Free Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris Page A

only way to solve this is to talk to Evan directly. Let me know when he's awake."
    "I'll let you know right away."
    "All right, get some sleep and I'll talk to you tomorrow."
    Dean looked over at Anne who started back at him. "So why did he want to know about the brakes?"
    "There's evidence of brake failure."
    She grabbed a colander and shook her head as she put it in the sink. "Impossible. Evan took care of that car really well. As an EMT he knew what would happen if he didn’t, so he was meticulous on making sure everything was working right." She grabbed the lighthouse potholders and strained the water out of the pot of ravioli.
    “Well, apparently something happened with the brakes and that’s what caused him to lose control."
    Her shoulders tensed as she placed the pot back on the stove. "It doesn't make sense. Evan was so careful with his car. He wouldn’t let something like brakes go unchecked.”
    "I don't know, Anne. This is what Stan thinks just based on the preliminary findings."
    "Where's Evan's car?"
    Dean frowned at her. "In the police impound, why?"
    "I want to go see it."
    "I can take you tomorrow."
    "No, I want to go now."
    "What?" He looked at her as if she’d grown another eye. "It's late and have you forgotten our friends outside?"
    "How far is the impound from here?"
    The fierce determination in her eyes made him realize she didn’t care about anything else but finding out the truth. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
    She walked over to him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "There's one thing you have to learn about me: I don't quit."
    "More like, you're a diva and have to have things your way," he smirked.
    Anne leaned down closer to him. "Look, I don’t care what you think about me, Dean. For that matter, I don’t care about what the whole damn world thinks of me right now! My sister’s in critical condition at the hospital and my family is in emotional turmoil. I am not going to just sit here pouting and feeling sorry for myself! I want to go and find out what happened and why! Do you have a problem with that?!"
    "If it puts your life on the line, then yes I do." He stood up and faced her. His head hovered above her by about six inches and it was enough to make sure he proved his point. "I know that you want to find out what happened--everyone does--but I have to ax whatever crazy ideas you have in your head that may put your life at risk."
    "Going to a police impound is not putting my life in danger."
    "Anne, are you blind!? Look outside!” He motioned towards the window. “Every single TV crew is out there just waiting to pounce on you! If we leave this house we have to plan it right."
    "Right, so we'll leave out the back and bolt out to the other yards. We can sneak in between the houses and escape so they won’t see us."
    "You are nuts!" He took hold of her shoulders and gently shook her. "There are probably reporters waiting back there for you to do just that."
    "You need to relax. I'll find out." She went to the back patio door and looked out. She opened the door, and extended her hand palm up as if she was checking to see if it was raining. Instead, she heard a car start behind the house and headlights turn on. They flashed twice and a frown formed on Anne’s face.
    "What's wrong?"
    "There are a few people with cameras out behind those bushes."
    Instantly, he was by her side and pushed her into the house and slammed and locked the patio door.
    "What are you doing!?" she yelled at him as he closed the blinds.
    "If there are cameras there and people just saw what you just did, then it will be all over the news."
    "I honestly don’t care! Let them know what I can do and then maybe they’ll all back off!" Her hair flipped back as she stomped back into the kitchen.
    “You don’t know what you’re saying.” Dean’s patience with her was slowly starting to crumble. He just wanted to shake some sense into her. “If the public knew what you could do someone could