Page 19 of Ranger Belief
“She handled wildlife programs for school groups," Grayson answered. "She volunteered there only a few times a year. Between her classes and the part-time job at the university, which helped pay her tuition, Ava didn't have much free time.”
Laney nodded. “We have hundreds of volunteers cycling through, especially for educational programs. I wish I could say I remember her, but…” She trailed off, frustration evident in the tight line of her mouth.
Jonah waited a moment in case she had a follow-up question, but when she didn’t speak, he returned the focus back to the matter at hand. “You mentioned someone was interested in Ava.”
“It was her professor,” Kylie declared. “His name is Garrett Wheeler. He runs a tour guide business called Texas Camping and Trail Guides.”
The name meant nothing to Jonah, but from the way Grayson and Laney stiffened, they were both familiar with Garrett. The man must be a local. Or at least knowledgeable enough about the Piney Woods trail system to teach a university class on it.
Jonah leaned forward. This could be the break they needed in the case. “What happened between Ava and Garrett?”
“About three weeks after class started, Garrett asked Ava to hang back under the pretense of discussing a paper she’d written. He flirted with her, and it made Ava very uncomfortable. She told him she had a boyfriend, hoping he would get the hint. But he didn’t care. Garrett kept finding ways to be alone with her, or he flirted with her in class. Eventually, he asked her out, and she once again explained that she had a boyfriend.” Kylie’s mouth flattened. “His response was that Ty didn’t have to know anything. They could keep it a secret.”
Jonah’s gut clenched. He’d met men like Garrett before. Guys who didn’t believe in listening to no, who thought that every woman was simply playing hard to get. Had Garrett’s interest in Ava slipped into an obsession? Had he become angry enough with her rejection to kill her?
“How did Ava respond?” Jonah asked.
“She told him there was no way she would ever cheat on Ty.” Kylie blew out a breath. “I urged her to report Garrett to the university, but she was worried about creating a fuss with only a few weeks left in the class. As far as I know, Garrett left her aloneafter that, but Ava was uncomfortable enough around him she decided not to take a job at Piney Woods for the summer. She didn’t want to constantly run into him.”
Jonah couldn’t fault Ava for being reluctant to start a formal inquiry into the matter, but Garrett’s actions bordered on harassment. At the very least, they were morally reprehensible. “Did Ava tell Tyler about what was going on?”
“A bit. Tyler wasn’t the jealous kind, but he was protective.” Kylie looked at her boyfriend.
Parker took her hand. “Tyler would’ve approached Garrett and had it out with him. With the little that Ava had told him, he was ready to do just that, but she begged him to stay out of it. Against his better judgment, Tyler agreed.” He sighed. “If he’d known the entire story—especially about Garrett finding ways to be alone with Ava—he would’ve interceded.”
Jonah turned toward the sheriff. “I assume you didn’t know about this either?”
Grayson shook his head, his expression hard. “She didn’t breathe a word of it to me. Probably for the same reason she didn’t tell Tyler. Ava knew I would push her to press charges and get the university involved.”
“Was Ava living in town over the summer? Did she have any additional interactions with Garrett after the class was over?”
Kylie hesitated. “She and Tyler worked at Big Bend National Park over the summer. They just came back two weeks ago. Ava mentioned seeing Garrett in an ice cream shop last week while on a date with Tyler. He didn’t talk to her, but I could tell she was uncomfortable about it.”
“Did she explain why?”
“No, it was just a feeling I had.” Kylie’s eyes welled with fresh tears. “I should’ve demanded she tell the university about what was going on. Or when she saw him, I should’ve forced her to call her uncle.” Her gaze shot to Grayson. “I’m so sorry…”
She burst into tears. Parker appeared helpless in the face of her grief. Grayson crossed the room and bent in front of her, gathering her into his arms in a fatherly hug. “This is not your fault. You hear me? No one blames you.”
Their pain was raw and heartbreaking to witness.
Jonah caught Laney's eye and tilted his head toward the door. They'd gotten what they needed, and staying would only prolong Kylie's pain. He reached for his phone on the coffee table to stop the recording. “Thank you for speaking with us, Kylie. I know how difficult this is.”
She nodded against Grayson's shoulder, unable to respond.
They saw themselves out, and within moments, were driving through the neighborhood.
Jonah adjusted the vent, letting the blast of air conditioning wash over his face. Then he reached for his laptop tucked under the passenger-side seat. He did a quick background check on Garrett Wheeler. “Guy’s clean. No arrest record. He has a speeding ticket from three years ago, but that’s it.” He glanced at Laney. Her focus was on the road. “What do you know about Garrett?”
“He’s a local, and his business is successful.” Laney’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “But there are rumors. Shortly after joining the staff at Piney Woods, three separate women on different occasions told me Garrett is a player, and I should steer clear.”
Jonah’s gut clenched. “Has he ever hit on you?”
She shot him a feral smile. “No. I’m too…up front for someone like Garrett. He likes his woman demure and reserved.” Her expression faded into a pained one. “Someone like Ava, a woman working hard to get through college and unwilling to pursue charges, is just the kind of victim he’d zero in on. He flirted with her to test the waters, and when she didn’t threaten to turn him in to the university, he pushed harder.”
“You make him sound like a predator?” His gaze narrowed. “What exactly did the other women—the ones who warned you about Garrett—say?”
“Just that I should be careful. It wasn’t so much what they said…it was more of a feeling. Like he’d made them uncomfortable.” She flipped on her blinker. “You hear something once, you dismiss it. But three different women on three different occasions…” Laney shook her head. “I’ve also observed him flirting with staff members and volunteers.”
