Page 46 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“Evie, stay down!” Hazel hollered, dropping the phone.

“Mommy?”

“Just stay down.”

Callum didn’t want to shoot unless he had to, not with a child in the truck. The traffic began to clear. He drove into the oncoming lane and gunned the truck, passing two cars before getting back over as another vehicle approached, horn honking. With some clear road, Callum raced toward the police station, unable to believe they were being chased again, that he had allowed it to happen.

If he hadn’t been distracted by Hazel and their night together, he could have stayed focused and prevented this—at the very least putting Evie in less danger.

He made the last turn to reach the station. In the rearview mirror he saw the SUV pass without turning. The gunman knew they were headed for the police. He also must know the police would come after him if he tried to wait for them again.

“He’s gone,” Callum said.

Hazel breathed heavily and put her head back.

He drove into the police station parking lot and parked.

Hazel jumped out and hastily removed Evie from the car seat. When she had her daughter in her arms she asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mommy. Did we almost have an accident?”

“Yes, sweetie. Mommy just had a big scare.”

Callum put his hand on her back as she scanned the area. “Let’s get inside.”

They walked inside. Kerry would be expecting them. Callum had phoned ahead. A few minutes later, she appeared, sporting her badge on her belt.

“How are you doing?” Kerry asked.

“We were chased again and shot at,” Hazel said, putting Evie down.

“Where is he? I’ll get some cars out there.”

“It’s too late. He didn’t follow us all the way to the station,” Callum said.

“I’ll have them be on the lookout for the vehicle.”

Hazel gave her the plate number, surprising Callum with her stealthy observation and thinking. She went on to describe the SUV, including the damage to the passenger side when the shooter had rammed into them.

“What brought you here today? Not drawing the shooter out and trying to run you down?”

“We’d like to help with the investigation. Speed it up if we can.”

Kerry looked from Hazel to Callum and then Evie. “We’ve questioned some of the workers at Joe’s Bar. Nothing very concrete has come up. We did learn that Nate Blurge’s wife works there and he had a reputation for flirting with a lot of women, many of them the waitresses there. Apparently he made a lot of husbands angry. If the killer was one of them, he might show up. If you could watch the place, see if you can find out anything about who might want him dead. If you help out with that, I can pay more attention to his family.”

Callum nodded. “We can do that, but not with Evie.”

Hazel shook her head. “No, not with Evie.”

“Is there anywhere you can take her?” Callum asked. “Didn’t you say you had a brother who was a cop in Phoenix?”

“I did. His wife is a cop, too.”

“That sounds about as perfect as it gets,” Kerry said. “I agree. Evie is in too much danger if you keep her here. Every time you leave the inn you’re at risk. Whoever is after you is watching that place very close.”

“I hate the idea of parting company with my daughter but I can’t argue she’s in danger. She’d be safe with my brother and his wife.”

Callum liked that idea. Not only would it keep him from bonding even more with the girl, he wouldn’t have to worry about protecting her and her mother.

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