Rocky Mountain Standoff Read online

  “Do you think I’ve been followed?”

  Tanner hesitated, then decided he couldn’t lie to Sidney. “Yes, I think so.”

  She shuddered. “I’m surprised Santiago’s men didn’t take a shot at me when I was standing outside Camella’s doorway.”

  Yeah, that had been troubling him, too. Although it was clear that while Sidney was a target, the goal was to have her influence the outcome of the trial.

  Something she couldn’t do if she was dead.

  Considering the amount of time it would take to bring another judge up to speed, he felt certain Santiago wouldn’t want another postponement.

  But then why kill Camella? Just to prove to Sidney how vulnerable she was?

  The crack of gunfire echoed around them.

  “Get down!” he shouted at Sidney, while he frantically searched for where the gunman was shooting from.

  “Lilly!” she cried hoarsely.

  “I know.” Tanner was thankful the SUV hadn’t been hit. At least, not yet. He wrenched the steering wheel and went cross-country, rocking and rolling over the rough terrain, toward the small town of Wellington, Colorado.

  He was desperate to find a safe place…

  Laura Scott has always loved romance and read faith-based books by Grace Livingston Hill in her teenage years. She’s thrilled to have been given the opportunity to retire from thirty-eight years of nursing to become a full-time author. Laura has published over thirty books for Love Inspired Suspense. She has two adult children and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband of thirty-five years. Please visit Laura at laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.

  Books by Laura Scott

  Love Inspired Suspense

  Justice Seekers

  Soldier’s Christmas Secrets

  Guarded by the Soldier

  Wyoming Mountain Escape

  Hiding His Holiday Witness

  Rocky Mountain Standoff

  Callahan Confidential

  Shielding His Christmas Witness

  The Only Witness

  Christmas Amnesia

  Shattered Lullaby

  Primary Suspect

  Protecting His Secret Son

  Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com for more titles.

  Rocky Mountain Standoff

  Laura Scott

  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

  —James 1:2–3

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Wilderness Hideout by Hope White

  ONE

  Cheyenne Federal Criminal Court Judge Sidney Logan shifted Lilly, her soon-to-be adopted six-month-old foster child, up on her hip as she knocked again. Where was Camella? Granted, today Sidney had been running behind, but she abhorred being late, especially for court.

  And it wasn’t like her nanny not to respond. Shivering in the cold January wind coming off the Rocky Mountains, she rapped again, louder. “Camella? Are you in there?”

  Still nothing. A niggle of worry burrowed under her skin. Juggling the diaper bag, her purse and the baby, she managed to find the key to Camella’s house. She inserted it, then unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Camella? What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

  A horrible stench forced Sidney to take a step back. Alarm bells trumpeted in her mind. She wanted to flee, to take Lilly far away, but forced herself to walk inside.

  Camella, who’d been like a mother to her, and a grandmother to Lilly, was lying on the kitchen floor, her throat slashed from ear to ear, obviously dead.

  Run!

  Sidney whirled and ran from the house, clutching Lilly close, while struggling to breathe. She quickly opened her car door, did her best to get Lilly secured in her car seat and tossed in the diaper bag and briefcase. She slid behind the wheel of her Jeep, then roared out of the driveway and drove as fast as she dared on the snow-dusted streets.

  The horrible image wouldn’t leave her mind. What had happened? Who would murder an innocent woman like Camella?

  And why?

  Even as the question echoed, she knew why. The last threatening letter she’d received, albeit four long weeks ago, flashed in her mind.

  Manuel Santiago must be found innocent or those you love will suffer.

  Her breath hitched in her throat. With trembling fingers, she dialed 911 and explained about Camella Monte’s death. The dispatcher wanted her name and contact information, but Sidney hung up on her. There wasn’t time for that. Not now. She needed Lilly to be safe. The very next call she made was to Tanner Wilcox, the US Marshal who was once assigned to protect her. She’d heard he was returning to Cheyenne, but wasn’t sure when. The trial wasn’t for a few days yet.

  “Your Honor, it’s always nice to hear from you.” His slow Texas drawl grated on her nerves, but she ignored it.

  “I just found my nanny brutally murdered,” she said bluntly. “The Santiago case is scheduled to start Monday and I desperately need your protection as soon as possible, especially for Lilly.”

  “Where are you?” All traces of his easygoing attitude immediately evaporated.

  “I’m driving through Cheyenne away from Camella’s home, but I’m due at the federal courthouse in thirty minutes for a pretrial hearing.” Despite the heat blasting through the vents, she shivered.

  “Do not go to the federal courthouse or return to your place,” Tanner ordered, steel underlying his tone. “I want you to meet me at Holiday Park. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  “O-okay.” Logically she knew he was right about not going to the courthouse or heading home. What if Santiago’s men were already following her? She glanced at the rearview mirror, but didn’t see anything amiss. Would she? Probably not. Her gaze rested on Lilly babbling happily away in her car seat, completely oblivious to the danger surrounding them.

  Surrounding her. Sidney felt sick knowing that Camella had died because of her.

  Because of the upcoming trial. As the presiding judge, she had control of the proceedings. Yet her history proved her to be fair and impartial, while still being tough on crime.

  Sidney hated to admit, even to herself, just how afraid she was of Manuel Santiago. Every time she’d seen the man in her courtroom, his dark eyes had seemed to look right through her.

  And that was before she’d found Camella dead.

  Murdered.

  She swallowed a sob and blinked back her tears. Lilly’s safety was all that mattered. She wouldn’t let the little girl suffer because of her.

  Why had she sent Tanner away?

  Granted, the trial had been postponed due to a fight between inmates during which Santiago had been injured. At that point, the threats had stopped, so she’d sent Tanner off to do real work rather than babysitting her. Yet now, she couldn’t help thinking that if she’d kept Tanner close, the horror of Camella’s death would have been avoided.

  Cam
ella hadn’t deserved to be killed. She was innocent in all of this. Tears pricked Sidney’s eyes, but she swiped them away.

  Enough. She couldn’t go back and change the past. As she approached Holiday Park, she glanced around nervously. The parking lot was large, but the place wasn’t crowded on a Wednesday in January. She drove into the parking lot, and immediately noticed a large black SUV parked near the entrance. Seeing Tanner’s chiseled features topped by a brown cowboy hat in the driver’s seat made her relax her deathlike grip on the steering wheel.

  She pulled up and parked near him. In a flash Tanner was out of the SUV and striding around the vehicle toward her. He was tall, lean and handsome, and five years her junior. He was difficult to ignore on a personal level. Not that she was interested in a relationship. After getting rid of her ex-husband, Gary Wells, two years ago, she’d vowed to stay single.

  “Get out, we’re taking my car,” he said tersely.

  She wanted to argue but realized Santiago’s men might know what she drove. “Okay.”

  His gaze landed on Lilly and she thought his expression softened for a moment. “Take your daughter—I’ll grab the car seat.”

  She almost corrected him—Lilly wouldn’t officially be her daughter until the adoption was finalized at the end of the month—but she figured that wasn’t important. She loved Lilly as if she was her own child, and that’s all that mattered.

  Although being in danger like this threatened her ability to successfully adopt the little girl. Panic squeezed her heart, but she did her best to set it aside. She couldn’t worry about that now. After unbuckling Lilly, who was dressed from head to toe in a tiny pink snowsuit, she reached for the diaper bag and briefcase.

  “I’ll get those for you,” Tanner assured her.

  She stepped back, clutching Lilly close while glancing furtively over her shoulder. No one had followed her to Holiday Park from what she could tell, but she felt certain Manuel Santiago’s men were out there, somewhere.

  Watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike.

  Tanner hauled out the car seat, pink diaper bag and leather briefcase out, carrying them to his SUV with ease. He quickly secured the car seat, then stepped back so she could buckle in Lilly.

  Tanner stood protectively behind her, his musky scent teasing her senses. She felt safe with him guarding her, and never should have sent him away. It was only a matter of time before he gave her an I-told-you-so.

  When she finished with Lilly, she stepped back and closed the door. Tanner placed his hand on the small of her back, urging her toward the passenger side of the front seat.

  It wasn’t until they were both settled in the SUV, and Tanner was back out on the road, that he said, “Tell me what happened.”

  “I didn’t need to be at court until ten thirty this morning. When I knocked on Camella’s door, there was no answer. I thought she might be sick, so I used my key to get inside. Th-that’s when I found her. She’d been murdered.” She put a hand over her stomach, swallowing a surge of bile.

  “I’m sorry to make you relive this,” Tanner said in a low voice. “But I need to know what you saw.”

  “C-Camella lying on the floor in the kitchen, her throat slit. Th-there was a lot of blood.” Her voice hitched and fresh tears threatened, but she strove to be calm. “I left as quickly as possible, then called 911 to report her death before I reached out to you.”

  Tanner’s expression turned grim. “The local police will want to talk to you.”

  “I know.” She was well aware of how the justice system worked. “I couldn’t stay, Tanner, because of Lilly.” She glanced back at the baby. “I needed to make her my priority.”

  “Understandable,” Tanner agreed. “We’ll arrange for your statement to be taken. But not until we get you and the baby settled someplace safe.”

  “I need to let my clerk know to cancel Santiago’s pretrial hearing.” She fumbled for her phone, but Tanner put a hand on her arm.

  “Not now,” Tanner said.

  “I’m the judge,” she said with a frown. “I can’t just not show up for my own hearing.” If an attorney had done something like that, she’d find him or her in contempt.

  “Fine, make the call, but don’t say anything more,” he warned. “Your life is on the line, Your Honor, and so is Lilly’s. That takes priority over proper court etiquette.”

  He was right. She knew he was right. But that didn’t make her feel any better. “I’ll make the call quick, without giving too much away.”

  Tanner didn’t argue as she made the call. Becca sounded distraught at the lack of information, but Sidney cut her off. “I have to go. I’ll call you later.” She disconnected and sighed. “This is because of the Santiago trial.” She glanced at him. “Go ahead and say it.”

  He looked puzzled. “Say what?”

  “You told me the danger was still there, despite the lack of threatening notes.” She ran a hand through her dark curly hair. “You were right and I was wrong.”

  “Your Honor—” Tanner began, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

  “You may as well call me Sidney. My formal title isn’t much better than ma’am.” He’d ma’am-ed her to death, which made her feel far older than her thirty-six years.

  The corner of his mouth kicked up in a small smile. “Listen, I’m here now. I’ll protect you and your daughter.”

  She turned to look at him. “The trial doesn’t start until next week.”

  “That doesn’t matter. You’re clearly in danger.” He frowned. “I should have come earlier. I wasn’t aware of the pretrial hearing happening today.”

  “My fault,” she whispered, feeling sick all over again. “Camella’s death is my fault.” She glanced once again at the six-month-old baby she loved more than anything in the world. “If something bad happens to Lilly, I’ll never forgive myself.”

  Never.

  * * *

  Tanner was no stranger to guilt. Hadn’t he been plagued by the knowledge that being away from Emily had been the reason she’d died in that terrible car crash? Well, that and the fact she’d been leaving him. Which she wouldn’t have done if he didn’t travel so much.

  “Camella’s death isn’t your fault,” he said firmly. “Santiago’s men killed her. Not you.”

  She pressed her lips together but didn’t say anything. He knew she was still blaming herself.

  Turning his attention to the highway, he decided to head down toward Fort Collins, Colorado, at least for now. He’d spent some time in Colorado a few weeks ago while helping his buddy US Marshal Slade Brooks on a case. Slade had been watching over a witness who’d been in danger related to her need to testify at trial, which wasn’t that different than Tanner’s current case of protecting a federal judge.

  Except for the added complication of protecting a baby.

  He’d known about Lilly, of course—after all, he’d spent almost two weeks with Judge Logan back in early December. He’d been assigned to protect her, but when the threats had stopped and the trial had been postponed, Sidney had made it clear she didn’t want or need him hovering over her.

  There was no denying the judge was stubborn. Obviously, having protection was disruptive, but he’d tried to be as understanding and inconspicuous as possible.

  When the trial had been rescheduled for two weeks early in January, he’d been ordered to return to Cheyenne to guard Sidney. Unfortunately, he’d arrived a day late. He was always a day late, he thought grimly. Not that he’d anticipated Santiago’s men would go after Sidney’s nanny.

  Yet now that Camella Monte had been murdered, he didn’t want Sidney to step foot in a courtroom. Or anywhere that wasn’t a well-vetted safe house.

  She wouldn’t like it, but he needed to figure out a way to convince her.

  “Where are we going?” Sidney’s melodic voice penetrated his though
ts.

  “Fort Collins, Colorado.” He mentally braced himself for her response and wasn’t disappointed.

  “That’s too far from Cheyenne. We’ll never be able to make the trip back and forth to the federal courthouse from there.”

  “You’re not going to the courthouse,” he countered. “Santiago’s men will likely come after you or your daughter next.”

  She sent a heart-wrenching glance at Lilly in the back seat. “I know Lilly needs protection. As do I. But don’t you see? If I don’t preside over this trial, Santiago will get exactly what he wants.”

  This was the same argument they’d had back in December. “You can hand the case off to a different judge.”

  “It’s not as if there’s a plethora of federal judges in Wyoming. Besides, Santiago can send killers after that judge’s family, too.” She lifted a hand. “And don’t tell me that having a male judge is better, because I refuse to allow my gender to be viewed as a weakness.”

  Yep, same old arguments. He strove for patience. “Accepting help is not a sign of weakness, Sidney. And a male judge might be better equipped to handle Santiago.”

  “Handle him how? By standing up to his threats? That’s what I’m doing. Any other judge would be in the same predicament. Besides, I’ve been involved in all the motions and arguments from both the prosecutor and the defense over the past several months. I’m in the best position to preside over the trial. Any other judge, male or female, would be at a distinct disadvantage.”

  Tanner tried not to sigh. He wasn’t a legal expert, so she could be right about the motions and such. But he couldn’t stand the idea of anything happening to her, or to Lilly, because the leader of a drug cartel didn’t want to go to prison.

  Especially since Wyoming still had the death penalty. And the prosecutor had made it clear he was requesting that level of sentencing for Santiago.

  Hence the threats.

  Although why Santiago’s men weren’t going after the prosecutor, rather than the judge, was a mystery to him. Well, privately he figured the reason was that Sidney was a woman, and Santiago probably found her easier to intimidate.