Page 3 of Ranger Bravery

Derek waited until Jackson caught up with him. “One female victim. Caucasian. Single gunshot wound. The ID isn’t official—the coroner will do that with fingerprints—but I recognized her. Elena Harris. Local. She attends community college at night and works full time for The Kingston Law Firm as a receptionist.”

Interesting. Kingston Law Firm was a criminal defense firm. It was owned and operated by the Kingston family. Influential and wealthy, they had connections with state senators and the governor. “Could her murder have something to do with a case the law firm was working on?”

Derek grunted in reply. “Everything is on the table at this point.”

The path narrowed, following alongside the creek. Bright lights were placed periodically to light the way. The air was scented with pine. Jackson’s boots sank into the damp earth. Derek deviated and shortly they were standing in a small defoliated area. A woman wearing a yellow dress lay on the forest floor. Blood stained her clothes. An exercise shirt and a towel had been used in a futile effort to staunch the wounds.

Jackson’s stomach curdled. Death was never easy to look at, but this… “Pip—” He stopped himself, noting the crime scene technicians and the coroner’s assistant on scene. “Detective Jensen found her?”

“Sorta. She heard some screams, went to investigate, and Elena ran out of the bushes straight toward her.” Derek’s tone grew grim. “Piper tried to save her, but there was nothing to be done.” He gestured to some trees. “The killer came close but was scared off when he heard sirens. Cell service is terrible out here, but Piper had the sense to send me a text requesting backup. That got through.”

Jackson crouched next to the victim. Long blond hair tangled with leaves. Her skin was ghostly pale. Flies were already trying to gather. They were waved off by the coroner’s assistant.

Young. Far too young.

“She’s dressed casually. Barefoot.” He rose. “She wasn’t hiking.”

“No. We located her car in a parking lot on the west side of the nature preserve. I suspect she met someone here and then was lured or forced to a nearby field.” His jaw tightened as he pointed to the bruises on her face. “The killer beat her before shooting her.”

Jackson felt his own blood heat with anger. “Did you recover her cell phone?”

“No. Her purse is also missing. We found her shoes in the field where she was shot.” Derek frowned. “Beating implies anger. It’s up close and personal.”

Jackson didn’t want to think about the young woman’s last moments. Or the agony Piper must be experiencing. She had a tough outer shell, but it hid a sensitive heart. Or it used to, anyway. It’d been ten years since they last saw each other. Jackson didn’t even know Piper anymore.

He blew out a breath. “If she met someone here, that indicates it was a person she knew and felt safe with, but doesn’t rule out a former client. Elena may not have appreciated how violent the person was.”

“Agreed. Considering the influence the Kingston family has, this could turn into a circus. I’d like the Texas Rangers to run the investigation. My staff is overworked and most of them don’t have the experience necessary to handle this kind of murder. With one exception…” Derek met Jackson’s gaze. “Piper. She spent nearly five years working as a homicide detective in Bismarck. Given the history between the two of you, I didn’t want to assign her to the case without speaking to you first.”

“I appreciate it.” Jackson didn’t know how to answer. Could he work with Piper? It felt silly to say no, considering their romance had been short-lived. One summer. That was all. It’d blazed hot and fast, and ultimately, Jackson had gotten burned. “Let me speak to her first. I have to take her statement anyway. Then we can decide how to proceed.”

“Understood.” Derek pointed to a marked trail. “Head that way. She’s at the creek.”

Jackson took one last look at the victim and then squared his shoulders before following the broken foliage to the creek. Forensic techs scoured the woods for clues. Trash, discarded cigarettes, anything that might tie the killer to the crime scene would be collected. It would take time to go through it all. Investigations could be painstaking, but paying attention to details was necessary. One piece of evidence could break the whole case open.

The tree line broke and then… there she was.

Piper.

She stood next to the creek, shoulders hunched against the cold. Someone—probably Derek—had given her a jacket. It swallowed her slender frame. Her honey-colored waves were pulled back into a ponytail that highlighted the curve of her cheeks and her long neck. Mud coated her tennis shoes. There was dried blood on her hands. A golden Labrador sat patiently by her side, his leash hanging from her right wrist.

Seeing her was equivalent to a gut-punch. Jackson’s breath stalled. It was shocking, and more than embarrassing, to realize his first urge was to hug her. Before they were sweethearts, they’d been friends. Now they were strangers. Maybe they always had been. After all, Piper had dropped him. Packed up and left town, leaving behind a note with very little explanation.

We weren’t meant to be. I’m sorry.

Piper always had been tougher than steel. People had warned him of that. Jackson hadn’t listened and had gotten his heart broken for the trouble. Problem was, he couldn’t even be angry with her about it. How could Jackson possibly blame her for packing up and leaving town after being assaulted? He’d always understood her desire for a fresh start. What hurt was that she left him behind.

Just like his mother had.

“Hi, Jackson.” She jutted up her chin, her gaze guarded. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has. I didn’t know you moved back to town.”

He’d been out of the loop since his granddad died five years ago. Jackson still had friends in town, but as with Derek, didn’t speak with them often. Before tonight, he’d thought Piper was still living in North Dakota.

The lab greeted him with some sniffs. Jackson rubbed the dog’s ears. “Who’s this?”

“Moxie. He belongs to my sister…” She sighed. “It’s a long story.” Piper met his gaze. “I want to work together on this case, Jackson. Things between us…”

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