Page 39 of Ranger Belief
Even Jonah.
Finally, the couple left. Laney stepped up to the desk and greeted Brett with a polite smile. “We need your help. Do you recognize this man?” She turned the photo toward him.
A lock of sandy hair fell over his forehead as he studied Mitch’s face. Then suddenly his eyes widened. “That’s the guy who was staring at Ava. You found him?”
“Not exactly.” Laney studied him carefully. “You’re sure this is the guy?”
“100%. I remember his beard and that strange haircut.” Brett’s nose wrinkled. “It looks like he took a pair of scissors to his own hair and chopped away.”
“Have you ever seen this man before that day with Ava?” Jonah asked. “Or since?”
Brett seemed to consider the question. Then he slowly shook his head. “Can’t say I have.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Laney turned away, but Brett stopped her with a light hand on her arm. His expression when she faced him was earnest.
“Is there anything I can do to help with the investigation? I feel so responsible for what happened to Ava.” He gestured to the photo in her hand. “Is that the guy who killed them?”
“He’s a person of interest. If he comes into the lobby, or if you see him around the park, do not engage with him. Call me or Andy right away.” She’d given this warning to Brett before, but felt obligated to do so again. She didn’t want him going rogue, searching for a killer in the park.
He hesitated and then nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
They headed back into the conference room. She filled Tate in on what Brett had said. Guilt stabbed her. Like Brett, she’d been within arm’s reach of the killer and hadn’t known it. Except she was a law enforcement officer with a duty to protect. Somehow, as illogical as it was, Laney felt as though she should’ve known better. She pictured Mitch again in her mind. His dirty clothes and unkempt appearance. His broken fishing pole.
She inhaled sharply. “He’s the one camping illegally in the woods.”
“What?” Tate asked, his brow furrowing.
She quickly ran through what they’d found, from the dead raccoon to the illegal campsite. “Mitch had the appearance of someone struggling to get by. He’s wanted by law enforcement, so he can’t go home, but he’s close enough to his mother that he can meet her in secluded places in order to get supplies. He picked up the campsite, but I bet he’s still around here somewhere.” A thought tripped her up. “Where would Mitch get a boat?”
“He could’ve stolen it,” Jonah offered.
“Yeah, but when we saw him, he was fishing in a restricted area. If he had access to a boat, doesn’t it make more sense to use that instead?”
Jonah was quiet for a moment, his gaze distant as if he was thinking over her question. Then his expression darkened. His eyes shot to hers before flickering to the image of Mitch’s first victim, then Lisa, and finally Ava. His entire body stiffened.
“What?” She instinctively grabbed his arm. The muscles were rigid underneath her palm, and the memory of their passionate kiss flashed unbidden in her mind. She quickly yanked her hand back.
Jonah’s jaw tightened. No one else would’ve noticed the faint trace of hurt that curved his brow, but she did. A tangle ofemotions roiled inside her, but she shoved them all back. Now was not the time to sort out the mess they were in. Instead, she kept her tone even and said, “You thought of something.”
He nodded. And this time when he looked at her, there was worry clouding his blue eyes. “You look like them.”
“Like who—” She froze. Slender brunettes. Athletic. Outdoorsy. Laney blinked, her mind unwilling to lump herself in with the other women. “But that’s…that can’t be why he’s after me. It doesn’t make sense. He tried to shoot me this morning. Ava and Lisa were both strangled.”
“Maybe his intention was to kill Jonah.” Tate leaned back in his chair. “He kills the boyfriend in front of the woman, and then he attacks her. You’re a law enforcement officer. He’s going to be more cautious with you. Take less risk.”
Laney’s heart beat against her ribcage. The killer coming after Jonah? She couldn’t think of it. Somehow during the shooting and the aftermath, it hadn’t even occurred to her to think about the fact that Jonah could’ve died. Her fingers trembled. “But we’re not together.”
Tate’s brows rose. “Sorry to tell you this, Laney, but if I didn’t know you guys were just friends, I’d think you were dating. The casual touches, the way you laugh and joke with each other…your closeness is obvious. I don’t think the killer picked you out initially, but after you escaped that first night, I could see it happening. You resemble the other victims and would be a challenge.” He shrugged. “Jonah would be collateral damage. Just like Tyler and Nolan.”
A coldness centered in Laney’s chest like a block of ice. She could handle danger. Had walked into it more than once during her career with the military. And she knew Jonah could handle himself, but it was terrifying to think his proximity to her, his relationship with her, had made him a target.
“That’s enough, Tate.” Jonah shot him a dirty look. “Let’s not speculate. Focus on what we know. For starters, we need to find Mitch Caldwell. If he’s truly living in the far reaches of the park, then we need to conduct a search for him. That’ll take manpower we don’t have at the moment. Let’s request it.”
Focus. Focus on the case, not on the fear clawing her insides.
She drew in a breath. “We should distribute his photograph to my rangers, and alert them that someone may be camping illegally in the park. They’re patrolling in pairs for safety, and can keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“Good idea.” Jonah checked his watch. “Ryker was following up with Chief Deputy Williams about Garrett Wheeler. I’d like to know if he’s reappeared yet. We also need to check on Eddie Sorenson’s restraining order. I’ll find his ex-wife. Let’s see what she has to say about her ex-husband’s temperament.”
