had been a good friend to him since med school. He would never have passed chemistry if she hadn't drilled him for almost a complete semester. After he'd married Jana, Megan had been there for both of them. Jana's young son, Davy, was crazy about her.
Understatement. She was damn good-looking with her slim, graceful body, glossy dark-brown hair and those enormous hazel eyes. But none of those features were what drew men to her. Hal had hit the target when he'd mentioned that stored-up emotional energy that never left her. Even when she was relaxed Scott could sense the emotional turmoil that seemed to electrify her. It was… interesting.
And arousing.
And he had better stop analyzing his responses to Megan. It wasn't fair to Jana. He would never be unfaithful but he was beginning to feel guilty.
Yes, perhaps it would be better if he made an effort to keep Megan at a distance.
MEGAN'S HAND WAS SHAKING AS she unlocked the door of her SUV. She took a deep breath before she got into the vehicle and started the ignition. She should probably wait until she recovered a little before she left the parking lot but she wasn't going to do it. She wanted to get home to Phillip. She needed her uncle's quiet steadiness and gentleness. She was raw and hurting from those hours she had spent with Delores Rivera.
It would be better once she got home. After a few hours, she would regain the balance she had lost in that waiting room. The pain that was rising, roaring, inside her would fade the longer she was away from that grieving woman.
Now that was really adult and responsible, she thought with self-disgust. She was planning on running home and dumping all of this depressing angst in Phillip's lap. God knows she had been doing enough of that in the past few years. Get a grip and give the man a break.
She rested her head on the steering wheel, blinking back the stinging tears. So many wild emotions had been hurled at her during those hours. Delores Rivera's blame and agony and guilt mixed with a dozen other incomprehensible feelings that had mounted until she had been overwhelmed.
Don't think about it. Call Phillip and the sound of his voice would help to make everything all right.
No, don't do that to him again. Live with it. Get through it on your own.
She drove out of the parking lot and turned left at the light.
PHILLIP CALLED HER WHEN SHE WAS getting on the freeway. She pressed Connect on her cell phone earpiece for hands-free operation. 'Everything all right? I don't want to be a worrywart but I knew you got off duty a couple hours ago. If you're out having a drink with Scott and Jana, just tell me to buzz off.'
Lord, she was glad to hear his voice. From the moment he had walked toward her at her mother's funeral, she had felt this warm sense of belonging whenever she was around him. 'No, it was just a rough night. I had a few problems. I'll tell you about it when I get home. I'm on my way. What are you doing awake anyway? It's after two in the morning.'
'I was only dozing. The football game didn't end until midnight. We won in the last four seconds. I was too wired to relax.'
'Hoorah Falcons.'
'Damn right.' He paused. 'What kind of problems?'
'A fourteen-year-old boy died on the table. I couldn't save him.'
'Shit.'
'Yeah. How about having a cup of hot chocolate with me and you can tell me about the game?'
'Sounds good. I'll have it ready. How close are you?'
'I'm on the freeway. Twenty minutes.' She frowned as blinding lights glared in her rearview mirror. 'Cripes, I've got a tailgater. It's a truck, I think. He must be drunk. At this time of night you'd think he'd realize that he's got plenty of room to pass me.' The lights were suddenly gone. 'Okay, he's passing in the left lane now. Good riddance. I hope he gets a tick-What the hell!'
The truck had slammed into the side of her 4Runner! She fought the wheel as she was pushed toward the side of the highway.
'What's happening, Megan?' Phillip's worried voice in her ear.
No time to answer him.
The truck slammed her again.
Crazy bastard. He'd rammed her against the low bridge over the river. One more hit like that and her SUV might roll over and go into the water.
She barely managed to straighten before the truck slammed into her from behind, sending her wheeling wildly in a circle.
Straighten out. Get off the bridge. She had a better chance going down the embankment.
She straightened back in her lane and pressed the accelerator.
'Megan!' Phillip's voice.
The truck was next to her again.
Get off the bridge.
She stomped on the accelerator and momentarily left the truck behind her.
Twenty yards and she'd be across the water.
The truck was gaining on her.
He hit her rear door as she reached the end of the bridge.
The 4Runner went off the highway and began bouncing down the embankment.
She had to stop it before she reached the river.
She stomped on the brakes and skittered sideways, slid fifteen yards before she was stopped by a pine tree.
Her air bag went off, pinning her to the seat.
Helpless.
She could see the truck stopped on the road above her and a silhouette moving toward the embankment. He was tall, thin, wearing jeans and a cowboy hat.
Her OnStar program was telling her that her air bags had gone off and that they'd notified 911.
But the man on the bank was already starting down the ridge.
Then she heard the sirens.
Hurry. Dammit, hurry.
The man hesitated and then turned and started climbing back up the embankment. A moment later he was in his truck and driving away.
She felt limp with relief. Thank God.
PHILLIP ARRIVED AT THE SCENE twenty minutes later. By that time Megan had been helped out of the wrecked SUV and was sitting on the riverbank with a blanket wrapped around her.
He handed her a thermal cup. 'Hot coffee. I figured you could use the caffeine.'
She nodded and took a sip. 'Actually, I could use a stiff drink.'
'I'd never offer you alcohol at the scene of an accident. You can never tell when the police might try to breathalyze you.' He sat down beside her and tucked the blanket closer around her. 'Okay, Megan?'
'No, I'm mad as hell.' She grimaced. 'I couldn't even get the license number. I think it was a blue Ford pickup but I'm not sure. The only thing I'm certain about is that he's nutty as a fruitcake and should be taken off the road. He scared me, dammit. When I was sitting pinned in that SUV and he was coming down the embankment, I felt like I was being stalked by Freddy from Elm Street.' She shrugged. 'I don't know. Maybe he'd regained his senses and was coming down to help me. But I was glad when he turned and took off in his truck.'
'Me too.' Phillip glanced at the policemen measuring and marking the tire tracks. 'Do they want you to check in at a hospital?'
'Yes, but I'm not going to do it. There's nothing wrong with me but a sore chest and ribs from the air bag. I want to go home.' She shook her head wearily. 'It's been a hell of a night.'
He nodded and rose to his feet. 'Let me see what I can do. Drink your coffee and leave it to me.' He moved
