The Queen of Diamonds Read online

  Queen of

  Diamonds

  Raven Cavalleu

  Copyright © 2015 Raven Cavalleu

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-10: 1517024536

  ISBN-13: 978-1517024536

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and situations are a figment of the author's rather vivid imagination. Any resemblance to persons past or present is strictly a coincidence.

  DEDICATION

  To my life, to my love, you are everything I could possibly want and more than I ever hoped for. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the courage to put myself out there for the world to see.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Every book is only as good as it is due to the hard work and keen eye of those that edit the thoughts and ideas an author is able to put to the page. Special thanks go out to those that helped me to polish and improve this particular story. Sandy, as always, your help is appreciated more than I can express. This book wouldn't be what it is without you. Many thanks go out to Tanya. Your encouragement and unending desire to read the next story keeps me going.

  Chapter One

  Alex leaned back in her chair, and rubbed her dry, tired eyes before looking up at the clock. She’d been writing for hours, and the book was nearly finished. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back, and thought, "If only it were as easy in real life as it is in books, I'd be happily married with a child or two to dote on." With a sigh she pushed the thoughts from her mind as she straightened up and saved the file. She closed the laptop as she pushed her chair back and stood, immediately rubbing her lower back. The muscles there were protesting the many hours hunched over a keyboard. With plenty of time before she was supposed to meet Emily for drinks, she decided to go for a quick jog.

  She laced up her jogging shoes and grabbed her spare key on her way out the door. Stepping out onto the large front porch, she took a deep breath. The air was cool and filled with the promise of spring. The sun was still high in the sky, its light filtering through the tall Aspen, Maple, and Oak trees on her property. It was an unseasonably warm day for late January, and she took her sweatshirt off, dropping it on the porch swing as she walked past. The thought of spring brought a smile to her face. The trees would fill out, the bulbs she and Ilario had planted in the garden would bloom, and a variety of small woodland creatures would once again make an appearance.

  Once her stretches were done, Alex set off at a quick walk down the long, curving driveway. As she rounded the last curve a large gate came into view. She stepped off the driveway, and walked over to the door in the wall, partially hidden by the ivy. She brushed the vines aside and keyed in the code to unlock the door. Pulling it shut behind her, she began to jog down the street with no particular destination in mind. She tried to empty her mind and relax, the rhythmic cadence of her rubber soles slapping against the pavement music to her ears.

  Several miles later she found herself within sight of St. Mary’s Hospital. She headed towards it as she thought about previous visits to the small private garden there. As she neared the large green space across the street from the hospital, she noticed a woman playing with a little girl. They were far enough away that she wasn’t able to hear the words that were spoken, but was delighted by the girl’s laughter. She watched as the dark haired woman chased the child before running past her and becoming the one being chased.

  Alex slowed her pace so she could watch the two as they played, and wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a parent like that. A parent that enjoyed spending time with their child, one that played with them, and cared about them. She shook off the sadness and what ifs, and mentally wished this young family well before continuing on her way. Picking up her pace, she decided to run around the park instead of through it. This wouldn’t add too much time to her run, but would keep her on even ground.

  The long stretch of sidewalk between the park and busy street flowed under her feet as the cars sped past, their engines rumbling as they spewed their exhaust into the air. As she reached the second intersection, Alex was surprised to see the same woman and child she had watched earlier heading towards the main entrance of the hospital. They were thirty yards ahead of her, and nearing the edge of the park. The woman stumbled slightly and looked down before squatting to tie her shoe. The little girl failed to stop with her mother, but instead continued to skip towards the road.

  Alex's eyes swept up the street and saw a car speeding towards the child. In an instant she noticed the driver was focused on their phone instead of watching the road, and knew that the mother would be unable to reach the girl in time. She turned her easy jog into an all out sprint. Taking one step off the curb, she scooped the child up into her arms, wrapping them protectively around her. ‘Please God let me make it,’ she thought as she took another step.

  A split second later she felt an agonizing pain tear through her left leg before becoming airborne. She wrapped her body around the little girl as best she could in an effort to protect her. After tumbling briefly through the air, she landed on her left shoulder, striking her head against the pavement. She felt the child stir in her arms as the darkness closed in and she lost consciousness.

  Chapter Two

  Alex slowly opened her eyes and looked around, struggling to focus. The room was shrouded in shadows, with the one small light over her bed trying its best to chase them away. The antiseptic smell and glowing heart rate monitor let her know she was in a hospital, but she couldn’t remember why. She peered into the darkness beside the bed and saw a figure hunched over in a chair just outside the ring of light. The person sat quietly with their elbows on their knees and their head hung low.

  Her eyes began to droop and she could feel the darkness closing in once again. Just before it claimed her she heard a low, clear voice whisper, "Please God, let her be all right."

  The next time Alex opened her eyes, the head of her bed was slightly raised and sunlight was streaming through the blinds covering the windows, allowing her to see the room clearly. She slowly looked around and realized it was a rather spacious private room. She carefully lifted her right hand and inspected the intravenous line taped there, then ran her hand through her hair. She was startled to feel the soft, short hair, slightly more than stubble, along the left side just above her ear. Under the soft hair she could feel the ridge of a long scar that hadn’t been there before.

  ‘How long have I been here?’ she thought. She quickly checked for other injuries and noted a vague soreness in her left leg. Tired, she closed her eyes and tried to remember what happened to bring her here. She could remember working all morning and deciding to go for a jog before meeting Emily for drinks and dinner. She vaguely remembered her run through town, but not much after that. She was confused by the haziness of her memories, and wondered what caused it.

  Her eyes shot open when she heard the squishing of rubber soles as they entered her room. Alex watched as an older woman, with hair the color of autumn leaves, began to check the various machines that surrounded her. Their eyes met and the nurse jumped back. "Oh my, you startled me, lass. I didn’t realize you were awake." Alex wondered if she was Irish or Scottish, and listened closely trying to place the gentle accent. "I didn’t expect to see those beautiful blue eyes of yours for another day or so." She gave Alex a smile. "Let me just go tell the doctor you’ve joined us." She gave Alex’s shoulder a gentle pat before she turned and left the room.

  Alex closed her eyes and waited for the doctor, as the sounds around her slowly began to fade away and sleep claimed her. She was startled awake when a man entered her room speaking loudly to the nurse she’d seen earlier. She groggily looked up at him as he gruffly explained her injuries. As her head cleared, her an
ger grew at the doctor’s lack of tact and horrible bedside manner. In an effort to hold her temper, she turned her head away from him and stared out the window. She ignored them as she ran through her memories of the day of the accident, trying to remember what happened.

  He turned to the nurse and said, "Since she apparently has no family to take care of her, she will become a ward of the state. Prepare the paperwork and I’ll sign it. Now that she’s awake they can move her out to the mental ward tomorrow, there’s no need to keep her here any longer than necessary. Should have moved her there weeks ago." With a shake of his head, he walked out the door.

  The nurse stepped up to the side of the bed between Alex and the window, effectively blocking her view. "I hope he’s wrong lass, for your sake." She took a look at the clock and said, "Well, it’s almost time for your daily visit from Dr. Pierce. Maybe she'll have better luck." She straightened the covers at the foot of the bed. "My name is Alice. Ring the bell if you need me." She showed Alex which button would summon her and began to turn away.

  Alex quickly reached out and grabbed her hand. When Alice turned back to her, she grimaced and touched her throat. "Throat’s a bit sore, huh?" Alex nodded. "We removed a tube yesterday. It’s bound to be a bit sensitive for a day or two." Alex pointed over to the small plastic pitcher on the table and raised her eyebrows in question. "Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? I bet you’re parched. I’ll be right back." Encouraged by her attempt to communicate, Alice grabbed the pitcher and walked quickly from the room.

  A couple minutes later the door to her room reopened and Alex looked up expecting to see Alice. Instead she looked into the startled brown eyes of a stranger. Before her stood a woman in her late twenties to early thirties with shaggy black hair just long enough to brush her collar, and an olive complexion most would pay good money for this time of year. With a stethoscope around her neck, and a white coat with her name embroidered over the left pocket, this woman was clearly a doctor, but Alex could already tell she was drastically different than the doctor she saw earlier in the day. The dark green scrubs under her white coat instead of a suit, made her seem far more open and approachable.

  "Hello, I’m Dr. Nicole Pierce. How are you feeling today?" Nikki asked as she walked up to the side of the bed. Alex found herself staring into the dark brown eyes that looked down on her, and felt her heart rate increase when the doctor smiled. She quickly looked away, embarrassed and confused by her body’s immediate reaction to this woman.

  Nikki watched as Alex turned away from her and looked down at the intravenous line taped to the back of her hand, a look of confusion on her face. Hoping Alex's reaction wasn't a negative sign, she pulled the visitor’s chair up beside the bed before sitting down. With a sigh she leaned forward and hung her head low. "Please God, I’ve never asked for much," she whispered.

  Before Alex could respond, Alice returned. "I see you’ve met Dr. Pierce." She filled a small cup with water, placed a straw inside, and handed it to Alex. "Small sips, lass. We don’t want you to get sick now do we?" She watched as Alex carefully sipped the water.

  Alex closed her eyes in bliss as the cool water slid down her parched throat, soothing some of the pain on the way down.

  "Has Dr. Wright been in to see her yet?" Nikki asked as she stood.

  "Yes."

  Alex snorted. "Dr. Wright? Ha. More like Dr. Wrong," she croaked. She took another sip of her water as Nikki and Alice both looked at her with startled expressions. "That man is a pompous ass with a horrible bedside manner." She was surprised when both women began to laugh.

  Alice wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Alex. "It’s good to see you have a bit of fire in you, lass. I think you’re going to need it in the weeks ahead." She gave Nikki a quick look before asking, "Care to tell me what you remember?"

  Alex reached up and touched the scar that started just above her left ear and ran several inches around the back of her head. "I quit working early Tuesday afternoon and decided to go for a jog. It was a beautiful day." She dropped her hand and unconsciously rubbed her left shoulder. "It was the warmest day we’ve had all year, and I needed to be outdoors. I left the house with no particular destination in mind and ended up heading here." She paused briefly as she remembered details about the day. "I was thinking about going to visit the secret garden. I remember jogging around the park instead of through it." She fell silent as the picture in her mind changed from the tree filled park to a mass of pink. She tried to make sense of what she saw but it was just a blurred mass, and then it disappeared. She looked up at Nikki, perplexed. "I remember pink. I don’t know what it is, but I feel as though it is important, and I'm not sure why I don't remember."

  Alice smiled. "Very good dear. Now, can you tell me your name?"

  Alex looked between the two women with a frown. Her mind raced as she tried to piece everything together. Her eyes closed as she leaned back against the pillows. "Damn."

  Nikki reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure out –"

  Alex shook her head. "I'm so stupid. My ID is in my sweatshirt on the front porch. I know better than that." She opened her eyes and looked up into a pair of sparkling brown eyes. "Am I listed as a Jane Doe?" Nikki nodded and Alex sighed. "My name is Alex Mohr."

  "Well, lass, it's nice to finally meet you. Is there someone we should call?" Alice watched as Alex shook her head. "Any family?" When she again replied with a negative shake of her head, Alice placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. She looked over at Nikki and gave a small nod. "I’ll leave you two alone. I’m sure you have many things to discuss. You just ring me if you need anything." She gave Alex a quick wink and left.

  Alex watched as Nikki slowly sat down beside the bed. "Are you one of my doctors?"

  "No. I work in the emergency room downstairs. I was the first doctor to treat you that day." She watched as Alex thought about what she said.

  "Do you check up on previous patients often?"

  "Not typically, no."

  Alex looked closely at Nikki. Everything about her seemed so familiar, especially the sound of her voice. It was almost as if she knew this woman, but knew she'd never met her before. She shook off the feeling and asked, "So tell me then, Doctor, why do you visit me every day?"

  Nikki smiled as she leaned forward in her seat. "Well Ms. Mohr, you—"

  Alex quickly interrupted. "Please, call me Alex."

  "Only if you call me Nikki." She smiled when Alex gave a small nod. "Good. As I was saying, you are a very special case, Alex."

  Alex frowned. "What makes me so special? You don’t know me, yet you visit me every day and pray for me."

  Nikki reached out and took Alex’s hand between her own. "You're special because you risked your life for someone you’d never met." Before she could explain further she heard the door open and looked up into her sister’s smiling face.

  "Mommy, my angel is awake!"

  Alex looked up when she heard the exclamation and saw a very excited little girl, bundled from head to toe in pink, being carried into the room. Suddenly, Alex was transported back to her jog the day of the accident. She remembered seeing the pink in the park. She could see a young girl as she played chase with her mother. She remembered the laughter, the dark curls that hung in ringlets, and the dark brown eyes of the girl dressed entirely in pink. Then she recalled the car speeding toward the child, she remembered running full out and scooping her up in her arms. Her face paled as she remembered the sickening crunch as her leg disintegrated when the car hit her.

  Nikki watched Alex as the memories flowed over her. She grabbed the plastic bowl beside the bed just in time to catch the water she spewed as she emptied her stomach. She walked past her sister to the bathroom to empty the bowl, and quickly returned with a damp rag. She leaned over the bed and wiped her forehead.

  Alex slowly opened her eyes. "Sorry about that. I remembered why the pink was so important."

  Nikki gave her a r
ueful smile. "Yes, the pink was very important. Alex, I’d like you to meet my sister and my niece."

  Walking slowly up to the bed the woman said, "Hello, my name is Danielle Pierce, but you can call me Dani, and this is Madison."

  "Mommy, can I give my angel a hug?"

  With a tear in her eye, Alex held out her arms, and Dani gently set Madison on the bed. The little girl crawled up and wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck. After a long hug she pulled back and placed a hand on each of Alex’s cheeks. Looking deep into her eyes she said, "Thank you for being my angel. I prayed every day for God to make you better. Momma said that sometimes God will call his angels back home to him, but I wanted you to stay with me." She curled up on top of Alex, and placed her head on her shoulder. "I’m glad he let you stay."

  Alex wrapped one arm around the little girl, and wiped away her tears with her other hand. "Me too, sweetheart, me too." She closed her eyes and laid her cheek on the top of Madison’s head, and listened as Nikki and Dani stepped to the foot of the bed.

  "What’s the verdict?" Dani asked.

  "Not sure yet, but everything’s looking surprisingly good so far." Nikki leaned against the bed and placed her hand on the mattress beside her as she spoke.

  Alex listened to the sisters as they discussed her, and was surprised at how familiar the tone of their voices and speech patterns seemed to her. It was as if she had known them for a very long time instead of having just met them both. Curious at the feelings of familiarity and trust they inspired, she opened her eyes and watched them converse. Now that the two were side by side it was obvious they were twins. She hadn’t really noticed earlier as she was so taken aback by Madison. Nikki’s hair was short and just curled at the tips, while Dani’s was long and hung in ringlets just like Madison’s. That was the only discernable difference between the two.