his hand on Matthewâs shoulder. âMatthew, when you first see this woman, donât let on that youâre a Fortune. I want to see if thereâs any sign of recognition on her face.â
Matthew frowned. âYou sure are a suspicious cuss.â
âI have to be.â Wyatt grimaced. âAnd you should be, too, after all thatâs been happening to your family.â
The doctor sighed. âYes, I know. I just hate all this mistrust. Every time a stranger comes to the ranch, I look at them and wonder if they know where my son is, or if they know something about baby Taylor. Iâm even starting to look for clues with my patients here at the hospital! And Claudiaâyou know what all these unanswered questions are doing to her.â
Wyatt squeezed the other manâs shoulder. âBelieve me, Matthew, I understand how hard all of this has been on you. But you canât give up hope now. This woman might just be the lead weâve been looking for.â
Back in Emergency, the two men discovered Gabrielle had been admitted to the hospital and taken up to the fifth floor. They headed up together.
Much to Wyattâs surprise, when they walked through the door of her room, she gave absolutely no outward sign of recognizing Matthew. Rather, she planted an accusing look on Wyatt as though he were the direct cause of her being restricted to a hospital bed.
âI take it you havenât done enough to me?â she asked Wyatt. âYouâve come up here to take my fingerprints or something?â
Wyatt went to the