Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
Jonah held onto the handle over the door as Laney’s SUV bounced over the rutted, gravel road.
Trees towered over them, creating a canopy that shielded the weak sunlight filtering through the cloudy skies.
The silence inside the cab was deafening.
Loaded with unspoken words and unanswered questions.
Jonah had always been an expert at reading Laney, but right now… he had no idea what she was thinking.
She'd kissed him back. He hadn't imagined that.
The way her fingers had curled into his shirt, the desperation in the way she'd pulled him closer…
She felt everything he did. She wanted it as much as he had.
But the memory of Laney pushing him away, the fear in her eyes, told him everything he needed to know about where she stood.
He couldn't regret it, though. Fifteen years of buried emotion had finally broken through, and despite the mess they were in now, he couldn't bring himself to wish it hadn't happened. It’d been honest.
The question was what happened next. Laney ran from serious relationships as if they were a disease.
She'd walk through actual fire to protect someone she cared about, but ask her to commit to a romantic relationship and she'd be halfway across the county before you finished the sentence.
Would she run now? Or would she try to patch over what happened, pretend it was just adrenaline and fear?
He didn't want to lose her. He also didn't want to lie about his feelings anymore.
If she just wanted to be friends, he'd live with that.
But pretending he didn't love her? That option wasn't on the table any longer.
He was done wasting time. Done pining for a woman who may never want the same thing he did.
Because in the end, that’s what he’d been doing.
He’d compared every woman to Laney, and they’d always come up short.
He’d been holding out for her. The timing couldn’t have been worse—they were in the middle of a homicide investigation and Laney’s life was being threatened—but Jonah knew nothing short of seeing her in mortal danger could've shattered his careful restraint.
It had taken the sight of those bruises on her neck, the sound of gunfire tearing through her cabin, to make him finally understand how easily she could be ripped from his life forever.
And suddenly, playing it safe wasn’t the worst choice. Losing her without ever telling her the truth, never having the chance to know what might’ve been…that was the real risk he couldn't bear to take.
“We’re here.” Laney shoved the vehicle into Park and climbed out.
Jonah followed. Settling his cowboy hat on his head to ward off the persistent drizzle, he joined her and Scout next to the carcass of a raccoon. The smell of death permeated the air, mixing with the scent of pine and rain.
“When I found it, the kill was fresh. I remember thinking the poacher used a handgun to shoot the raccoon. A high-powered rifle would’ve obliterated it, and as you can see, the body was mostly intact.
It was also done for sport.” She tilted her head.
“Which makes me wonder if our killer was practicing in these woods. He would’ve shot the raccoon hours before killing Ava and Tyler. ”
It was an interesting theory. “Tyler wasn’t shot first. Nolan was.”
“Yes, but Nolan was in an enclosed space. Inside a cabin. Tyler and Ava were camping out in the open. It’s a lot harder to shoot a running target in the woods.”
She had a point. “Let’s collect the carcass for evidence. With any luck, the lab will recover the bullet and compare it to the ones that killed Tyler and Nolan. If the same gun was used on this raccoon and on the two men, then we know our killer is responsible for all of them.”
His gaze settled on Laney. Raindrops gathered in her dark tresses, distracting him, reminding him too much of the kiss they’d shared.
“It would be a good idea to stay somewhere else while the case is under investigation. The cabin is too exposed, too difficult to defend if the killer tries for you again. Ryker volunteered for us to stay with him and Hannah at their new house. It’s a twenty-minute drive from here.
Since Hannah is a district attorney, and after those threats against her a few years ago, he made it a priority to install the best security system money can buy. ”
“A security system won’t stop a killer with a rifle, and I don’t want to bring trouble to their doorstep. They’ve been through enough. Besides…” Her cheeks pinked, and she looked away. “They’re newlyweds. They don’t want houseguests.”
“Somewhere else then—”
“No, I won’t be scared off.” She raised a hand to ward off his protest. “I’ll move closer to the visitor center for the time being.
There are a couple of free cabins over that way, near the mess hall.
The sheer amount of foot traffic should provide some level of protection.
” Her jaw tightened. “Whoever this is only likes to strike when I’m isolated.
I don’t think he counted on you being at my cabin so early in the morning. ”
Her gaze skittered from his, and a flush rose in her cheeks. They hadn’t done anything inappropriate. He’d slept on her couch more than once over the years, but on the heels of their passionate kiss, everything felt uncomfortable and loaded.
And…he didn’t know what to say. So Jonah fell back on his training and focused on the case. He turned in a circle, assessing the surrounding woods. A trail ran through the trees. It was faint, but it was there.
Her attention landed on the raccoon, and a frown creased her features. “You know, a perpetrator who can shoot a small animal like this with accuracy shouldn’t have any issue taking out someone with a high-powered rifle, like the one used by the shooter this morning.”
“Good point.” Were they looking at two shooters?
Maybe the raccoon wasn’t connected at all?
Still, Jonah would rather pursue the lead and find it went nowhere than dismiss it outright.
He pointed to the faint trail. A worn-down wooden marker showed it was an official hiking path. “Where does that go?”
“Eventually it leads to the visitor center. We’re in a remote section of the park, but we get some avid hikers out here on occasion. Let’s see if it’s been used recently.”
She started for the path, followed by Scout.
Jonah brought up the rear. For a while, their footsteps, Scout’s panting, and the quiet patter of the rain filled the air.
Occasionally, Laney would stop to assess a tree branch or some disturbed earth.
He had the feeling she was looking for signs that someone had deviated from the path and gone further into the woods.
“So…about this morning…” Laney sounded hesitant. “I’m sorry about running after the shooter. That wasn’t smart, and you were right to be mad.”
“I was scared. Not mad.” It probably hadn’t seemed that way since he’d been shouting. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. That was uncalled for, and unlike me.”
She nodded and took a bracing breath. “And the kiss?”
“The kiss was…” A long time coming. A physical expression of everything he couldn’t find the words to say. A demonstration of his love. None of those answers were anything Jonah felt he could utter out loud without sending Laney bolting. “…what it was.”
She stopped to finger the leaf on a broken branch. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I don't want to lose you, Jonah. We've been friends for fifteen years. That's not something I'm willing to risk over one impulsive moment.”
“Is that what it was to you? Just an impulse?”
Her eyes widened. “Wasn’t it for you?”
He could lie. Tell her that it was a moment of temporary insanity, that his feelings had overruled his head for one stupid moment.
But Jonah was done being dishonest. With her.
And with himself. “No, Laney. It wasn't an impulse.” He paused, trying to figure out how to put what he’d realized into words.
“I’ve had feelings for you for a long time, but I’ve never acted on them.
It didn’t seem like you felt the same way, and I didn’t want to put our friendship at risk. ”
She swallowed. “How long?”
“What?”
“How long have you had feelings for me?”
“Since college, although they were less intense. And then you came to stay with me after I’d been injured in the line of duty. That’s when I knew for sure.”
She inhaled sharply. “That…that was eight years ago.”
“Yes.”
Her panic was palpable, and Laney took off at a fast clip down the hiking trail.
Jonah hurried to catch up with her, his long strides eating up the distance between them, until he could lightly grab her arm and pull her to a stop.
“Laney, just…” He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Look at me, Laney.”
She shook her head, but he placed a finger under her chin and ever so gently lifted her face until her eyes met his. “Nothing has to change if you don’t want it to. Do you understand? We can go back to being friends, and we’ll never talk about this again.”
Tears filled her eyes. “We can’t go back.”
“No, we just can’t be dishonest anymore.
You’re my best friend. I have feelings for you and I was too terrified to tell you.
” He swiped the wetness away from her cheek with his thumb.
“If you don’t feel the same way, then say so.
I’ll get over it. Move on. But…” He cupped her face.
“You kissed me back, Laney. That has to mean something.”
The fear in her gorgeous brown eyes broke him. Jonah pulled her into his arms. “I know you’re scared. I won’t pretend to understand all the reasons why, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We can work through it. Just like we do everything else.”
She held onto him with a desperation that was surprising, and then suddenly, Laney pushed away, swiping at the tears tumbling down her cheeks. “This is different.”
There were only a few feet separating them, but it felt like an entire valley. His heart sank as her expression hardened before she turned away. Scout nudged Laney’s hand, as if sensing her owner’s turmoil and distress.
He'd spent years observing Laney's pattern with romantic relationships. Watched as she pulled back whenever someone got too close, ended things before they had a chance to develop. Over and over again. He'd never pushed her on it before, but this time was different. This time it was about them.
“I’m not your dad, Laney.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “I know that.”
“Do you?”
The question hung in the air between them, and the searing hurt that followed caught Jonah off-guard with its intensity.
He was nothing like Antonio Torres. Nothing.
How could she not see that? Her denial had been quick and automatic, but they both knew it was a lie.
Her dad—and the heartache he’d caused—stood between them as surely as if the man himself had been there.
And once again, as he had so many times in his life before, Jonah realized he wasn’t good enough.
Laney sniffed. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore right now. Can we just…table it until after the case is over?”
He wanted to say no. Wanted to tell her that they couldn't just shove this back in a box and pretend the lid was still sealed. But Laney was right. The murder case had to take priority. People's lives were at stake. His feelings, valid as they were, couldn't come before that.
Besides, pushing harder now would only drive her further away. “We’ll table it. For now.”
Relief flooded her features. “Thank you.” Laney turned and continued down the path.
The silence stretched between them, less awkward than before, but no less potent.
Jonah had a sinking feeling that whatever had just taken place would change their friendship forever.
Maybe Laney was right, and there was no going back. He’d been a fool to think otherwise.
“Wait.” Laney slid to a stop on the path.
She touched a broken branch and then eased off the trail into the trees.
The tension in her shoulders sent a wave of concern running through him.
Jonah placed his hand over the holster of his weapon.
The ground was muddy, and the rain picked up from a drizzle to a persistent shower, drumming against the leaves overhead and running in rivulets off the back of Jonah’s cowboy hat.
They entered a small clearing. A crude fire pit ringed with blackened stones sat in the center.
Flattened grass and holes in the ground indicated a tent had been pitched nearby.
Scout sniffed the ground, her ears pricked forward.
Laney placed her hands on her hips. “Someone was camping here illegally.”
He didn’t like this. “Can you tell how recently?”
She bent over the fire pit, stirring the soaked ashes with a stick.
“Until early this morning.” She gestured to the holes in the ground.
“Those were for his tent. The rain hasn’t caused the dirt to fill in yet.
We had thunderstorms last night, so they shouldn’t be as visible as they are if he left before it rained. ”
Goosebumps rose on Jonah’s arms. Suddenly he realized just how vulnerable they were, standing there in the middle of the woods in the far reaches of the state park.
He berated himself for being so stupid. If he hadn’t been distracted by the kiss, and Laney’s reaction, he might’ve thought twice about trekking around out here with a killer on the loose.
A branch snapped. Jonah whirled around, taking a protective stance in front of Laney, while pulling his weapon. His gaze scanned the thick foliage.
Behind him, Laney chuckled. “It’s a deer, Foster. Relax.”
He caught a flash of brown through the foliage and lowered his handgun. “We should get back to the car.”
Laney had already pulled out her phone. “Let me get some pictures first. Keep an eye on Scout. She’ll let us know if we have reason to be concerned.” Laney winked, a teasing smile on her lips. “She ignores the deer.”
“Yeah, yeah.” His neck heated, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling plaguing him.
He kept his handgun lowered, but didn’t bother holstering it.
Once Laney was done documenting the illegal campsite, they traipsed back to the vehicle.
The sight of the SUV untangled the nerves jittering his insides. Jonah finally holstered his weapon.
His phone rang with an incoming call. Tate. Jonah answered as he climbed into the passenger seat. “What’s up?”
“I found something you need to see. I may know who our killer is.”