Regardless, Jacob had to get the man the hell away from Dee and Evan. “Lambert, you want to deal with me. We don’t want to risk the kid getting in the way.”
“Of course not.” He waggled the gun in his gloved hand. “Who says I’m going to shoot anyone? I just keep this around for protection against intruders. Right, Evan my boy?” His face creased with a wry smile. “Although a target as big as that fellow wouldn’t be tough to hit if I wanted practice.”
Jacob hoped Lambert would take a potshot at him, because then the gun would be away from Dee and Evan. If he could be certain the shot wouldn’t be deadly and leave Dee without protection, he would rile Lambert into shooting now. “Go ahead then. You must have been itching to do this all those times you lurked around my place.”
Lambert scowled. “What the hell are you talking about? The last thing I wanted was to see her again.”
Jacob searched for words to stall the man until the police could arrive. “Then why not leave?”
“And live like some two-bit car thief on the lam? I hardly think so.” He gripped Dee’s arm and yanked her to her feet none too gently. “I’m waiting for my new ID to come through. I’d already started the process to get out of the country, but then Dee screwed up the timetable by digging through my old files. I just needed another couple of weeks to finish the transition of my assets into a shelf corporation so I would be free to travel under my new identity.”
A “shelf corporation.” Jacob narrowed his eyes with understanding. He’d heard of that. An old corporation with no activity was allowed to linger “on the shelf” until someone wanted to buy into it, usually to give age to a new business. Some had begun opting in to create a new holding for assets.
A crafty way to shield an old identity.
Lambert would have been able to conduct all transactions under the banner of his new company, his name never coming under the radar. He could have gotten clean away, losing himself in another country.
The possibilities shifted around in his mind. If the guy’s explanation could be trusted, then who had followed them into Tacoma, and who tormented Dee that night at the hotel?
He’d been so sure when he’d seen the Suburban following them…One like the silver vehicle Chase’s parents owned.
Hell. The realization exploded in his head. He had to trust that Emily would be safe with Grace’s family because he didn’t have the luxury of placing a timely call at the moment.
“Wait!” Dee reached up, her palm poised as an ineffective plug for the gun. Her eyes darted frantically between them. “Jacob, take Evan.”
What the hell was she up to? He only knew he wanted her away from the barrel of that weapon. She really couldn’t expect the man would let Jacob leave with the boy.
Jacob glanced at Evan. The sweet-faced kid had snuggled against Dee’s breast. A sight so damned beautiful, Jacob struggled for air. Beautiful—except for the fact the kid was trembling, his confused eyes darting back and forth between his parents.
Dee inched away from Lambert and carried Evan toward Jacob—without a protest from Lambert. Why wasn’t the guy stopping her?
Suddenly Jacob understood. Lambert honestly didn’t want to frighten his kid. He didn’t want his child seeing him shoot the boy’s mother. This psychopath did love his son in a warped sort of way, and Dee had bargained on that to buy them time.
How long would it keep Dee safe? Only as long as she had Evan in her arms. The way the kid clung to his mother’s neck, it didn’t appear that he would let go anyway.
Jacob had to predict Lambert’s next move, or he’d be left flatfooted and Dee could die. The fog of rage threatened to swallow him.
Concentrate. At least Lambert seemed content to keep up appearances for Evan and pay lip service to civility.
Where were the police? Spike had been leaving from the base, which meant he could be as much as forty-five minutes behind.
Jacob backed away from Lambert, his eyes never leaving Dee.
Dee pressed a kiss to her son’s cheek. “I love you, sweetie.”
“Love you, too, Mommy.” His smile spread from ear to ear.
Dee’s eyes met Jacob’s and held. In the warm chocolate depths he saw trust and, God yes, love. Both directed at him at a time he couldn’t afford to soak up the amazing beauty of the moment.
Then he saw a firm resolution that chilled him clean through. He could see she planned to—
Shove Evan toward Jacob with a twist of her body that placed her back completely to Lambert. She flung herself backward. Toward her ex-husband.
Directly in the path of his gun.
“No,” Jacob shouted even as he wrapped his shoulders around her son, covered his face.
The gun exploded. Dee’s body jerked, her eyes wide. Blood staining her coat collar, she crumpled to the ground.