“I get that. I was just marveling over yesterday’s turn of events as well.” Ryan crossed his arms and leaned against the railing.
Boone joined him, and they both stared out over the gorge.
“Ansley’s had a tough few years,” Boone said, his voice nearly raspy with emotion.
Ryan didn’t want to be curious, but he was. He wanted to know about the changes he’d seen in Ansley. Wanted to know . . . well, more than he should about her. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“As you know, she took my mom leaving really hard.”
Boone’s words caused a wave of sorrow to sweep over Ryan as those memories flooded him. “I can actually remember Ansley when she was a child. She still had her spunk, even back then. But something hardened in her after your dad’s cancer diagnosis and then when your mom left, didn’t it?”
Boone frowned and rubbed his jaw. “Yes, it did. Ansley became reckless. She had us all worried. But two years ago, a serial killer took her and Harper hostage.”
“What?” Ryan wasn’t sure he’d heard Boone correctly.
Boone nodded somberly. “Something clicked in Ansley after that. The incident sobered her up, I suppose. She started going back to church. Changed her hair color from blonde back to its natural brown. She got rid of some of her earrings—some of the outward signs of her rebellion.”
“Trauma can do that to a person. But a serial killer?” Ryan shook his head. “Here in Fog Lake?”
“Hard to believe, huh? But we’ve had our fair share of misfortunes and crime lately.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I can’t even imagine.”
Things certainly had changed since Ryan was last here. Or maybe not. This town had a sordid history that went all the way back to a Native American massacre. People who believed in the paranormal still believed the area was haunted by the souls of those who’d died, that they appeared in the fog that always cloaked the town.
“Yeah, be glad you can’t.” Boone let out a breath and seemed to snap out of his heavy thoughts. “But, anyway, since you’re here, I thought I’d just say thanks. Thanks for helping rescue Ansley yesterday.”
“Just doing my job.”
Boone shrugged. “I know but . . . thanks anyway.”
“It’s no problem.”
Boone stepped away. “I’ve got to get to work. My fiancé’s company built the sky lift to the top of Dead Man’s Bluff. I’m trying to give her a hand while running the camp and general store.”
“That’s your fiancé who’s doing that? I had no idea you were engaged. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Only one more month until the wedding.”
Ryan had heard about the sky lift and all the controversy that had come with it. Some people wanted to preserve the beauty of these mountains, and that meant no change or development. Others wanted to share the beauty with anyone who was interested in seeing it.
All the locals knew that Dead Man’s Bluff offered one of the best views in this area, rivaled only by Clingman’s Dome down near Gatlinburg.
Ryan liked the idea that a respectful attraction had opened there. It was minimally invasive, yet it would bring more people into this town. Without people—without tourism—this place couldn’t thrive.
Boone shrugged. “Anyway, I’ve got to run. Look forward to seeing you more.”
Ryan watched Boone walk away and remembered what he’d learned. Ansley held at the hands of a serial killer? He couldn’t imagine. That would be enough of a catalyst for anyone to turn their life around. It explained the change he’d seen in Ansley. Some people needed a nudge as their wakeup call. Others needed a full-bodied push.
In Ansley’s case, she’d need a full-bodied push . . . followed by a free fall.
Ryan’s stomach tightened.
Whoever did this couldn’t get away with it. He was going to help Luke and do everything he could to make sure they caught the guilty party.
Ansley took another sip of her coffee and stared out the window as she headed down the road. Luke sat behind the wheel of his sheriff’s SUV, acting as an unofficial escort.
Not only was it early—7:30—but she really didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to face the scene at Mountaintop Adventures again. She wasn’t ready to see the place where she’d almost died.
But she couldn’t tell anyone that.
She’d sound too weak. So she’d pushed her fears aside, stuffed them down deep, and pretended it was just another day in the life of Ansley Wilder. She’d work more on transparency issues at a later time.
“How’d you sleep?” Luke glanced over, taking another sip of his coffee. He’d brought an extra cup also, this one with sugar and cream.
She wondered who that was for. Another deputy maybe? The inspector?
Ansley shrugged. “Just fine.”
She’d actually tossed and turned all night. Every time she’d drifted to sleep, she’d dreamt she was falling. Suddenly, she’d been back on the zipline. She heard the sickening snap. Felt the free fall afterward.
She shuddered at the thought of it.
“Hard to believe Ryan Philips moved back to town, isn’t it?”
Luke’s voice broke Ansley from her thoughts, and she turned her gaze from the window where the fall landscape blurred past.
Ansley scowled at the mention of Ryan’s name. “Yes, it sure is.”
“Why the reaction? You have a beef with Ryan?”
Luke’s question was valid. Ansley actually didn’t have a beef with the man. Not a valid one, at least. Something about him just irritated her. It didn’t help that she’d continually thought about him last night. About his strong arms. About his eyes that seemed to read into her soul a little too well. About his bossy, protective nature.
She didn’t need anyone else to boss her around. She had three older brothers who did a fine job.
“No, no beefs,” she finally said. “He’s just always struck me as being a little too sure of himself.”
“Says the woman who’s a little too sure of herself.” Luke raised an eyebrow at her.
She punched her brother in the arm. “You weren’t supposed to bring that up.”
“Maybe you two are a little too much alike.”
Ansley snorted at the thought. “We’re nothing alike. He’s the silent, serious type. And I’m . . . well, I’m not.”
“He’s a stand-up guy.”
“I never said he wasn’t.”
Luke glanced over at Ansley and narrowed his eyes. “Why do I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me?”
No way would Ansley be telling her big brother that the man had rejected her all those years ago. Not only did it sound petty, but it sounded pathetic.
“There’s nothing,” she said. “I’m just surprised he came back.”
“He wants to keep an eye on his parents as they’re getting up in age. You know they had him later in life—they were both in their forties, I believe. They’re both approaching their seventies.”
“I vaguely remember that. They both seem nice, though. I’m glad they’ll have a helping hand.” Ansley had to give Ryan kudos for loving his parents like he did. She’d give anything to have her own father back.
At the thought of her father, Ansley’s heart squeezed. Even after three years, the pain still felt so fresh. Would his loss ever get easier?
She’d envisioned growing older with both her mom and dad there to support her, to guide her. Now she’d lost both of her parents. Her mom might still be alive, but the woman was dead to Ansley after what she’d done.
Thank goodness, Ansley had her brothers, at least. They might drive her crazy, but they were family. She could lean on them when she needed.
Luke pulled to a stop in the zipline parking lot. She spotted a FLFD SUV there.
Great. Ryan was here. Luke hadn’t mentioned that.
But his vehicle was the only one. What about Dustin? He drove an old Jeep Wrangler that was usually covered in mud. It couldn’t be missed.
“Didn’t you say Dustin was going to be here?” Ansley asked her brother.
“He’s supposed to be.”
“He stopped by last night, by the way.”
Luke turned toward her, that inquisitive look still in his gaze. “Did he? Why?”
Ansley shrugged, still trying to make sense of it herself. “He was afraid I was going to incriminate him or something.”
“Is there anything to incriminate him with?” Luke’s eyes turned even more serious and professional. He made no move to get out of his SUV—not until this conversation was finished.
Ansley let out a long breath. “Not really. I mean, in some ways Dustin is a slacker, but he usually takes his job very seriously. He just prefers that other people take the lead on safety issues. He doesn’t want to worry about them.”
Luke stared at her, as if unclear what she was saying.
“He’s like a little boy sometimes. He needs his mama to cook and clean for him.”
“And you were his mama?”
Ansley let out another long breath. “Not exactly. I seem to care the most about doing safety checks, so Dustin lets me take the lead. We’ve had a few arguments about it, but he knows I’m going to make sure everything is okay. As long as I do that, he’s fine.”
“I see.”
“I think he’s on the verge of a breakdown over the idea of his business closing down. You don’t think that’s going to happen, do you?”
Luke shrugged. “That’s not for me to decide. That’s up to the state. My only mission is to figure out what happened. This was no accident, Ansley. Someone cut that cable. They left just enough of the threads together to support you until you reached the center.”
She shuddered again at hearing the words aloud. “So this is now a crime scene?”
“That’s correct. We believe it was directed at Dustin. But we can’t take the chance that this person might act again and sabotage other lines on the course.”
“Makes sense.”
He opened his door. “Anyway, let’s get to the bottom of this.”
The bottom of this? It sounded so official. Only, Ansley didn’t want to be on the victim side of the crime. Not again. Not after what had happened two years ago.
For that reason, she wouldn’t be a victim. No, she was going to help Luke figure out who did this, even if it was the last thing she did.
Chapter Sixteen
Ryan felt himself suck in a breath when he spotted Ansley. The woman was a sight to behold, even in her injured state.
Despite her slight limp, despite her bandaged wrist and the bruising around her eye, she was still a knockout. The woman would turn any man’s head.
His heart pounded harder than he’d expected.
Was Ryan’s reaction because of what he’d just learned about her background—about her family and about the serial killer? Maybe. The information gave him new insight into the events that made Ansley into the person she was today.
But there was more . . .
No one could deny Ansley was breathtaking—the kind of woman who would intimidate most men. Between her looks and her confidence, a man with any insecurities would scamper away and watch in fascination from a distance.
Not Ryan. Ryan loved a challenge. But he wasn’t looking for anyone to date. He had his own mistakes to deal with. He still bore the scars from decisions he’d made in his past . . . and they were scars he’d always have. Scars that would always affect him.
Ansley nodded stiffly as she came to a stop beside him on the deck outside the Mountaintop Adventures office. “Ryan.”
“Ansley. Luke.”
Luke handed Ryan the coffee. “Two creams, two sugars, and whipped cream on top.”
“Perfect.” Ryan accepted the cup from Luke and took a long sip.
Ansley’s eyebrows shot up, but Ryan made no apologies as he put the drink to his lips again.
Luke’s gaze scanned the area around them, his hands going to his hips. “No sign of Dustin?”
“Not yet,” Ryan said. “He still has a couple more minutes until he’s officially late.”
“We’ll give him some time then.” But, based on Luke’s stiff jaw, he was already annoyed.
“What exactly do you need to run over with Dustin?” Ansley crossed one arm over her chest and looked back and forth between the two men. “And why am I here again?”
“We just need to confirm all the facts,” Luke said. “And we need to talk to you again. I wanted Ryan to be here for it. I could use his expertise on the logistics of the situation.”
She shrugged then sipped her coffee. Without asking permission, she sat on a bench beneath a tree that snaked out into the sky above the deck. “I think I’ve told you everything, but I can repeat it again—especially if it helps you find answers.”
“Was there anything unusual about yesterday morning?” Ryan raised his cup and took another sip. He was thankful the air had cooled here and that drinking hot coffee fit the season.
“No, everything hurried along like normal. We did the checks of the harnesses and helmets. Then I got geared up to check the cables and platforms.”
“You drew the lucky straw and went first?” Ryan continued. “I saw some paperwork in Dustin’s office and noticed you do most of the inspections each morning.”
“You noticed? I’m impressed.” Ansley shrugged. “I do a lot of the equipment inspections, but Thickie usually goes first on the ziplines. Yesterday, I had the great idea to have a staring contest with him. I won.”
Luke and Ryan exchanged a glance. Ansley noticed and instantly tensed.
Ansley’s gaze darted back and forth between the two of them, intelligence flickering in her eyes as she processed the conversation. “What? You think Thickie is behind this? I thought he was the target here.”
“We’re just trying to take everything into account,” Luke said.
“Thickie couldn’t possibly have a motive.” Ansley’s voice turned no-nonsense. “Besides, he wouldn’t be able to plan something like this.”
“Why not?” Ryan asked. Ansley sounded awfully confident of that fact.
“Because Thickie just doesn’t care about stuff. About anything really. He’s here every day, and he does a decent job. But he does the minimum and he’s done.”
“You think he’s depressed?” Luke twisted his head, as if trying to understand where Ansley was going with this. Tree branches swayed above him, casting strange shadows on their faces.
“I didn’t say that. I think it’s just his personality.” Ansley sliced her hand through the air. “I mean, he likes to hunt and fish. But I don’t think he even loves either of those things. He’s apathetic, I suppose. Aren’t some people just like that? For someone to plan something like this, they would need to be passionate. They would need to care. I just don’t think Thickie has it in him.”
Ryan didn’t know whether to agree or disagree, but he would definitely keep that information in mind. Apathy could be a sign of a mental disorder or other issue that Thickie was having. Maybe something had happened to put him in that state.
“There was nothing else suspicious about yesterday morning?” Luke continued.
Ansley closed her eyes, as if feeling exhausted already. She leaned against the building and shrugged. “No, nothing at all suspicious. We were all excited to open the zipline. And now it looks like I’m out of a job. I definitely won’t be on the zipline anytime soon.”
“What’s that mean for paying for that new apartment of yours?” Luke’s voice held a hint of disapproval.
Had he not wanted her to get her own place? Was there some kind of strange history there? Ryan wanted to ask but he didn’t. It wasn’t his business.
“That’s a good question.” Ansley’s voice remained even. “At least, I have a roommate to help.”
“She owns a bookstore that barely gets any business. I’m not so sure she’s going be able to cover it all.” Luke gave his sister a pointed look.
“I
realize that. I’ll think of something, if it comes down to it.”
Luke sat beside his sister, his gaze wandering to the parking lot. “If your AC hadn’t gone out and your car hadn’t broken down, you’d still probably be living by yourself.”
Ansley scowled at him. “What can I say? The timing worked out perfectly after my string of mishaps. I just happened to meet Kit.”
“There are a few odd jobs that need to be done at the fire station.” Ryan’s words surprised even himself. “Maybe you could fill in for a while until we get things back on track.”
The former fire chief hadn’t been organized—or even seen the value of being organized, apparently. There were boxes and boxes of papers and files that needed to be gone through. It wasn’t exactly how Ryan wanted to start his new position. He’d rather be getting to know his guys and getting a feel for the town.
“What kind of jobs?” Ansley looked almost suspicious.
“Nothing too strenuous. I won’t be asking you to fight fires, if that’s what you’re wondering. But there’s some paperwork that Chief Johnson left piled in boxes. I’m going to need some help with it.”
“I can testify that Johnson wasn’t a paperwork kind of guy,” Luke said. “Whenever I asked him for a report, he made up an excuse as to why he couldn’t get around to it. He was well-loved, but awful to work with.”
Ansley stared at Ryan a moment before saying, “I’ll think about it.”
Ryan fought a grin as he realized again just how stubborn this woman was. “You do that. But let me know sooner rather than later or I might give the job to someone else.”
Luke glanced at his watch again. “Dustin is officially ten minutes late. I’m going to give him a call.”
They waited as Luke dialed his number and put the phone to his ear. A few minutes later, he ended the call and shook his head.
“No answer. I’m going to send a deputy over. Something doesn’t feel right in my gut.”
Twenty minutes later, Ryan, Luke, and Ansley were still on the deck outside the Mountaintop Adventures building waiting for Dustin. Ansley was growing crankier by the moment.
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