- Preface -

"Stolen Memories"

By Tux Writer

Dedicated to my child, who loves to write stories.

This is a work of fiction. Some names, characters, places, are from the CBS show "Without a Trace". Other names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establish­ments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

- Prologue -

Pamela had just finished up a late shift at the hospital where she worked as a nurse in the Emergency room. She was so happy that her husband, Jerry, a five year veteran on the Albany police department, had agreed to meet her and walk home with her. They lived in a nice studio apartment only six blocks away. They were going to stop at the local Starbucks for cups of decaf and maybe a muffin. Pamela's coworkers had already headed for the coffee shop, as they often did after a stressful shift. Starbucks was only a couple of blocks away. They had decided instead of walking all the way around the block they would shave some time off their stroll by taking the alley. Hopefully they would arrive at about the same time and not be stuck with the seats next to the door.

They were holding hands and chatting softly when Jerry accidentally kicked a can. Pamela jumped and said while laughing, "man that nearly scared the living daylights out of me." Another block to go. In a distance they heard a vehicle speed away. Pamela thought, this was not all that unusual for the big city.

As they entered the next block Pamela let out a loud shriek but quickly came to her senses and instinct took over. Jerry's blood pressure started to rise. There before them lying on the ground was a woman in a pool of blood. In the shadows they saw a man sitting, rocking slowly, holding his head, a bloody iron pipe at his feet, saying in an almost whisper, "what have I done". Jerry un-holstered the gun he carried on the small of his back while off duty and swiftly moved toward the man. Pamela rushed toward the woman and took out her cell phone and dialed 911 with one hand and checked for a pulse with the other.

Jerry and Pamela were each in their element.