Page 7 of Ranger Belief
And all of that tenderness was on full display when he came to a stop in front of her. His blue eyes scanned her face before flickering toward the retreating taillights of Marcus’s truck. “Was that Breanna? Everything okay?”
“Yes. She just came to check on me. Did Sheriff Morrison have anything helpful to say?”
“No. Chief Deputy Williams requested she be the one to interview Ava’s parents, since they know each other. I figured there was no harm in it. We all want to find the person responsible for this. Still, it’s going to be a long night. I don’t want to leave the scene until forensics is finished.”
“There’s a free cabin next to mine.” Laney lived on site, in a small two-bedroom on the lake. Housing was a perk offered to park rangers at Piney Woods, but many didn’t accept. The cabins were rustic, and living on the grounds meant being the first called when there was an issue. Laney had never minded. She loved her job, and now, as acting superintendent, it was a lot easier to handle urgent matters if she was on site at all times. “You can crash there while the investigation is ongoing.”
Jonah kept a go bag in his truck at all times, and like her, he lived simply. His apartment was bare-bones, so the accommodations wouldn’t bother him. He flashed her a slight smile. “Thanks.”
They were standing near Jonah’s truck. Laney leaned against it. She was more tired, and more emotionally drained, than she wanted to admit. Seeing Breanna’s distress and panic had driven home just how close she’d come to losing her life tonight. It was taking everything to hold herself together.
As if Scout could sense her distress, she pressed her body against Laney’s leg before sitting on her foot. The dog’s solid presence was reassuring, but Jonah’s nearness threatened to expose her raw emotions. She bit her lip to keep from crying,thankful for the deep shadows and the other vehicles. They hid her crumbling composure from the other law enforcement.
Jonah hesitated. “Laney…I know you don’t want to talk about it now, but when you do, I’m here.”
She swallowed down the lump in her throat. “I already know that.”
“Yeah, but it helps to hear it out loud. So does this.” Jonah tugged her into his strong arms. He smelled of laundry soap and peppermints. His embrace was familiar and grounding. He breathed out, long and low, as if the mere act of holding her was a reassurance.
She held on, still fighting back her tears. “Don’t make me cry, Jonah, or I’ll never forgive you.”
“A good cry is what you need sometimes.”
“Oh yeah? When’s the last time you had one?”
“Pretty sure it was when you broke up with me.”
She heard the buried smile in his voice. “Liar.” She pulled in a deep breath and let the solidness of her best friend’s presence soothe her. “You and I made a terrible couple.”
They saw the world in different ways. Jonah was a pessimist where she was an optimist, he was fond of reading and quiet nights in, while she enjoyed socializing and parties. Their relationship had only lasted a month, but interspersed with their silly fights and different worldviews were deep conversations and genuine respect. Laney had never been one to drag her feet when breaking things off, but with Jonah, it’d been difficult. And when he asked if they could still be friends, she was relieved, but hesitant. She hadn’t known if he truly meant it.
But he had.
Over the next fifteen years, Jonah had become a fixture in her life. They’d supported each other through everything. Career changes, the end of relationships, losing loved ones. He was her date to weddings. Late-night conversations, trips all over the US,care packages when she was on deployment, and the occasional fight had cemented their relationship. Years ago, early in his career, Jonah had been shot and injured in the line of duty. Laney dropped everything to move in and take care of him. She knew he’d do the same for her in a heartbeat. Other than Breanna, Jonah was the only person in the world she relied on. He’d never let her down.
Which was exactly why she’d called him to head up this case.
She sighed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” He brushed a kiss on the top of her head and then released her. His gaze dropped to the bruises on her neck, and he grimaced. “Your injuries need to be photographed for the record, and you need to give an official statement of what happened.”
He was right. She knew that. But Laney couldn’t be in a room with someone—even another professional—and bare herself in that way. It was too…vulnerable. She licked her lips. “Will you do it?”
“Of course.”
His voice was soft, but the shadows hid his expression. A strange tension filled the air. Laney's heart skipped a beat. She sensed there were things Jonah wasn't saying, things hovering just beneath the surface of his careful control. And for a moment, she was tempted to step back into his embrace. To hold on and not let go.
But she didn't. Laney couldn't afford to.
She'd learned long ago that romance didn't last. Promises could be broken. Forever wasn't guaranteed. Just as vividly as Laney could remember building her first fire with her dad, she could recall the day he walked out the door, suitcase in hand. Overnight, he became a stranger who chose his mistress over his wife and daughters.
Her mother had never been the same after their dad left. She’d cried for weeks and struggled to get out of bed. When she finally pulled herself together, it’d only been for the sake of her two girls. She’d done everything possible to be a good mother, but there was a hollowness to Eileen Torres that never went away. Laney could still remember sitting on the stairs during a visit home one Christmas, nearly two decades after her father left, and watching her mother stifle sobs late at night while looking at her wedding album.
Some betrayals cut too deep to be mended. Some risks were too great to take.
So she kept the line drawn. Friendship was safe. Anything more was a gamble she couldn't take.
Even with Jonah.
