Take Me If You Dare by Candace Havens Page A

and hadn’t caught on that he wasn’t who he said he was had clued him in.
    “Really?” He pretended surprise. “Huh. You’re pretty good for a newbie, and I bet you would have found him on your own. Though, you might have taken a different approach.”
    This time her grin went from one side of her face to the other, and he knew he’d said the right thing.
    “Thank you. One thing is for sure, I would havenever thought to go to a massage parlor to get intel.” She laughed.
    “Well, none of us is perfect, and to be honest, I was following what little trail we had on him,” Jackson told her. “The best way to find people is usually to retrace their steps. That’s all we did. When you’re investigating it’s about following the clues you have and using those to your advantage. I could help you, you know?”
    “What?” She folded her napkin and put it on the table.
    “Well, the only time you really slipped up was after we dropped Gladstone off at the airport. We picked up a tail. Were you aware of that?”
    Her brow furrowed. “I had no idea. That’s why you drove pretty crazy on the bike.”
    “Right.” Jackson leaned back in the chair. “When you’re on a case you have to be hyperaware of your surroundings. I’ve noticed you’re good at reading people, but you lack the basics in observation techniques. I tell you what, let’s practice right now. Look straight at me, and tell me what you’ve observed on the beach since we’ve been sitting here.”
    She bit her lip again, but did as he said. “I can hear someone talking, but it seems really far away. Um, and the waves are really loud. That’s about it.”
    He hadn’t lied. This was something he could teach her in the little time they had together.
    “Okay, now look around.”
    She did as he asked.
    “To your right there’s a couple about a hundred yards down the beach. She’s wearing a dark blue bikini. Hissuit is yellow. The man does not have the physique to wear a banana hammock, but there you go.”
    “And he’s kind of furry. Ick,” she added and then laughed.
    He grinned at her. “They have a basket of muffins and juice,” Jackson continued. “She’s mad at him because he passed out from drinking too much last night. He’s ignoring her.
    “Beyond them to the right, there’s a bodyguard hidden in the trees. He’s watching the couple, and he’s carrying a gun on his right hip. You can tell that by the way he stands. He’s wearing a white shirt over the top of khakis trying to blend in as a tourist, but he’s not. He doesn’t fit into the crowd that stays here, and it’s apparent by the scowl on his face.”
    Glancing around, Mariska held up a hand. “This is kind of freaky, Jackson. Your back is to all of them. How could you possibly know that?”
    “I’ve had years of training. But I always stay aware of my surroundings.”
    She stood. “You have to teach me that. I mean it, that’s friggin’ incredible what you did.”
    “It’s a matter of learning to see between the lines and paying attention at all times. It’s hard work at first, but soon it will become second nature. First you focus on the people and memorize what they’re wearing, approximate height, and anything that might help you distinguish them in a crowd.”
    “You amaze me. How long have you been a detective?” she asked.
    Damn. Caught. The first thing an operative learned was to stick as close to the truth as possible. “I’ve beenin the business, one way or another, for about eight years, but not always as a detective. I did some time in the military.” Close enough.
    He steered the conversation back to safer territory. “While we’re here, we’ll work on some of the basics. You’ll begin to feel more comfortable. You’ve got good instincts, so you’re well on your way.”
    Mar leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “You’re such a sweet man. I don’t know about my instincts, but I definitely appreciate the help.”
    After spreading