Free Unleashed by Jami Alden

one suspicious around her locker, her car, her mailbox, or the other places she’d found the notes. At that hour of the morning the locker room was humming with estrogen and hairdryers, dozens of women going in and out. For privacy, there were no security cameras in the locker rooms, so even if she did demand to see the security tapes, it wasn’t like she’d catch someone red-handed on film.
    Caroline raced out of the locker room, ignoring the startled glare of a half dressed woman as she knocked her with her shoulder bag. Normally her workout left her centered and calm, if only for a little while. By the time she reached the parking lot she bordered on a full-fledged panic attack.
    Let your husband RIP unless you want to end up like him.
    Driven by the need to get to her car and home to safety as quickly as possible, she stepped off the curb and onto the asphalt, oblivious to the people and cars around her.
    “Watch out!”
    The screech of tires and blare of a horn blocked out the warning, and headlights blinded her as she looked up in terror.
    With a sudden burst of clarity and speed, Caroline hurled herself out of the path of the black SUV heading straight for her.

C HAPTER 4
    “J esus Christ lady, look where you’re going!” A stocky man in his fifties climbed out of the SUV and slammed the door. “I could have killed you.”
    “Well maybe if you’d been paying attention instead of looking at your phone you would have seen her. What in the world are you thinking goin’ that fast in a goddamn parkin’ lot? Caroline, are you okay?”
    She looked up to see Melody Easterbrook, Patrick Easterbrook’s wife, a look of concern on her face as she helped Caroline get to her feet.
    “Are you hurt?” the man asked, slightly contrite after Melody’s ass chewing. Caroline recognized his face if not his name. He was a regular at the gym and worked out around the same time she did. He had a red windbreaker over his UC Berkeley T-shirt and his face was red with exertion and anger.
    Caroline did a quick assessment of herself. Her knee was a little sore where she’d landed and her right palm had a big gash, but she was otherwise okay. It flashed again, the huge dark SUV bearing down on her.
    For a terrifying moment she’d been convinced it had been the killers making good on their threat.
    “That wasn’t my fault, you know,” the man continued. “Lots of people saw you just walk out without looking,” he said.
    “You were speeding and everyone saw it,” Melody broke in. “She’d be totally within her rights to sue you if she’s injured.”
    “I’m fine,” Caroline managed to break in, raising her hand to calm Melody down. The last thing she needed that morning was a public altercation. “I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention.” Her lips were stiff with cold and it was hard to push the words out.
    The man nodded and climbed back in his car.
    “I don’t know what people are thinkin’ bombing through the parkin’ lot like it’s a NASCAR track,” Melody muttered, then turned her attention to Caroline. “Honey, you’re shakin’ like a leaf.” She wrapped an arm around Caroline’s shoulders and steered her out of the SUV’s way. Even after twenty years in northern California, Melody’s voice was heavily laced with a Texas drawl. And though she’d turned forty-five that past December, she still looked the part of the Dallas beauty queen. For Melody, a trip to the gym merited a full face of makeup, sprayed and teased blond hair, and a perfectly coordinated outfit of designer workout wear. “What’s got you so out of it you’re walkin’ into traffic without even lookin’?”
    “I think I’m coming down with something,” Caroline replied shakily, trying not to shrink away as Melody put a hand on her shoulder. Her skin was tight and too sensitive, and the comforting touch was unpleasant.
    “Well, it’s freezin’ out here,” Melody said. “If you’re not sick already you’ll catch your