Chapter 17
WILLA
Willa didn’t expect her grandfather to show up on her doorstep, but there he was, smiling.
And that made her a little nervous. Unlocking the security door, she opened it up, meaning to step outside and talk to her grandfather.
Instead, he stepped inside, forcing her to take a step back or be trod under his feet.
“Uh, welcome.”
“Thank you, Willa. I see that your… your computer guy is here.”
She smiled. “That’s Gus, It’s close to guy but not really. Gus, you remember my grandfather, right?”
Gus looked almost green. “Hello, sir.”
Her grandfather snapped his fingers and Gus almost jumped out of his skin. “Gus. Guy. You’re right it is just one letter.” He turned back toward Gus. “Guy, I’d like to have a talk with my granddaughter. Would you mind?”
Gus looked at Willa. “Do you want me to go to the… the bathroom? Or the backyard or-”
“You can leave for the day, Guy. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind the night off.”
“I, uh… I always have my nights off. I just don’t usually go until Willa tells me I should go.”
Willa saw how uncomfortable Gus was and took pity on him. “You can go, Gus. I think we could both use the rest of today off.”
He nodded and started collecting his things, but he didn’t look happy about it.
Willa gave him an encouraging smile and knew she’d have to talk to him later. Gus hadn’t stopped being nervous around her grandfather since he’d come into her life. He was always acting as though he might end up on her grandfather’s bad side.
And she couldn’t be sure if that would happen at some point. She just wasn’t sure what was the problem between the two. It was easier to see what the issues were between her grandfather and Landon. Especially after the kiss which ended with a punch.
Gus rushed out the door, but was sure to set the alarm on the door.
He gave her a quick wave through the glass before taking off like a Looney Toons character with gusts of air rushing behind him.
She waited to take in a deep breath and let it out before she spoke to her grandfather.
“Okay. What’s going on?”
Her grandfather looked shocked.
He looked it, but he wasn’t.
He wasn’t much of an actor.
“Willa, dear-”
“Seriously. Don’t make this a thing.”
His jaw tightened. “Why can’t I just come around to see my granddaughter?”
“You can, gramps, but you don’t.”
Now, it was her grandfather who looked nervous.
“Why don’t we sit down?”
“Why don’t you just tell me what it is that you came to tell me?”
He ignored her and crossed to the couch to sit down.
Willa followed him and sat down, but on the very front of the cushion.
“Please, gramps, you’re making me worry.”
“I just came from a meeting with Captain Watts and your Ranger.”
Willa felt something stick in her throat.
“I initially planned to meet with just the captain, but he called Landon in to the meeting.”
Breathe.
In.
Out.
Breathe.
“They both understand that it’s going to be better for everyone if they have another Ranger as the point man for this task force.”
She was already up on her feet before he finished his sentence. “No. Not happening.”
“Willa,” he didn’t get up but he put his hand out to her.
She took a step back from him. “No. I don’t want to hear it. You know what he means to me.”
“Yes. I know. You’re enamored by him and that’s sweet, but this kind of task force needs someone who won’t have their motives called into question when these cases go to court.”
“What motives? You’ve seen his record, grandfather. You know how good he is.”
“Yes. Yes. He’s good, there’s no doubt about it, but think what it’s going to be like when you go to court to testify and the defense attorneys ask you to, “Tell us, Miss Abelson, How much of your online work is influenced by your lover?”
Her jaw dropped. “That has nothing to do it! I’ve been doing this work for years!”
“Sure. That’s true, but it’s going to come down to who the jurors are going to believe. You’re young. You’re very pretty. Are they going to see your hard work or are they going to wonder why you’re having so much more success now that you’re sleeping with a Texas Ranger? They’re likely to wonder if this is all a pay for play exchange.”
Willa felt sick to her stomach at his words. “It’s like you’re calling me a whore.”
“No. No, of course not, Willa. That’s not true at all.”
“How is it not? What difference does it make that I’m with Landon? What does it matter?”
“Influence. Before you were working with him, they’re going to point out your little incident at that house.”
“That’s not fair! That was a mistake.”
“You know that and I know that, Willa. But think about it. He puts the strength of the Texas Rangers behind you.”
“Of course! And the FBI. And the Sheriff! This is a task force, gramps. You’re a part of it, too! And you’re my grandfather. How is that not a conflict?”
“It’s not the same, Willa. You’re part of my family, but you’re in Landon’s bed.”
She clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m going to be sick.”
“That’s what I’m talking about, Willa. There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed and in this case, I think it’s best to have another Ranger as the point person on this task force.”
“This… Captain Watts and Landon can’t have agreed to this.”
“They’re not going to fight me on it.”
“They’re not going to… what?” Willa was having trouble breathing through her hand. And blood rushing in her ears was making it hard to hear him.
“They’re not going to fight me on it. When I left them, they were discussing who would replace him in the task force.”
She felt like her legs had turned to jelly, making her sit down heavily on one of the couch cushions. “He’s not going to fight this?”
Her grandfather reached out his hand and settled it on her shoulder. “He’s been in law enforcement for years, Willa. He understands how the optics look. He knows that jurors would be influenced by what they see in the papers and the defense attorneys will leak the information. They’ll want to use every advantage when it comes to their clients’ freedom.”
“But the evidence will speak on its own.”
Her grandfather looked at her as if he thought she was precious. Or maybe it was just that he thought she was simple.
It’s not like she’d had much schooling beyond high school.
Was she that naive?
Her grandfather seemed to think so.
“Won’t it be seen as different because we’re in love?”
“Love? Lovers? It’s not much different especially because you’re dealing with sex charges.”
“But I’m not! I’m not the one breaking the law. I’m the one helping to catch them-”
“When you’re in bed with the Ranger helping you to put these men in prison, Willa. It’s going to look bad.”
She covered her ears even though she knew it might look childish. “I don’t. I need… I want…”
“That’s the thing, Willa. When you work in law enforcement it’s not about you. It’s about the victims.”
Not only was she simple. She was selfish, too.
“This is… I can’t believe this is all happening so fast.”
“That’s the thing, Willa,” her grandfather lifted his hand from her shoulder and picked up her hand in his. “You should probably think about this whole thing.”
She looked up at him, unsure of where he was going with his comments.
“Everything that’s happened with this ranger fellow.”
“His name is Landon, grandfather.”
“Yes, well. I personally think that he might have taken advantage of the situation.”
She pulled her hand out of his. “No.”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Because I know him.”
“Think about it, Willa. Since he’s come back into your life, your relationship with him has gone forward at light speed. You see him and suddenly, he’s spending the night here. He’s taking you out to your favorite places to eat and then kissing you. Can you honestly tell me that this hasn’t been rushed, even a little bit?”
She shook her head at him and then stopped when she realized how he might interpret her gesture. “That’s not how it happened.”
He huffed out a breath. “I think it would benefit you if you took a day or two and spend it apart from… him.”
“His name is-”
“Landon. Yes. Willa, please. Think about this. If you are truly in love with this man, a day or two apart is a drop in the bucket of your future.”
She wanted to tell her grandfather to step away and stop talking about it. About her life.
But as little as she knewher grandfather, she knew that he wasn’t going to stop talking about it. He would go on judging Landon. Judging her.
“Okay.”
“What?”
She smiled at her grandfather, putting a serene expression on her face.
Well, as serene as she could be. “I’ll take a few days away from him. Okay? Will that make you happy?”
Her grandfather moved toward her, but she put up her hands between them. “I’ll agree to this, but I want to make it clear that this isn’t something I want to do.”
“I understand that, Willa. I do. I’m just grateful that you’re seeing reason.”
Her face fell and her skin chilled. “Don’t assume that I agree with you. I’m not. I’m just letting you have your way in this instance so we won’t fight about it and I want you to see that when this ‘break’ you’re insisting on is over, that I’m going to feel the same way.”
The smile on her grandfather’s face spoke volumes.
He didn’t agree with her.
She understood that.
But the way he smiled said that he didn’t believe her at all. Not in the least.
“I understand.”
No, gramps. You don’t.
She honestly wanted some peace and quiet.
“Now get a bag.”
“Wait, what? A bag?”
“I’ve got a cabin on Canyon Lake that’s perfect for some peace and quiet.”
Willa looked at the keypad by the door. “What about security?”
Her grandfather laughed. “It’s out of the way and it’s a friends’ cabin. No one else will know that you’re there. Security won’t be an issue.”
Canyon Lake. She’d seen pictures and wondered what it would be like. If she was going to be forced to spend some alone time, it might as well be someplace that she’d wanted to go.
She shook her head at first. And then nodded her head. “Two days.”
Her grandfather smiled at her with relief lightening his features. “Two days, that’s all I’m asking for.”
“Then you’ll get it as long as there’s electricity at this cabin. I have a bunch of books on my phone that I want to read.”
Her grandfather hesitated. “There’s power, but I don’t trust Landon not to call you.”
“I am taking my phone.”
The look in his eyes said that he was about to fight her.
“Gramps. It’s a deal breaker. I’ll go but I need my phone at least for entertainment if the weather goes bad.”
He opened his mouth and then closed it for a moment. “Fine. Bring your phone.”
She smiled and left the room to pack some things.
ALEXANDER
“I’m going to be out on the porch!”
“Okay! I just need a few minutes.”
He stepped outside and called his friend. “Ted, it’s-”
“I know it’s you, Alex. I’ve been waiting to hear how things are going?”
Alex walked across the porch like a rooster, puffing out his chest. “Perfectly. Willa’s going to take a few days away from-”
“You don’t have to say his name.”
Alex frowned at the strange interjection by his friend. “Well, she’s packing a bag. She insisted on bringing her phone.”
Ted chuckled. “You didn’t tell her that only SAT phones work out there?”
“No. The subject didn’t come up. She said she needed the phone for entertainment and to read books. If the books are on her phone she can still read. I don’t see a problem.”
Ted chuckled. “No problem that I can see.”
“Well, I’ll talk to you later, Ted. Thanks for lending me your cabin.”
“Anything for a friend.”
When Alexander ended the call he took in a deep breath of fresh air.
He loved his granddaughter.
He might not have connected with her much in the short time that they’d known about their genetic connection, but he knew that when she had some free time away from… him, she’d see what he was talking about.
It’s like that thing… What was it called?
Folie à deux.
When two people share a delusional mindset.
All of that uninterrupted time with the two of them couldn’t have allowed either one to be sober-minded about a relationship.
They were feeding off of proximity and attraction.
And he’d be damned if he was going to let Willa get into a bad relationship because of hormones and a man who was likely using his position to an unfair advantage.
Willa opened the door and closed it behind her. “I’ve set the alarm.”
Alexander held out his hand to take her bag, but the pointed look in her eyes had him lowering his hand to his side. He walked to his car and opened up the passenger side door for her.
When she looked at him, he shrugged. “You won’t accept help with the bag, so I’m helping with the door. I’m sorry, Willa. At heart I’m an old fashioned gentleman.”
She gave him a smile. “I believe that.”
Then he closed the door.
LANDON
He was on the way to Willa’s house when he got a call from Duval.
“What’s going on?”
Duval didn’t give him hell for the terse answer. “I’ve got the final sketch for the perp. Delvine just finished it.”
Landon was impressed. Delvine Lang had been a surprised.
No, he’d never met a forensic artist before, but he’d always stupidly assumed that they were likely quiet, subdued people who sat in badly lit rooms under the stairs in office buildings.
Yes, he was an idiot.
Delvine Lang had called into question that sweeping generalization in his head.
She was hardly someone he expected to hide away in the office like she was a mole-like creature.
She was tall and lithe with long blonde hair that went past her shoulders, even in a braid. She’d barely said a thing to Willa when she’d described the man that she’d seen.
It had taken awhile for her to draft the image given that Willa was frustrating herself. Her mind kept going back and forth between her original attack when she tried to save her friend and the sighting in the bar.
It was the reason why Delvine had asked everyone to leave the room.
From what Willa told him after Delvine left, the artist had done a bit of mediation with her, trying to focus her mind on that one moment in time when she’d seen that man again.
“It was so much easier when we were alone. I wasn’t worried about disappointing any of you.”
What Landon had heard in his head was that Willa didn’t want to disappoint him.
It wasn’t that he wanted to believe it. He remembered her having nearly the same sentiment when she’d been attacked the first time. She’d been upset with him for not going after the man who’d killed her friend and nearly killed her. She’d been upset at the motel for not having any working cameras. She’d been upset at everyone under the sun, but he had a feeling that she was more upset at her herself.
She’d never said it out loud or within his hearing, but he’d seen the way she looked at him with seething anger, but when she looked at herself in any mirrored surface, the look on her face was disgust.
So when Delvine had asked for quiet and everyone else to leave the room, he’d been the first one to stand up and move toward the door. Everyone else had followed his lead, but he’d done it for Willa. He was willing to do anything for her.
He walked into the Ranger station at the northern edge of San Antonio and caught sight of Delvine waiting near the door. She had a folder in her hands. “Ranger Cooper! It’s good to see you.” She put the folder into his outstretched hands. “Please, when you ask Willa to look at it, make sure you’re there with her. I’m so thankful to have the skills that I have, but my sketches have been known to trigger reactions that go beyond shock.”
Landon didn’t open the folder, because he honestly didn’t want to look into the eyes of the man who’d nearly killed Willa.
“That’s got to be a heavy burden on you.”
She didn’t nod, but the look in her eyes said that he’d hit the nail on the head. “I like to do good with my skills.”
“I’d say helping us identify a killer is good.”
She shrugged, just a little lift of her shoulders. “I’m talking about something else. What I mean is that I like to turn around at the end of one project and create an image of victims. I’m hoping when this is over and you find this horrible man that Willa will help me create a portrait of her friend, Kimmy. I want to give Willa an image of Kimmy to remember what brings her joy instead of pain.”
Landon felt his heart kick against his ribs at the thought. “I think that Willa would love that. I don’t think she has any pictures of Kimmy. I believe she’d love to have something like that to remember her friend by.”
He held out his hand and when Delvine put her hand in his. He gave her hand a squeeze and shook it gently. “Thank you, Miss Lang.”
“Call me Delvine if you’d like. I’ll be happy if what I’ve done helps catch this man. He’s evil.”
Landon felt the shudder that went through Delvine in his own spine.
He’d see the man’s work up close and personal. He’d held Willa’s throat together and kept her alive, but that man had lived in her head for years.
He was ready to put the man behind bars and help Willa move on with her life.
“Thank you, Delvine. I know this is going to be a huge help.”
He stepped away from her and went out to his SUV.
He couldn’t wait to get over to her house. He was going to be there when she saw the image and he’d tell her about Delvine’ generous offer.
He could feel it in his heart and his head, they were on the verge of stopping this man. He’d make sure that he protected Willa from this horrible man. They were going to stop him from hurting anyone else ever again.
Before he pulled out of his parking space, his phone notifications pinged and lit up his screen.
WILLA: Landon, I’m taking a few days to get my head together. I promised my grandfather that I’ll unplug and just relax. I hope you know that I don’t think anyone else needs to be in charge of the task force. I’m hoping that he’ll see reason when this is all over.
He blew out a breath and opened his phone to answer.
LANDON: I love you, Willa. Take the time you need. I’ll be here when you get back. Just
He paused and then finished his message
LANDON: I love you, Willa. Take the time you need. I’ll be here when you get back. Just be safe.
Nodding, he hit SEND and knew that he wasn’t going to interrupt her time away unless there was an emergency.
He watched as the screen of his phone seemed to cycle and cycle again.
Finally, he saw a message pop up on his screen.
UNABLE TO SEND
Shit.
Pulling out of the parking space he headed for her house to see if Gus was there. He had a few questions to ask the immensely talented computer hacker. He just needed a few answers.