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Jennifer sounded unconvinced his gang had come for Tracy, she felt a little let down by the conversation. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected Jennifer to say or to do. But if Jennifer believed Tracy was in danger, at the very least Jennifer should try again to convince Tracy to let the Marshals office assist her into a new life. Maybe this time Tracy would listen. She’d mostly wanted Jennifer’s reassurance and she’d gotten that, but for some reason it didn’t make her feel any better.
    Admittedly, Tracy’s story didn’t sound all that credible, even to her own ears. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Jay’s attacker—whoever he was—had come to Mountain Cove for her.
    She’d give Jennifer enough time to speak to Mountain Cove’s police chief before she went in to talk to him, too. That way, they’d take her seriously.
    She finished paying for her few groceries and toiletries and gave Veronica, the store clerk, a big smile, hoping to defuse any hard feelings because she’d shopped beyond the ten o’clock closing time. She hated shopping so late and then having to drive back out to the B and B, but Jewel had kept her late tonight.
    Tracy hadn’t found a way to tell Jewel her story yet. She wasn’t sure how she would react to the news, and Tracy needed more time to figure things out. What if Jewel fired her, fearing Tracy had brought danger to her door? Then she really would have no options. And yet it wasn’t fair to keep her boss and friend in the dark, either.
    God, what do I do?
    Her thoughts went immediately to David and his concern for her.
She had a feeling that he would throw a fit if he knew she was here alone at the grocery store at this hour, though it wasn’t his business. He knew everything now—well, almost everything—and the previous day, he’d acted as if he might stand guard over her cottage until the end of time if she hadn’t run him off. He’d been so concerned about her, and she’d wanted to shake what that did to her insides.
    She was still much too raw to put herself in that kind of heart-risking, vulnerable position again. Now that she knew him a little better, there was no doubt that she could fall for a guy like him hard, but caring about him would put him in danger. Caring about him would also be a liability to her heart.
    She couldn’t afford to get involved with him. Still, she admitted that, deep inside, David Warren gave her just another reason to want to stay in Mountain Cove.
    A noise like cans being knocked over sounded at the back of the store. The clerk looked up from assisting Tracy with her groceries.
    “What in the world?” Veronica said. She shook her head. “And I wanted to get out of here early. I have to work tomorrow, too.”
    “I’ll help you stack whatever it is back up. After all, it’s my fault you’re here so late.” Tracy smiled.
    “You’d do that?” Veronica eyed her.
    “Sure. Why not?” Tracy waited for Veronica to lock the front door. Then, leaving her groceries at the counter, she followed the clerk to the back.
    Cans of green beans that had been on the endcap for a promotional sale were scattered everywhere. Veronica blew out a breath. “Can’t imagine how this happened.”
    The look she gave Tracy was a little accusing. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t buy any green beans. Didn’t even touch them.”
    Another sound—garbage cans tumbling—resounded from outside the back exit. Tracy stiffened. She headed to the back of the store and immediately felt a rush of cold air. The back door wasn’t closed completely. She and Veronica had been alone in the store. But it looked as though someone had entered through the back, accidentally knocked the cans over and then sneaked back out. Or maybe Tracy’s imagination was getting the best of her. Still, she didn’t want to risk it. “Veronica, you should call the police.”
    Veronica stooped over to grab a few cans and stack them. “Look, that would mean I’d get out of here