Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
Thirty minutes later, Laney was sitting across from Tate.
Beyond the closed door of the conference room, the phone at the front desk rang continuously.
Reporters had caught wind of the shooting at her cabin, and on the heels of the murders, the story was slated to become national news.
A media liaison was handling the official updates, but that didn’t prevent reporters from calling the Piney Woods main phone number in an effort to get more information.
The pressure bearing down on her shoulders was compounding.
The murder case, the superintendent job, the media…
and now this mess with Jonah. A migraine was forming along the base of her skull.
It didn’t help that she couldn’t stop noticing every time Jonah moved or even breathed.
It was like the kiss had made her hyperaware of him.
“I got to thinking last night.” Tate’s eyes were bright with excitement, but there were dark circles under them, which made Laney wonder if he’d even slept.
“Someone like this is likely to have a criminal record. And we’re dealing with a sex offender.
So I asked Andy for a comprehensive list of everyone who volunteered here in the last year and started comparing them to the sex offender registry. ”
Jonah straightened. “You got a hit.”
“Yep.” With a triumphant look, Tate turned his laptop screen to face them. “Meet Mitch Caldwell.”
Laney gasped. The recognition hit her immediately. She'd seen that lean face and stubby beard before. “That guy was here the other day. It’s the fisherman I chased off.”
Jonah slowly nodded. “The jumpy one.” His expression hardened. “What was he convicted of?”
“He stalked and raped a young woman in Mississippi. She was a college student. Brown hair, brown eyes. He served five years. Mitch stayed in Mississippi and was complying with his parole requirements until six months ago. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but he skipped town. Deputies interviewed his mother. She swears she hasn’t seen him, but get this, Mitch grew up here. Graduated from the local high school.”
Her mouth fell open. “I don’t understand. We conduct background checks on all of our volunteers. If Mitch is a registered sex offender, it should’ve shown up.”
“That's the thing. When he filled out the official form, he used his older brother's name: Michael Caldwell. But when I ran Michael through our system, I discovered he was in the armed forces. Navy, to be exact. A quick phone call confirmed Michael was deployed during the Spring Jamboree. He couldn’t have been volunteering here. Michael and Mitch are only one year apart in age, and they look enough alike to be twins. Michael Caldwell’s record is clean, but Mitchell Caldwell is a registered sex offender.”
“So he used his brother's legal name to pass the background check?”
“Yes. You provide free meals to your volunteers and pay them a small stipend during big events. I think that’s why he volunteered during the Spring Jamboree. And I’ll give you one guess where he was assigned.”
Laney breathed out. “The wildlife center.”
“Ding, ding, ding. He worked there all week. So, Mitch and Ava definitely crossed paths.” Tate shuffled through the papers on the table before pulling out a photo. “This is the young woman Mitch assaulted. Notice anything?”
Laney took in the young woman’s bright smile and her long brunette hair.
Then, her gaze shot to the picture of Ava attached to the whiteboard.
“They could be sisters.” Her focus flickered to Lisa’s photograph.
Her eyes were hazel, but she also had brunette hair and a slender build.
“Even Lisa is similar enough to fit the victim profile. Was Mitch’s first victim involved with anyone? ”
“No, she didn’t have a boyfriend. But Mitch stalked her for months before he attacked her. And criminals can learn and adjust their methods.”
Laney mulled that over. “Could Mitch have stalked Ava without her knowing?”
“It depends on how much he tried to interact with her. After going to prison, Mitch may have learned to keep his distance.” Jonah frowned.
“Ava was worried about Garrett. According to Kylie, he harassed her. Even if Ava had a sense that something wasn’t right, she may have attributed anything weird to him. ”
He had a good point. An icy chill crept down Laney's back as a memory surfaced. “Brett mentioned that someone was in the lobby when Ava and Tyler checked in. A guy. He watched Ava intensely.” She rose. “Do you have a printed photograph of Mitch Caldwell?”
“Yeah.” Tate handed her one.
She went out into the lobby, Jonah on her heels.
Brett was behind the front desk, helping a couple with a hiking trail reservation.
Laney waited impatiently for him to finish.
The continuous ringing of the phone was causing her migraine to bloom.
She would need some caffeine, headache medicine, and food after this.
The protein bar she’d choked down after the shooting had tasted like dust and done nothing to make her feel better.
She peeked at Jonah out of the corner of her eye.
He watched Brett with the scrutiny of a man who didn’t trust anyone.
She had a sense he didn’t like Brett, but she couldn’t reason why.
Truth be told, he didn’t like Eddie either.
Jonah had always been more cautious about people.
It was one of the things she’d accepted about him, but at times, annoyed her. He tended to think the worst.
Laney had a laundry list of reasons why they wouldn’t work. She was a morning person. He couldn’t stand being around anyone before noon. She loved to travel, he was a homebody. She believed God was actively involved in her daily life, he questioned why a loving God would allow so much suffering.
And yet…none of those differences had mattered when he kissed her. Or when he cupped her face, his touch so gentle she cried, and promised that nothing had to change unless she wanted it to.
If she was honest, her feelings for Jonah had been shifting for a long time.
She’d fought against it. Hid it. Lied to herself about it.
And at the same time, it’d been a shock to discover he’d been harboring romantic feelings for her for the last eight years.
Eight years. She didn’t know what to do with that.
Laney had no doubt Jonah cared for her, but that didn’t mean he would feel the same way a year from now. Or ten years from now. People changed. They grew apart.
They left.
Jonah wasn’t her dad. She knew that. But she doubted, on the day her parents got married, that her dad believed he would up and leave them eight years later.
And Laney knew—without a doubt—if she allowed herself to fall in love with Jonah and then he fell out of love with her…
she’d end up just like her mother. Crying years later over a wedding album, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.
She refused to allow anyone to have that power over her.
Even Jonah.
Finally, the couple left. Laney stepped up to the desk and greeted Brett with a polite smile. “We need your help. Do you recognize this man?” She turned the photo toward him.
A lock of sandy hair fell over his forehead as he studied Mitch’s face. Then suddenly his eyes widened. “That’s the guy who was staring at Ava. You found him?”
“Not exactly.” Laney studied him carefully. “You’re sure this is the guy?”
“100%. I remember his beard and that strange haircut.” Brett’s nose wrinkled. “It looks like he took a pair of scissors to his own hair and chopped away.”
“Have you ever seen this man before that day with Ava?” Jonah asked. “Or since?”
Brett seemed to consider the question. Then he slowly shook his head. “Can’t say I have.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Laney turned away, but Brett stopped her with a light hand on her arm. His expression when she faced him was earnest.
“Is there anything I can do to help with the investigation? I feel so responsible for what happened to Ava.” He gestured to the photo in her hand. “Is that the guy who killed them?”
“He’s a person of interest. If he comes into the lobby, or if you see him around the park, do not engage with him. Call me or Andy right away.” She’d given this warning to Brett before, but felt obligated to do so again. She didn’t want him going rogue, searching for a killer in the park.
He hesitated and then nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
They headed back into the conference room.
She filled Tate in on what Brett had said.
Guilt stabbed her. Like Brett, she’d been within arm’s reach of the killer and hadn’t known it.
Except she was a law enforcement officer with a duty to protect.
Somehow, as illogical as it was, Laney felt as though she should’ve known better.
She pictured Mitch again in her mind. His dirty clothes and unkempt appearance. His broken fishing pole.
She inhaled sharply. “He’s the one camping illegally in the woods.”
“What?” Tate asked, his brow furrowing.
She quickly ran through what they’d found, from the dead raccoon to the illegal campsite.
“Mitch had the appearance of someone struggling to get by. He’s wanted by law enforcement, so he can’t go home, but he’s close enough to his mother that he can meet her in secluded places in order to get supplies.
He picked up the campsite, but I bet he’s still around here somewhere.
” A thought tripped her up. “Where would Mitch get a boat?”
“He could’ve stolen it,” Jonah offered.
“Yeah, but when we saw him, he was fishing in a restricted area. If he had access to a boat, doesn’t it make more sense to use that instead?”
Jonah was quiet for a moment, his gaze distant as if he was thinking over her question. Then his expression darkened. His eyes shot to hers before flickering to the image of Mitch’s first victim, then Lisa, and finally Ava. His entire body stiffened.
“What?” She instinctively grabbed his arm. The muscles were rigid underneath her palm, and the memory of their passionate kiss flashed unbidden in her mind. She quickly yanked her hand back.
Jonah’s jaw tightened. No one else would’ve noticed the faint trace of hurt that curved his brow, but she did.
A tangle of emotions roiled inside her, but she shoved them all back.
Now was not the time to sort out the mess they were in.
Instead, she kept her tone even and said, “You thought of something.”
He nodded. And this time when he looked at her, there was worry clouding his blue eyes. “You look like them.”
“Like who—” She froze. Slender brunettes. Athletic. Outdoorsy. Laney blinked, her mind unwilling to lump herself in with the other women. “But that’s…that can’t be why he’s after me. It doesn’t make sense. He tried to shoot me this morning. Ava and Lisa were both strangled.”
“Maybe his intention was to kill Jonah.” Tate leaned back in his chair. “He kills the boyfriend in front of the woman, and then he attacks her. You’re a law enforcement officer. He’s going to be more cautious with you. Take less risk.”
Laney’s heart beat against her ribcage. The killer coming after Jonah? She couldn’t think of it. Somehow during the shooting and the aftermath, it hadn’t even occurred to her to think about the fact that Jonah could’ve died. Her fingers trembled. “But we’re not together.”
Tate’s brows rose. “Sorry to tell you this, Laney, but if I didn’t know you guys were just friends, I’d think you were dating.
The casual touches, the way you laugh and joke with each other…
your closeness is obvious. I don’t think the killer picked you out initially, but after you escaped that first night, I could see it happening.
You resemble the other victims and would be a challenge.
” He shrugged. “Jonah would be collateral damage. Just like Tyler and Nolan.”
A coldness centered in Laney’s chest like a block of ice. She could handle danger. Had walked into it more than once during her career with the military. And she knew Jonah could handle himself, but it was terrifying to think his proximity to her, his relationship with her, had made him a target.
“That’s enough, Tate.” Jonah shot him a dirty look.
“Let’s not speculate. Focus on what we know.
For starters, we need to find Mitch Caldwell.
If he’s truly living in the far reaches of the park, then we need to conduct a search for him.
That’ll take manpower we don’t have at the moment. Let’s request it.”
Focus. Focus on the case, not on the fear clawing her insides.
She drew in a breath. “We should distribute his photograph to my rangers, and alert them that someone may be camping illegally in the park. They’re patrolling in pairs for safety, and can keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“Good idea.” Jonah checked his watch. “Ryker was following up with Chief Deputy Williams about Garrett Wheeler. I’d like to know if he’s reappeared yet.
We also need to check on Eddie Sorenson’s restraining order.
I’ll find his ex-wife. Let’s see what she has to say about her ex-husband’s temperament. ”
Laney swung toward Jonah. “You still think Eddie might be responsible for this?”
“Right now, I’m not eliminating anyone unless they have a rock-solid alibi.” He held her gaze. “Mistakes can be deadly, Laney, and I refuse to let anything else happen to you.”
She swallowed hard. Laney knew without a doubt that Jonah would do anything for her. A terrifying realization. What had Tate called it? Collateral damage.
Would protecting her cost Jonah his life?