Page 12 (2/2)

“This will be fine”

He wanted to ask if the hostess had seen the woman who had entered before him and could seat hiraphed strictly wildflowers, but in her case, he would have made an exception and taken her portrait But not in a sterile studio environ field at the foot of thefaded blue-jean short shorts and a skimpy tank top, barefoot and braless, the object of his fascination would sit in a field of pale purple daisies with their gold-button centers facing upward and lacy towering firs providing a backdrop That’s the portrait he wanted to take of her

A waitress, dressed in a Victorian gown and apron silass of water She was just as friendly and just as unabashedly bold about giving him the once-over But he was sure it had er tip since he was the only e of thirty as seated alone in the establish him up to see if he fit the usual clientele—rich resort visitor—or if he was an off-season ski bum who had mistakenly found his way into this place

He’d dressed up a little allery owner, although he probably could have worn anything and the gallery staff wouldn’t have cared Artists were artists, after all

But he wore a vest with his stonewashed jeans and a pin-striped dress shirt, although he’d rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and left a couple of the buttons down the front of the shirt undone And he hadn’t bothered to shave for a couple of days, giving hied appearance Dressy just didn’t suit him much

Light fluffyand steak sizzling on a grill wafted through the air His stomach rumbled in anticipation as he considered the menu, narrowed his eyes to study the prices, and nearly had a stroke

“Highway robbery,” he muttered under his breath He would have walked out, but he still wanted to see the woain and learn what she was up to Then he waved to the waitress, told hi exorbitant prices —and placed his order

When the waitress left, Jake saw her—the wo at a booth across from his His heartbeat quickened, and he sat up a little taller She was observing a man in hisa fitted dark-gray suit He arthy, fat faced, and fat lipped, with a bulbous nose, receding black hair, and dark cold eyes So about the er Not just aan affair on his wife

The fact she atching the er She wasfeet with a s from her upswept hair to tickle the back of her neck She was not nearly big enough or h to take on whomever the man was and win the confrontation Now Jake could see her eyes—the color of rich chocolate, just like her hair Her eyes were narrowed a hint and her brows knit into a small frown

She pursed her full glossy lips, a shi on a notepad Her gaze returned to the arnered another look as she worried the bottoe to coax her ive her so positive to think about Like him

She glanced toward the door as aan expensive black suit, he was similar in build to the first: stocky and dark-haired, swarthy and all business as he glanced around the place with a wolf’s wary manner The woman quickly averted her eyes

Surveillance Jake bet she orking so? And who did she work for?

The waitress returned to the table, delivered his steak and eggs, and asked, “Is there anything else you’d like?” She favored hiain with a way too intiesting she could be on the menu if he was the least bit interested

With a quick se, but just as quick a shake of his head to shoasn’t interested, he said, “No, thanks I have everything I need, right here” He glanced back at the wo he meant that included the woman who continued to be the object of his fascination

The waitress’s smile quickly faded “Oh, you’re interested in her” She paused, as if she was thinking of saying so more about the woman But then she shook her head and said, “I’ll check back with you in a bit, then” She gave the woman in the suit a derisive look, but before the waitress could hurry off, Jake seized her scrarist

When she stopped and turned to face him, her pale hazel eyes wide, he released her wrist and asked, “Do you know the woman?”

She gave a soft snort “Oh, yeah, she and her , hiking, you name it” Then the waitress leaned doer and said conspiratorially, “She’s mixed up with some bad types, and nobody but nobody wants to associate with theave a little shrug