Ranger Courage

by Lynn Shannon

  Using the house to provide cover, she peered into the woods. It was nearly dinnertime and the sun had set. The encroaching darkness deepened every minute as night took over. Leaves rustled and a shape moved.

  “Police!” Avery raised her gun. “Come out with your hands in the air.”

  “Don’t shoot me, Avery.” Weston stepped out of the trees. “It’ll create a whole lotta paperwork you don’t want.”

  She lowered her weapon and struggled against the sudden wave of anger. “What are you doing sneaking around my backyard?”

  “A perimeter check. Didn’t you get my text message?”

  “Clearly not, since I’m out here holding you at gunpoint.” Her phone had beeped a few times earlier indicating some emails and text messages coming through, but Avery’s headache had been so bad, she’d ignored them. She pulled her shoulders back and glared at Weston. “You do realize I’m a trained police officer. You don’t have to babysit me. We aren’t even sure the killer is after me.”

  “True, but we aren’t sure he isn’t after you either.”

  Her jaw tightened. She wasn’t in denial, but all they had was a note in a victim’s pocket. It was weird and creepy—no doubt—but it also wasn’t a clear threat. The Chessmaster could’ve addressed her simply because she was the university’s chief of police.

  “Listen, Avery.” Weston adjusted the cowboy hat on his head. “Watching out for you has nothing to do with your abilities as a police officer. I know we’ve never met before today, but we both care about Luke and Megan. Which means—I think—that we could be friends. Friends look out for each other.”

  She took a deep breath. Part of her wanted to argue with him, but it would be hypocritical. Given the circumstances, if the shoe were on the other foot, she’d do the same. Even the best cops need backup. It was one of her father’s favorite phrases. It was also one Avery lived by for her entire career. She couldn’t stop now, just because it was inconvenient.

  Avery relaxed her stance. “You’re right. This case is unusual and it’s smart to have someone watching my back. Although it’d be better if you didn’t scare the life out of me in the process. Next time, give me a call before you start creeping around my yard.”

  “Sorry about that. I noticed you had a headache back at the office and I didn’t want to wake you if you were resting.” Weston met her gaze. “I promise. It won’t happen again.”

  The last of Avery’s anger melted away. Weston had scared her, and he should’ve called, but his reasons for sending a text message instead were thoughtful.

  “Apology accepted.” She paused, glancing at the trees behind Weston. “Did you notice anything suspicious during your perimeter check?”

  “Actually, I did. Come with me.”

  Weston led Avery to a cluster of trees. He couldn’t avoid sharing with her what he’d uncovered. She needed to know. Still, it wasn’t easy. Avery handled herself with professionalism and a clear sense of duty, but she was also human. Being singled out by a killer had to be terrifying.

  “Have you been out to this part of the property recently?” he asked.

  “No, not this far back. I mow the lawn and tend to the flowers around the house, but that’s it.”

  Weston pushed aside a low hanging tree bough and pointed toward a bush. “See how those branches are broken? The rain has washed away any footprints, but I think someone was hiding in here.”

  The scent of wildflowers drifted in the air as Avery moved past him to examine the area. Was it her shampoo or her perfume? The scent reminded him of warm, spring days on his family’s ranch. Weston took in a deep breath before he caught himself. He had no business wondering about the fragrance she was wearing. Guilt rolled over him. It’d been five years since his wife’s death from cancer. Yet the echo of his commitment still lingered, as real as the wedding rings hanging on the chain around his neck.

  “There’s nothing else to indicate a person was here. No cigarettes or trash.” Avery fingered a broken twig. “An animal could’ve caused this.”

  “Normally, I would agree with you. Except those branches are broken in a strange way. And there’s this.” He joined her in the small space and let the bough he was holding fall into its regular position. “Now look.”

  Her face paled. “From here, someone would have a clear view of the back of my house. My living room. My…”

  Bedroom. The thought sent a jolt of anger through Weston, and the vulnerability buried in Avery’s voice only fueled his temper. She didn’t deserve this. No one did.

  Avery cleared her throat and lifted her chin. “Do you have a flashlight?”

  He removed a tactical knife from his pocket and flipped on the flashlight attachment before handing it to her. She examined the broken bush more carefully. Then she moved to the area around it. “I don’t know, Weston. This could be nothing. Like I said before, I’ve never had a stalker and I’ve never noticed anyone following me. And Cooper’s never drawn my attention to anyone out here either.”

  “Cooper?”

  “My dog. He’s actually the one that alerted to your presence.”

  Weston rocked back on his heels. “I’m willing to acknowledge I could be completely wrong. My intention isn’t to scare you, but I’m not going to withhold any information from you either.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to.” She handed the flashlight back and lifted the branch. “Come on. Let’s go inside. It’s cold.”

  Weston followed her across the yard. Avery went up the porch, and when she opened the front door, a dog burst out of the house. Tail wagging and barking excitedly, he ran straight for Weston.

  “You must be Cooper,” Weston said, letting the animal sniff his hand. “Hey there.”

  Avery watched from the doorway. “He’s great for letting me know someone’s on the property, but he’s not much of a guard dog. Cooper loves everyone.”

  Weston patted Cooper’s head and the pup promptly lay down and exposed his belly. His tongue lolled out in bliss when Weston complied with the silent request. Avery shook her head. “What a baby you are, Cooper.”

  “He’s great.” Weston chuckled. “I love dogs.”

  “Do you have one?”

  “No, traveling for work doesn’t make it possible. One day.”

  He gave Cooper a final pat, then followed Avery into the house. It was a one-story with an open floor plan and decorated with comfort in mind. Family photographs were sprinkled around the living room. The walls were painted a soft blue and matched the throw pillows on the couch. The bookcase held rows of novels.

  Avery yanked the curtains shut before turning to face him. She tucked a strand of silky hair behind her ear. “Did you actually go home this afternoon when our meeting ended?”

  “I did, but the drive gave me a lot of time to think. It’ll be easier to protect you and work this case if I’m in town, so I packed a bag and came back. I checked into the Sullivan Inn. Seems like a nice place.”

  “It is. Are you hungry? I’m supposed to have dinner at my grandmother’s tonight. You’re welcome to join us.”

  He was starving, but crashing a family dinner wasn’t polite. “I don’t want to impose—”

  “Don’t think twice about it. My grandmother loves having guests. It’ll make her day.” Her mouth twitched. “Besides, I know you’re going to follow me over there anyway. I can’t have you lurking around Nana’s yard. My sister was in the Army for almost a decade. She’ll spot you faster than I did.”

  He laughed. “That’s a convincing argument. I’ve already had one Madison woman pointing a gun at me tonight. No need to make it two.”

  “Give me a few minutes to feed Cooper and then we can go.”

  “You got it.”

  Avery disappeared into the kitchen. Cooper followed along, tail wagging. Weston crossed to the window and moved the curtains to look into the yard. Nothing stirred. Was he wrong about someone being in the yard? His gut said no.

  A King’s pawn opening. That line from the
note bothered him most of all. The killer was organized. Patient. He was also operating on some kind of plan. Leaving Avery alone was out of the question. Yet working this case would require coordinating with several law enforcement agencies, gathering evidence, and speaking to witnesses. Weston was smart enough to realize he couldn’t be in multiple places at once. He needed help.

  He took out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

  Five

  Later that evening, Avery shoved aside a collection of Christmas decorations and peered into the dark recesses of her grandmother’s attic. The dim bulb above her cast long shadows. Framed paintings were stacked against the wall. Chances were her father’s notebooks were long gone, but Avery wanted to be sure. She stepped farther into the attic toward a stack of unmarked boxes. Dust scattered in the air and she sneezed.

  The stairs behind her creaked. Savannah, her older sister, appeared. They were two years apart but looked enough alike to be mistaken for twins. Both shared the same copper-colored hair, heart-shaped face, and green eyes. The physical traits came straight from their mother, who’d died when Avery was a year old.

  Savannah paused on the last step. “Nana sent me to help you.”

  Avery used a knife to slice through the tape sealing the box and peeked inside. More Christmas decorations. “Weston still eating?”

  “He’s on his third bowl of chili. Nana is thrilled.”

  Avery chuckled. “Remember how much Dad loved her lasagna? He could eat a whole pan by himself. He and Grandpa used to fight over who was going to get the last piece.”

  Her sister laughed. “Poor Nana. You and I don’t eat the same way.”

  “Thank goodness. I’d be two hundred pounds if I did.” Avery opened another box. More decorations, but this time they were for Easter.

  Savannah retrieved a roll of tape resting on the windowsill. She used her fingernail to work up the edge. “Weston’s nice. And he seems very smart. I know this case you’re working is stressful and…well, I’m glad he’s on your team.”

  “So am I.” She paused. “Have you heard from Henry?”

  Savannah’s husband was in the Navy, and on his final deployment before his contract ended. After he got back, they planned to buy a house in town. Until then, Savannah was living with Nana.

  “No, Henry hasn’t called yet.” Savannah blinked rapidly as of holding back tears. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything…”

  Avery abandoned the boxes and hugged her sister. “It’s only been a few days since Henry left. You know how these things go. It can take a while to get situated and be able to call home.”

  “I know. I was a soldier. It’s just hard to stop worrying.” Savannah squeezed Avery before pulling back. Tear tracks lined her cheeks and her eyes were red. “I’m a mess. I have no idea what’s wrong with me.”

  “You’ve never been on this side of a deployment before. You were always the one leaving.”

  “Ugh. I don’t like it.” She scrubbed her face with her palms. “Let’s say a quick prayer for him.”

  The two women joined hands and prayed. It seemed to center Savannah, something Avery was thankful for. Afterward, they returned to opening boxes. None contained her father’s notebooks. Savannah glanced at the stairs. “Come on. We shouldn’t disappear for too long since we have a guest.”

  Her sister was right. It was rude to leave Weston. Avery held the final box closed while Savannah taped it, and then they went back downstairs.

  The scent of warm chili and cornbread lingered in the kitchen. Nana was seated at the table with Weston. Approaching eighty-five, Marla Madison retained the echo of youthfulness. White hair, perfectly styled, accented her bright blue eyes and olive skin. Nana’s hands were wrapped around a steaming mug of tea.

  Weston was plowing through a chunk of chocolate cake. The fork looked like a children’s toy in his massive hand. Avery noticed the tension in his shoulders had disappeared. For the first time since she’d met him this morning, he looked…relaxed.

  “Hey.” Weston lifted his fork and grinned. His dimpled flashed. “Hope you don’t mind, but I couldn’t resist diving in.”

  She felt herself grinning back. “Depends. How many slices of cake have you eaten?”

  “That’s his second one.” Nana chuckled. “Good thing y’all came back when you did. Another ten minutes and there’d be no cake left.”

  Weston held up a finger to his mouth. “Shhhh. Don’t give it away. There’s still a chance they may leave again.”

  Avery stood in front of the chocolate cake on the counter, as if to guard it. “Not a chance, Ranger. You might be a guest, but dessert is where my manners end.”

  They all laughed. Avery cut a slice of cake for her sister, then packaged one for herself to go. She was still stuffed from dinner.

  Nana took a sip of tea. “Did you find your father’s notebooks?”

  “No, ma’am.” Avery pulled out a chair and joined them at the table. “Is there any other place they could be?”

  Nana’s brow wrinkled. “You could try the storage shed in the backyard. Not the one with my gardening supplies. The one your grandfather used for his tools. After Kenneth died, your grandpa kept some of his things, but I’m not sure what…”

  Her voice trailed off and Avery’s heart twisted. Nana and Pop had been married for almost sixty years. His death two years ago had been hard on her. Avery’s dad had been their only child, which made the two grandchildren all the family Nana had left. It was one of the many reasons Avery and Savannah had decided to return home. Nana had helped raise them. They both wanted to support and be there for her.

  “I’ll take a quick look in the shed,” Avery said. Finding the notebooks could unlock the case. It didn’t make sense to wait. “Be right back.”

  Weston stood. “I’ll come with you.”

  They grabbed their jackets and flashlights, heading out the back door. Nana lived in a neighborhood, but all of the properties consisted of two acres or more. The sheds were close to the fence line.

  “You have a great family,” Weston said.

  “Thanks, I think so too.” Grass crunched under Avery’s shoes and her breath puffed out in front of her. “Sorry about all of the questions. Nana and Savannah could get jobs with the CIA as interrogators.”

  Weston chuckled. “I suppose it’s only fair that I take a turn in the hot seat. I must’ve asked you dozens of personal questions today in your office.”

  He had. And Avery had to admit sharing so much about her life with a stranger had been a bit off-putting. But Weston didn’t feel like a stranger anymore. Over tonight’s dinner she’d learned a lot about him. His father was a pilot, his mother a nurse. He had one younger sister. Weston had played football for most of his life, gaining a scholarship to college, then going professional right after graduation. Later, he joined law enforcement working his way to becoming a Texas Ranger.

  They reached the shed. Avery retrieved the key from its hiding place under a nearby rock and opened the padlock. The doors creaked on their hinges. It smelled of wood chips and sawdust. She fumbled for the light switch and flipped it on. Tools sat precisely in their place on the peg board, frozen in time, as if waiting for her grandfather’s return. Her heart twisted painfully.

  Weston picked up a piece of wood. Half of it was whittled into an elephant. “This is beautiful work. His pieces are the one I saw in the living room.”

  “Yes. Grandpa was a carpenter. He liked to say it brought him closer to Jesus.”

  “That’s a nice sentiment.”

  “I always thought so.” Avery gestured to the cabinets. “If Grandpa kept my dad’s notebooks, they’d be in there.”

  They dug around inside the storage shed and chatted. The conversation was light. Avery asked Weston about football and he had her in stitches discussing some of the antics of the coaches and players. Thirty minutes later, they hadn’t found her father’s notebooks.

  Avery closed up the shed and locked it. The cold bit into he
r cheeks. “Thanks for helping me look.”

  “It was worth it.” Weston elbowed her. “I got to regal you with my best stories.”

  “Confession time. I don’t follow football at all, so I had to search for you on the internet. The few articles I read said you were excellent.”

  He shrugged. “It feels like a lifetime ago. But I enjoyed it. Running down the field, pushing yourself to the limits, and making a touchdown in front of a crowd…it’s a unique experience. But law enforcement fits me better. It gives me purpose.”

  “My dad used to say it was a calling. I believe that.”

  “Me too.”

  His answer didn’t surprise Avery, but hearing the words still touched something inside her. She felt a camaraderie with Weston. He understood how much she valued her job, because he placed the same importance on his.

  They started back across the lawn. Weston shone his flashlight into the trees. “I’m going to say my goodbyes now. We’ll stick to the plan. I’ll do a perimeter check of the neighborhood and wait for you to leave, then follow you home.”

  They’d taken separate vehicles for this specific reason. Weston was hoping to flush out the killer. It wouldn’t peg him for the murder, but catching him in the act of stalking Avery would give them a good starting point.

  A cold wind fluttered a leaf across the grass. The night was inky black beyond the flashlight’s beam. Was the killer out there? Was he watching? The hair on the back of her neck rose, but a steely resolve straightened her spine. If Weston’s theory was correct, it was better for the killer to be hunting her than some other unsuspecting woman. Especially since Avery had Weston as backup.

  Come and get me, you monster. Step out of the shadows and show us who you are.

  If the killer was stalking Avery, he hadn’t followed her to dinner.

  Weston did two rounds of the neighborhood, then killed his headlights and let his truck drift to a stop on the side of the road where he had a clear view of the house. Wind snaked into the vehicle through the open window. In the distance, lightning blazed across the sky. More rain was coming. Somewhere an owl hooted and another answered.