Lifeline

While filming her husband Charlie's attempt to qualify for the 1985 Memorial Day "500," Corey McAlister witnesses the famous racecar driver's fatal crash. She flees from Indianapolis, seeking sanctuary in her vacation cottage at Gulf Shores, Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. The white sands and sea air are healing until the peacefulness of the atmosphere is shattered when an injured man in a wetsuit washes up on her beachfront. Corey helps him to safety in her cabin and hides him from a boatload of unsavory- looking men passing by close to shore. With the help of a paramedic friend, she tends to the stranger's injuries. "Do not call any authorities. They'll kill me " he adamantly demands. And he manages to give her a number, his life before lapsing into a coma. In the excitement, Corey forgets the last few digits of the number. She tries to deal with her own troubles as the stranger heals. Needing cash, she finds employment at a convenience store down the road from the beach cottage. Josh and Mattie, store owners, are kind to her when they learn Charlie's children by an earlier marriage are laying claim to Corey's beach property, her only asset, and are talking to developers and hotel chains. Corey goes to battle while making friends with residents of Gulf Shores, who don't want to see this beautiful land developed. When mishaps occur, Corey wonders if the culprits are her enemies or foes of the man of unknown origin. When assaulted, Corey is rescued by the recuperating stranger. This blows his cover, bringing in the authorities. There is a "search" scene with men in Hack gear and helicopters flying overhead. Her uninvited guest, Guy, now her lover, is discovered and whisked away. Thisinteresting and complex story unfolds with Corey facing an abundance of challenges. There are scenic descriptions of Gulf Shores, entertaining episodes and "side"situations such as Corey's trip to New York City to appear on NBC's "Today" show. The novel, alive with "right-on" dialogue