Dangerous Race (24 page)

For what? Did the guy even know what he was apologizing for? For breaking their engagement? Or maybe for doing it with a letter? Possibly for walking out on her when she needed him most? The man had a lot to choose from.

His thumb circled the back of her hand, and Tracey wanted to pull free of his grasp, but she didn’t. She stood completely still and let him mess with her head.

“I can only imagine how you felt the day…” He couldn’t even say it.

She didn’t want to remember it.

“I think I’ve grown up a lot since then,” he continued. “I realize how special you are to me and I don’t want to lose you in my life.”

Tracey blinked. She waited for the sky to fall, for the world to end. For Ashton Kutcher to jump out and scream “You’re punk’d,” but that didn’t happen either. Eddie kept looking at her as if his life depended on her answer.

What the hell did he expect her to say?
C’mon, Eddie, you never lost me. I’ve been here waiting for you to change your mind. In fact, why don’t we get naked and hop in bed to celebrate the occasion?
Not in this century.

“Eddie, when you think about it, I’ve never been out of your life. We see each other nearly every day.”

His brows pulled together and his eyes begged her. “I know, I know, Trace, but I want you in my life like before.”

He was kidding. He
had
to be kidding.

Tracey shook her head slowly. “That’s not going to happen, Eddie.” Not in a million years. Not if he was the proverbial last man alive. “I’m the same as I was the day you broke things off. I look the same, Eddie. Nothing’s changed.”

“You’re wrong, Trace.
I’ve
changed.”

Not enough. “I don’t—”

“Listen, Trace, everyone knew I was wrong. Everyone. It was years before people could look me in the eye and I deserved it. I deserved everything, but I want to make it right. I’ve been freaking out thinking that there’s someone out there trying to hurt you. It’s making me crazy.”

“Eddie—”

“Please, Trace, please pull out of the race before it’s too late. Before this guy really does something permanent.”

A chill zinged down her back and Tracey removed her hand from of his grip. “I think you went through something traumatic last night and I think you’re probably feeling a little—”

“I know exactly what I’m feeling,” he said carefully, “and I want to make things right. I don’t want to regret anything and you need to stay alive for that to happen.”

“You’re forgetting something important, Eddie.” She had his full attention. Looking at his face, she had a sudden flashback of his wide-eyed horror the first and only time he’d seen her leg. She’d never get over that face. “I’ve moved on.”

The man looked distraught. As if she’d given him a death sentence. “Please, Trace. Please, think about it. My life hasn’t been the same since that day and I want it back.”

He wanted his life back, but not her. People
had
treated him differently. At least crew members that were still around from those days had. His dad definitely treated him differently. Ed had always been tough on his son, but since Eddie had broken off the engagement, he’d been even tougher. He hadn’t given him a bit of slack. Even though Tracey had seen it for herself, she hadn’t believed she’d been the catalyst. Not until now.

She might’ve tasted some sweet justice if she thought that’s how Eddie truly felt. Too bad she knew better. All she could feel for the man was pity.

“Do me a favor and think on it, okay, Trace? Remember all the plans we made? All those nights we spent lying on the track staring up at the stars and mapping out our life?” His eyes pleaded for mercy before they widened in hope. “In fact, let’s start over. Why don’t you take me outta here?” He threw back the sheet and moved to the closet. “You can take me back to the hotel and we can talk, really talk, and get to know each other again.” He pulled out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

His words were hard enough to comprehend, but it was his actions that got her attention.

Had he been discharged? “Can you leave yet?” Tracey didn’t blame him for wanting out. She’d felt the same way the day they’d held her for observation, but she wasn’t going to take him out of here without a doctor’s approval.

“I don’t care whether I can or not. I am. I should’ve been out of here a long time ago. I told them I was okay…just a headache.” He tugged on his jeans before stripping away the backless hospital gown. Then he threw on a T-shirt and started putting on shoes.

Did he honestly think she’d put her life on hold to start over with him? “You can’t just walk out. You need to be discharged.”

“I’m discharging myself,” he declared. “You can be my nurse and escort me outside.” He tied the last lace and headed for the door, taking her arm as he passed.

“Slow down, Eddie. You should tell someone you’re leaving.”

He stopped and looked her straight in the eyes. “I’m leaving. There. Let’s go.” He pulled her with him to the door. Why did he constantly feel the need to drag her everywhere he went!

Tracey felt like a small dog on a short leash and the reminder of the other night set her temper on simmer. She snatched her arm out of his grasp. “Hey, I know you want out of here, but someone needs to okay this.”

Eddie sighed before focusing on her with the same eyes that used to melt her years ago. “I’m sorry.” He approached her, held her shoulders, touched her in a way he hadn’t done since the accident. God, maybe he was serious. Maybe he had changed. “I’ve got a little bump on my head and they’re treating me as if I had brain surgery. I just want to get out of here, go back to the hotel, take a shower and talk to you. Can you please, please, give me a ride so I can do that?” His ice-blue eyes didn’t melt her, but they still had the ability to make her crumble a tiny bit.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll take you.”

“Thank you.” Eddie smiled. His easy smile. A smile she hadn’t seen in ages. The strangest sensation tingled down Tracey’s spine.

Eddie turned to leave and bumped right into Ed Senior.

“Eddie.” His dad took his arms and studied him closely. “What the hell happened? What did you do to yourself?”

It seemed that Eddie deflated before Tracey’s eyes. His shoulders sagged, his eyes closed, his chin almost hit his chest. She couldn’t blame him. Ed could’ve shown a little compassion instead of making it sound as if Eddie had done this on purpose.

“I’m okay, Dad,” he said, finally facing his father. “I was at the garage late last night going over the numbers for the new car. I thought I heard someone knocking around and went to investigate. I think I scared the crap out of whoever it was. He nailed me with a crowbar and took off.”

Tracey’s stomach turned at Eddie’s account. He could’ve been killed. “You’re sure it was a guy?” she asked. At least this would clear Chelsea in her mind. Not that she could envision Chelsea slamming a crowbar over Eddie’s head. That would be as ludicrous as picturing Mr. Rogers robbing a bank with an assault weapon.

“Yeah. I’m sure. He was my size, but I didn’t get much else.”

Ed narrowed angry eyes. “I told you to go over those numbers for the car yesterday afternoon. If you’d done what I said, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Tracey took his hand. “Ed, I don’t think now’s the time to get upset. We’re lucky Eddie’s okay. That’s what’s important.”

“If he’d listen to me when I tell him something, he’d get himself into a lot less trouble.”

“You’re making this sound like it was my fault.” Eddie visibly struggled for calm. “I don’t
believe
you. I get slammed in the head and it’s
my
fault.” Eddie looked at her for support. “Are you hearing this?”

“I never said it was your fault,” Ed fumed. “Don’t you dare talk about me—”

“Whoa. Stop,” Tracey said, standing between father and son and doing her best to referee. “Everybody needs to calm down.”

Ed wiped a hand down his face and sighed. “Yeah. All right.” He looked Eddie up and down. “Well, you’re dressed. If you’re ready to go, I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

The smile Eddie gave her made her insides knot. “Trace’s going to take me back,” he said, and he moved past his dad with the single-mindedness of a runaway train. “You probably want to get to the track early.”

Looking at his watch, Ed raised his brows. “Not
this
early.”

“Eddie, since your dad is here, it might be best if he drove you.” Relief snaked through Tracey. Just because she’d agreed to take Eddie didn’t mean she wanted to. She wasn’t looking forward to their
talk
in the least. “I was on my way to the police station to pick up Mac and Matthew.”

Eddie grimaced. “Damn. I told Hahn they had nothing to do with this, but he found that knife and Mac and Matthew are the only two guys we know with those initials.”

“The knife could’ve been there before you got hit,” Tracey reasoned.

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t,” Eddie said. “I struggled with the guy before he hit me and I heard something fall, but I didn’t know what it was until Hahn asked me about it.”

“Well, we know it can’t be them,” Tracey said, adamantly.

“It could be anyone,” Ed chimed in. “Although,” he added, scratching his chin, “it
is
looking more like an inside job. Someone with access to the garage and Trace’s schedule.”

Another chill traveled down Tracey’s back. An insider. Someone who knew her. Someone who was willing to kill the people around her to get to her. But why?

As if reading her thoughts, Eddie said, “Dad, I’d rather go back with Trace. I don’t want her to be alone. If she’s not going to drop out of the race, we need to at least keep an eye on her.”

Tracey didn’t give Ed a chance to answer. “It’s okay, guys. I’m not alone. I have a…friend in the truck.”

“Who?” Eddie asked. The simple word sounded more like an accusation than a question. The blue of his eyes darkened and Tracey felt the distance growing between them by the second.

“Just a girlfriend.”

“Since when do you have any girlfriends?” Eddie asked, reminding her needlessly of the fact that she did indeed lack for female companionship. It might not have stung as much if he hadn’t said it as though she were a wounded mutt that no one wanted. Maybe he caught the tone because he continued, “Look, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I’m worried about you and I’m suspicious of any strangers popping up in your life. I haven’t seen you with anybody. You can’t be too close to her, which means we don’t know who she is or if she’s somehow involved with all this.”

“I think it’s pretty safe to say she’s in the clear,” Tracey said, standing a bit taller and throwing her chin out stubbornly.
I have a sister.
She felt it soul-deep. “Matthew’s been seeing her all week and we know he’s innocent, so I’m not worried. She’s coming with me to pick up Mac and Matthew. Besides, whoever is behind this is chickenshit. He won’t come after me head-on. He wants to scare me away and that’s not going to happen.”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Chickenshit? You think this guy is bullshit?” He glanced at his father. “You think killing Joe and nearly killing you four years ago is bullshit? You think someone slamming my head with a crowbar is nothing?”

Tracey backed away from the venom in Eddie’s words and in his eyes. She’d never seen him so incensed. “No, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t say that. He killed Joe by accident, Eddie. He wanted me, but he’s too scared to come and get me. He’s got to hide behind freaking with my car and planting garbage in my aspirin. He’s chickenshit. He wouldn’t have hit you if you hadn’t disturbed him. He was planning to do something else. At least you stopped him.”

Eddie’s breathing got harder, irregular, and he swayed.

“Eddie,” Ed said, steadying his son, “Are you okay?”

Tracey took his other arm, and she and Ed guided Eddie to bed. “I don’t think he’s ready to fly the coop yet,” she said.

“I’m okay. I’m okay,” Eddie insisted, but his pale skin shone with sweat.

“Just hang out a little while longer, Eddie. I’m going to the police station and your dad can take you back to the hotel when you’re released.” Tracey backed up toward the door.

Eddie looked tired all of sudden. “Did you have fun with Matt last night?” His question came out of nowhere and since she’d been with Mac, she assumed that’s what he meant to say.

“We called it a night after we saw you,” Tracey said.

“Oh. Right,” he said as if it were a top military secret.

The sudden change in Eddie’s demeanor rattled Tracey. Maybe he got hit harder than anyone thought. “Take it easy, Eddie. I’ll see you later.” She turned to go.

“Trace,” Ed stopped her. “Be careful, sugar.”

Tracey looked at the man who’d been as much of a father to her as Joe. She walked into his outstretched arms.

“You’re my girl, Trace,” Ed murmured against her head.

Tracey opened her eyes and saw Eddie staring, his gaze burned straight through his father. When he looked at her, his brows knit together as if she needed to know whatever he had raging in his head. A strange sensation in the pit of her gut blossomed into a cold chill. With one last squeeze she disengaged herself from Ed’s embrace and left the room.

The sun climbed above the trees lining the hospital parking lot, sending shards of light streaming through thick branches. Even so, across the sky, dark clouds loomed thick and ominous.

Chelsea sat in the truck, waiting for Tracey. Maybe she shouldn’t have accompanied her to the police station. Though she needed to speak to the detective, she was afraid to face Matthew.

Last night, after playing psychiatrist and consoling her best friend for hours, she’d fallen asleep on Kim’s spare bed. Kim had confessed to drinking way too much and spouting off about how the famous Trace Bradshaw was going to bring their company back to life with a vengeance.

The irony was it was true. Tracey had spoken to a few of the sponsors and two were willing to hear a pitch from another company. They hadn’t signed any deals with an agency and still had an open mind.

Harding and Jacobs still had a breath of a chance at succeeding.

Early that morning, Chelsea had gone to her own room, knowing Matthew had a busy schedule so soon before the race. She’d left him waiting for her all night. Maybe it was for the best. It wasn’t as though they had a real relationship. Regardless of all the sweet things he’d said the night before, this was just a vacation fling. Right?

Pulling the visor down, Chelsea dabbed some makeup under her eyes to cover the faint shadows. When Tracey had called, she’d run out of her hotel room after splashing water on her face and yanking her hair back in a quick ponytail.

Whether it was now or later, she’d have to face Matthew one last time. Tell him goodbye. Then pretend ending their relationship wasn’t killing her.

She hadn’t wanted to, but she’d fallen for him. He made her laugh. He made her feel good about herself. She trembled at his touch, melted under the heat of his gaze and craved the things he did to her body.

Hot, stinging tears burned her eyes. The fact that it hurt so much only proved the point she’d been trying to make from the beginning. She was no good at one-night stands or vacation flings. Her sensitive heart now beat exclusively for Matthew.

The driver’s side door whipped open and Chelsea jumped.

“Sorry,” Tracey said, climbing behind the wheel. “I thought you saw me coming.”

Chelsea wiped away a stray tear and shut the visor. “No problem. How is he?” she asked.

Knowing some of the history between Tracey and Eddie, she guessed this visit hadn’t been easy.

Tracey started the truck, but she had a faraway look in her eyes. “He’ll be okay. I think they might release him soon. His dad’s going to take him back to the hotel.”

“That was really nice, just now,” Chelsea said quietly.

“What was nice?” Tracey asked, maneuvering out of the parking lot and into traffic.

“Visiting the guy who broke your heart. I don’t know that I could be so civil about it.”

Tracey glanced at her with widened eyes. “How did you know about—?” She clamped her mouth shut. “Of course, Matthew told you.” She shrugged. “He might’ve hurt me, but he’s been in my life forever. I can’t ignore him. I have to live with him. And, unfortunately, I think I’ll always care about him. At least…” she put her thumb and index finger a hairbreadth apart, “…this much.”

Chelsea smiled, admiring Tracey’s capacity to forgive. “I meant what I said. That was really nice.”

Tracey shrugged a shoulder as though it was no big deal, but her silence indicated the opposite.

“I couldn’t imagine going through such a tough breakup and having to stay so close to the guy.” An odd realization hit. “You know, over the past few days I think Matthew’s introduced me to everybody in the garage except Eddie.” Tracey glanced at her and Chelsea hurried to explain. “It wasn’t on purpose. Eddie just wasn’t there when I was. To tell you the truth, he’s one person I’m not particularly interested in meeting.” Not after the way he treated her sis—Tracey. Chelsea paused, not intending to make Tracey uncomfortable. She still wanted the real story behind the Three Musketeers. “So if you, Eddie and Matthew were so close, was it uncomfortable when you and Eddie became a couple?”

Tracey sighed contemplatively as she made a right turn. “Honestly, it seemed like the natural order of things. Matthew was a few years older…well, five years older and although it doesn’t matter now, when I was sixteen and he was twenty-one, it was a different story.” She glanced in the rearview mirror.

“You and Eddie are the same age?”

“Close enough. He’s a year and a half older than me. But the three of us all had the same sensibilities. We all loved cars, we weren’t into the big party scene, we were kind of loners and we connected in that sense. Age didn’t come into play until I hit my late teens and started changing. I always liked both guys. We spent a lot of time together, joked around, horsed around. After practice or a race, the married guys went home to their families—or back to their hotel rooms if we were on the road—and the party animals hit the clubs. We just became this threesome.”

“Until you and Eddie connected?”

Tracey nodded. “Eddie and I were closer in age and we had a lot in common. We were both drivers. We both considered Ed a dad.”

Chelsea perked up at that information. “That’s weird, if you and Eddie both drove, how come you’re driving for Ed instead of Eddie?”

“Eddie drove the car while I was out of commission.”

“But when you came back, he had to step down?” Chelsea asked.

“Ed’s been thinking about buying another car but it hasn’t happened. Even with sponsors, it costs a fortune to keep a car running and he’s not sure he wants to expand. Eddie’s been working hard to make it happen. And he will. He’ll drive again, when his dad gets the second car.” Traffic thickened and they slowed to a crawl. Tracey’s gaze skirted back to the rearview mirror.

Chelsea looked over her shoulder to see what had Tracey’s attention, but didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. “So you’re kind of the first string?”

Tracey shrugged. “I don’t know that I’d label myself first-string.”

“Why not? I mean if Eddie was a better driver wouldn’t he still be driving and you’d be waiting for the second car?”

Tracey glanced at her. A reluctant half grin curved her lips. “We’re different. Eddie loves driving, but he’s always had other interests too. The guy is a science whiz. A real genius.” She stopped at a red light. “When we were little, he got a chemistry set for his birthday and never looked back. He loved that thing.” She smiled wistfully. “Making concoctions that bubbled or foamed. Blowing up homemade volcanoes. Sometimes I wondered why he even bothered with cars. He has the potential for so much more. He said cars were in his blood and he couldn’t give up the sport. Maybe that’s our difference. I only had the car. I don’t think he lives for it the way I do. Maybe we approach driving differently on that level. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s important to him and I know he’ll drive when Ed gets the second car.”

Chelsea had learned a lot about the sport in the last week. Matthew had been thrilled to answer all her questions and now, she read between Tracey’s words. “So Eddie isn’t as focused as you and your approach to driving is better,” she stated. “It wins more races?”

The light turned green and Tracey pressed on the gas. “I don’t know,” she said, looking a little uncomfortable. “I guess. Maybe.” She tipped her head from side to side, weighing the differences. “Okay…yes.”

Chelsea felt a swell of pride for this woman’s skill. A stranger. Her sister. An identical twin. She wanted to learn as much about her as she could. “So were you always drawn to Eddie or did you have a pull in Matthew’s direction at all?”

Tracey glanced her way with narrowed eyes. “Are you asking about any history I have with Matthew?”

Embarrassed, Chelsea bit her bottom lip. Maybe part of her did want to test what Matthew had told her. “Just interested. I know it doesn’t matter anymore—I only wondered…” Chelsea hated the way she sounded, like a bad private investigator. Or worse, a nosey girlfriend. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Not important.”

“It’s no big deal,” Tracey assured her. “I probably flirted, but it was innocent stuff. It’s not as if I ever kissed him or anything. I can safely say that he never once thought about the two of us…you know…
that way.
” Although Tracey’s gaze stayed on the road, clearly she was miles away.

“But you did, didn’t you?” The question erupted before Chelsea could censor herself.

As Tracey eased around orange pylons where road construction had slowed things down, she gave the answer serious thought. “Years ago…before Eddie and I got together, I’d lie in bed and wonder what it would be like to kiss Eddie or Matthew. They were so different. Eddie’s blond hair and blue eyes or Matthew’s tall, dark and handsome. I had my little teenage fantasies, but there was something about Eddie that drew me in. He was so smart and he had this love for his dogs and I guess that attracted me…Not that Matthew isn’t smart,” she hurried to say. “He’s a genius when it comes to cars and he’s got a heart of gold. There was just a spark in Eddie’s eyes that spoke to me so I ended up with him.” Tracey made the sound of a buzzer. “Wrong choice. Game over. I lose.”

Chelsea couldn’t imagine the hurt that Tracey had gone through. First with the accident, then with the breakup. “Why didn’t you try to…you know…start something with Matthew once you and Eddie had split?”

Tracey blinked several times. She shook her head and smiled sadly. “Nope. Not starting anything with anybody. Besides, Matthew turned into more of a big brother. I love him, but I was never
in
love with him.” The truck picked up speed as they reached clear road and Tracey gave another look at the traffic behind her.

Chelsea looked over her shoulder. “Is something wrong?

“No,” Tracey said. “I thought there was a van following us, but it turned off.”

What a life…to live with that kind of doubt and fear. Chelsea had new respect for Tracey. She was glad they were nearing a police station.

But they’d been talking about love. “What about Mac?” Chelsea asked.

Tracey looked wary. “What
about
Mac?”

Her sudden defensiveness warned Chelsea to tread carefully. “Matthew said you and Mac had been spending a lot of time together lately. It seems as if he cares about you.”

Tracey shook her head. “He’s just being protective. I don’t think he really cares about me. At least, not the way you’re talking about.”

Chelsea nearly laughed at that. “Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you? The man worships you.”

“I doubt that,” Tracey mumbled. She gestured toward a brick building, as they pulled into the parking lot. “We’re here.”

The end of the ride also seemed to mark the end of the conversation. Chelsea didn’t want to wear out her welcome.

Surprisingly, the precinct seemed empty. Notices and pictures of officers past and present covered the drab walls and the old tile floor begged for a mopping. Two officers sat behind the front desk, one working on the computer, the other filling out paperwork. Both looked up as they entered and both appraised them from head to toe. An officer invited them to sit in the available chairs and they waited silently for the men to be released. After almost an hour, Chelsea heard familiar voices from down a long hallway and felt Tracey stiffen next to her.

Matthew and Mac came toward them, involved in their own conversation. Seeing Matthew made her pulse skitter.

It’s over. It’s over.
Maybe if she thought the words long and hard enough, her heart would believe it. They were both going back home and their time together had ended.

Matthew stopped when he saw her. His gaze briefly shifted to Tracey before landing exclusively on her. Standing next to him, Mac seemed as equally dumbfounded.

Detective Hahn passed both men in the hallway and made a beeline straight for them. If Chelsea wanted to clear her name, she needed to step forward and do it now.

At least she’d had the chance to talk to Tracey.

Matthew hadn’t thought that life could be more miserable after last night, but the past two hours of interrogation had changed his mind. Waiting for Chelsea and going through the desolation of being stood up didn’t compare to this morning when he’d been woken out of a sound sleep, hauled down to a police station and questioned mercilessly about his whereabouts last night. He hadn’t mentioned anything about Chelsea and her hired P.I. He believed her and didn’t see a reason to bring it into the mix.

Seeing Chelsea waiting for him had sent a ball of emotion straight to his gut. After an initial check between their faces, Matthew had known Chelsea without question. Seeing her next to Trace only solidified the fact that he wanted Chelsea. Loved Chelsea.

The ladies stood as he approached with Mac, but Chelsea followed Hahn into a room off the hallway and vanished behind the door.

“What’s with that?” he asked Trace, gesturing to the disappearing pair.

“I think you know,” she replied. She shoved her hands in her pockets. “Look, Matthew, she told me everything that happened. About the private investigator she hired and that she’d done some digging into my life. About your suspicions. She’s not my stalker. My God, the lady says ‘heck’ instead of ‘hell’ and ‘doo-doo’ instead of ‘shit.’ Do you honestly think she’s out to kill me?”

Dropping his gaze, Matthew stared at the old tile. “Well, when you put it like that…” Shit. He was an idiot. How could he have thought for one minute that Chelsea was somehow the bad guy in all this?

Twenty minutes later, Chelsea emerged from the room with Hahn following. The detective shook her hand and smiled. “I’ll be in touch,” he said then continued down the hall.

Chelsea took a few steps and joined them, her face void of expression.

“Everything okay?” Trace asked.

“Yeah,” Chelsea said. “I told him everything. He’s going to call Mills and check it out. I think I’m in the clear.”

Chelsea hadn’t looked at him yet and Matthew suddenly knew how it felt to die inside. “Hey,” he said, breaking the uneasy silence. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

She finally turned her gaze on him. “Tracey told me what happened and asked me if I wanted to come with her. I thought it would be good to talk to her and the detective.”