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Alex sat in his car, leaning back just far enough in his seat so Leah couldn’t see his face He’d wondered if she’d show today Wondered who else in the running group would show He’d arrived just as the group had set out on the footpath He’d waited ten minutes before he’d followed Good to be close, but not too close

Leah had fallen behind, and several times he’d had to slow his pace so he didn’t overtake her He could hear her breathing, knew she was struggling, but she kept running Kept

She was an odd uard around the the way, she’d been broken

Toward the end of the run he’d cut down the side path and turned on the juice, his long legs eating up the space so that he arrived ahead of her He’d seen David’s car in the lot, waiting Was he being gallant or was he lurking? Stalking?

He’d gotten into his car, stripped off his wet jacket, hat, and gloves He turned on the engine and heater, soaking up the warmth

Blowing into chilled hands, he waited and watched the woods for Leah to ee Another tenback down the muddy path when she’d appeared, soaked to the skin but still running One foot in front of the other

Most would have been put off by Leah’s odd juxtaposition of personality traits She certainly was everything he didn’t need But he liked her quirks Her spirit Her He’d never understood the concept of love at first sight Thought it was for fools The weak Not logical But in this moment, the idea had merit

Leah drove hons of the car Nothing No one was behind her False alarm

At a stoplight, Leah slumped back in her seat and swiped a hand over her da to do with round

In the days when Philip had been stalking her, she’d learned to vary her routine Never take the sa onto her street as she normally did, she circled the block once and then twice, all the while looking in her rearview mirror to confirm no one had followed Now, distracted, she didn’t notice the traffic stopping unexpectedly When she did, she had to jam her foot on the brakes Her wheels hydroplaned and she nearly sla, she rubbed her eyes and tried to focus No one was following her, but if she didn’t get her act together, she’d have bigger problems

Rattled, she drove directly to her town house and parked in front of it A glance at the clock, and she realized she’d not only alhnuts She dashed inside, locked the doors behind her, and hurried to the shower

As she stood under the spray, the heat of the water teased a shudder from her chilled bones She quickly washed her hair and then soaped her body Fingertips grazed the uneven scars on her forear on the thick raised scar on her left side Not Philip’s first cut, but his most lethal This had been the cut that nearly ended her life

Leah flexed her fingers, rinsed off the remainder of the soap, and shut off the tap As she toweled off, she looked toward the long fullthe towel around her, she wiped clean a section and exposed only her face so that she didn’t have to see all her scars The two on her face ran along her right chin The plastic surgeon had worked long and hard to repair the dae

She dried her hair and applied the special ned to cover birthmarks and scars Once it was applied, her skin looked aled from her town house, coffee in hand, dressed in a dark turtleneck, jeans, and black walking shoes

The rain had cleared out, but the Januaryover her shoulder, she hurried to her car, set her cup in the holder beside the early ine, welcoearshift when her phone rang She glanced at the nunize it, she let voice mail pick up the call and drove into the office

She arrived at the clinic by eight Flipping on the front lights in reception, she immediately locked thethe doors when she was there alone Gail would arrive at eight thirty, and from then on the doors would be open

Most ht patients and review theschedule before the first round of appointuests were housed in the kennel at the ht She’d stitched up the cat yesterday and given hiht Noake and glaring at the cage bars as he scratched at the white cone-shaped collar around his neck

Tracker rose, silent, his gaze alert as the cat hissed Nor Not one to bark but always paying attention as he waited Friendly enough, he never wagged his tail until Alex arrived to check on him Tracker understood Alex was part of his pack

“Going home today, Tracker” She checked her watch “Your dad should be here by lunch”

She opened Tracker’s cage as the cat batted his cage The shepherd eased out of his crate, his joints stiff froe and years of police work

As she hooked Tracker’s leash and led him toward the back door, the tohed “Don’t complain to me, mister You’re the one who likes to duke it out on the mean streets You’re lucky you didn’t lose a foot I’ll feed you in a minute”

Outside, Tracker raised his nose and sniffed the air, as if savoring the cold They walked around the parking lot and toward the ring of woods that surrounded the lot As much as she didn’t like the cold, she didn’t rush Tracker Fifteenfresh food and water into his bowls The dog ate happily

Leah cleaned the cat’s litter box and then filled his bowls He dove into the food, growling as he gobbled She went to the break roo to her office

Her rooh for the desk, a chair for her, and another for anyone else who needed to sit Bookshelves lined the walls behind her, but other than a few of her veterinary textbooks, ed to the for on the wall, but she had no personal photos or mementos for the shelves Maybe, over time, she’d make memories and her own mark

The front door opened and closed, and she recognized Dr Nelson’s slow, steady footsteps She always relaxed a fraction when he or Gail arrived and she was no longer alone

“Leah,” Dr Nelson said, leaning on her door frauest?”

“I did”

“Thank you I orried because I was running late I had a power outage last night and overslept”