Hello there.” A tall woman in a blue pantsuit twisted her apple-shaped physique toward Scott when he entered the Omega Trust Bank. “I’m Amelia.” She shook his hand, her average face framed in long, thick brown waves. “I’m the manager.” She pointed to her gold nametag. “What can I do for you today?”

“My name’s Scott West.” He put his keys in his pocket. “Does Rachel Howard work here?”

“Yes, she does.” She smiled.

“May I see her?”

“I’m sorry but Rachel isn’t in today. She called in sick.”

“Sick?”

“Is there something I can do for you? Are you a regular or looking to open an account?” She pointed to the women and men behind the counters. “Our other tellers would be happy to assist you.”

“Can you tell me how I can find Rachel?”

Her smiled vanished.

“Can you give me her phone number and address?”

“I could but I won’t.” She gave a faint smile. “Why would I do that?”

“I need to speak to Miss Howard.”

“I can’t give you an employee’s personal information. Who are you? What’s this about?”

“I know this looks weird, but I really need to talk to Rachel. It’s important.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” She turned to leave, and he blocked her. “Sir?”

“Please. Can you give me her phone number at least?”

“Look, you’re welcome to do business with our other employees, but I can’t help you with anything else. If you aren’t here for financial reasons, then I have to ask you to leave.”

“Please.” He grabbed her arm. “Rachel could be in a lot of trouble. I’m trying to help—”

“Ray?” Amelia waved at the large, black security guard in the corner. “Please escort this man out.”

Ray headed toward them.

“All right, I’m going.” Scott watched Amelia as he backed into the door. “Thanks for nothing.”

* * *

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Stone Howard said through the phone. “I’ll take care of this.”

“You’ve been saying this for a week.” Rachel paced in her front hallway, talking on her cell. “I barely got away with my life this time. What do you think’s gonna happen next?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Stone exhaled, causing static. “Ever since we were kids I protected you, didn’t I?”

“Stone, this isn’t like when you walked me home to bypass school bullies or threatened the boy that stole my lunch money. Dario Fusco is a Miami gangster who’d put a hit out on his own mother if she owed him money. How can we fight him?”

“I started this so I’ll take care of it.”

“How?” She lifted the fake plant off the console table. “There’s no way in hell you’re getting your hands on seven hundred grand.”

“I said I’ll handle it,” he snapped. “Just be careful until I can come up with a plan.”

She rubbed her bangs. “Where are you?”

“I’m safe. That’s all you need to know.”

“But, for how long?” She stomped her bare feet. “How could you be so stupid? Stealing drugs from Dario Fusco?” She struggled not to cry but lost the battle. “I haven’t slept since this started. Everywhere I go I’m looking over my shoulder. Then Amelia from the bank told me some guy was looking for me.”

“What guy?”

“Some guy named Scott West.”

“Scott West? Doesn’t sound like any of Fusco’s guys.”

“Who knows?” Rachel leaned against the table, knocking over the picture of her and Stone. “If something happened to you—”

“Sh. Big brother’s got this.” He used that tender tone that always comforted her. “Fusco’s not gonna hurt you.”

“Sorry if I’m not convinced.” She wiped tears as the doorbell rang. “Someone’s at my door.”

“Be careful and don’t let them in if they look funny. I love you, sis.”

“I love you too.” She hung up and checked the peephole. “God.”

The striking blond man that saved her in the park stood on her porch.

She took a deep breath, a gazillion thoughts running through her head.

“Miss Howard?” He knocked on the door. “Are you there?”

“Yes?”

“It’s Scott West. The guy who saved you in Sunway Park.”

She opened the door, consumed by those powerful green eyes.

“Hi.” His high cheekbones lifted as his thick, uneven lips spread into an energetic smile. “So we meet again, huh?”

She tingled from his gentle tone. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve lived in Willowick County all my life.” He smiled, showing teeth as white as pearls. “And, I don’t think I’ve seen as much of it in thirty-five years as I have today.”

“What?” She held on to the door.

“I’ve been driving up and down this whole city to find you and when that didn’t work I went back to the bank and bribed someone for your information.”

“That’s insane.”

He chuckled, the imprint of his medium pecks showed underneath the denim shirt. “You’d be surprised what people will do for twenty bucks.”

“You really drove around town and paid someone for my information?”

“Yeah.” Wild strands of hair fell over his forehead. “I had to find you. I had to make sure you’re all right.”

“How did you even find out I worked at the bank?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I have my ways.”

“I appreciate what you did for me this morning, but you shouldn’t have come here.”

“Rachel.” He laid his hand on the door, over hers. “I know you’re in trouble. What’s going on?”

“Like I said.” She stepped back. “I appreciate what you did, but it’s over now, okay? Let’s pretend it never happened.”

“Who was that guy in the park?” His eyes moved left and right. “You owe him money, don’t you?”

“Mr. West—”

“Is he trying to shake you down? You need to go to the police.”

“How dare you tell me what I need?” She snatched her hand from underneath his. “You don’t know me.”

“I can’t sit back knowing you’re in trouble.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why do you care?”

“No telling what would’ve happened if I hadn’t come along this morning. You owe me the truth.”

“How do I get rid of you?” She grabbed her purse from the console table. “Money? How about the twenty dollars you paid to get my information?”

“I don’t want your money.”

“I want you to leave me alone, Mr. West.”

He tilted his head, gazing. “Call me Scott.”

“I don’t wanna call you anything, and I don’t need your help.”

“My brother’s a homicide detective.” He took a card from his wallet and passed it to her. “His name’s Robert West Jr. He wants to talk to you.”

“Not happening.” She handed him the card back, but he didn’t take it.

“I’m not the enemy here.” He put the wallet in his pocket. “Just talk to my brother—”

“Go or I will call the police and report you for harassment. You have no right to snoop into my business.”

“What if the guy shows up here?”

She dropped her head, rubbing her neck.

“Next time you might not be so lucky.”

“Whatever happens is none of your concern.” She looked him in the eyes. “I don’t need a hero, Scott.”

He backed away, scowling. “You did this morning.”

“Goodbye.”

She closed the door.