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she turned and continued toward the garage, and Mac would’ve sworn she’d said, “Yet.”
    “I’ll be in the trailer when you’re not too busy,” she called over her shoulder.
    Ouch.
    “She’s in a mood,” Eddie muttered, facing Mac.
    He sure as hell hoped she got out of the mood. A good relationship with his driver directly correlated with her performance on the track. “Should I expect this all the time, or can I attribute her temper to stress?” Mac asked.
    Eddie glanced at Trace as she disappeared around a corner. “She’s hurtin’. Joe and she were tight. That and all the coverage going on with the race…I think she’s freaking out a little.” A knowing smile crossed his lips. “She’ll never let on though.”
    “Yeah. Why’s that?”
    “She’s got something to prove. To my Dad, to the other drivers on the track. Probably to me too.”
    Did that have anything to do with the fact that Eddie had driven the car while Trace was in rehab? Or just that she’d struggled for so long to get back into a car in the first place?
    “Sounds deep.”
    Shaking his head with a half grin on his face, Eddie stared at the cement. “It is what it is. The tornado that is Trace. She hasn’t been the same since the accident.”
    Who would be? He sure as hell wasn’t the same after his accident.
    “She had a severe concussion, right?” Mac had heard stories of people going through complete personality changes after receiving serious head trauma.
    “Yeah…among other things,” Eddie told him. “It was touch and go for a while, but…what’s that saying? She emerged from the ashes like a Phoenix.”
    No doubt about that. Mac had been surprised to look at her face and see no sign of a scar anywhere. He’d never heard if there was an end to the story, either. “Whatever happened to the guy who threw the oil balloon?”
    “He disappeared.” Eddie adjusted his sunglasses. “Cops thought it might’ve been a one-time thing. A wacko who wanted to see the effects of oil and a car going two hundred miles an hour. They didn’t have much to go on and the incident never repeated itself at any other track.”
    “So they never discovered if someone was out to hurt Trace specifically or if it was a random crime?”
    “Correct.”
    “That must’ve burned Trace,” Mac thought aloud.
    “Like I said, I think she’s got something to prove.”
    “It sure doesn’t look like the incident affects her driving. She’s as focused as any driver I’ve ever met.” He knew about focus and knew it could be obliterated in a split second. Now if he could tinker with her attitude…
    “Honestly,” Eddie said, scratching his jaw, “I don’t know that she ever thinks about the accident. She doesn’t remember the crash or too much that happened right after it. She was out of it for a long time.”
    “I don’t doubt it.” Mac started toward the garage, but stopped. “Hey, your dad told me you’re working on the numbers for a new car.”
    Eddie shrugged. “Yeah, I’ve been trying to convince him that Grayling Racing should be more than a one-car operation. If I can prove that we can make it work financially, he’ll buy the second car. He just doesn’t think it’s in our current budget.” A knowing smile split Eddie’s mouth wide. “I’ll tell you what though…I know I can do it and I guarantee I’ll be here racing next year.”
    “I don’t doubt that either,” Mac replied. If anyone could make the numbers work, Eddie would. The guy had more brains than a race car had horsepower. He’d already seen Eddie wheel and deal years ago when it looked as if Grayling Racing might go under. Eddie had been the one who kept it afloat.
    Mac started moving again and glanced over his shoulder. “I better go find Trace before she accuses me of bailing on our conversation. Tell the guys I said thanks for the concern, but in the words of our ever-popular driver…‘I’ve got it covered.’”
    Mac stepped up into the back