Chapter 4
It had been years since Dom fired a gun, but he didn’t hesitate to return fire at whoever was on the other side of the hotel room door.
He fired several rounds, which must have caught the shooter by surprise because the gunfire abruptly stopped.
Dom glanced at Kendra, and whispered, “Get into the bedroom.”
“You too. We’re getting out of here.” She grabbed the computer off the table, snagged the backpack with her other hand, and bolted across the room.
As the shooting had stopped, Dom figured she was right about getting out of there.
He followed Smoky into the bedroom where Kendra was wrenching the window open.
The dog gracefully leaped through the opening.
Dominic could see Kendra’s SUV; she’d parked in the back of the lot, which happened to be closer to the windows of their suite than the front lobby.
Then he threw his leg over the windowsill.
The opening was small, making it difficult for him to get through, but he managed.
By the time he was outside, Kendra was halfway to the SUV, using the key fob to open the back hatch.
There was no sign of the large black truck, though. Dom frowned, wondering where the shooter had left it. Two police cars were heading toward the hotel, red and blue lights flashing.
“Do you think you hit the shooter?” Kendra asked once they were headed in the opposite direction from the police. “He stopped when you returned fire.”
“Maybe.” Dom tried not to think about the possibility he’d killed someone.
He’d only fired in self-defense, without taking the time to think it through.
Now he dropped the gun in the center console as if distancing himself from the weapon would make him feel better.
He swiveled in his seat, glancing around to make sure there was no black truck following them.
Satisfied, he settled back. “My goal was to force him to back off.”
“I’m glad you jumped into action.” Kendra held his gaze for a moment. “If not for your quick response, we wouldn’t have had time to escape.”
He nodded, knowing she was right. Logically, he knew it wasn’t his fault someone was trying to kill him.
Not that he wanted to be responsible for someone’s death no matter the circumstances.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I left that message for the US Marshals Service and an hour later the gunman showed up at our hotel. ”
Kendra frowned. “I think we need to reach out to Justin’s wife, Raine. She can help us figure out who to trust.”
The last thing he wanted to do was drag more innocent people into this nightmare. Yet what other choice did they have? It seemed that this gunman was able to track him down no matter where they went. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he had a tracking device implanted on his body.
Worst of all, he hated how Kendra and Smoky were in danger too.
“You can call Raine for her input.” He sighed, then added, “Maybe she can head out to pick you up. This latest incident proves you need to return to the ranch.”
“Stop trying to get rid of me.” Kendra’s tone was sharp with irritation. “I’m not leaving you alone.”
“Kendra, your concern for me is admirable, but what if one of those bullets had killed you?” He turned to stare at her. “Do you have any idea how terrible I’ll feel if you die because of me?”
“Same goes.” She glanced at him, then turned her attention back to the road. “I would feel awful if you died because I left for the safety of the ranch. Besides, it’s a good thing I was with you since you ended up using my gun to return fire.”
Dom sighed, then decided to give up. Kendra was the most stubborn woman he’d ever known. Yet she had a point about the weapon. At least they weren’t entirely helpless.
He looked around again, relieved that Kendra had gotten away from the hotel without drawing attention. They’d need to talk to the police at some point too.
“Do you have a destination in mind?” he asked, changing the subject. She seemed to be driving randomly through town, making several turns. “I don’t think we should head to another hotel.”
“I agree another hotel wouldn’t be smart.” She frowned as she made yet another turn. He understood she was trying to avoid being followed. “There’s a cabin northwest of Cody that I rented for my brothers a few months ago. We need to see if that’s available.”
“Is that why you grabbed the computer? So you can find a rental property?”
“Yeah, and we still need to dig into Stuart Ramsey’s background.” She wrinkled her nose. “The problem is that I don’t want to pull over to use the computer now. I figure I’ll simply drive to the cabin, see if anyone happens to be there.”
“What if there are people staying there?” He wasn’t sure just showing up was a good idea. “Then we’re back to square one. We can’t just drive around all night.”
“It’s possible.” She shrugged. “I figure it can’t hurt to check it out. If it’s not open, we can pull over and try to find another place to stay.”
He shifted, trying to get his legs into a more comfortable position, then reached for the laptop she’d tossed on the floor. “I’ll see if I can find something.”
They rode in silence for several minutes.
He’d barely started his search when his disposable phone rang, startling him.
He pulled it from his pocket and eyed the number.
Was this the US Marshals Service returning his call?
He didn’t think anyone else had this number.
Kendra had used her phone to call her family.
He hadn’t contacted anyone other than the marshals.
He debated ignoring it but then realized that answering while on the move was probably better than waiting until they were settled in someplace. “Yeah?”
“Is this Dominic Lakeland?” the male voice on the other end of the line asked.
“Yep.” Feeling Kendra’s curious gaze, he made a circle with his index finger, indicating she should keep driving around. “Who are you?”
“This is US Marshal Andrew Levy. Your call was routed to me since the marshal who originally relocated your father twenty-four years ago has retired.”
Hearing the news was like a sucker punch to the gut. His father really had been relocated to Montana in the witness protection program. Even though that had been his theory, it was a whole different thing to hear it spoken by someone in charge.
“Dominic? Are you still there?” Levy asked.
“Yes.” He glanced at Kendra. “I’m here. I need some answers about why someone keeps trying to kill me.”
“Where are you now?” Levy demanded.
“You don’t need to know my current location.” He wasn’t convinced this guy was legit. What if he was somehow connected to the shooter? The timing of the gunman showing up at the hotel was too close to the call he’d made for his peace of mind. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“I’d be happy to fill you in, but it’s better if we meet in person.” Levy’s tone sounded calm and rational. Dom felt the exact opposite. He was suspicious and on edge.
“No.” He took a slow deep breath to calm his racing heart. “I’m not going anywhere until I know more. You can either fill me in, or I’ll figure out the truth some other way.”
He held his breath, waiting for Levy’s response. “Okay, I understand you have concerns. I would prefer not to have this conversation over the phone, but suffice it to say, I thought the danger was over once your father’s plane went down.”
Dom almost mentioned Stuart Ramsey’s confession but caught himself in time. Levy should be the one giving him information, not the other way around. “Is that why you didn’t bother to tell me about my dad being in the program?”
“Yes,” Levy admitted bluntly. “We knew your father kept you in the dark; you were only three years old when he was relocated. Once he was gone, there was no reason to dredge up the past.”
Dom didn’t agree with that sentiment. But all he said was “Go on.”
“Your father was placed in the program because he provided key information against an organized crime syndicate. He testified against a man named Gunther Volter who is still serving a life sentence in federal prison.”
The news was shocking, but he did his best to remain calm. “Did you have reason to believe Gunther Volter paid someone to make sure my dad’s plane crashed?”
“No, we didn’t suspect that at all. Your father’s mayday call didn’t indicate foul play.
We thought the crash was weather related.
” Levy paused, then said, “But that was before we learned the plane had been sabotaged. When the local law enforcement received a call from the nurse who’d taken Stuart Ramsey’s confession, we realized the crash was no accident. ”
Dom glanced at Kendra, knowing she was listening to his side of the conversation with interest. “Okay, why would Gunther Volter come after me now?”
“I can’t think of a single reason,” Levy admitted. “Which is why I think we need to meet in person. There must be something we’re missing.”
Dom wasn’t willing to do that, at least not yet. Inside, he was still reeling from discovering his father testified against a crime syndicate. “Is this the number I should use to reach you? I need to think about this before I commit to a meeting.”
A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Levy sighed loudly. “Yes. This is my cell number. You can call me anytime. But, Dominic, don’t wait too long. If the cartel is involved and thinks you know something that could hurt them, you’re in grave danger.”
With the recent shooting all too fresh in his mind, he considered that to be a gross understatement.
Yet he didn’t mention the details of what had gone down at the hotel, primarily because he didn’t want Levy to know he was in Wyoming.
Also, he remained suspicious of the timing of the attack.
“I’ll be in touch.” He ended the call and grimaced.
“I’m sure you heard my side of the conversation.
That was US Marshal Andrew Levy returning my call. ”