Every Step She Takes (Who's Watching Now Book 2)

by Jannine Gallant

  Kane frowned. “I don’t like coincidences. Jesus, this story just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Does Mason’s mother still live in the house?”

  “She took the boy and left the area shortly after her husband died. A heart attack killed her several years ago.”

  Rachel stepped out onto the front porch and wrapped her arms across her chest. “Why would Mason go back there then?”

  “He probably wouldn’t, but Karen Rogers mentioned a tree fort David built for his little brother when he visited him. Apparently the kid loved it. If this psycho is fixated on David…” He shrugged. “It’s all I’ve got, and I can’t sit here doing nothing any longer.”

  “Definitely worth checking out.” Kane bent to kiss his wife, shifting the bulletproof vests he carried. “Stay with the girls. I’ll call you the second I know something.”

  “But—”

  “The man is armed and dangerous. Worrying about Grace is enough. If she’s there, we’ll bring her home.”

  Rachel pressed her lips together and nodded.

  Travis headed toward the driveway then turned. “Your Jeep or my rental car?”

  “Let’s take the car. It’s faster. Do you want me to drive? You’re injured, and—”

  “I can drive.” He needed to be in control of something. Giving the car door a hard slam, he winced when pain stabbed through his ribs. It didn’t compare to the agony of not knowing what was happening to Grace.

  Ignoring the posted speed limits, they reached the outskirts of Vallejo in under a half-hour.

  Kane glanced up from his phone where he was tracking their route. “Take a left up ahead. It’s only a couple more miles from here.”

  “I suppose I should have called Fritz.”

  “Why? This’ll probably end up being a wild goose chase. If we find the bastard, then you can call him. I’m not afraid of the little freak, and if a stray bullet takes him out, it’ll save the tax payers some money prosecuting him.”

  Despite the nerves eating at his gut, Travis smiled. “I can see why you and Marconi are buddies. For law enforcement officers, you both have a strange way of ignoring the rules.”

  Kane grunted. “I take care of the people I love. Turn here.”

  The car jolted down a dirt road as the moon slid from behind a cloud bank, illuminating empty fields studded with clumps of oak trees. Travis turned off the headlights.

  “No point in announcing our arrival if Rogers is around.”

  “Agreed. Let’s park and walk the rest of the way.”

  He pulled over near an old, rotted log and turned off the engine. After stepping out of the car, he fastened on the vest Kane handed him then checked the safety on his weapon before easing the door shut. Keeping an eye on the uneven surface of the track, he picked up his pace. Adrenalin fueled by hope rushed through him.

  “I know the odds are slim, but I’d bet my business they’re here.”

  Kane glanced over and kept his voice low when he answered. “You’re probably setting yourself up for disappointment.”

  “This will sound ridiculous, but I can almost feel Grace—her energy, whatever. Stupid, I know.”

  “Did anyone tell you Rachel had a stalker a couple of summers ago?”

  Travis nodded.

  “He held her in my brother’s cabin up in the mountains. The whole time I was driving toward it, I could feel her need pulling me. I was in a panic, thinking I wouldn’t get to her in time.”

  “This feels more like impatience than fear.”

  Kane covered his mouth on a strangling noise. “Sounds like Grace. We’d better keep quiet. The house should be just past those trees.”

  The Porsche sat squarely in front of a dilapidated shack with boarded over windows. The breath left Travis in a rush. Thank God. He nudged Kane.

  The other man’s smile flashed in the dim light. “Got him!”

  Travis spoke in a whisper. “How do you want to handle this?”

  “Not much cover, and we know he’s a crack shot. Shit.”

  “If we work our way around to the side, he won’t have a visual with those windows boarded over. The porch should obscure his view from the door.”

  Kane nodded, backed further into the trees then turned north. Watching where he stepped, Travis emerged from the thicket of woods behind the other man to face a weedy side yard.

  “Looks good. Should be easy enough to reach the porch from here.”

  “I’m sick of getting shot at, so let’s hope.” Travis took a long breath. “I’m praying she isn’t hurt. I’ll kill the bastard if he’s touched her.”

  “Grace has a knack for controlling any situation. My money’s on her.” Kane jerked his head toward the rear of the house. “The back door looks accessible. We can hit him from both sides. Take your pick.”

  “Front.”

  “The risk is greater. Maybe—”

  “I was a SEAL.”

  “It’s all yours.” Kane glanced at the illuminated dial of his watch. “Two minutes to get into position should be plenty. We go in at the same time.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  * * * *

  Fear inched down Grace’s spine. The way Rogers was pacing from door to door to peer out into the darkness while muttering to himself was freaking her out. If he hadn’t been carrying a deadly weapon, she would have kicked him on one of his many passes through the room.

  “Why don’t you sit down?” She pointed at the second battered chair next to a table with a broken leg. “Obviously no one’s around, and you’re making me crazy.”

  “How did my brother stand dating you, always nagging and bitching? He told me how great you were. I guess you’ve changed.”

  “Life has a way of doing that to people. I’ve been thinking.”

  “Oh, this should be good.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Do you want those photos of David or not?”

  He turned slowly away from the door to face her. “I want them.”

  “Mid-morning, my dad will be either at the winery or in the vineyard. Mom has her garden club meeting at ten o’clock on Thursdays. I could easily slip into the house and get the pictures for you.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “You mentioned you need cash. I could give you some. I have a vested interest in your escape, since I’m really, really sick of this place and would like to go home. We can stop at an ATM on the way to Vine Haven.”

  “The cops will be monitoring your bank account for withdrawals. I already considered asking you for a loan.”

  A loan? He talked like they were business associates. She shuddered. “My mom always keeps a stash of emergency cash in the freezer. We could borrow that.”

  “How much?”

  Had a board on the front porch creaked? Her pulse pounded. She stood and took a couple steps to her left—out of the line of fire if she wasn’t imagining the sound—and raised her voice. “A few hundred dollars. Enough to pay for gas to get you out of the state.” Keep him talking and distracted. Please, please let someone—Travis—be out there. “We can raid the pantry for food, so you won’t have to stop to eat.”

  “Oh, you’re coming with me. I’ll turn you loose, but not until I’m free and clear of the area. You’re my insurance policy.”

  “Whatever. As long as you let me go, I suppose I can put up with you for another day—”

  Wood splintered front and back. Both doors burst inward. Weapon drawn, Travis stepped through the shattered frame of the front door. Before she could move, before she could think, Mason grabbed her and pressed his gun to her forehead.

  Grace’s gaze locked on Travis. His Glock held steady as he approached.

  “Let her go, Rogers. You’ll be dead if you don’t.”

  Kane’s voice spoke behind them. “Use your head, man. I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in your back.”

  “You won’t risk hitting Grace.”

  The arm
wrapped tightly around her chest quivered. His broken arm. Sweat dripped down the side of his face and onto her neck. She cringed.

  “Let me go, Mason. You’re too smart to think you can get away. David wouldn’t want you to kill me. He’d want you to give up.”

  The arm tightened, and his breath came in pants. “David never gave up.”

  “He loved you. He only wanted to protect you the night he died. He wouldn’t want you to be shot like a common criminal.”

  “I can’t go to prison.”

  Had his arm loosened? Was she getting to him? A wave of dizziness threatened. Travis’s gaze locked on hers, steadying, encouraging. She drew in a breath.

  “You won’t have to. You’ll tell the jury about your father, about how killing him twisted you up inside and made you crazy. They’ll put you in a psych ward for a couple of years until you convince them you’re cured. You’re young and smart. You’ll be a free man long before you turn thirty. That’s how the system operates.”

  “We had a plan. It would have worked, too, if these assholes hadn’t screwed things up for us.”

  “The plan’s changed now. I’ll still send you the pictures of David. Let me go. I don’t want to see his little brother die.”

  The shaking arm fell away, and he stepped to the side, dropping the weapon. He stood silently, staring at the floor while Kane cuffed him and pushed him down on a chair.

  Grace stepped into Travis’s arms and pressed her face against his neck. For a long moment she held on tight, breathing in his scent as his pulse throbbed against her cheek.

  “You okay?”

  She nodded and looked up. “What took you so long?”

  His smile flashed before he lowered his head to kiss her. She smoothed fingers along his rough jaw and kissed him back, never wanting to let go.

  “I was so worried.” His gruff voice spoke in her ear. “I don’t know if I could live without you.”

  “You won’t have to.” She closed her eyes and leaned against him. When he winced, she stepped back. “Your ribs. I forgot all about them.”

  “They’re fine, just a little sore.”

  Grace glanced over at Mason Rogers. “Is it okay if I punch him for everything he did to you?”

  Kane laughed. “Not unless you want him released on some trumped-up charge of police brutality.”

  “Too bad. Can we get out of here? I’ve spent way too many hours in this place.”

  “Yeah.” Travis’s breath released on a sigh. “All I want to do is hold you, but I’d better take care of business first.” He glanced past her at Kane. “I’ll call Fritz to see what he wants us to do with Rogers.”

  Kane smiled. “I told Travis you’d have the situation under control. If you ever get tired of reporting the news, SFPD would hire you in a minute to talk crazies off ledges.”

  She grinned back at him. “Too stressful. I wasn’t at all certain I was convincing.”

  Rogers looked up, eyes narrowed. “Oh, you convinced me, but only because every word you said was true. I can be very persuasive. An insanity defense will work perfectly once I turn on the poor little boy charm. I’ll be out in no time, completely rehabilitated. Just watch.”

  Looking into that cool, intense gaze, Grace shivered. She didn’t doubt he meant what he said.

  Travis tucked the phone back into his pocket. “Fritz and the local authorities are on their way. We’re not to move an inch until they get here. He’s pissed I didn’t call him sooner.”

  “Shouldn’t he be happy you captured an escaped assassin?” Grace scowled. “I have a couple of things to say to your old pal.”

  “Of course you do. You always have plenty to say.”

  “Damn right. If we can’t leave, I don’t suppose you brought any food with you? I’m starving.”

  Travis laughed. “Grace, you never cease to amaze me.”

  “Good. That should keep things interesting.”

  * * * *

  Travis pulled Grace tight against his chest and kissed her. Rolling with her in the tangled sheets, he winced at the pain in his ribs then let out a long, satisfied sigh. “I was afraid we’d never have the opportunity to make love again.”

  Her laugh stirred the hair on his chest. “That’s why you were worried about me, because I rock your world in bed?”

  “You do that and a whole lot more.” His arms quivered as he pressed her closer, damp skin rubbing in a way that made him want to start all over again. “I love you, Grace.”

  “I love you, too.” She was quiet for a long moment, her fingers running up and down his back. “Have you forgiven me?”

  Some of the afterglow faded. “I told you not to go back to your apartment alone. Even though I was in a drug-induced stupor, I remember being pretty clear about that. You didn’t listen.”

  “I usually don’t. I make my own decisions—sometimes stupid ones. I’m never going to be a yes, dear type of woman.”

  His hand cupped her chin, turning her face so he could look into troubled eyes. “I wouldn’t expect you to change, but would it kill you to take what I say into consideration before you act?”

  “It almost killed me that I didn’t.” She frowned. “That may be a bit melodramatic. As much as he wanted to exact some sort of justice for his brother, I don’t think Mason Rogers would ever have been able to hurt me. He kills from a distance, and I made sure we connected on a personal level during those hours he held me captive.”

  “I’m just glad your theory wasn’t tested. The man’s unstable. Who knows what he would have done.”

  “True. I should have listened to you. I should have done a lot of things differently, starting with not betraying your trust in me.” She stroked his cheek. “From now on, I’ll be completely upfront. I won’t hold back the truth, even if I think it’ll result in an argument.”

  “More than likely I’ll give you one.”

  “I know.”

  He kissed her. “I do forgive you, and I have every confidence we can work out our problems.” He sighed. “McNally called while you were in the shower. I need to go home in the morning. Can you come with me?”

  Her eyes darkened. “Not right now. Hank will expect a full story—a firsthand account of my kidnapping at the hands of a professional assassin. They may even put it on the front page.”

  “So I go back to Seattle and you stay here. Then what?” He stroked her hair, his heart aching.

  “We visit each other. Long weekends and joint vacations.”

  “That isn’t enough.”

  She pulled back. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I love you, but I have a life here. I can’t just toss everything I’ve built aside. I don’t notice you offering to give up your career to move to San Francisco.”

  Was he expecting too much? Could their love survive with only an occasional weekend together? He feared he knew the answer to that question, and it ate at his soul.

  “We’ll work it out.”

  “Of course we will.”

  She sounded as discouraged as he felt. Pulling her back into his arms, he kissed her again. “Until then, we have tonight.”

  Chapter 31

  “You’re sure you want to do this?”

  Grace nodded and smiled despite her boss’s—make that ex-boss’s—scowl. “Never been surer about anything. Freelancing stories is the way I need to go. I’ll be in touch the next time something big breaks.”

  “I expect first dibs on all the good stuff. You may be a pain in my ass, but you’re a top-rate reporter.” His gravelly voice deepened. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you, too. See you around, Hank.”

  Grace stopped by Dottie’s desk to give her a hug, said a few more good-byes to colleagues then gathered her box of personal items and left the building. It had been a hell of a run working her way up from cub reporter to the number one choice to cover important stories. Not that her career was over. Change wasn’t the end—just the opposite. This move would be the beginning of a whole new li
fe.

  She couldn’t wait to see Travis, to tell him in person. This wasn’t the sort of news one broke over the phone. Smiling, she skipped a few steps through the parking garage and laughed out loud. The expression on his face would be priceless.

  She hummed to classic rock on the radio and tapped her fingers during the drive home, lips tilting in a smile for no reason at all. Cruising past her building, she slammed on the brakes and whipped into a vacant parking spot. Must be her lucky day because that never happened.

  After collecting her mail, she ran upstairs, greeted Wylie then packed enough clothes for a week. If she stayed in Seattle longer, she’d do a load of laundry. With a satisfying zip, she closed the suitcase, changed into running clothes then grabbed the leash.

  “Let’s go, baby. This walk will have to hold you for a while, not that Lark won’t take good care of you while I’m gone. I’d bring you to Seattle with me, but Killer might live up to his name. I need to make a pact with Travis’s cat if we’re all going to cohabitate.”

  She couldn’t wait. The last month had been exhausting. Even without the pressure of trying to maintain a long distance relationship with Travis, she’d spent hours at the courthouse covering Estrada’s trial. When the jury had handed down a guilty verdict, she’d actually jumped out of her seat and cheered. Then there was the affidavit she’d had to submit for Mason Roger’s arraignment hearing. The judge had agreed he was an extreme flight risk and had set his bail at a staggering amount. For now, the man who’d made her life a living hell wouldn’t be going anywhere. Who knew what would happen to him in the long run. At least there was some good news. The mole Estrada had planted in the FBI had been uncovered. Fritz had also confirmed Casey was settled into the Witness Protection Program and was doing well. She grinned. Travis’s buddy hadn’t been stupid enough to drop any hints as to his exact location.

  Running through the park pumped up her energy level another notch. Being free to come and go as she pleased without fear someone was watching hadn’t gotten old yet. Each time she stepped out the door, her spirits lifted. Turning, she headed for home. Lark should be there shortly.

  After a quick shower, Grace was debating over shirts when a knock sounded on the door.