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gate.
    „Scanlon will undoubtedly have sent someone,“ she returned calmly, searching the sea of faces.
    „The hotel is your family?“ He smiled wryly.
    „I’m afraid so. My parents died several years ago and I don’t have any close relatives,“ she told him honestly.
    „What about you?“
    „Similar sob story, I’m afraid,“ he chuckled. „I doubt the bunnies sent anyone.“
    That brought a smile to her lips and Jessica’s eyes sparkled for a moment in genuine humor and warmth. But before
    she could say anything, the crowd, consisting mostly of reporters, as it turned out, was upon them.
    „Jessie! Jessie! Over here!“
    She turned her head at the shouted greeting, recognizing Lee Simon’s worried face. The handsome man in the
    three-piece suit hurried forward. Behind him, parked at the curb, Jessica could see a waiting black limousine with a
    chauffeur standing nearby.
    „Scanlon always does things with style,“ she had time to tell Lucas as Simon made his way through the throng of
    reporters and television crews. „Lee manages a resort hotel not far from here.“
    „I see.“ Lucas was ignoring the barrage of questions being aimed his way as he watched Lee Simon greet Jessica
    with restrained enthusiasm.
    „Thank God you’re all right, Jessie! Scanlon management has been deeply worried, I assure you!“
    „Afraid the convention plans for the next twelve months were going to disintegrate without me to supervise
    them?“ she teased, grateful for the greeting, even if it wasn’t quite the same as having a real family member present.
    „There were dire rumors to the effect that, if anything permanent had happened to you, I was going to have to fill
    your shoes!“ Lee grinned. „God! I can’t believe it! We were all so damned scared! Listen, I’ve got a car waiting as
    soon as the authorities turn you loose. I’m taking you straight back to the resort. Scanlon management left strict
    instructions for you to rest for two weeks before even thinking about going back to work!“
    „Thanks, Lee, I intend to do exactly that!“
    „You all look fairly healthy,“ broke in an urgent voice at her elbow. She turned to see a reporter thrusting a
    microphone in her face. „In fact none of you really seems to need a rest cure! How did it go out there, Miss Travers?“
    Aware of Lucas standing close at her side, Jessica remembered her duty to the Scanlon hotel chain. If she was to
    be a source of publicity for them, she must handle it adroitly.
    „We’re all in excellent shape, Mr. Richardson,“ she announced calmly, reading the man’s name tag as she spoke.
    „Thanks to Lucas Kincaid. Mr. Kincaid here was in charge the entire time. We all owe him our lives.“
    That was all it took to send the reporters swarming over Lucas. Jessica watched him virtually disappear in a sea of
    microphones and recording machines. Then she realized that this was her chance.
    „Take me away from here, Lee,“ she whispered gruffly. „I’ll talk to the authorities later if necessary. I just want to
    get away.“
    „You bet,“ he agreed instantly, taking her elbow. „Right this way, Jessie. I can’t wait to get to a phone to let
    everyone know you’re really okay.“
    She moved off with him, Lucas lost in the crowd behind her. She had no way of knowing, of course, how he
    intended to treat her now that they were safely back in civilization. Perhaps he would have lost interest immediately. Or
    perhaps he would have pursued her in an attempt to reestablish his claim. Either way, she knew she must escape. The
    memory of the past five days would be difficult enough to handle as it was.
    Safe in the cushioned luxury of the air-conditioned limousine, Jessica settled back into the seat with a sigh. No, she
    never wanted to see Lucas Kincaid again. The man had stripped away the trappings of her sophisticated, polished
    world, humiliating her by forcing her to submit to his authority in front of the others and then reducing