Page 18 of Ranger Belief
Jonah straightened. “Should I call Chief Deputy Williams?”
“Her son is ill, so she needs to take him to the doctor. Normally, I would wait for her, but given the circumstances, I don’t think the delay is a good idea.”
“Laney and I will be there soon.” He hung up and then explained the conversation to Laney. “No time for breakfast.”
Thirty minutes later, the sun was blazing as they pulled up to Sheriff Morrison's property. The house was on the small sidewith a neat front yard and trim hedges. Jonah noted the beat-up Chevy in the driveway. Likely the roommate's. He prayed whatever information the young woman had would lead them straight to the killer.
Laney rang the doorbell. She looked increasingly wilted. Humidity had put a slight curl into her dark locks, and her slacks were wrinkled. She’d left Scout back at the visitor center with Andy. Jonah wiped a bead of sweat from his own brow before settling his cowboy hat back on his head.
A black SUV drifted past on the street, slowing as it passed the house. Tinted windows made it impossible to see the driver. Jonah's gaze tracked it for a moment—probably just a neighbor being nosy about all the law enforcement presence—before the front door swung open.
Grayson had aged fifteen years overnight. Bags hung under his dark eyes, and his olive complexion was ashen. Despite his grief, purpose fueled his movements as he waved them into the foyer. “Thank you for coming. My wife and Ava’s parents are at the church meeting with our pastor about…” His jaw hardened, and he swallowed hard as tears filmed his eyes. “The funeral.”
“I’m so sorry, sheriff,” Laney’s tone was comforting and kind. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for all of you.”
He nodded and cleared his throat. “I appreciate that. My sister and brother-in-law are barely functioning. As it is, I’d prefer we get through the interview before they return.”
“We’ll do the best we can.” Jonah couldn’t promise anything—not without knowing what Ava’s roommate had to say—but he would move heaven and earth to prevent causing this family any more pain. “Would it be better to speak down at the sheriff’s department?”
“No. Kylie’s pretty distraught, and I don’t want to put her through that if it can be avoided.” He paused. “She and Ava havebeen roommates since freshman year. They were very close. Like sisters.”
Jonah heard the protective note in Grayson's tone and respected him for it. The message was clear: treat Kylie gently. She was grieving and fragile, and the sheriff wouldn't tolerate anyone making it worse.
Grayson escorted them into the living room. The space was homey but dated, with paneled walls and oversized furniture. A petite woman in her early twenties sat tucked in the corner of the couch. Short red curls framed a heart-shaped face and pointed chin. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot from crying. Sitting next to her, holding her hand, was a thin-faced male with bottle-thick glasses and a goatee.
“Kylie, hon, these are the investigators I told you about.” The sheriff’s tone was gentle. “Texas Ranger Jonah Foster and Park Ranger Laney Torres.” He turned toward Jonah. “This is Kylie Jackson and her boyfriend Parker Wessel.”
Jonah gave each of them a nod in greeting before claiming an armchair catercorner to Kylie. Laney hung back, choosing to perch on a recliner near a set of patio doors that led to the backyard. A silent way of letting Jonah take the lead in questioning.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Jonah started gently. Kylie’s lip trembled, and he gave her a moment. “Sheriff Morrison mentioned you and Ava have been roommates for years, and that you have some information about who might’ve wanted to hurt her.” He removed his cell phone from his pocket. “I’d like to record our conversation, if you don’t mind. It'll help me recall all the details accurately later.”
The young woman nodded, and he hit the record button, setting the device on the coffee table. Recording the conversation kept his attention on the witness instead of ontaking notes, which meant his sole attention was on whatever Kylie had to say.
Jonah offered an encouraging look. “When was the last time you spoke to Ava?”
“On Thursday afternoon, when she left for the camping trip. Tyler planned the whole thing for their three-year anniversary, and she…she…” Kylie glanced at her boyfriend, tears welling in her eyes.
Parker scooted closer on the couch and ran his thumb over the back of her hand. “Ava suspected Tyler was going to propose on the trip. Kylie had the difficult task of convincing her that Ty was just being sweet, and that he hadn’t so much as hinted at proposing, but Ava didn’t seem convinced.”
“I’m not a good liar.” Kylie gave Jonah a watery smile. “Ty had been planning everything for months. He was going to propose on Sunday, out on the water, at their favorite swimming spot. It was the first place he’d told Ava he loved her.”
Jonah felt a stab of grief for the couple. Their young lives had been cut far too short, and learning they were in love and on the cusp of getting engaged made their deaths all the more awful. He’d worked countless murders, but there were a few that buried deep in his heart. This was turning out to be one of them.
It took several seconds to box his emotions up tight. Judging from the way Laney pressed her lips together, she struggled to keep her sadness in check as well. Jonah would never have wished this experience on his best friend, but somehow, in some inexplicable way, he felt comforted knowing she shared his heartbreak.
He focused back on Kylie. “So their relationship was going well then.”
“They only had eyes for each other.” Her jaw tightened along with her posture. “But Ava attracted attention from other guys. She was gorgeous and had this carefree way about her…shenever encouraged anyone. Not once. But she was asked out a lot whenever Ty wasn’t around.”
He heard what she was hesitant to say. Jonah glanced at the sheriff, whose expression was guarded. Although he’d already heard this information, Grayson was bracing himself for what would come next. Controlled anger. That was how Jonah would describe him.
It sparked a concern that Grayson would take matters into his own hands, but he quashed those concerns. The sheriff had called him. He’d done this by the book, and was trusting that Jonah would see it through. The weight of that trust and responsibility added another boulder to the sack of pressures on his back. Finding the killer wouldn’t bring back Ava and Tyler, but it was all Jonah could do to ease the family’s grief and pain.
He refocused his attention back on Kylie. “Was there someone in particular who was interested in Ava?”
“Yes. Ava majored in Forestry, and during the spring semester she took a class from a visiting lecturer about Outdoor Recreation Management. She was excited because it meant learning all the trails in Piney Woods State Park. It was her intention to get a summer job there as a camping guide, especially since she’d had such a great time volunteering the year before.”
Laney leaned forward. “Ava was a volunteer for the park? In what area?”
