Chapter 36
Thirty-Six
Lawson’s Ridge
As she walked past the stables, she noticed the hands staring at her.
A couple of wranglers rode past and one whistled low and turned in his saddle to watch her walk by.
She turned to stare at him and her mouth curled into a small smile.
Any of these people could be a killer and she welcomed them to try and kidnap her.
She might look like a small defenseless blonde but she had the ability to take down just about anyone.
She carried lethal weapons hidden on her person at all times, items hidden in her belt, and sharp metal hatpins in her hair that appeared to be hair clips.
One of these plunged into a man’s ear, up his nose, or into his brainstem would result in instant death—if not, they would be immobilized long enough for her to finish the job.
She’d had intensive hand-to-hand combat training during her time in the FBI, but what most agents didn’t have was her ability to survive.
She’d learned many tricks since watching her pa butcher her mom, including being able to disguise herself like a chameleon.
As she walked through the yards, the strong smell of urine wafted toward her from brown trickles flowing along channels in the concrete walkways while the hands mucked out the stalls.
Horses were in abundance on the ranch and she could hear them grunting and snorting as the wranglers groomed them and then sent them into the corrals or returned them to their stalls.
She’d needed to get out of the house and away from the computer screen for a time.
Sometimes her mind needed to reset. She’d read all the reports that had been coming in over the last few hours and had formed an idea.
It wasn’t something she wanted to share with the team, mainly because when she got a hunch she needed to run with it for a time.
Right now, technology was accelerating at a massive rate.
A few years ago AI had only been in its infancy and now it was used by many law enforcement agencies.
The FBI used it to enhance video, create facial characteristics from people wearing masks, and also to determine height, weight, and often race.
No longer did they have to search through thousands of hours of footage; they could leave it safely in the hands of an AI.
Face recognition was available without a warrant on public-domain driver’s license databanks and many other sources that didn’t break privacy laws.
Footsteps behind her broke her thoughts and she turned to see Styles walking fast to catch up with her.
She stopped and waited for him. She liked Styles.
He understood her better than most people.
He knew she liked to be left alone, but not why.
In her down time, Beth hid away in her cabin to unwind and paint, so Styles believed, but most times she slipped away to take out the garbage in the form of serial killers, mostly of children, who had slipped through the system.
If she caught them in the act, by making herself their next target she’d bring them to justice, in her own way.
Many might believe this made her no better than the killer—but she never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it.
She smiled at Styles. “Miss me already? I’ve only been gone for ten minutes.”
“No, just delivering a message.” Styles, who didn’t resemble an FBI agent and was more like a gunslinger out of the O.K. Corral, gave her his usual confused expression.
In all the time she’d known him, they’d become good friends, but it was always strictly business. “Message away.”
“Jenna and Kane should be here soon.” Styles stood hands on hips staring down at her, his massive revolver heavy on his hip. “Jenna interviewed Talbot and has a theory we all need to consider.”
Beth stared at the rolling pastures and the forest and mountains in the distance and then returned her gaze to him. “Have you ever considered giving up the FBI and working on a spread like this? It’s hard, honest work but it’s like being free, isn’t it?”
“Nope—never. I like bringing down the bad guys.” Styles examined her face and frowned. “You okay? Is this case bringing back bad memories?”
She laughed. “No. It’s just sometimes I just want to take off and start a new life away from murder and child exploitation.
The thing is, no matter how beautiful a place is, underneath there is always someone wanting to spoil it.
” She squeezed his arm. “You go back. Take Bear. I’ll be along soon.
I just need a few minutes longer to clear my head. ”
“Sure.” He patted her on the shoulder. “If you need to talk, I’m always here.” He wiggled his fingers for Bear to follow him and turned and walked away.
Beth had her own list of suspects. Too many questions had been left unanswered.
She wished Rhett’s grandparents were still alive as they would have insight into what had been happening on the ranch.
Lawson had appeared to be very concerned about the missing women and would have discussed his worries with his wife, who likely spoke to her mother.
She needed to ask Rhett if his grandmother left any diaries behind and if he’d kept them.
They might hold crucial evidence about the cold case.
Another thing she would like to do is to fly over the ranch.
When large holes were dug in grassy areas they often left a scar behind, a discoloration of the ground, or sunken areas, and most times these could only be seen from above.
She would like to investigate these, dig them up, and discover if there were any bodies underneath.
“Looking for me?” Carter’s voice startled her.
Beth couldn’t believe he’d crept up on her. “Hey, I didn’t know you were out this morning. Or is this a walk of shame?” She chuckled. “Don’t tell me you found yourself a girlfriend already?”
“Nope, no one here comes close to you, Beth.” Carter’s teeth flashed white and his green eyes twinkled with amusement. “I live in hope.”
She liked Carter and would date him in a flash, but he was a straight shooter.
He played each case by the book every time—much like Kane.
He was incorruptible. If he discovered who she really was, he’d turn her in and she couldn’t risk that—but his smile did charm her like no other man had.
She figured he had the same effect on many women.
“I like you too, but I don’t always play by the rules.
I’d corrupt you and I don’t want to do that, Ty. You’re too good for me.”
“Moi?” He chuckled. “Well, that’s my line. I never considered you for a player. Styles told me he’s never known you to go on a date.”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t referring to dating, Ty.
I’m talking about character. I break the rules.
This is why I’m with Styles—he walks the line between right and wrong.
We get things done but sometimes I cross the line.
For instance, we were in San Francisco and stumbled over a drug den.
The lookout gang members thought I was a sex worker and Styles was my pimp.
They wanted my time and were waving guns at us—amateurs.
You know the way they hold them sideways and wave them, all stoned out of their minds.
” She held up a hand when he tried to comment.
“There was a fight. I did some damage with the heel of my shoe and Styles took the rest of them out. I went into the gang’s den and set fire to it.
I burned the drugs and the piles of small bills, but before I left I took all the huge stacks of hundreds, all neatly bound.
Styles was horrified but we just ran away and left the drug den to burn.
I dropped the bills into the church.” She sighed.
“See, I’m a bad egg. You don’t need to be involved with me. ”
“Why did they think you were a sex worker?” Carter’s gaze flicked over her.
Beth snorted and walked away. Carter quickly met her stride. She shook her head. “Is that all you have to say?”
“You let the drug dealers who attacked you live?” Carter frowned at her.
Beth blew out a long sigh. “Yeah, we did. We left them in the gutter unconscious.”
“Hmm.” Carter popped a toothpick in his mouth.
“Interesting, we are different. I’d have likely taken them all down and called in for a cleanup crew.
They’d have taken the money and drugs into evidence.
I guess, the money did go to a good cause.
” He gave her a sidelong look. “You didn’t answer my question. ”
She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I was dressed as one. We were undercover on a case.”
“Ah, well.” Carter nodded slowly. “That makes all the difference. You didn’t want to blow your cover—right? Nice touch taking the money, if Styles was a pimp that would be expected.”
She balled her hands on her hips and stared at him shaking her head.
Carter was an enigma. She figured she could read people, but Carter was different.
He had secrets buried so deep no one could uncover them.
How would he react if he discovered her secret identity?
She needed to know. “Honestly, Ty, you’d find an excuse for the Tarot Killer if you discovered they were a good-looking woman. ”
“Well, as we’re having a ‘show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ discussion here”—he smiled around his toothpick but his eyes had become deadly serious—“some of those monsters he took out I could have torn apart with my bare hands.”