Page 49 of Ranger Belief
“That’s what I thought.” He dropped his hands from her face and stepped back, leaning his large body against the counter. “I care about you, Laney. Truth be told, I’m in love with you andhave been for a long time. I know what I want.” His gaze lifted to meet hers. “I want a life with you. Forever.”
Two warring battles raged inside her. One longed to step back into his embrace and kiss him again. The other was sheer panic at hearing the wordsloveandforevertogether in one declaration. Unable to give in to either desire, her feet stayed rooted to the spot.
Jonah sighed. “I know what I’m saying scares you, sweetheart, but I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. Waiting.” He brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “Figure out what you want. Take the time you need to do it. All I ask is one thing. Don’t kiss me again until you’re certain. My heart can’t take it.”
Her chin trembled. A tornado of emotions whipped through her, stealing her breath and her ability to speak.
Jonah dropped his hand. “I’m going outside to confer with Chief Deputy Williams. She was going to check with the neighbors, see if anyone has a front door camera. We might uncover video of Papa Earl’s attacker.”
Laney nodded. A moment later, the front door closed.
The silence left behind was deafening.
TWENTY-THREE
Drizzle dampened Jonah’s face and hair as he stepped off the small front porch onto the walkway. He’d forgotten his hat in the SUV earlier. One of the patrol cars was gone, but two others still sat at the curb. Chief Deputy Williams was speaking on the phone. She nodded in his direction and held up a finger, indicating he should wait.
Hopefully, she had good news.
Jonah retrieved his cowboy hat from Laney’s SUV, settling it on his head, before tugging on a lightweight rain jacket. The glow from the kitchen window caught his attention. He watched for a moment, but didn’t see Laney. His pulse still hadn’t settled from their kiss.
Had it been a mistake to tell her that he was in love with her? Jonah wasn’t sure. All he knew was that his heart demanded he speak the truth. And after that kiss…well, if there had been any doubts about his feelings, they’d been erased completely. He loved her. Wanted to marry her. Have kids with her. A white-picket fence and a mortgage and arguments over where to spend the holidays. He wanted to wake up next to her, and hold her in his arms as he fell asleep.
He wanted it all.
And buried underneath all of those desires was a bone-deep fear that Laney would reject him. That she’d conclude he wasn’t enough for her. Because after that kiss, he’d seen those walls of hers shooting straight back up.
Hold steady. Have faith. Be patient.
Ryker’s advice rang in his mind. Jonah breathed out and bowed his head. “Lord, I don’t know what the future you have planned for me is, but my heart says Laney is in it. I want her in it. But I’ve done all I can to show her that we belong together. So I lift up this problem to You.”
Considering the danger they faced, and Papa Earl’s unknown condition, it seemed selfish to pray for his relationship with Laney. But Jonah knew how to solve cases. And he trusted the doctors to do all they could for Papa Earl. In those things, he knew the path forward. His relationship with Laney however…that was a gray area that triggered all of his deepest insecurities.
The subsequent peace that washed over him following the prayer centered his emotions. Inexplicably, the burden on his shoulders felt lighter, as if he’d done all he could about his feelings for Laney.
Raising his head, he noticed Chief Deputy Williams finishing up her call. He approached. “Any news?”
“Next-door neighbor has a front doorbell camera. Caught the assailant.” She tapped on the phone screen, pulling up a video.
The footage was grainy, but Jonah could identify Mitchell Caldwell as he stealthily approached the house. A few minutes passed, and then Mitch appeared again, this time running across the grass. He hopped into a black Jeep Cherokee parked across the street and took off.
Jonah stiffened. He’d suspected Mitch was behind the assault, but seeing him on the security footage cemented his suspicions into hard evidence. “I’ll need a copy of this video.”
She nodded. “I’ve already alerted Ryker and Tate to be on the lookout. Laney should advise her rangers as well. Chances are, this mole we’re hunting is going back into hiding somewhere on the park grounds.” The chief deputy frowned. “He took a big risk by attacking Papa Earl. What message is he hoping to send? That he can get to Laney’s family?”
“Maybe.” Something about the entire situation didn’t sit right with Jonah, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. “When we interviewed Garrett, I was certain he was the killer.”
“Me too.”
“Could they be working together?” He mused aloud. “It’s uncommon among killers, but it’s not unheard of. Emilia Knox was involved in a serial killer case in which there were two perpetrators working together... Hold on. Let me call her.” He dialed Emilia’s number and put her on speaker. Quickly, he explained the evidence they had against Mitch and asked about his theory.
Emilia was quiet for a long moment. “There’s no evidence there was more than one assailant in the cabin. And Laney was attacked by only one person. So I think we’re dealing with a single killer. But…it’s possible our killer and Mitch crossed paths. Mitch is desperate, in need of cash, and hiding out in the woods. He could be manipulated or blackmailed into working for the killer.”
“Working how?” Chief Deputy Williams asked.
“By keeping tabs on Laney,” Jonah filled in. “Think about it. Mitch was fishing in an area of the park that was marked as forbidden. When Laney confronted him, he bolted like a scared rabbit. That’s not the action of someone bold enough to march into a cabin or a campsite and murder two people. Mitch was there because Garrett couldn’t be.”
His gaze shot to Breanna’s house. “Garrett was escorted down to the sheriff’s department. He requested his attorney,knew he’d be there for hours. Since he came in willingly and wasn’t under arrest, he would’ve still had his cell phone. He could’ve contacted Mitch at any time. It would explain why Papa Earl was attacked.” He turned back to the chief deputy. “He’s setting up Mitch to take the fall for everything.”
