Rocky Mountain Standoff Read online

  Which only made Sidney dig in her heels and refuse to cower to his threats. Obstinate woman.

  “We just crossed the border into Colorado.” Sidney sent him a narrow glare. “Turn around and go back to Cheyenne. I can accept staying in a safe house, but I need to be close to the courthouse. It’s a good forty-five minutes in winter weather between Fort Collins and Cheyenne. Besides, I’ll need a change of clothes. I can’t wear this pantsuit for several days in a row.”

  He’d been glad to see she’d worn boots, rather than the high-heeled pumps she favored. “You’ve already agreed not to go to court today, right?” It took effort to keep his tone even and calm. “May as well sit back and enjoy the ride.”

  The stubborn set of her jaw indicated she was far from happy. Sidney sat quietly for a few minutes, as the cold, snow-dusted scenery passed them by.

  Finally she said, “I was thinking of asking the social worker assigned to Lilly’s case to take her somewhere else for a while. Maybe set her up with a new foster family.”

  He was surprised by her suggestion. “Do you think another foster family can keep her safe from Santiago’s men?”

  “I...don’t know,” she admitted in a low, anguished tone. “What do you think, Tanner? Santiago’s men managed to find Camella—do you think they have the ability to track Lilly to a new foster family, too?”

  It was a really good question. One he didn’t know the answer to. “I’m not sure what to say. Personally, I think Lilly is safer with us, especially right now. But once the trial begins, we may want to consider another alternative.”

  She bit her lip and glanced away, gazing out the passenger-side window. A sniffling noise made him wince. Crying? Was the judge who’d always held her own, no matter what life threw at her, really crying?

  He couldn’t stand it.

  “Hey. It’s going to be okay.” He reached out to touch her arm. Her shoulder-length, wavy dark hair tangled with his fingers. “We’ll figure something out.”

  “I know.” She swiped at her face, turned toward him and lifted her chin. There was her stubborn side. He preferred it to her tears. “I wish I’d have listened to you back in December.”

  He couldn’t deny he’d been frustrated with her sending him away. Still, no one could have anticipated something like this. That Santiago would have gone after her nanny. If the threats hadn’t have stopped, he wouldn’t have left no matter what she’d said.

  “We should have had you and Lilly under protection for several weeks before the Santiago trial proceedings started up again,” he said curtly. “But harping on everything we should have done differently isn’t going to help. As soon as we find a safe place to stay, we’ll figure out our next steps.”

  “Okay.” She seemed to relax a bit at that statement.

  As much as he didn’t want to remind her of the murder, he had questions. “Do you mind if I ask why you were taking Lilly to Camella’s house? Don’t most people ask their nannies to come to their home?”

  “Camella does come to my house when I have early court days, because it’s easier for me,” she admitted. “On late mornings, like today, I take Lilly there as a way to provide different surroundings, and Camella’s home is closer to the park.” Her expression clouded. “Do you think Santiago’s men know that much detail about my schedule? Or did they simply go after Camella because she was my nanny and just happened to find her alone?”

  “I’m not sure. How much is your schedule publicized?”

  “It’s not posted anywhere online for people to see, but it’s not necessarily a secret,” Sidney admitted. “And it’s not just my schedule they’d have to know, but my routine. The way I usually take Lilly over to Camella’s on late court days.” She paled. “Do you think I’ve been followed?”

  Tanner hesitated, then decided he couldn’t lie to her. “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?

  Maybe, but in his mind, murdering the nanny didn’t make any sense. Not if Santiago’s men wanted to sway the outcome of the trial.

  He shook his head and told himself that mystery wasn’t his to solve. His sole responsibility was to keep Sidney and her daughter, Lilly, safe.

  And he wouldn’t mind some help. Using the hands-free functionality of his SUV, he called his boss, James Crane.

  “Things are heating up in Cheyenne,” Tanner informed him. “I could use some help.”

  “I can send Colt Nelson to assist,” Crane offered. “Fill me in on what’s going on.”

  Tanner quickly explained about the murder of Camella Monte and how he currently had Judge Logan and her young daughter with him. “We’re heading to Fort Collins. Could you ask Colt to meet me there?”

  “Yes...” His boss hesitated. “I can free up Slade, too, if needed. I’m sure he’d want to be there for you.”

  “That’s okay—Colt should be good enough for now.” Slade Brooks had recently changed positions so that he didn’t have to travel as much. Slade was happily engaged to Robyn Lowry, the witness he’d protected in the week before Christmas, and their wedding was scheduled to take place on Valentine’s Day. He and Colt were both standing up for their buddy and Tanner was truly happy for them. “Thanks, boss.”

  “Keep me updated,” Crane warned. The guy was known to be a bit of a micromanager. Yet he’d come through for them in Slade’s case, and Tanner had to admit, he’d worked for worse bosses in the past.

  And it was kind of cute watching Crane court Robyn’s mother, Lucille.

  He disconnected the call when 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.

  TWO

  Someone was shooting at them!

  Sidney kept her head down but twisted in her seat so she could keep an eye on Lilly. How had Santiago’s men found them? Her mind whirled at the possibility that Camella’s murder was only the beginning.

  That she and Lilly may never be safe again.

  Maybe Tanner was right about handing over the Santiago case to another judge. Although the idea of putting anyone else in danger didn’t sit well. There was only one judge, an older guy named Marvin Carmichael, who didn’t have family living in the area. But she couldn’t just toss the case in his lap—that wasn’t how things worked. Cases were assigned through a judge-rotation process.

  Besides, Santiago could very well have a way to reach family members across state lines. After all, he’d had men follow her into Colorado.

  She blinked away the burn of tears. This wasn’t the time to melt down. She needed to stay strong.

  For Lilly’s sake.

  “Sidney? You can sit up now.” Tanner’s calm voice helped to relax her tense muscles. “I think we lost the shooter.”

  She gazed at the quaint small town they were in. The street was long and lined with businesses, and had recently been covered by a layer of pure white snow. “Where are we?”

  “Wellington, Colorado. We’re roughly t
en miles from Fort Collins.”

  The area looked nice and quiet. They passed a small motel. “Are we staying here, then?”

  Tanner blew out a breath. “Yeah, for now. I want a safe place to meet with Colt.”

  She shivered. “What if the gunman followed us?”

  Tanner glanced at her as he pulled into the motel parking lot. “I understand your concern. The best I can figure is that someone was watching through binoculars and saw us get onto the interstate. It’s a straight shot down from Cheyenne to Fort Collins. They must have found a place to sit and wait for us to show up.”

  It made sense in a horrific sort of way. “Shouldn’t we keep driving?”

  “I’m concerned this vehicle has been compromised,” Tanner explained. “If they had a scope on that rifle, they could have recorded our license plate number. Colt will have a different set of wheels and we’ll use his car to find a new place to stay.” He hesitated, then added, “Trust me on this, okay?”

  “Okay.” Truthfully, she did trust Tanner. More than she trusted anyone else. “I should call my clerk so she takes similar precautions.”

  “Your clerk is Becca Rice, if I remember correctly,” Tanner said. Maybe he thought keeping her talking would help ease the tension. “She seems like a nice lady.”

  “Becca was Judge Robert Forrester’s clerk, too. Before he retired. I was blessed to have been appointed and confirmed to replace him two years ago.” Why she was having this inane conversation with Tanner she had no idea. But his tactic, if that’s what it was, worked. She felt calmer and more in control.

  The way she normally was.

  “Becca knew about your previous threats, right? I’m sure she’s being careful,” Tanner said, bringing the SUV to a stop. “And I’m sure she’d let us know if anyone threatened her.”

  Once again, Sidney looked back at Lilly. The baby didn’t seem to have noticed the gunfire that had thankfully stopped as quickly as it had started. Lilly reached up, trying to grab at the plastic flowers dangling over her head from the handle of the car seat.

  Sidney hadn’t been one for praying, especially after her ex-husband’s infidelity and lies, but she found herself humbly grateful that Lilly hadn’t been harmed.

  Tanner threw the gearshift into Park. “I want you to get behind the wheel. I’ll secure a room, but if you see anything suspicious or concerning, I want you to drive off as quickly as possible, understand?”

  She swallowed hard and nodded. “Got it.”

  Tanner slid out of his seat. She quickly straddled the center console and dropped behind the wheel. Good thing she’d chosen to wear a navy blue pantsuit, rather than a skirt. Her booted feet didn’t reach the pedals, forcing her to shift the seat forward several inches.

  Gripping the steering wheel, she cast her gaze around the motel parking lot, looking for what, she wasn’t quite sure. Something suspicious? Concerning? She was a judge, not a cop.

  It wasn’t until Tanner returned that Sidney realized she’d been holding her breath. Silly, she silently admonished herself. Unclamping her fingers, she once again climbed over the console to return to the passenger seat.

  “We’re set,” Tanner said, sliding behind the wheel. His knee rapped loudly against the steering column, making her wince.

  “Sorry, I forgot to put the seat back.”

  “It’s okay.” He slid back the seat, rubbed his knee and then reversed out of the parking spot. “Our room is along the back side of the motel.”

  She nodded, relaxing a bit more as he drove around and pulled up in front of a door with a number 10 on the front.

  “Get Lilly—I’ll handle the rest,” he said.

  As before, she unbuckled her daughter from the car seat and held her in her arms, taking a moment to inhale the sweet scent of baby shampoo. Tucking Lilly close, she waited for Tanner to pull out the car seat, the diaper bag and her briefcase.

  He handed her one of the keys. After unlocking the door, she held it open so he could carry everything inside. She followed, glad the place was clean, if a tad worn.

  When the door closed behind her, Sidney’s shoulders slumped—she finally felt safe.

  For now.

  “I need to call Colt,” Tanner said, setting everything down on one of the beds.

  She nodded and set the car seat up on the small table so she could put Lilly there. The baby looked around curiously. “I’ll need to give her a bottle and some cereal soon.”

  “I understand.” Tanner used the tip of his index finger to send the red rose above Lilly’s head swinging back and forth, which made the baby reach up in an attempt to grab it.

  For a single guy, Tanner seemed to have a way with kids. Or maybe he was just used to charming the ladies. She couldn’t blame Lilly for being unable to resist Tanner’s bright blue eyes, tousled brown hair and wide grin.

  She had trouble ignoring his handsome looks, as well.

  Stop it, she admonished herself. This was not the time to think about her strange attraction to the US Marshal assigned to protect her. Thanks to Gary, she’d given up on men. Her plan was to raise Lilly all on her own.

  Tanner was not only too young for her, but also too charming for his own good.

  Just like Gary.

  Tanner stepped outside the room to make his call. She rummaged through the diaper bag, finding the can of formula, a bottle and box of rice cereal. Lilly began to fuss, making squeaky noises that were rather cute, until they turned into a full-blown wail. Using tap water from the bathroom sink, she made a bottle, then added some formula into a small plastic bowl to mix in the cereal.

  Before feeding her, Sidney changed Lilly’s wet diaper and then settled on the bed, propping up against the headboard. She set the car seat next to her, so Lilly could sit up to eat her cereal, as she didn’t have access to a high chair.

  The baby preferred the bottle but opened her mouth like a fish to take in the cereal. When the cereal was gone, Sidney wiped Lilly’s face, took the little girl into her arms and gave her the bottle.

  She smiled down at Lilly, loving everything about being a mother. Even the rough nights, especially after Lilly’s open-heart surgery, when the baby had woken every few hours to be fed.

  Difficult to handle alone, especially when she’d had to return to work after eight weeks for a previous case, but extremely rewarding. Lilly had been passed over by another couple for adoption because of her medical needs. The minute the baby had required open-heart surgery shortly after she was born, the adoption had been put on hold. Sidney had stepped up to foster Lilly, who had recovered nicely and was doing great.

  “Their loss is my gain, little one,” she whispered, running her fingertip down Lilly’s satiny cheek. The idea of the baby being in danger was sobering. What should she do? Call Tabitha, Lilly’s social worker? She couldn’t help but worry that Santiago’s men might find Lilly with another foster family.

  The way they’d found Camella.

  Sidney momentarily closed her eyes and rested her cheek on Lilly’s dark fuzzy hair. She absolutely needed to know the baby was safe.

  And for now, staying with her under Tanner’s protection was the best way to accomplish that.

  “I didn’t hear her cry,” Tanner said from the doorway.

  She glanced up. “No, but she started gnawing on her fist and making noises, which are clues she’s hungry.”

  Tanner’s gaze lingered on the baby, then he shifted to look at her. “Colt will be here in ten minutes. We’ll make a new game plan then.”

  “Okay.” She tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “I’ll need to call Becca again, to let her know what time to reschedule the hearing.”

  “Soon,” Tanner promised. He looked at Lilly again. “We’re going to keep you both safe.”

  “I believe you.” Tanner had done a great job so far. She had never met Colt,
but certainly having another marshal around for protection couldn’t hurt.

  She just hoped she was making the right decision to keep Lilly here with her, rather than dropping her off with another foster family. She could almost hear Tabitha scolding her over the choice she’d made.

  But Tabitha Walker didn’t know about Santiago. About how he’d do anything, kill anyone who got in his way. Including finding Lilly with a new foster family.

  Sidney knew putting her life on the line was one thing, but this sweet little girl shouldn’t suffer because she was a judge.

  Or, more specifically, because her job was to preside over Santiago’s trial.

  * * *

  Tanner found it difficult to remember Sidney as the rather obstinate judge he’d protected during court several weeks ago while he watched this beautiful woman feeding her baby. The way Sidney took command in the courtroom was the opposite of seeing her cooing over the infant.

  Forcing away his gaze, he glanced at his watch. Colt would be here any minute, and they absolutely needed a plan. He thought again about how Lilly complicated things. Not that he minded protecting a baby, but what would they do with her once Sidney returned to the courtroom?

  Because he felt certain that was the judge’s plan. Despite how much he didn’t like it, he knew there was no way Sidney would allow Manuel Santiago to get away with murder.

  And honestly? He couldn’t blame her.

  If a judge caved to this sort of intimidation, where would it end? Other criminals with deep pockets would enthusiastically follow suit.

  No, Manuel Santiago had to be held accountable for his crimes. Not just for moving drugs up from the border through Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. And wherever else his mules took them.

  But for the multiple counts of murder that had been attributed to him. Three previous murders of cartel members that had been uncovered, and now a fourth non-cartel member.

  Camella Monte.

  Tanner wondered how Santiago’s men had figured out about Lilly and that Sidney had a nanny. Those closest to Sidney obviously knew, like Becca Rice, her clerk, and maybe even some of the other court employees. But Sidney hadn’t said much to him back then, preferring to keep her private life quiet.