Chapter 8
EIGHT
Laney’s heart jumped into overdrive as she scanned the grassy clearing dotted with oak trees.
A little girl, around four years old, lay crumpled on the ground, tears streaking her face.
Her knee was bleeding. Laney jogged across the distance between them, Scout at her side, and then crouched down next to the child.
“Hi there, sweetheart. My name is Laney, and I’m a park ranger. This is my dog, Scout.”
The little girl’s pigtails swayed as she lifted her head. Freckles dotted her nose. “I fell while running.”
“I see that. You hurt yourself.” Laney smiled warmly. “We need to get you inside the visitor center so we can clean up your knee and that scrape on your arm. Do you think you can walk?”
Tears swelled behind sage-green eyes. “I don’t think so. It really hurts.”
“How about if I carry you?” Jonah bent down. His expression was soft and caring. “Would that be all right?”
She studied him for a moment, her small fingers reaching out to brush the Texas Ranger badge pinned to his shirt. “Are you a police officer? Because my mommy said I can ask for help from police officers.”
“Your mommy is a smart lady. And yes, I’m a Texas Ranger, which is a type of police officer.”
The little girl beamed and then reached out her hands, showing he could lift her up.
Jonah swept her effortlessly into his arms. Laney's heart did a pitter-patter as she watched this side of him emerge.
The broad-shouldered lawman with perpetual scowls and grumpy remarks transformed completely by a child's trust. His large hands held the little girl with gentleness, and the tenderness in his blue eyes was captivating.
He peppered the child with questions while his long legs ate up the distance to the visitor center.
Alli was indeed four. Her mom’s name was Sarah, and she was at the mess hall. They lived in a big house with roses in the garden. She enjoyed camping but didn’t want to touch worms while fishing.
Inside the visitor center, Jonah set the little girl down on a chair while Laney fetched the first aid kit from behind the front desk.
Brett had a phone to his ear and said, no comment before hanging up. “The reporters have started calling.”
“We knew it would happen.” She checked her watch. “The media liaison should be here shortly. Then we can direct all the calls that way.” She hurried back to Alli. Scout licked the little girl’s hand, eliciting a peal of laughter from her. Laney smiled.
“Alli, I’m gonna go find your mom, while Ranger Torres and Scout bandage up your knee.” Jonah nodded toward Laney before hurrying out.
Laney kept up the chatter with Alli while she cleaned her wounds. Both scrapes were minor. She’d just attached a cartoon band-aid to Alli’s knee when a woman rushed in. Her red hair—the same shade as Alli’s—was pulled back and held by a clip. Worry pinched her features. She was followed by Jonah.
“Sweetie, are you okay?” She bent down beside the child. “What happened?”
“I fell and got a boo-boo.”
“You weren’t supposed to go this far.” She sent an exasperated look in Laney’s direction. “I’m so sorry. We were finishing up lunch and a group of kids wanted to play hide and seek. Thank you for helping her.”
“It wasn’t a problem.” She’d worked as a park ranger long enough to know that kids often wandered out of sight. It was part of the adventure of being outdoors, exploring and discovering. As long as they knew how to find help when they needed it, a little independence was healthy.
She smiled at the little girl. “Alli was very brave. And smart enough to tell us your name and where you were. You should be proud of her.”
Alli beamed. Laney got down on her level. “Make sure you listen to your mom, okay? Don’t go too far, just like she says.”
“I will. I promise.” Alli hugged Laney and then Scout.
Her mom took her hand. With a wave and a smile, they headed back outside.
Laney collected her first-aid kit. “Crisis averted.”
Jonah snorted. “If only all our problems were easily fixed with a cartoon bandage.”
“Right. Sometimes I miss being a kid.” A family had come in while Laney was tending to Alli, and Brett finished assigning them an RV spot.
Two school-aged kids ran around in circles, their pent-up energy making Laney suddenly feel old and tired.
She hadn’t had much sleep last night, and she wished she could bottle their enthusiasm for herself.
She slipped behind the front counter to return the first aid kit as the family exited the building.
The silence that followed almost felt unnatural.
Laney knew it wouldn’t last, so she took the opportunity to ask, “Brett, what can you tell me about Tyler and Ava? I noticed on their paperwork that you were the one who checked them in.”
His expression grew sad. “Yeah. They showed up around 2:30 or so. The check-in itself was uneventful. Tyler booked Campsite 8 when he made the reservation, so there wasn’t much to discuss.”
Jonah moved closer, his stance casual but his eyes sharp. “How did they seem with each other?”
Brett frowned, his brows furrowing. “To be honest, I didn’t really pay that much attention. I’d say fine, I guess.” He cast a glance toward Laney. “I’m sorry I don’t remember more. People run together, you know? Especially when it’s busy.”
She knew exactly what he meant. Unless a guest did something weird, people and conversations blurred together. Brett must’ve spoken to over fifty people yesterday. “Do you recall if anyone else was in here while Ava and Tyler were checking in? Another guest? Or someone from the staff?
He tilted his head. “Well, you passed by on your way out to do a patrol. Deputy Ranger Dawson came in, but I don’t remember exactly when... Hold on.”
Brett drew closer to her, and belatedly Laney realized he was attempting to get to the computer behind her.
She side-stepped as his arm brushed hers.
The scent of his cologne hit her. Spicy, familiar, and old-fashioned.
Something a thousand men wore. Unbidden, a memory surfaced of her father teaching her to tie fishing knots.
Back when he was still Dad. He’d worn the same aftershave.
But beneath that, there was something else. Something darker.
Her breath caught. A flash of darkness overtook her senses, the weight of a body pinning her down, terror filling her chest as she fought for her life—
“Laney. Laney.” The voice sounded far away, but then there was pressure on her arm.
She jerked away, accidentally ramming her hip into the corner of the credenza behind the front desk.
The papers and plastic shelving vibrated with the force of her movement.
A growl erupted from Scout. The sharp sound—along with the pain—cut through her flashback.
She blinked to find Brett standing nearby with his hands up in a non-threatening manner.
“Whoa. Sorry. Didn't mean to crowd you.”
Laney forced a laugh, though her heart was still hammering. “No, you're fine. I think I've had too much coffee today.” She pressed a hand to her chest, willing her pulse to slow. “I’m more jittery than I realized.”
Jonah was at her side, concern etched on his features.
She briefly met his gaze and shook her head.
She’d explain to him later about the cologne.
Her attacker had worn the same old-fashioned aftershave.
But half the men in Texas probably wore it.
Her own father had. It was an important detail, and it proved she remembered more about the attack than her mind recalled initially, but it wouldn’t lead them directly to the killer.
Scout growled again, the hair on her neck raised. Brett took another step back.
“Scout, heel.” Laney's command was sharp. The dog hesitated and then did as she was ordered, although there seemed to be a disgruntled look on her furry face.
Brett eyed her warily. “What's wrong with her? Is she okay?”
Laney laid a hand on Scout’s head, rubbing her ears to reassure her. The lab’s posture was stiff. She was normally mild-mannered, but she’d been trained to protect her handler. “My quick movements startled her. I think we’re both a little on edge after last night’s attack.”
To put Brett at ease, Laney patted her leg and moved back around to the front of the desk. Scout and Jonah both joined her. She offered a reassuring smile, ignoring the nerves still twisting her stomach. “Sorry about that.”
Brett breathed out. “It’s okay.” He returned her smile, but none of its warmth was reflected in his dark eyes.
“I heard Scout was a hero last night. I’m glad you had her to protect you.
” He bent toward the computer. “I wanted to check my browser history for the time period that Ava and Tyler checked in. Yeah, here we go. 2:45. A guy came in and asked me about obtaining a fishing license. I told him that the camping store should have them, and he wanted to know what time it closed. I had to look it up because Mr. Robbins recently changed the operating hours.”
Jonah moved closer to Laney until their shoulders touched. His solid presence was comforting.
“And this guy was here when Ava and Tyler checked in?” Jonah asked.
“Right after. I’m sure he was waiting for me to finish up with Tyler. What made me notice him was how he looked at Ava. It’s hard to describe…” Brett squinted off into the distance as if trying to recall the moment. “He stared at her. It struck me as odd.”
“Can you describe him?”
“Average height and weight. Maybe in his thirties. Dark hair. A scruffy beard. He was wearing a gray T-shirt and blue jeans.”
Jonah asked a few more questions, but Brett couldn’t provide further details.
Laney could tell he was trying to remember though.
She wondered if he was overemphasizing the man's interest in Ava.
Brett has always been eager to please. Maybe he was trying too hard to be useful. It was something to keep in mind.
Laney leaned against the counter. “Do you know which campsite he was staying at?”
“He didn’t say.” Regret pinched his features. “I should’ve paid more attention. Maybe I’d recognize him if I saw him again, but I can’t say for certain. Should I drive around the park after my shift? I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
Laney shook her head. Brett wasn’t in law enforcement.
“No. Looking at Ava doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.
If the guy comes back into the visitor center or you see him on the park grounds, radio me or Deputy Ranger Dawson.
Do not engage with the man yourself.” She didn’t want Brett—or anyone on her staff—getting hurt. “Do you understand?”
He nodded solemnly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Laney held his gaze for a beat, waiting to see if there was any hesitation, but he seemed to take her warning seriously.
She relaxed a touch. “Before we go, Brett, we're following standard procedure and checking everyone's whereabouts during the time frame of the murders. Where were you between the hours of seven and midnight yesterday?”
Brett didn't hesitate. “I clocked out at seven and headed into town for the Hill Country Music Festival. Been looking forward to it all week.”
“Can I see the tickets?” Jonah asked.
Brett pulled out his phone and showed them a mobile ticket confirmation.
“Paid forty bucks for this. The band didn't go on until nine-thirty, but I wanted to grab dinner first. Stopped at Rusty's Bar and Grill around seven-thirty. Ran into my buddy Jake Whitfield. We had a couple of beers and some wings and watched the game for a bit. Then I headed to the festival around eight-forty-five.”
“And you were at the festival the rest of the night?” Laney asked.
“Yeah, until about eleven-thirty. The place was packed, had to be five thousand people there. Tried to get closer to the stage, but it was wall-to-wall.”
Jonah made notes. “Jake can verify you met him at Rusty’s?”
“Yeah, for sure. We were there for maybe an hour, hour and fifteen minutes.” Brett gave them Jake's number. “Anything else?”
“Not right now,” Jonah said, tucking his phone away. His tone was polite, but Laney heard a thread of distrust running through it. “We'll follow up if we need anything else.”
Brett's gaze flickered to the bruises encircling Laney's neck before lifting to her face. “I really hope you find whoever did this.”
The phone rang before she could respond, and Brett scrambled to answer it. His voice carried across the lobby as Laney and Jonah moved into the hall, heading for her office.
Jonah kept his voice pitched low. “What happened back there?”
She described the flashback. Inside her office, Scout jogged to her bed in the corner and collapsed.
Laney popped open the water bottle on her desk and took a long drink.
She was still shaken from the memory. “It was intense. And so real…The aftershave isn’t a solid clue.
It’s a popular brand. But clearly, there’s more about the assault I remember, even if I can’t recall it right now. ”
“You may get more information in bits and pieces.” Jonah placed a hand on her arm. The heat of his touch went straight through the sleeve of her shirt. “Why don’t you take a break? I can interview the rest of the employees who were working yesterday.”
“No.” Laney would not shirk from her responsibility. This was her park. Her staff.
But for how long? The offer to make her position as superintendent, and the decision she faced, hovered in the back of her mind. It was something she didn’t have the mental or emotional energy to think about.
Jonah’s gaze scanned her face, as physical as a touch. “Are you sure? You’re still pale.”
“I’m fine.” She forced herself to pull away from him and square her shoulders. “I’ll get the list of employees who worked yesterday, and we’ll question them together.”
Jonah studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "All right. But if you need a break—"
"I'll tell you." She managed a small smile. "I promise."
He seemed satisfied with that, pulling out his phone to check his emails. They were waiting on reports from the state lab.
Laney moved to her computer, but her mind kept circling back to that moment in the lobby. The cologne, the flashback, the visceral terror. The aftershave was just one detail. What else had her subconscious locked away? More details about the killer?
Labor Day weekend meant the park was flooded with hundreds of visitors. The thought of a killer moving freely among them made her stomach clench.
They needed answers, and they needed them fast.