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laid on his horn as if he believed they would pull over for him—which they didn’t—then passed when he had the chance.
    Not far up the road he spotted the green thing she called her car. From this distance, it appeared unharmed, but he couldn’t be sure. And where was she? Had someone taken her?
    His pulse ringing in his ears, he feared from the beginning that her simple stumble onto the loading dock, coupled with her background, might put her in a potentially explosive situation. If someone considered her a threat, the stakes were too high to allow Casey to simply walk away.
    He intended to find out if Carlos and Miguel had plans to hurt her or worse, kill her.
    But how could he find out? And if that were the case, how could he stop it?
    Nearing her car, he slammed on the brakes, sending the Jeep sliding across the graveled shoulder. Jesse jumped out. Casey was nowhere to be seen.
    He jogged from the VW to stand at the edge of the rocky face that tapered into a grass-covered knoll before morphing into sand. Cupping his hands, he shouted. “Casey!”
    â€œYou don’t have to yell.”
    Jesse looked down. There she sat, at the bottom of a short drop, next to a moss-covered boulder.
    â€œCasey!”
    Relief washed over him like a twenty-foot wave. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes. He leaped down and closed the distance between them. Upon his approach, Casey stood, brushing off her slacks.
    He’d honestly thought the worst. Overwhelmed to see her alive, he pulled her into his arms. She melted into him as he brushed his hand down her long, silky hair.
    â€œI’m so glad you’re all right,” he said, a mere whisper against her ear. “What are you doing down here?”
    Was she hiding? No, if someone wanted her they could easily have found her.
    â€œAfter what happened, I needed to sit down. I found this spot.”
    Sensing it was time to let her go, he held her at arm’s length. “You want to tell me why I heard you scream again? Because this is becoming a habit.”
    â€œSorry. I certainly wouldn’t want your coming to my rescue to be a habit.” Her sea-green eyes pierced his.
    Regretting his words, he asked again. “Casey, what happened?”
    Her eyes shone with tears as she looked away.
    He thought she was crying, except the hint of a smile touched her lips when her gaze returned to him. She’d had a scare, but she was rallying, at least he hoped.
    He liked that.
    But he had more important things to think about. Jesse hated considering that Casey had possibly become a target. She hadn’t exactly done anything to deserve drawing the crime ring’s attention. At least, not yet.
    And if she had, then why was she still alive? Things weren’t adding up.
    â€œTell me exactly what happened.” He needed facts.
    A warm breeze wafted over him, carrying her perfume with it.
    â€œYou already know half of it,” she said. “I had a blowout then stopped to change it and that’s when I called you. I was on the phone with you when I saw an SUV barreling toward the car and me.”
    â€œAre you sure it was barreling toward you, or simply gunning up the hill? It obviously didn’t hit your car. Why would anyone want to hurt you? Could you be mistaken about the driver’s intent?” Jesse cringed at his questions, knowing all the possibilities. But would she know? That’s what he really needed to find out. Had she done something at the ice company that he knew nothing about?
    Something to seriously stir things up?
    â€œI don’t know, Jesse. Another car came around the corner and the SUV corrected its course. You’re probably right. It was nothing. I overreacted, and feel like an idiot now. Butfor a moment there, I really thought the driver intended…” She swallowed hard.
    Noticing a slight tremble in her hands, Jesse hated to see her distressed yet again. Still, his shoulders relaxed, if