Page 47 of Operation: Integrity

Zeus clung to her side but kept glancing behind them. He didn’t growl, which gave her hope that they weren’t following her, but she dared not look back. If she did, they’d see her whole face. If he was a man who remembered everything like Nathan said, he would remember her.

Viceroy remembers details. All the details. Don’t look at him or you will die.

She realized then the error she’d made. It wasn’t that he recognized her with her face half covered. He’d recognized that she’d looked at him and could probably describe him. He wouldn’t just let her go. The rev of an engine behind her made her heart stagger, then race. Thepolice station was at least a mile away. It had taken her more than twenty minutes to walk that far. There was no way she could run and make it.

She glanced behind her as the car pulled onto the road, following her. She picked up her pace but didn’t want to start running and draw attention to herself. No one would help her anyway, and she’d just make herself easier to spot.

She dashed down the same side street she’d gone up a few minutes before because all the houses had been fifties style ranch homes that might be full of friendly older people willing to help her for a few minutes, just like the older man who had helped her with the phone number to her bank.

The first driveway was empty so she skipped it, wanting to be sure that when she knocked, someone would answer. The car pulled to a stop in front of the house as she reached the door and knocked, trying to sound friendly and not desperate.

“Come on, answer the door.” Kelly knocked again as Zeus growled a warning.

Kelly reached for him just as he yelped and shrank back. “Call off the dog or I’ll shoot him.” A woman’s voice came from behind her. “If you think I’m not serious, try me.”

“Zeus, down.” She wasn’t sure if it would work or not. She’d never asked the dog to back off. That wasn’t his job.

Zeus glanced at her and lowered his head like he might lunge at the woman.

“Turn around slowly and come with me,” the woman said. “Viceroy is very unhappy that you thought he wouldn’t remember you, Kelly. And Nathan has been pestering him for help for over a week. Leave it to me toget done in a few minutes what he couldn’t do with all the resources we gave him.” She laughed as she waved her gun toward the car. “Let’s go. You don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Kelly reached for her pocket, her knife was her last chance. The woman took aim at the center of Kelly’s chest. “Drop whatever that is. Right now.”

Her fingers froze around the handle. It was a pocketknife and she’d never get it open in time. Not before a bullet. But now the woman knew she had something in her pocket.

“Now,” the woman’s tone gave no room for discussion.

Kelly slowly pulled the knife from her pocket, only then noticing the Wayside logo on the handle. She slowly bent to let it fall without a clatter and whispered to Zeus, “Go. Find Sam,” and prayed the woman didn’t hear.

Zeus rushed off down the street, leaving Kelly to deal with her fate, alone.

Chapter Twenty-One

The police station was busy, and the shift had changed between the time Kelly had been there and when Sam arrived with Connor. The officer they spoke to was nice, understanding what they needed and why they were looking for Kelly. His hands were tied though. Without being able to prove they were related or needed to know anything about her, there was little the officers could do.

Sam left the building feeling defeated. Cheyenne was the biggest city in Wyoming, with plenty of places to hide for someone who wanted to stay hidden. He headed for Connor’s truck as someone called his name. He turned around as an officer jogged toward him.

“I heard you asking about that woman who came in last night.” He stopped and glanced behind him. “I can’t guarantee she’s there because that place is as seedy as they come, but we get gift cards for the Over Easy Inn that we can give out to people who are homeless if it’s after the shelters are closed for the night. We don’t usually share that information, but I thought you’d want to know.”

Connor looked at his watch. “It’s almost ten. If we hurry, we might make it there before checkout.”

“The gift cards are good for three days, but I can’t imagine choosing to stay there more than one unless you had to. They offer rooms by the hour.” The cop flinched. “It really is a place you would only go if you have nowhere else.”

Sam nodded. “Thanks for letting us know. It narrows down the possibilities some.” They continued walking to Connor’s truck and got in. “Even the name sounds awful. Why are places like this allowed to stay open? Everyone knows that places like that aren’t used by anyone but people who don’t ever want to be seen.”

Connor turned the key, starting the engine. “I know. Getting motels like that shut down would be a good start.” He pulled out onto the road.

Sam glanced at everyone walking down the sidewalk. Within a few minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of the inn. Just looking at it made Sam’s skin crawl. “She stayed here?”

“We won’t know until we go to the front desk and ask. Though, it’s better here than on her own on the street. There’s only so much Zeus can do.”

At the mention of his name, a dog barked and ran over from a bench on one end of the lot. He barked again, finally reaching Sam. Sam took hold of the dog’s collar and looked at the little metal ID hanging from it, but he knew the dog without the confirmation. “Zeus, where’s Kelly?” This had to mean Kelly was here, but why was Zeus outside, running around?

“The sign says it’s pet-friendly and even though I don’t know Kelly well, I don’t think she would’ve just let Zeusrun around outside alone.” Connor slowly looked over the lot. “Something doesn’t feel right here.”

Sam headed for the office, needing answers. If Kelly was in a room, he’d need to know which one. If she wasn’t here, he wanted to see any cameras they had because the only reason Zeus would’ve come to this place without Kelly was if he’d been here before.

He went inside and the dim interior left him blinking, trying to see anything inside the small room.

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