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do it."
    "For a price?" His lips twisted. "Who does he want taken down?"
    Galen shook his head. "He wants someone kept alive." Galen dropped into a chair and stretched out his legs. "Could I have a cup of coffee from the pot on that table? It was a damn cold walk from the road."
    "No one invited you to make it." Judd crossed the room, poured him a cup, and took it to him. "If your man wants to pay me to keep someone alive, then he must think it's going to be difficult to do it."
    "Not easy."
    "Who?"
    "Alex Graham."
    "Never heard of him."
    "Her. She's a photojournalist covering the dam break at Arapahoe Junction."
    He went still. "Arapahoe Junction?"
    "Even if you've been on the move you must have heard about the break."
    "Oh, yes. I've heard about it. And?"
    "She claims she saw someone cause a landslide on the other side of the dam."
    "I thought the dam break was supposed to be an accident."
    "They can't find any evidence to the contrary, but the FBI isn't taking any chances. An attempt was made on Graham's life two nights ago. Her friend, Sarah Logan, was shot instead."
    His brows lifted. "Logan?"
    Galen nodded. "John Logan's wife. She's going to be fine, but he's a tad upset. So upset he wants to make sure Alex Graham is nowhere near his wife until this mess is cleared up."
    "The woman is a target because she's a witness? Then why don't the police or the FBI put her in a safe house?"
    "She won't have it. Logan tried to persuade her, but she balked."
    "Then how am I supposed to keep her safe if she insists on staying in the open?"
    Galen smiled. "I've never known you to quibble when an obstacle gets in your way. You'll do whatever is necessary. I told you, Logan wants to make sure."
    "And Logan is going to get this sanction taken off me?" He shook his head. "He tried to pull strings before, but he struck out."
    "You didn't give him enough time. He's had the President's ear since he's been involved in Homeland Security. All you have to do is make sure Alex Graham remains safe and sound until the FBI finds out what the hell happened at Arapahoe Dam."
    "And I assume I don't get my payoff until the woman is considered out of danger?"
    "That's right."
    "Bullshit. If I make myself visible, I could get taken out while I'm playing bodyguard."
    "Maybe you could find a way to work around it. The payoff is worth it."
    Freedom. Yes, that would be worth almost any risk. He thought about it. It was tempting. Logan was an honest man and would keep his word. Judd wouldn't admit it to Galen, but his own efforts to bribe his way to safety had come to a dead end lately. But he could see any number of possible pitfalls looming in a situation that involved working in the shadow of the FBI.
    Arapahoe Junction . . .
    He shook his head. "It's not my scene. I'll work out my problems my own way."
    "Look, this job's important to me. Logan is my friend. Actually, he called me and asked me to do it."
    "Then why don't you?"
    "I promised I'd stay close to home, and I don't want to worry Elena." He paused and a smile lit his face. "She's pregnant."
    "Congratulations."
    "We're pretty happy about it." His smile faded. "So I'm calling in debts. You could have gotten eliminated if I hadn't given you a place to hide when they put out word of the sanction. You owe me, Judd."
    "What makes you think that means anything to me?"
    "Like I said, I know you."
    Judd shook his head. "No, you don't."
    "Elena said that you once threatened to take her out if she got me into trouble."
    "Threats are easy."
    "And you didn't mean it?"
    Yes, he'd meant it. He didn't permit himself to become close to many people, but Galen had barged into his life and made himself his friend. "Maybe."
    "That was hard to say, wasn't it?"
    Judd smiled faintly. "You've always insisted on thinking the best of me. Why? Do you hate to admit you're wrong?"
    "Probably. It would be a great blow to my self-esteem. You should be glad I don't believe you're the bastard Elena thinks you are. I don't think