Page 143 of Valor

“Let me know if this gets too close for you, okay?”

“It is personal,” he all but growls. “But that’s why I want to stay on it.”

Knowing that it’s personal for me too, I just nod. He’s the best on the team and the only one I want on this case. And given that it’s such a small town, it would be impossible to find someone not emotionally affected by the loss.

Without another word, Bill heads off toward his van and climbs inside. I turn back just in time to see the coroner zip up the black body bag.

And I know that even as I haven’t worked many murders, there’s no way it’ll ever get any easier.

“Let’s go get this over with so we can find this monster.”

* * *

“She’s d-d-dead?”Taylor Yates chokes out. “No.” He gets to his feet and heads into the kitchen. “No. She’s not dead.” He retrieves his cell phone off the counter and taps on the screen. I know he’s trying to call her.

Just like I know she won’t answer.

Still, I wait, knowing he needs this for his own processing. Even though watching the emotions play out on his face kills me.

Fear. Disbelief. Fear again. Grief.

“She can’t be gone.” He collapses, so I kneel in front of him and wrap my arms around him. Both of his arms come around me, and he crushes me against him, broken sobbing racking through him.

“I’m so sorry, Taylor. You have no idea how sorry I am.”

“I just—I just talked to her this morning. I was going to make spaghetti for dinner. We were going to watch the new episode ofTracker.She can’t be gone, Gibson. Don’t you see!” He screams it.

“I know. And I promise I will find who did this to her.”

He pulls back, face reddening. “Unless I find them first,” he snarls, rage shoving grief to the wayside. The high school football coach pushes to his feet and heads down his hallway.

“Stay here,” I tell the deputy. She nods in understanding.

I’m just stepping into his bedroom as he’s loading bullets into a magazine. A .45 sits on his bed.

“You do that,it’s murder. No matter how justified.”

“I won’t let them walk free.”

“Neither will I.” I move further into the bedroom, though I don’t go for the gun. Taylor is a good man. One of the best. And I know he won’t use it on me, even if I don’t fully doubt he’ll go looking for vengeance on the one who killed his wife.

I don’t blame him. I’d do the same.

“I won’t let her murderer go free.”

“Taylor.” I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder. “I’m good at my job.”

“I know you are.” Tears still stream down his cheeks.

“Then let me do it. I promise you, I won’t rest until I find whoever did this.”

He stops loading the magazine and turns to sit on the edge of his bed. “Does this have anything to do with what happened to Lani Hunt?”

Since I hadn’t told him where his wife’s body was found, or the significance, his question catches me off guard. “Why do you ask?”

Taylor sniffles and closes his eyes. “Carla’s been acting strange ever since—” He trails off, choking on the words. I remain silent as he gathers himself again. “When Lani was found and you guys said someone used the hospital’s equipment to hold her, Carla realized she might have seen something.”

“Seen what?” I lean in closer, as though it might help me hear better.

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