Page 35 of Trapper Road

“If I’d kept my promises, an innocent woman would be dead. I’m glad to not have that on my conscience.”

“You already have the death of an innocent woman on your conscience, Sam. Or have you forgotten about Miranda so soon?”

“I keep telling you: her death wasn’t my fault,” I grind out.

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that, but we both know the truth. And soon the rest of the world will as well.”

I shake my head at the poison dripping from his mouth. “Leo, we were friends once. You’re talking about destroying my life. Why?”

“You’re a traitor, Sam.”

There is nothing of the man I know left. I’m done trying to save him from himself. “You come for us, and I’ll come for you. My family means everything to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect them.Whatever it takes.”

“So noted. Oh, and one last question. How’s Lanny enjoying prospective students weekend? Never would have imagined her as a Reyne-U girl.”

A bright spot of rage burns in my chest. “You motherfucker!” I shout. “You leave her out of this. I swear to fucking—”

But he just laughs, and it’s the last thing I hear before he disconnects the call.

I stand, staring at the phone in my hand. I have an urge to spike it into the ground and just barely stop myself before doing so. I need my phone; it’s my only link to Lanny.

Lanny. Leo’s last comment was a direct threat. He knows where she is. Which makes her vulnerable. I pace the room, trying to think through my options. I could call her, pull the plug on the whole weekend, bundle her in the car and take off for home or to meet Gwen.

But she’s been looking forward to this weekend for months. The joy I saw on her face when she stepped on campus was unmistakable. I can’t take that from her, not if Leo’s words were idle threats meant to disrupt our lives and nothing else.

I think about calling Gwen, letting her know what Leo said and giving her a chance to weigh in, but I already know her response. She’d want Lanny out of there. No question.

Lanny has had so much taken from her. If we take this from her, I worry the damage might be irreparable. I’m not sure she’d ever forgive me, especially if it was just out of caution and not due to any real threat.

“Fuck,” I growl, balling my hands into fists.

There’s someone else I can turn to for help. I grab my keeps and hit speed dial for my friend Mike Lustig as I race to my car. He answers after one ring.

“I need a favor,” I tell him without preamble. “Actually, two favors.”

He’s used to these sorts of calls. He says nothing, just waits for me to explain.

“A member of the Lost Angels, Leonard Varrus, has been threatening Gwen and her kids. I just talked to him on the phone. He’s become unhinged. I’m worried he might be ready to take action. The last thing he said to me before hanging up was that he hopes Lanny enjoys her weekend at Reyne. She’s there for prospective student weekend. There’s no way he should know that, Mike.”

“She there alone?” he asks, all business.

“I’m here too. Well, I’ve been in a hotel nearby. I’m driving to campus now, so I can put eyes on her. Make sure she’s okay.”

“You think an attack is imminent?”

“I don’t know. That’s the problem.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Any chance you can trace his phone if I give you a number? Let me know where the call was coming from?”

“You mean surveil a US citizen without any kind of warrant?”

“I just need to know if he’s nearby. If he’s still out in California, I can assume he was just saying shit to put me on edge. But if he’s on the East Coast, then I know I’ll need to be worried.”

He lets out a sigh. “What’s the number?”

I’m stopped at a red light and take the opportunity to forward Mike Leo’s contact info.

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