“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.”
“I guess you were right about your father being in witness protection.” She glanced at him, then asked, “Are you okay?”
He was far from okay, but there was no point in dwelling on the realization his father had been a criminal. Or at least involved enough in the criminal organization that he’d testified against Gunther Volter. “Yeah. Except for the fact that I don’t trust this Levy guy as far as I can throw him.”
“I think it’s time to call my sister-in-law Raine. I’m sure she can verify Levy is legit.” She grimaced, then added, “Not that he still couldn’t be dirty.”
“I don’t like any of this.” He stared blindly at the passing scenery. They were outside of the city now, with nothing but wilderness surrounding them. “It sounds like Gunther Volter, the man my father testified against, is still in prison. I guess this could be about revenge. Like he’s angry that I’m living my life while he’s in jail.”
“Maybe. But if so, why wait until now? You’ve been living your life for six years since your dad passed away. And I still want to know why Gunther had your father murdered. Just for revenge? Or was there more to the story?”
“Those are good questions.” He fell silent, still absorbing the news.
Kendra turned onto a driveway that hadn’t been plowed since the last snowfall. The SUV bumped along the uneven surface until she brought it to a stop outside a large cabin. There were no lights on inside, and the lack of tire tracks indicated nobody had been there recently. “Well, it’s vacant.”
He nodded, eyeing the accommodations. The place looked nice enough. “How are you planning on getting in?”
“Sit tight, I’ll see if the code works.” She kept the engine idling as she pushed out of the driver’s seat. She trudged through snow that reached the middle of her calves, then pushed buttons on the key lock.
With a triumphant expression, she held up a key ring. Five seconds later, she had the front door open. Flipping on a light switch, she gestured for him to come inside.
He nodded and pushed his door open. Then he went around the back to open the back hatch for Smoky.
It was good to have a place to stay, especially one that was completely off-grid. Nobody knew they were there since they hadn’t gone through a rental agency to secure the property.
If this mountain cabin in the middle of nowhere doesn’t work to keep them safe, he thought darkly, nothing will.
Kendra was relieved the key code hadn’t been changed since she’d last rented the place and made a mental note to make sure she reimbursed the owners once the danger was over. In the meantime, she hoped nobody else showed up in the next day or so.
Smoky bounded toward her, clearly thrilled to be out of the car and in the snow. “Get busy, girl,” she said firmly.
