Page 30 of Hot For You

Her headache and mental confusion from the concussion was making it harder to concentrate on relaxing. But she shoved her way through it, determined not to let this get the best of her and destroy her hard-won control.

She pushed back the chair, but stood too fast. Her head swam and she had to brace her hands on the desktop to steady herself. When she felt like she could walk, she raised her head and walked toward the office door.

The front door closed hard and she jumped. Her heart thudded, as if it might be the mysterious e-mailer who was coming in the front door of Cody’s house. Which was completely crazy. The person would have no idea she was here.

But he’d known her name. Her full name. And he’d found her email address.

Rational thought clashed with irrational ones.

What if Firebug knows where I am now? What if that’s him?

No, that was impossible. No one but Cody knew where she was.

What if Firebug has been following me?

She would have noticed anything suspicious.

Would I really have noticed?

The back and forth in her mind was about to drive her crazy and it was only ratcheting up the anxiety that was making her chest hurt.

She heard the sound of heavy shoes on tile. It sounded like boots. Without really processing what she was doing, she picked up a heavy glass paperweight with a scorpion trapped in the glass and held the paperweight in her fist. She backed up against the wall beside the door and raised her arm. She held her breath.

Another footstep. Closer.

At the door.

“Carilyn?” Cody called out.

Air rushed from Carilyn’s chest and she sagged against the wall as Cody stepped into the room.

He frowned. “Are you all right?”

She managed a nod.

“You look upset.” He was still frowning.

“I’m okay.” She tried for a smile.

He nodded toward her hand. “Planning on playing a little baseball?”

She glanced at the paperweight she was holding and immediately felt silly. She put the object on the desktop. “I just got a little spooked.”

Now Cody’s expression turned to concerned. “What happened?”

“I received a strange email.” She gestured to his laptop. The email was still open.

“Do you mind if I read it?” he asked.

She shook her head.

He eased down into the chair and looked at the email. Immediately his expression went hard.

He looked over his shoulder at her. “I assume you don’t know this ‘Firebug’.”

She shook her head. “I have no idea who could have sent it.” She took a deep breath. “I have some talent at tracking people down myself and the IP address took me nowhere and I don’t have the software I need to take it any further.”

Cody nodded slowly. “I need to show this to Reese.”

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