Page 32 of Outlaw Ridge: Jesse
Jesse read the article’s text, his jaw tightening with every word.
County Sheriff Tim Reardon, a longtime advocate for juvenile rehabilitation, believes that hunting skills translate to discipline, which translates to rehabilitation. His program works with troubled teens and adults, teaching them survival tactics, tracking, and endurance in an effort to redirect their energy into something constructive.
Jesse let out a slow breath, glancing at Lauren. “Seventeen years ago, Reardon was out here mentoring troubled kids through a survivalist’s training program. And look who’s right there with him.” He tapped the screen where Reggie’s image loomed in the background.
“Reardon didn’t mention this either,” she muttered.
“No, he sure as hell didn’t.” Jesse dropped down onto the edge of her desk, his mind racing. “And if Reggie was following Reardon’s lead like some kind of disciple, that means Reardon had more influence over him than he let on.”
Lauren’s fingers drummed on her laptop. “Do you think he knew what Reggie was doing?”
“I think it’s time we start asking a hell of a lot more questions.”
He stood to send Hallie a text so she could question Reardon about this, but before he could do that, the door opened, andHallie stuck her head in. One look at her face, and Jesse could tell she was pissed.
“Halfway through giving her statement, Belinda decided she should have a lawyer after all,” Hallie snarled. “Of course, Reardon pressured her into doing that.”
Lauren sighed, and she turned the laptop so that Hallie could read the article and see the photo of Reardon and Reggie.
“Well, well,” Hallie muttered. “I’ll definitely be asking Reardon about that.”
Jesse very much wanted to hear what the man had to say. “Does this mean we have to wait for the lawyer before Belinda will show us where she buried her brother?”
Hallie’s mouth moved as if she was about to smile, but Jesse saw her tamp down that reaction. And he soon found out why.
“No, Belinda says she’ll take us to the site now,” Hallie said.
Yeah, he understood the reaction. They were going to see Reggie’s grave, and while that was an investigative box that needed to be ticked, it also meant Lauren having to step into the nightmare of the past.
“I’m getting Griff to take the interview with Dr. Graves, Hallie added, “so If you’re ready, we can leave right now.”
Jesse met Lauren’s gaze, reading the same determination in her eyes that he felt in his gut. She would do this. She would take this trip back to hell. And Jesse intended to take it with her.
Chapter Twelve
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Lauren sat in the passenger’s seat of the cruiser, staring out at the passing landscape as Jesse drove them toward the trail that Belinda had mapped out for them. This was the Texas Hill Country. Rugged and beautiful. Tourists came from other parts of the country to see the famous bluebonnets and other wildflowers.
But at the moment, Lauren couldn’t quite appreciate that beauty. Because soon, they’d be trudging through those flowers to locate the remains of her abductor.
She wanted to see those remains. To put that part of her past behind her. To know once and for all that Reggie couldn’t come after her again. But there was a price to pay for that peace. The flashbacks. The memories. The sickening dread that had twisted her up inside.
Lauren just kept reminding herself that she wouldn’t have to go through it alone. Jesse would be with her every step of the way.
Behind them, Hallie’s cruiser followed, carrying Belinda and Reardon. They’d all come looking for a body, and they were close now. A mile away. And Lauren soon saw one of those memories.
The convenience store where Lauren had stumbled in, barefoot and bleeding, sixteen years ago.
It was still there, the only business out in this rural area, and she could swear that nothing about it had been changed or updated in the past sixteen years. The memory clawed its way back—fluorescent lights too bright, the cashier’s startled expression, her own voice hoarse and raw as she begged for help.
She forced in a breath, focusing on the road ahead. Jesse sat beside her, silent but his frequent glances at her told her that he was keeping a close eye on her.
Jesse shifted beside her. “So, I was thinking… after we get through this investigation, you and I should go on a real date.”
She turned her head slightly, arching a brow at him. “A date?”
“Yeah.” He was acting all casual, but she could tell he was watching her closely. “You know, dinner, maybe a movie. Something normal.”
