Page 26 of Three Steps Behind

“You’ll see.” He gestured to the black Palisade one row over.

What was it with government agencies and their black SUVs?

She’d expected a black Suburban. That’s what the agents drove around, thinking they blended in, when all they did was stand out.

“But my stuff is still there?” she asked.

“Yes. As far as I know.”

“Good. I’ll go change before heading over to see Dalton.” She wanted to look her absolute best.

“We need you to surprise him. Show up and tell him you wanted to do so upon getting out early for good behavior. He’ll be so happy to see you, I imagine, he won’t think anything of it. But we need you to go there first. You don’t want anyone telling him you and a Fed showed up at your apartment to get stuff before he sees you for the first time.”

She narrowed her eyes as he held the passenger door open for her. “Who would tell him?”

“He has guys stationed there—at least one all the time.”

She frowned. “Stationed there? Why?” She climbed up onto the leather passenger seat.

“I’ll explain on the way,” he said before shutting her door, walking around to the driver’s side, and climbing in.

“So?”

He turned the ignition. “We think it has something to do with his nefarious dealings.”

Dalton probably just had someone at her apartment to keep an eye on the place. Enough of that vein of conversation. “We’re going shopping.” She clapped her hands once as they pulled out of the prison lot. “On the Feds, right?”

“Right.” He grunted, clamping the steering wheel tightly.

“Wow. I really bother you, don’t I?” Not that she minded. She had the ability to get to all men—she either attracted or irritated them, and she loved both effects.

“I’m just doing my job, ma’am.”

She crossed her legs, the slit in her dress falling open with the movement.

He cleared his throat and kept his gaze firmly on the road.

“I told you not to call me ma’am.” Multiple times over the duration he’d chased her, which felt like forever. It was like there wasn’t a moment he hadn’t been on her tail. Always only steps away, but she’d eluded him for over a year and took great satisfaction in that.

“And I told you not to call me Aubry.”

She chuckled. “Then I guess we’re at an impasse.”

He tapped the steering wheel. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Now, where do you want to shop?”

“They have some cute boutiques in Santa Fe.”

“Too close to Dalton. We need something farther out.”

“Okay, hang on and let me Google it.” A minute of scrolling passed. “Got it. Anthropologie is twenty minutes down the road. That’ll do.”

He typed the store name into his GPS and switched lanes to ramp up on the interchange.

“I hope . . .” He cleared his throat. “I hope this puts you on the straight and narrow. You have a chance at a new life. Don’t blow it.”

“I won’t.”

He glanced over out of the corner of his eye.