Too bad it was going on eleven thirty at night. He was anxious to start investigating the case.
He briefly considered calling Rex and asking for backup. Micah had worked as a private investigator, and his skills might come in handy. Di’s new husband, Jarek, was a cop too. All it would take was a phone call to bring several members of his team running to his side.
Yet calling Rex meant explaining why he needed help, specifically the fact that he was now the prime suspect in Skye Gray’s murder. Just imagining the incredulous expression on Rex’s face made him wince.
No, he couldn’t do it. He didn’t want any of his friends to know he was a murder suspect. There was no reason to drag anyone else into his problems. His job was to keep Evie safe.
That thought made him realize they’d been sitting in her car now for almost twenty minutes. Time to get inside. “Let’s go. We need to get some sleep if we’re going to hike the nature preserve early tomorrow.”
“I’m game.” Evie smiled as she pushed her driver’s side door open and reached down to press the button that would open the back hatch.
For the second time in a matter of hours, a crack of gunfire rang out. Cam ducked and pulled his weapon from the holster as he rolled out of his side of the car, searching for the shooter.
A dark figure darted into the woods. Furious, Cam bolted after him.
“Wait! Cam, don’t! Please come back!” Evie’s voice pleaded with him to stay, but he ignored it. After point-blank being accused of murder, he was determined to find this guy and to hand him over to Rueger as a new suspect.
Running wasn’t a problem; the army had trained him well, and he’d kept up his daily physical routine. But once Cam hit the woods, he was at a disadvantage. It had been a long time since he’d been in the area, and he couldn’t remember the exact layout of the woods in reference to the rest of the town.
He should have been better prepared. Stubbornly, he pushed through the foliage, searching for the shooter. It was so dark he couldn’t follow the guy’s path, finding only the occasional broken branch that could have been left weeks ago rather than minutes.
After five minutes, he stopped to listen. There was nothing but silence, which meant either the shooter had already gotten through the woods and was out of the area, or he was hunkered down somewhere waiting and listening too.
Every cell in his body wanted to find this guy. But as the mosquitos started to attack his exposed flesh, he realized it was useless. Turning, he retraced his steps, hoping he wouldn’t have to call Evie for assistance.
Barely two minutes later, he heard the rustling sounds of something moving through the brush. Bringing his weapon up, he peered through the darkness, half expecting the gunman to lunge for him.
Then he relaxed when he saw the flash of Bruno’s white teeth.
“Hey, boy.” He put his hand out. The dog bumped his fingers with his nose, licked his skin, then turned to head back the way they’d come. The dog went about ten feet, then turned to look at him as if to ask,Are you coming?
Saved by a dog, he thought with a grimace. And wouldn’t this story send Rex and the others into gales of laughter.
Cam wasn’t laughing. He’d lost the gunman. And worse, the guy knew exactly where they were staying.
They needed a new plan and fast. No way would he give this guy the chance to try again. He’d keep Evie safe if it killed him.
4
“You can’t keep leaving me alone.” Evie’s anger spiked as Cam and Bruno emerged from the woods. She’d been crouched beside her SUV for what seemed like eons, waiting for him to return while fearing the worst, that the gunman found and silenced him permanently. She’d tried to keep Bruno close, but her dog broke free and ran after Cam.
“I’m sorry.” Cam grimaced. “I wanted to catch this guy. You shouldn’t have sent Bruno after me.”
“Bruno did that of his own accord.” She frowned at her dog, who came to stand beside her. “The way he sniffed the air, made me think he caught the gunman’s scent.”
“He’s smart that way. To be honest, I was glad to see him.” Cam nodded and glanced around the parking lot. “Let’s head inside to grab our stuff. We can’t stay here.”
Evie wanted to argue but knew he was right. The gunman clearly knew where they were. Did he know her license plate number too? If so, he’d probably find them again. There were only a handful of motels in the area, and if he lived in Grand Haven, the way she believed he did, he’d check them all.
Filled with despair, she turned and walked quickly toward the side entrance of the hotel. Cam and Bruno flanked her. Their suite wasn’t too far down the hall, and within minutes, they were inside and gathering their things.
“We’re going out using an exit on the other side of the building.” Cam glanced at her, his expression serious. “We need to leave our vehicles behind and head out on foot.”
“And go where?” While it was reasonable to leave their cars behind, she wasn’t sure about walking all around town. The two of them with Bruno would be easy to spot.
“The Lighthouse Motel.” He shrugged, throwing the strap of his duffel over his shoulder. Then he reached for her bag full of Bruno’s dog dishes and food. “The closest motel is the Ridgeway, so we need to avoid that one.”
The Lighthouse Motel was almost two miles away. She swallowed her protest, squaring her shoulders. If walking two miles kept them safe for what was left of the night, then she was on board. “Okay, let’s go.”
