Chapter 4

Peter Fox — after nodding to the nurse, who immediately left by the same door we'd just come through — led me over to Cassandra; who I could feel was studying me closely.

Cassandra was as beautiful as I remembered. Hey, please remember that Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that from the first time I saw Cassandra, I'd always thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Cassie, do you recognise this man?" Pete fox asked.

Cassandra studied me very closely for a few more seconds, before she shook he head in the negative.

"Well Cassie this is Daniel Elks. He's your husband."

Cassandra didn't look convinced. "No I'm sorry, but I cannot recall ever seeing you before Daniel." She said.

"Dan, Cassandra." I corrected her.

For some reason right from when I was a kid, I'd always been Dan, never Danny or Daniel to anyone.

"Dan!" Cassandra said, the expression on her face changing slightly.

I was pretty convinced that she was struggling to recall where or when, she'd heard the name before.

What's in a name, the difference between Daniel and Dan is very little, but to my perception it had meant something to Cassandra.

"Now Cassie, I'm going to leave you and Dan ... alone together for a little while. I want you to listen to what he tells you about your past. We hope that him being here will bring your memories back to you.

Cassandra nodded but didn't reply verbally. Then the doctor told me he'd see me a little later and left us alone in the garden.

"Would you like to sit?" Cassandra asked.

"Why don't you show me around the garden first, Cassandra."

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Call me Cassandra, everyone here keeps calling me Cassie."

"Because that's who you are, Cassandra Elks, my wife."

"I'm sorry ... Dan ... They tell me that I'm Cassandra Elks, but the only memories I have, are of my life as Sarah Lee."

"Yes I know, Doctor Fox explained all that to me. But take it from me girl," (I thought I spotted another — only just perceivable - twitch in Cassandra's eye, I was sure that her subconscious picked up on one of my habitual sayings. One that she'd often objected to.) "you are not Sarah Lee, you're Cassandra Elks."

We slowly sauntered off around the enclosed garden. Talking about the different plants we came to as we did so. I've omitted all mention of the plants here and just quoted some of the relevant parts of our other conversation. The reader should understand these quotes were interspersed with numerous other subjects, consequently the timeline is somewhat condensed.

"Dan, tell me; what would you make of it, if you woke up one morning and everyone started telling you that you aren't who you know you are? Supposing that Peter Fox was telling you that you were someone else."

"That wouldn't be too hard for me to accept Cassandra; I have been two different people. The Dan Elks BC, before Cassandra left me ... and the one I've been since. The later hasn't been the most pleasant guy in the world."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry."

"Christ it wasn't all your fault, girl." I used the word purposely this time, but regretfully it didn't draw the same reaction from Cassandra. "I'm afraid the police got a little too enthusiastic about finding your murderer."

"Murderer! But I'm not dead."

"Well, I'm afraid that the police, when they couldn't find you, or should I say couldn't find Cassandra Elks, assumed that I'd murdered you."

"Why would they assume that? Peter told me that you were only married to Cassandra for about two weeks."

"It had me confused for a while as well. But apparently you neglected to tell me that you were a very rich woman on the quiet. I've been informed that you came into a very large some of money the moment we said I do."

"I did?"

"Apparently so."

"How much?"

"Several million!"

"Dollars?"

"No Pounds."

"Oh."

"Yes, very much oh. And the police thought that it was a very good motive for murder."

"So you're a rich man now!"

"No, quite the reverse. I'm a bankrupt and I exist on what I can screw out of the DHS."

"Oh dear, but how ... Surely you must have had some money when we got married ... And what happened to Cassandra's"

I noted that suddenly Cassandra had said 'we'. She had mentioned herself in the first tense.

"We had a very successful little company Cassandra. You'd just come on board as my partner."

"What happened?"

"People didn't like the idea of doing business with a murderer."

"Oh my god!"

"My sentiments exactly."

"And Cassandra's million's?"

"You weren't around long enough to do the relevant paperwork. And beside I knew nothing about the money until months after you'd disappeared."

"I see. What do you do now?"

"Drink."

"Sorry."

"I'm a professional drunk Cassandra. I've been drinking to try to forget."

"Cassandra?"

"Mostly."

"Oh. Look, Dan; I'm very confused. Surely if I was this Cassandra you all tell me I am, then I'd remember something about her. Her childhood or something."

"How about Sarah Lee. Tell me what do you remember about her childhood?"

A plaintive expression came over Cassandra's face. "Nothing." She said softly.

"Let me guess you remember nothing about Sarah Lee's life before you found yourself on that Cruise ship."

"No."

"Not even the husband she'd just divorced."

"No."

"See your life as Sarah Lee started just a day or so after Cassandra disappeared. No one here is trying to trick you, Cassandra; we are just trying to get you to remember who you really are."

"I think I know that, Dan. But being locked up in this place is driving me insane."

We'd been talking for nearly two hours and Peter Fox must have decided it was time to put in an appearance. He had a guy in a dark suit with him, who I was introduced to as Cassandra and her aunt's solicitor. I took an instant disliking to the guy, for the look of distain he threw my way.

He took an instant disliking to me when I insisted that I read some papers he wanted Cassandra to sign, before she did so. Not that Cassandra was going to sign them anyway, because she was still refusing to accept that she was Cassandra.

I didn't get to read the papers and Cassandra didn't sign them. So I suppose you could say that the encounter ended in a draw.

A little later - whilst Cassandra was resting in her room - I went for a walk in the clinic's grounds and had a long conversation with my brief on my mobile phone. He answered what questions I asked him that he could, and called me back with answers to others after he'd done some research.

Peter Fox and Lillian Skinner sat with Cassandra and I for dinner in the Clinic's dining room that evening.

"Peter, tell me, what's Cassandra's status here?" I asked during the meal

"What do you mean Dan, Cassie's a patient."

"If you please Peter, will you instruct all of your staff not to call Cassandra Cassie. Her name's Cassandra and always has been. No one I know has ever called her Cassie, not even her aunt and uncle. Cassandra", I continued turning to her, "please forgive me for talking about you in as if you're not here, but there are some things that I need to get straightened out in my mind."

Cassandra didn't reply, she just smiled, that wonderful smile that reminded me of why I had pursued and married her in the first place. Then I turned my attention back to Peter Fox.

"Voluntary, or has Cassandra been sectioned?" I asked.

"Um well, we shouldn't really discuss a patient in her presence like this Dan."

"Peter, as her husband, legally I'm Cassandra's next of kin. If she has been placed in your care under a court order, then surely I should know the details. If she's here voluntarily, then it's your duty to advise me of any treatment you proscribe and consult me at all times about her care."

"Cassandra's technically a voluntary patient." Fox finally admitted.

"And how is her treatment being funded, this is a private clinic isn't it?"

"The clinic bills her aunt."

"Via that solicitor, who was here this afternoon?"

"Yes, he settles the account."

"From Cassandra's trust fund, no doubt."

"I'm afraid I have no idea."

"I don't think the old witch is made of this kind of dough Peter. Now you told me yourself that everything you do is supposed to attempt to remind Cassandra of her past."

"That's correct"

"Then why pray tell me, have you been referring to her as Cassie?"

"I believe that's the name her aunt told us she went by."

"Not to my knowledge Peter. Cassandra always insisted on her full name being used. You might say that she had a complex about it."

The doctor lent closer to me and whispered. "Dan, are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating?"

"I'm insinuating nothing yet, Peter. But may I ask, how long was Cassandra in your care before you discovered that she'd been married, and who informed you of the fact."

"Helen Carpenter, Cassandra's aunt was under the impression that you'd had the marriage annulled. She was very surprised to learn that you hadn't."

"Oh, I'll bet the old witch was." I replied, and then I let the subject drop; much to Peter Fox's obvious relief.

That night I stayed in a room at the clinic.

"What was all that about last night." Cassandra asked me as we sat down to breakfast.

"You said you wanted out of here. I'm trying to find out if I can get you out. At least for a few days."

"I don't understand."

"Cassandra. You've been here how long?"

"Three, almost four months."

"And, I assume you were in a clinic of some kind in America."

"I was in a prison hospital over there. Until that doctor had me sent back here."

"Well I'm thinking that being in hospital hasn't helped you remember. Maybe getting out and going places that you used to go to might. Now I suspect that if I try to walk out of here with you there be an almightily stink. Besides that I'm bleeding broke. But if we can get control of your money back into your own hands, then you can do what you like."

"What just like that?"

"Yeah, I can't see any reason that you can't even stay as Sarah Lee if you wish."

"I can?"

"I don't see why not. Legally you'd be Cassandra Elks. Hey, just a minute, that sign on your room door. Did they change that lately?"

"No why."

"Then your aunt booked you in here under your married name. That proves the old witch knew that our marriage hadn't been annulled. Crafty bitch thought you'd be less likely to recall your married name, you'd only had it for a couple of weeks."

"I'm sure you've got the old lady wrong, Dan. She brought me back to the UK surely she wants me to regain my memory. What reason could she have not to?"

"I can think of a few million reasons Cassandra. Your Aunt and Uncle administer your trust fund."

"I've only got an Aunt, Dan."

"The old bugger must have died whilst you've been gone, surely you saw him on the wedding photos."