Page 11 of Ranger Belief
Shock rendered her speechless. Laney’s gaze shifted between the two men. Clearly, this was something they’d discussed ahead of time. She felt ambushed. Competing emotions battled for her attention. Excitement and terror. She chose her words carefully. “I’m honored that you would recommend me. Both of you.” She frowned. “But wouldn’t you be the better choice, Andy? You have more years of experience.”
“I’m closing in on retirement myself. I’ll stay on as your Chief Ranger for the next two years to ensure the ship stays on course, but Piney Woods needs fresh energy. Leadership with vision and a passion to take on new projects.” His mouth quirked. “And I don’t want to spend my time buried in the extra paperwork.”
She chuckled. Laney didn’t like the paperwork any more than he did.
Silence settled in the room. Laney felt the walls closing in. Not literally, but the weight of permanence pressed against herchest.Superintendent.Not acting. Not temporary.Permanent.The word tasted like a trap.
She drew in a breath. “Again, I’m honored that you both would recommend me. I’d like a bit of time to consider the matter.” She smiled wryly. “There’s a lot on my mind at the moment.”
“Of course. I don’t plan on turning in the paperwork for my retirement for another few weeks.” Douglass rose and extended his hand.
Laney shook it warmly. “Thank you, sir. I mean that.”
“No need to thank me, Laney. You stepped up when we needed you most. That tells me everything I need to know about the kind of leader you'll be.”
With a final handshake and a pat on Scout’s head, Douglass left the office, escorted by Andy. Their voices filtered down the hall as they moved to the lobby. Laney crossed the room to her desk and sank into her chair. She stared out of the window at the pine trees and the lake. A couple climbed into a canoe and pushed off from the boathouse.
Superintendent. Superintendent Torres. She wasn’t sure what to think of it.
A knock on her doorframe drew her attention. Jonah strolled in, his long legs eating up the distance to her desk. “I spoke to Chief Deputy Williams. She’s—” He paused, a slight crease forming between his brows. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I…” Laney debated not saying anything, but this was Jonah. Her best friend. She told him everything.
Well, almost everything.
“Douglass is taking an early retirement. He wants to recommend to headquarters that they keep me on as superintendent.”
A wide grin broke out across Jonah's face, transforming his normally serious features. It was the kind of smile thatmade people—especially women—do double-takes. Genuine and unguarded in a way he rarely allowed. It sent warmth straight through her.
“That’s amazing, Laney! Congrats.” He paused, seeming to register that she wasn’t as thrilled with the news as he was. His smile dimmed. “Or not? This is great news, so why do you look like someone threw up on your shoes?”
“Because I’m not sure I’m going to accept the offer. I moved here because Mom was sick. After she passed, there was Breanna’s wedding, and then she was pregnant with Asher and…”
“You just stayed,” he filled in.
Laney tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “She needed me. Still does. But I won’t lie, there’s an urge to move on. I couldn’t do that if I was Superintendent. It’s more responsibility.”
“You don’t think you’ll ever settle down in one spot?”
There was something in the depths of his blue eyes that made her stomach flutter. Jonah’s tone was casual, but the question seemed loaded for some strange reason.
She averted her gaze and shrugged, keeping her voice light. “I enjoy meeting new people. Facing different challenges.” She’d moved dozens of times. Her career in the military had required it, but even as a park ranger, she’d hopped to a new assignment every few years. Already she was feeling antsy. Truth be told, Laney intended to move on to another park once Douglass came back to work.
“There’s a benefit to staying in one place though,” Jonah said. “You can create deeper friendships and be a more meaningful part of a community. Maybe meet someone, get married, and have a family of your own.”
A few years ago, Laney would have laughed at the idea of settling down. Somehow, seeing her younger sister happilymarried with a baby…it’d unearthed a desire for a future she’d never considered before. It also ignited, in equal measure, a pit-in-her-stomach terror. “The longest relationship I've ever had lasted six months. Wedding bells aren't even on my radar.” A thought stilled her movements. “Do you think about it? Getting married?”
“It’s crossed my mind a time or two.” His voice was low, loaded with some unspoken emotion she couldn’t quite place. Jonah’s mouth quirked. “Of course, I’d have to find someone who can put up with me.”
Laney chuckled. “There’s that. You’re a handful, Foster.” Her tone was light, but a sinking feeling settled in her belly at the thought of him getting married. She’d never considered it. Jonah didn’t date much, and his serious relationships had been few and far between.
Still…how foolish of her. Deep down, Jonah had always been a romantic. He was considerate and kind. Smart. Good with kids. Definitely easy on the eyes. Any woman in her right mind would be lucky to marry him. Would his wife be comfortable with their friendship? Some women wouldn’t be. Regardless, Jonah’s first duty would be to his wife. Things would change between them, and selfishly, Laney didn’t want them to.
This train of thought wasn’t helping anyone. Shifting back to more comfortable ground, she said, “What were you about to tell me? About Chief Deputy Williams?”
“She’s going to interview Ava and Tyler’s family members again, as well as their friends. Since it’s Labor Day weekend, a lot of the college kids have gone home or are on vacation, but she’s tracking down everyone she can. I also spoke with my boss, Lieutenant Rodriguez. She’s sending Ryker and Tate to assist us on the case. They’ll be here tomorrow.”
Texas Rangers Ryker Montgomery and Tate Atwood were both members of Company A. Laney had never worked witheither man in a professional setting, but she knew them well socially. She'd watched Ryker and Hannah exchange marriage vows just two months ago, and even she—cynic that she was—had felt a flicker of hope watching them. But hope was dangerous. While she didn’t believe for a second Ryker would ever leave Hannah for another woman, that didn’t prevent something else from tearing them apart in a few years.
