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small, one-bedroom apartment.  It
was weird to think the last time she’d been in her home, her life was on the
verge of a complete disaster, and she hadn’t even known it. 
    She dropped onto the couch, exhausted and overcome
with the unbelievable ordeal she’d just endured.  Now that her needs had been
met, Stormy seemed to sense her owner’s troubled feelings, and she whined as
she circled and then sat on Nicole’s feet.  Her sweet little doggie.  She
rubbed Stormy’s ears and leaned forward to kiss her nose.
    It would be so easy to sink into a puddle of tears
and frustration, but she knew better than most that crying didn’t solve
anything.  Her aunt had never let her get away with sulking for long.  She’d
taught her to get back on her feet and fight.
    Unfortunately, at this point, she had no idea who
to fight, no idea how she’d landed in this predicament.  But she couldn’t sit
and fret and let her feelings of helplessness overwhelm her.  She needed to do something.
    In the end, housework became the only foe within
fighting distance.  She scrubbed and dusted and tossed useless things into the
garbage.  It might only be her corner of the world, but for a while, she was in
control.

Chapter
T hree
     
    Xander Secrist pulled his sleek silver Corvette through
the gated entrance to Hunter MacFarlane’s home.  Xander didn’t make the trek to
Hunter’s place often since the drive from Portland to the wooded area of the
Wilson River Highway in Tillamook was a good ninety minutes away.  He preferred
to offer his assistance via phone or email, but this one got his blood pumping. 
It was not only in his line of expertise, considering the crime had taken place
in his city and involved a financial transgression, but the woman who’d
committed the crime was the daughter of John Camden, the man who’d ruined his
father.
    There was no way he could ignore that.
    Xander parked his car behind Sam’s black Charger
and Ryan’s red Jeep, wondering if Christian would make an appearance as well. 
It was odd to think those three men in addition to Hunter had become like
brothers to him.  He had an actual brother, but since the untimely death of his
father two years ago, they’d grown apart.
    He exited his car, walking toward the three story
log cabin.  Golden lights reflected from most of the windows, giving the
structure an enticing glow in the waning evening light.  He’d tossed on his
leather jacket, knowing the temps this close to the forest would hover between
cool and cold.  He hadn’t been wrong.
    As he drew nearer to the front door, he could hear
the bounces of a basketball repeatedly hitting the ground.  Someone grunted,
followed by the sound of the ball hitting a metal hoop.
    “Like a boss!” Sam called out as curses came from
the other men.
    Xander shifted directions and wandered around the
side of the house to find Sam, Ryan and Hunter engaged in a cutthroat game of
basketball.  With a quick move, Sam stole the ball from Ryan, turning and bouncing
it as he backed his way into Hunter’s and Ryan’s defense.  He rotated, took a
step back, and shot the ball in a perfect arc through the hoop.  Hunter caught
it before it landed.
    “Damn, I’m good .”  Sam used the bottom of
his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his face, exposing a well-honed six pack of
muscles.
    “You’d like to think,” Ryan answered, pulling his
shirt over his head and wiping his face and dark hair with it.
    The guys all made it a point to stay in shape.  He
could even admit Sam excelled at basketball, but Xander could outrun his ass
any day of the week.
    Hunter was the first to notice him.  “Xander.”  He
acknowledged him with a nod of his head and tossed the ball to Ryan.  The other
guys echoed his greeting, but quickly dismissed them as Ryan took the
opportunity of distraction to shoot a clean hoop.
    Sam caught the ball.  “Doesn’t count.”  He shot
off his own and scored again.
    “The hell is