Deadly Competition (Without a Trace) by Roxanne Rustand

Author:Roxanne Rustand
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises
Published: 2009-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Clint’s own sister was in trouble. Maybe he would understand and be supportive, if Mandy told him about Dean’s threats and the way he’d turned into an obsessive, dangerous man.

Or would Clint fire her on the spot and send her packing?

If Dean found this town, would Clint would see his badge and fall for whatever lies the man told?

She could understand a decision to fire her. Clint would undoubtedly consider her a liability. But a rapid calculation in her head made her heart sink to her feet. Two more weeks of work and she’d have enough for her transportation clear out to the coast, plus a week or so in a cheap hotel and food until she could find another job.

The pageant had already placed her at greater risk, but without the next paycheck, her next bus ticket could land her in the middle of who-knows-where and still not be far enough away.

One slipup, just one emergency need to use her health insurance card or access her bank account, and he could swoop down on her in no time. With his badge and his good-old-boy mannerisms, he could fool anyone into thinking he was doing her family a favor by finding her. Maybe he’d even trumped up some sort of charges so he could ask the local cops for “assistance.”

She had no idea how all of that worked with jurisdictions and all, but if there was an angle he could use, she knew Dean wouldn’t miss it.

Clint was still watching her intently, awaiting her answer.

“I’m not wanted for anything.” At least as far as I know. “I’ve certainly never committed a crime. You checked my record, right? Totally clean.”

“But…”

She took a deep breath, knowing she didn’t dare trust Clint any further than she’d been able to trust anyone else in her life, and opted for just part of the truth. “At our first meeting, I mentioned ending a relationship a while back. I suppose my old boyfriend could try to look me up, but I have no interest in being with him anymore.”

“Look you up? As in…follow you? Harass you?”

“I haven’t seen him since the day we broke up. I have no regrets, and I hope he doesn’t, either. Even if he does, that wouldn’t make a difference. I’m not going back.”

“Did you leave a forwarding address?”

At that, she choked back a humorless laugh. “I’m not sure who I would’ve given it to. I made sure all of my bills were paid. My only relatives are some aunts and uncles who live out East, and I’ve met them only a few times.”

“So why would Nonnie sound as if she were sending you a warning?”

“I’ll ask her.” Mandy shrugged and held out her hands palms up. “Maybe someone asked about me and she read a little too much into it.”

Clint didn’t answer for a long time. “Could be.”

He steered toward the far end of the open water, where she could see the occasional twinkle of lights through the trees. Before long he maneuvered the boat through several tight channels and up to the old pier in Loomis.

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