Bounty Hunter. Lynette Eason

six in the morning.

      And someone was lurking outside her door.

      She slipped to the window and moved the curtain enough so she could see outside.

      Nothing was visible in her line of sight. She wrapped her fingers tighter around the butt of her weapon and stood to the side of the door.

      Her phone buzzed on the nightstand and she jerked, her heart pounding in her chest.

      Star lunged at the door and barked. Harper spun back to pay attention. Someone was out there. But who? She strode to the end table, grabbed her phone, then sent both Ian and Riley a group text: Someone’s at my door. Can you see who it is?

      Looking now, came Riley’s response.

      Don’t see anything, Ian’s text read. Coming out of my room now.

      Got my door open and don’t see anything, Riley said.

      Harper snapped Star’s leash on her collar and, using the hem of her shirt, slowly opened the door. She pointed to the knob. “Find, girl.” The German shepherd sniffed the area Harper indicated then bolted from the room. Harper kept a tight grip on the leash, stepped out and shut the door behind her.

      Ian and Riley were already there.

      “Nothing here,” Ian said. He held the leash to King, the energetic Malinois. The dog was ready to work.

      Star pulled at the leash, too. “Star says differently.” She and Ian let the dogs have their lead. Harper, with Ian right beside her, followed the animals along the edge of the building, passing room after room. The men trailed behind her and she knew they had her back.

      Star came to the end of the building and rounded the corner. Harper went more cautiously, gripping the leash with her left hand and her weapon with her right. She glanced at Ian and he nodded. Star whined and headed for the bushes across the parking lot. King joined her. A man shot out from behind them.

      “Federal agent! Stop!”

      Ian gave the same command.

      The fleeing figure, dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved black shirt, ignored them both and darted toward a dark pickup truck parked at the edge of the hotel asphalt lot. Star and King gave chase, but he threw himself behind the wheel and the engine roared to life.