Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1) Read online

  Cover Copy

  If the Yosemite backpacking trip doesn’t kill them . . . someone they trust just might.

  Reuniting members of their college hiking club, Leave No Trace, in Yosemite National Park to raise money for a wildlife charity seems like a terrific idea to Raine Endicott. She needs time away from her dead-end job in San Francisco to reassess her future, escape from the city, and enjoy nature’s splendor. Connecting with old friends is a bonus . . . especially Levi Hill, the man she turned down all those years ago. A decision she lived to regret.

  For Levi, seeing Raine again is like flipping a switch. His crush on the woman who got away quickly intensifies into something far more meaningful. But it isn’t easy to focus on romance and the challenges of a budding relationship when one of their own is murdered—and the betrayer is hiding among them in plain sight. Leaving the park only adds a new level of terror as the danger escalates. Because Raine poses a threat that must be eliminated . . . even if that means killing again.

  “Jannine Gallant gives you a satisfying read.”—Kat Martin, New York Times bestselling author

  “Jannine Gallant is an exciting new voice in romantic suspense.”—Mary Burton, New York Times bestselling author

  “Every Step She Takes delivers enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end.”—Nancy Bush, New York Times bestselling author

  “Every Move She Makes will have you looking over your shoulder long after the lights go out.”—Nancy Bush, New York Times bestselling author

  “Jannine Gallant is a talented author who knows how to grab your attention and keeps the suspense in high gear until the end.”—RT Book Reviews on Buried Truth

  “Gallant’s well-wrought second Siren Cove contemporary…will keep the reader enthralled until the explosive conclusion.”—Publishers Weekly on Lost Innocence

  “In Gallant’s gripping third Siren Cove romantic thriller…mystery adds intensity to this fast-faced story.”—Publishers Weekly on Hidden Secrets

  Books by Jannine Gallant

  Counterstrike

  Fatal Encounter

  Lethal Memory

  Imminent Danger

  Ominous Legacy

  Siren Cove

  Buried Truth

  Lost Innocence

  Hidden Secrets

  Born To Be Wilde

  Wilde One

  Wilde Side

  Wilde Thing

  Wilde Horses

  Who’s Watching Now

  Every Move She Makes

  Every Step She Takes

  Every Vow She Breaks

  Secrets Of Ravenswood

  We’ll Never Tell

  She’ll Never Rest

  He’ll Never Know

  A Deadly Love

  A Deadly Game

  Double The Trouble

  Road To Serendipity

  An Uncertain Destiny

  Bittersweet

  Midnight Reckoning

  Leave No Trace

  Jannine Gallant

  Table of Contents

  Cover Copy

  Other Books

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Midnight Reckoning

  Copyright © 2021 by Jannine Gallant

  This book is a work of fiction and all characters exist solely in the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to places, events or locales are used in a fictitious manner.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from Jannine Gallant.

  Cover Art by Creative Author Services

  Published by Jannine Gallant

  United States of America

  First Electronic Edition: June 2021

  First Print Edition: June 2021

  ISBN-13: 9798514696871

  Dedication

  To my daughter, Tara. Your hard work and dedication to everything you do is an inspiration. Thanks for being the cover model for this book!

  Chapter One

  Her breath caught, the way it always did at the first majestic view of Yosemite Valley. No matter how many times Raine Endicott visited the park, the grandeur of granite peaks and rushing waterfalls never failed to amaze her.

  Taking her foot off the gas as she descended the winding road to the valley floor, she rolled down her car windows, despite an unseasonably cool, early June day, and inhaled the fresh scent of pine. Craning her neck, she gazed up at the megalithic rock that was El Capitan and sighed in sheer delight.

  She couldn’t wait to meet up with her former college classmates from the Leave No Trace hiking club. Even the unexpected curveball she’d been thrown when she’d called to ask about an early check-in couldn’t dampen her high spirits.

  For weeks, she’d been looking forward to this crazy adventure. Putting in long hours to make sure every detail of the charity hike for wildlife rehabilitation was organized in advance, not to mention obtaining the much-coveted permits. Only to discover tonight’s reservation at the Yosemite Lodge had somehow been misplaced. Of course, every hotel and campsite in the area was booked solid. If she couldn’t find a spot at the walk-in campground, she was screwed.

  Turning off the one-way road into the valley, she headed toward the village and the westbound route that would take her to Camp 4. Crossing her fingers, she passed the entrance to the lodge, pulled into the campground parking lot, and turned off the engine. Slowly, she stepped out onto the pavement and shut the door. Tents were set up in every visible site, but the rule was six people to a space. Determined to remain positive, she approached the ranger behind the open window of the kiosk.

  The young woman smiled at her. “May I help you?”

  “You can tell me there’s a spot left for a single. My reservation at the lodge fell through, and I’m in a bit of a bind.”

  “You should have been here at dawn when everyone else was in line.” She turned to scan her board, and her brows shot up. “Actually, site thirty-four in the back only has four campers.”

  “I’ll take it!” Raine let out a relieved breath. “This must be my lucky day.”

  “I’ll say. Fill this out.” The ranger handed over a slip of paper. “I’ll need your vehicle license number. How many nights do you plan to stay?”

  “Just one. I’m hiking into the backcountry with a group tomorrow.” Taking the pen, she jotted down her information.

  “That’ll be six dollars.”

  She handed over the cash. “Thanks very much.”

  “You’re welcome. Keep all your food in the bear-proof containers and follow the rules for quiet hours.” The woman produced a cheerful smile. “Enjoy your stay.”

/>   “I definitely will.”

  Leaving her gear in her Jeep Cherokee, Raine headed toward the giant rock at the back of the campground next to site thirty-four. Her steps slowed as she drew closer. “Damn.”

  The spot she’d been assigned was already filled with four small tents. There wasn’t any room to squeeze in another without tripping over the fire pit.

  “No wonder they didn’t max out their occupancy,” she muttered. “Looks like I’ll be sleeping under the stars.”

  All the nylon tent doors were zipped closed, and only a couple of lanterns and a propane stove had been left on the central picnic table. Obviously, her site-mates were out doing something more fun than hanging around camp.

  With a shrug, she turned to head back to the parking lot and stilled. A man strolled toward her. Tall, blond, and blue-eyed, he reminded her of a Viking. Always had. As he drew closer, her lips curved in a wide grin.

  “Levi Hill. You haven’t changed one bit.” Not strictly true, she realized after the words burst out. He’d put on weight since their college days. Back then, he’d been the star of the cross-country team and downright skinny. Now, he was all lean muscle, nicely displayed by a pair of shorts and a sky-blue T-shirt.

  “Raine?” He surveyed her from head to toe before stepping forward to envelop her in a quick hug. “You have. Changed, I mean. I swear you’re even prettier than you were ten years ago. And that’s saying something.”

  “Why, thank you, sir.” She’d always enjoyed hanging out with Levi. His easy-going attitude had made him popular in their wilderness club, and he was one of the first people she’d emailed to participate in the charity hike.

  “Are you camping here tonight, or did you track us down for an in-person pep talk before we take off tomorrow?”

  “Actually, the lodge lost my room reservation, but I was lucky enough to snag a spot in one of the sites here. Much better than sleeping in my car.”

  His eyes widened. “Did the ranger put you in thirty-four?” At her nod, he continued, “Because that’s us. I drove down yesterday and got a lottery reservation for six people, but two of the others bailed.”

  “That’s terrific—for me anyway.” She followed him into the campsite and dropped onto the picnic table bench. “There isn’t room for another tent, but—”

  “We’ll make space.” He slid his daypack off his shoulders and sat down at her side to study her with intense azure eyes. “It’s been a while. Hearing from you out of the blue was a pleasant surprise.”

  “I work as an event planner in San Francisco. When I learned the Foundation for Wildlife Rehabilitation was planning a series of fundraising hike-a-thons in National Parks, I got involved. Reaching out to our fellow hiking club members seemed like a no-brainer.”

  “It’s a terrific charity, and this will be a lot of fun.” He raised a brow. “People actually signed up to sponsor us?”

  “Absolutely. They pay by the mile, and our group of ten is trekking sixty miles. Last time I checked, we were up to around twenty grand in pledges if everyone finishes the hike.”

  “Impressive.”

  “People liked the idea of supporting a hiking club reunion.”

  “A brilliant idea on your part.” Levi rose to his feet. “Are you hungry? We can catch up while we eat lunch. I was awake at dawn to run around the valley and then took a short, eight-mile hike, so I’m starving.”

  She laughed. “I guess I don’t have to worry about you slowing down the group.”

  “Probably not. Jake and Willow are in great shape, too. Matt’s put on a few pounds, but he should do fine.”

  “They’re the other three camping here?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. Everyone disappeared while I was out running. Let’s go get your gear.”

  “I can manage on my own. Make yourself a sandwich. I wouldn’t want you to faint from hunger.”

  “I’ll probably survive a few more minutes without food.”

  His grin was contagious, and she didn’t argue further as he walked beside her to her Jeep. After she pulled out her backpack, sleeping bag, and a cooler, he rested a warm palm on her arm.

  “You can leave your cookware here since we have all the pots and pans we need. There’s still plenty of room in the bear lockers for your food.” He grabbed the nylon bag containing her one-man tent. “We’ll make space for this, too. The mosquitos are fierce, so you’ll want protection.”

  “Sounds good.” The idea of getting chewed all night didn’t hold much appeal. “Thanks for your help.”

  “You bet.” He hefted the cooler while she locked her SUV, and they strolled back to the campsite.

  After moving a couple of the tents closer to the perimeter to make room, she erected her small, red tent and stowed her gear inside. By the time she finished, he’d put together chicken sandwiches on sourdough rolls.

  “Yum. That looks delicious.”

  He set the plates on the table. “Enjoy.”

  She opened her cooler. “I have fresh-picked strawberries and chocolate chip cookies to contribute. Homemade.”

  “Seriously? You used to bring those cookies on camping trips when we were in college. They’re the best.”

  She sat across from him and checked out his clean-cut good looks, remembering the one time he’d asked her out. She’d had a huge crush on Cooper Swanson at the time and had turned Levi down. Probably the biggest mistake she’d made in college. Two years of dating Cooper had led to nothing but heartache, and seeing her ex-boyfriend was the only part of this trip she wasn’t looking forward to.

  Raine popped a strawberry into her mouth. “Tell me about yourself, Levi. Where’s home now, and what do you do?”

  “I live out in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, just north of Truckee. I grew up there, and my brother and I run our family’s lodge on a small lake in the middle of nowhere. He handles the business end, while his wife runs the restaurant. I take guests fishing and hiking. Snowshoeing in the winter. It’s a pretty sweet setup.”

  She picked up her sandwich. “I’m jealous. I have an apartment in San Francisco and only escape from the city on the weekends.”

  He glanced down at her left hand. “You’re not married?”

  “I was in a long-term relationship that ended last fall. Honestly, I’ve been enjoying my alone time. No offense, but men can be a total pain in the ass.” Shaking her head, she bit into the sandwich.

  He smiled. “None taken. I’ve yet to find a woman willing to live in the boondocks on a fulltime basis. The last one I dated told me I was good, but not good enough to give up civilization.”

  Raine choked on the bite and dissolved into a coughing fit.

  He reached across the table to pat her back. “Sorry.”

  Tears streamed from her eyes before she finally recovered enough to speak. “I forgot how funny you are.”

  “I have to keep our guests entertained.”

  “I bet you have plenty of return business.”

  “I keep telling Dalton—that’s my brother—they come back for my jokes. He says it’s for his wife’s cooking.” Levi’s eyes sparkled with humor. “He’s right, since Ursula’s food is to die for, but don’t tell him I said so.”

  She ran a finger across her lips. “Zipped.”

  Slowly his amusement faded. “I’ve missed hanging out with you and the rest of our old pals from the club. We had some great times.”

  “Yes, we did. Many of them right here in Yosemite since campus wasn’t much more than an hour away.”

  Memories of their backcountry adventures—not to mention a few mishaps—curled her lips in a rueful smile. Despite a sprained ankle and a cracked elbow, the best parts of her college experience were the Leave No Trace hiking trips.

  “Do I see a hint of regret in that smile?”

  “Huh?” She reached for a strawberry and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you could have had all this.” He swept one hand across his chest. “If you hadn’t turned me down for Cooper.�
�� A smirk formed. “You missed out. Just saying.”

  She laughed out loud, and a jay perched on an overhead branch squawked in raucous protest. “You’re not wrong. Major fail on my part.”

  They grinned at each other.

  “Cooper and Ava were going to camp here tonight but got a last-minute room at the lodge. Honestly, I’d rather have you. Ava still seems like a bit of a drama queen.”

  “They probably stole my reservation.” She shrugged. “This worked out better, anyway.”

  He eyed her steadily. “Ten of us on a strenuous, four-day hike. Should be interesting with so many disparate personalities colliding. Two days used to be our limit.”

  “I thought about that. Hopefully we won’t want to kill each other by day three.”

  “Hey, you and I always got along fine. We can ditch the others if they get on our nerves.”

  “Who’s ditching us?”

  Raine swung around on the bench and smiled as two more of her former clubmates approached. “Not you, Jake. You were smart enough not to push my buttons.”

  “That’s because you’re tiny but fierce, like those little dogs that bite.” Jake Mansfield squeezed her shoulder. “How are you, Raine?”

  “I’m great. You look terrific.”

  Jake was maybe an inch or so taller than Levi and more muscular. Raine guessed he worked out on a regular basis. Deep brown eyes held a hint of sadness in their depths that contrasted with his ready smile.

  “When has Jake not looked terrific?” Willow Larkin stopped a few feet away, her unusual, lavender eyes alight with humor. Tall and graceful, the woman was serenity personified. Nothing ruffled her.

  “Good point. Brains and beauty. That’s our Jake.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You two are hilarious. Tease Levi instead of me. I’m making myself a sandwich.”