Prologue

PROLOGUE

S now covered mountains, crisp air and beautiful hiking trails were a thing of her past.

Now Andi was surrounded by muggy sticky stale air, country music and a twang so thick on her clients she was lucky she could understand two out of ten words.

She couldn't even say this all landed at her feet because of one person. Or one incident.

Nope, it was several and she had no idea where the hell her life took a wrong turn.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Andi," US Marshal Jack Wilson said. "You've only been here a year."

"I don't like it here," she said. "It's too damn hot in the summer and I don't want to go through it again. I miss snow."

She'd grown up in Colorado. She never in her wildest dreams thought she'd be living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cowboy boots and hats and westerns just weren't her thing and trying to fit in when she never would was a waste of her energy.

She was lonely and didn't care if Jack, her father's partner, was living in town and keeping an eye on her though she didn't think she needed it. She never asked him to relocate when he placed her here after last year's debacle, but she knew deep down he would keep them as a package deal to fulfill his promise to her father.

At thirty years old, she didn't want the shadow of her past lurking around every corner waiting to jump out and snatch her sanity away and needed to move on by herself. She had to start living the new life she'd taken on, however much it wasn't her choice.

"I will admit the heat is getting to me," Jack said.

"No one told you you had to come here too," she said. They were in her cramped apartment while she cooked him dinner for their talk. Even the AC didn't seem to be keeping up as she wiped her arm over her brow.

"Like I'd leave you alone," Jack said. "I promised your father and I'm a man of my word."

Andi let out a sigh. Her father's passing was still raw. Luke Huntington's death had come as a shock, but knowing he put his life in danger daily, it shouldn't have been.

She couldn't help that Jack felt guilty and responsible. He'd been her father's partner for five years and he was only nine years older than her, which made it easy to tell people he was her cousin. Brother wouldn't fly.Friendmade people think it could be romantic and it never would be.

"And you have been," she said. "It's still far enough away. No one is going to find me."

Jack picked up his beer. "You've been good so far. No problems. But you always did follow plans to the letter."

"I was raised that way," she said. "I need you to trust me. I've not heard from nor seen Leo. You know that. You're saying nothing is going on with the Dustin Family crime ring either."

"I keep my ear to the ground. Nothing on my end," Jack admitted. "Are you sure this doesn't have to do with your birthday?"

She picked up her beer for a long sip. The glass was sweating and drips of moisture fell to the floor.

"Maybe. I just don't likeit here. If I can't go back home and need a new life, I want a better place than this," she said, throwing her hands up in an exaggerated fashion.

"What are you thinking?" Jack asked.

"I've got a few ideas."

"There isn't going to be any arguing with you, is there?" Jack asked.

"I'd rather you didn't. I don't want to go over your head."

Jack snorted. "You wouldn't and you know it. Don't try to give me that empty threat."

"Fine. I'm asking you as my father's friend. The man that says he has to look out for me. Let me move, please. You don't have to go with me."

She knew it might take time for him to get a transfer if he decided to go also. She didn't want that to hold her up but would wait and see what he said.

"You know I want to, but when you put your mind to something, there is no stopping you. Give me your list and we'll look it over together. I'll get you situated with the local office where you end up. But you're playing by my rules on this."

She got up and hugged him now that she got her way. "Thanks, Jack. I mean it. I just need to leave. I'm not settled. I'm not sure I ever will feel like I am either, but I've got to start somewhere."

"This is not where you wanted to be," Jack said. "I know. It was the quickest transfer I could do and we wanted you out fast. It was selfish of me to nottake that into consideration. I guess you lasted longer than I thought anyway."

"Which is why you are letting me do this now. I'll get dinner on the table and we can talk about the places I'm looking."

"It's going to have snow, isn't it? Please don't tell me Alaska."

She smirked at his cringe.

"God no," she said. "I want some nice weather, but I'd like to enjoy the cooler climate too. Maybe near some water. I don't know. Something different."

It was time she found some happiness rather than despair and heartache knowing she was all alone in the world.

Time to take this step and hope to hell life didn't blow up in her face once again.