Chapter 11 Roan
ROAN
Those green eyes were burned into my memory—the spark of heat in their depths. My hands clenched and flexed as I tried to shake the image loose.
No luck.
I had a feeling Aspen’s eyes and those berry lips would be playing on a loop for a long time to come.
I’d almost kissed her. Came this close to closing the distance and tasting that mouth.
I cracked my neck as if that would rid me of the need coursing through me. Lust didn’t control me. Never had.
If I felt need starting to build, I went elsewhere. Away from Cedar Ridge. There were no names. No tender touches. Just taking what we both wanted.
But those urges had come on fewer and farther between. Maybe because I’d started to feel as empty as they were. Maybe because I was too old for that shit.
Only now, I was starting to worry that I’d made a fatal mistake in not continuing those anonymous encounters. One that made Aspen’s mouth more tempting than it should be.
I strode across the street, letting the cold hit me full force. I needed to fight off her pull.
The sign for Al’s Body Shop beckoned me. Al hadn’t been around for at least two generations, but the name remained. It was cold enough that all the bays were closed, so I made my way to the office.
A bell dinged as I opened the door, and it didn’t take long for a head to pop out from the workstations. A guy who didn’t look much over eighteen took me in, eyes widening.
My teeth ground together as I fought back a curse.
“Can I help you?” There was a slight waver to the kid’s voice.
“Jim,” was all I said in response.
The kid scurried off. Jim emerged a few seconds later, wiping his hands on a rag. “You like scaring the piss out of my guys?”
I grunted.
Jim shook his head, a smile on his lips. “I think you do. What can I help you with? Don’t see your truck out there.”
“You got Aspen Barlow’s wagon?”
Surprise lit Jim’s eyes. “Going through that heap now. It’s a miracle she hasn’t ended up stranded.”
A muscle ticked in my jaw. “Got a ballpark of what it’s going to take to get it running safely?”
His surprise morphed into curiosity. “Still working, but I’m guessing about six Gs when we’re all said and done. She needs new tires, too.”
That tic in my cheek intensified. “I want to cover the majority of it. Think you can come up with a story she’ll buy?”
Jim leaned back against the counter for a moment, studying me. “Who is she to you?”
Wasn’t that the million-dollar question? “One of Grae’s best friends. She’s a good woman. Works hard. Doesn’t need this shit when she’s got a little girl to take care of.”
It was apparently the right answer because Jim jerked his head in a nod. “I’ll tell her that it wasn’t as bad as it looked, and if she gives me a day or two to work her in, I’ll give her a discount.”
I made a low sound of agreement. “What about the tires?” Everyone knew tires were expensive as hell.
“I’ll tell her I got ‘em off a totaled wreck. Steal of a deal.”
“Hope your acting skills are good,” I muttered.
Jim chuckled. “I’ll sell it.”
“Just let me know what I owe you when you’re done.”
“Will do.”
I turned to leave, but Jim stopped me.
“You’re a good man, Roan.”
Pain lanced my chest. I didn’t look back at him. Couldn’t.
I wasn’t a good man. I was someone who lied to my siblings. Cut myself off from my family because it was easier. But maybe I could do a little something to even the Universe’s scales by helping Aspen. Even if she never knew it.
“You coming for drinks tonight?” Mindy asked, a hopeful bent to her words as she hovered near my desk.
A rough chuckle sounded from the workstation behind mine. “Don’t you know by now? Roan never shows his face at social hour.”
My back molar ached as it ground against another. I hated being in the damned office—too many nosy people.
I stayed focused on the paperwork in front of me. As soon as it was submitted, I was out.
But I could feel eyes on me. I glanced up.
Mindy stared down at me, a nervous smile on her lips, her eyes hopeful. “It’s going to be fun. Promise.”
I fought the urge to shift in my chair. “Not my scene.”
A scoff sounded behind me. “And what is your scene? Stealing candy from babies?” Oscar shot back.
I ignored him, turning back to the papers in front of me. But I sensed that Mindy hadn’t moved.
“We could always do something else—”
“Roan, need you in my office,” a voice boomed.
I’d never been happier for my boss to call me. I didn’t want to be an ass, but I had no interest in Mindy or any of my other coworkers. I rose from my desk chair and strode through the sea of desks, not making eye contact with anyone.
Rob looked up from his laptop. “Shut the door.”
I went on alert. That wasn’t a typical request. Our Fish and Wildlife office wasn’t overly formal or secretive. I quietly shut the door and took a seat.
“Got a call about a slain animal. Deer. Want you to check it out.”
My brow furrowed. “Hunter that just left it there?”
Rob shook his head. “Not that kind of death. Sounds like someone sliced it to hell. And not the kind of cuts a hunter makes.”
My jaw went hard. “Where?”
“North Ridge trail, about a mile in. Had to let Law know since it’s his jurisdiction. Said he’d meet you up there.”
“Who called it in?” I asked.
“Hiker. Thought it was an animal attack. Just wanted us to know that it was practically on the trail. Didn’t want other hikers to run into any predators.”
“Could be a cougar attack,” I reasoned.
“Could be, but the hiker sent a photo. Cuts look too clean to be tooth and claw.”
My stomach soured, but I jerked my head in a nod and pushed to my feet.
“You want to take Mindy or Oscar with you?” Rob asked.
I just met his stare.
He chuckled. “All right, then. Good luck. Call me when you know something.”
I headed into the bullpen and made my way to my desk. Mindy was still hovering.
“Got a callout?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
“Dead deer.”
Oscar’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t get called out for dead deer.”
I simply shrugged as I grabbed my jacket.
“I could come with you,” Mindy offered. “I don’t have anything on my desk right now.”
“I’m good,” I clipped.
Oscar choked on a laugh, and Mindy glared at him. I made a quick escape toward reception and then headed to the parking lot. The air had warmed a bit, but I still needed a jacket. Climbing into my truck, I started the engine.
It didn’t take long for me to reach the trailhead since our substation was out of town. No one else was parked in the gravel lot, but I couldn’t wait. An unease had settled in my gut that I needed to answer.
Grabbing my pack, I slid out of my vehicle and headed for the trail.
The quiet of the mountain wrapped around me, easing some of that feral energy that seemed to take over my muscles and bones.
I let the silence soothe me, disrupted only by the rustling of pine branches and the occasional bird call.
A hint of a burn took root in my quads as I pushed up the steep incline. I welcomed the fire. It reminded me that I was alive. Real. Human.
It only took fifteen minutes to reach the fallen doe. She lay half on and half off the trail, her neck bent at an unnatural angle. My stomach roiled as I took her in. Such a waste.
I didn’t begrudge someone wanting to hunt if they were going to consume the meat, but I had no respect for trophy killers—the waste of life for some sort of invisible points on a tally. But this wasn’t that either. This was something darker.
“What do you think?” Law called from down the trail.
I didn’t stand or look back, just continued studying the deer. Rob was right. The gashes hadn’t been made by animal claws. They were too precise for that. Too clean.
“A human being did this, not an animal.”
Lawson cursed as he crouched next to me, looking over the doe’s fallen form. “Definitely a knife.”
He tapped out a text. “Got crime scene techs coming out.”
“Good.” I pushed to my feet.
Lawson followed, surveying the space around us. “Saw you leave right after Aspen last night.”
I stiffened. It was a leading question if I’d ever heard one.
When I didn’t respond, Lawson glanced my way, raising his eyebrows.
I scowled at the forest. “Her car was giving her trouble. I followed her home.”
“That was good of you. Seems like you two get along.”
“What is this? Tea and gossip hour?” I snarled. I didn’t usually have to worry about Lawson probing, especially not when it came to women. Because the last thing he wanted was someone asking him those questions. There were too many skeletons in that closet.
Lawson held up both hands. “Just curious. Aspen’s a good woman. You could do a hell of a lot worse.”
“You want me to start asking you about dating prospects?”
The shutters came down over Lawson’s eyes, and I instantly felt like an ass.
I cleared my throat, turning back to the deer. I wasn’t sure what it said about us that we handled blood and death better than relationships, but we always had. “What do you think?”
Lawson followed my line of sight, taking in the scene again. “Those marks there?”
He pointed to the deer’s neck, and I nodded.
“They’re hesitant as if the attacker still hadn’t fully gotten up the nerve.” Lawson pointed to the deer’s middle. “Those are deeper, more confident.”
He looked up and met my gaze. “Our boy’s getting used to killing.”