Every Step She Takes (Who's Watching Now Book 2) by Jannine Gallant Page A

breeze were the only sounds in the vast meadow. Grace broke the silence. “Who do you think it is?”
    Travis raised an eyebrow. “The man following us?”
    She nodded.
    “Someone Estrada hired to eliminate Sutton.”
    “I know that. I meant who in particular.”
    “A guest from the lodge. One of the people who arrived with us. Based on when Sutton’s girlfriend blabbed his location and the flight schedule into Moose Flat, I don’t think anyone could have gotten here sooner unless they were already in Alaska.”
    She let out a long breath. “You said he . Does that mean the sisters are in the clear?”
    “Alma might be able to handle the job, but what would be the point of dragging Judith along with her? She’d only be in the way.”
    “Maybe she’s using her for cover.”
    He swatted at a mosquito. “Doubtful.”
    “Lou Russo just had heart surgery.”
    “So he says.”
    She frowned. “You don’t believe him?”
    “You lied about writing a travel article.”
    “Never trust the word of a hit man. I guess lying would be the least of his faults. So, what about frat boy, Archer, and fisherman, Andy. Are they lying, too?”
    “Not necessarily. Assassins can have hobbies.”
    She laughed out loud, her amusement ringing in the morning air. “Honey, I’ll be home late tonight. Gotta whack this guy after I catch our dinner.” She shook her head. “None of this seems real.”
    “Which is why I don’t want you involved. There isn’t anything funny about what Sutton witnessed.”
    Her smile disappeared. “You’re right.” She spread her arms wide. “Drug deals and murder just seem so far removed from this .”
    “Maybe that’s why the feds let Sutton come up here without someone to keep an eye on him. Hiding in plain sight with zero chance of running into anyone who’d recognize him.”
    “Until he opened his big, fat mouth. What an idiot.”
    “I couldn’t agree more. How’d you hear about it?”
    “One of my sources was at the party when Sutton’s girlfriend spilled the beans.”
    “Terrific. A dozen people could have overheard her, and if they all told a few friends...”
    “Snowball effect. Why’d the government send you to fetch their star witness?”
    “A friend of mine is working on his case.”
    She frowned. “So he called his buddy Travis instead of using one of his own men?”
    “Fritz trusts me. We were on a SEAL team together back in our younger days, and being in Seattle, I was relatively close.”
    “You were a Navy SEAL?”
    “Yep.”
    “Very sexy.”
    His stomach lurched. The teasing light in her eyes did something to him. He cleared his throat. “Any chance it’ll cut into your five date rule?”
    “None whatsoever.”
    “Risking your life for your country doesn’t count for one measly date?”
    “Nope, but I’ll give you yesterday since you cooked my dinner.”
    “I made breakfast, too.”
    Her smile tugged at his nerve endings.
    “Handing me an energy bar doesn’t count as meal preparation.”
    “I let your flea-ridden companion sleep in the tent.”
    She glanced down at the dog walking by her side. “If Wylie had fleas, you’d be scratching more than mosquito bites. All that proves is you’re a nice guy and deserving of a second date.”
    “I suppose that’s something.” He kicked a rock out of the path. “Ever been married?”
    “No.”
    “Engaged?”
    She shook her head. “For about two months a couple of years ago I thought a detective I was dating might be the one.”
    “What happened?”
    “It was around the time my sister met her future husband. When I watched the two of them together, saw the love in their eyes...” She sighed. “What I had with Nolan wasn’t like that.”
    “So you dumped him?”
    Her voice took on a defensive edge. “I was nice about it.”
    They left the meadow for a steady hike upward through a grove of western hemlock. With his sweat-dampened T-shirt sticking to his back beneath the pack, the shade was a welcome