by Barb Han
He climbed into the cab of the truck and managed to slip over her, which was a feat considering his brawn and height.
Once he settled into the driver’s seat, he touched her hand. “You’re safe, Courtney.”
“She’s dead, Jordan. I couldn’t save her.”
“I know. There was nothing you could do, Courtney. It wasn’t your fault,” he said.
So, why did it feel like it?
* * *
JORDAN HANDED COURTNEY a second cup of chamomile. She’d showered in the guest bathroom and put on borrowed clothes from Jordan’s sister-in-law Leah, who was close to the same size. Deacon and Leah lived on the property, like the other siblings, along with their son, Carter.
“You haven’t eaten dinner yet, and it’s late,” he said to Courtney as she took the mug from him. She was curled up on the couch in the family room and looked a little too right being in his family home. He’d poured himself a cup of coffee and was half-done by the time she spoke.
“I don’t think I could keep anything down.” She’d sat in that spot and stared at the same wall for the past twenty minutes.
“What about the soup? And maybe some crackers?” he urged for lack of a better idea. Feeding someone was something he figured his mother would have tried to do in this situation, and his mother was usually right about these things.
“I could try.” There was no emotion in those words, and he figured she was solely trying to appease him. If it kept her healthy and strong, he’d take it.
He moved into the kitchen and heated a bowl. He found a tray and set the warmed soup on it along with a handful of salty crackers. After arranging the items on the tray, he returned to the family room. He set the tray down next to her.
“Or we could eat at the table if you’d like it better,” he said.
“You don’t have to fuss over me, Jordan. I’ll be all right in a minute.” Again, there was no conviction in her words.
“You can be whatever you need to be, Courtney. I’ve known you a helluva long time. I know how much of a fighter you are, so I know you won’t let this win. But I also know that closing up and not talking about something only makes it fester. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I know you—”
She put her hand up to stop him from finishing.
“No. You need to hear this. You’re one of the strongest people I know. I admire your courage. But you don’t have to go it alone. No one has to be that strong,” he said.
“Easy for you to say, Jordan. You’re literally the toughest person I’ve ever met. You have a family to lean on who supports each other and genuinely cares. I’ve had myself to depend on. I’m good at being alone.” She didn’t look him in the eye. Instead, she rolled the edge of the pillow in between her thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know how to let anyone else in. I don’t lean on other people because they’ll only let you down or leave you. Maybe not at first, but at some point, they leave. I’m not going through it again. I don’t care who it’s with or how long I’ve known them. You think I’m strong. In reality, I’m not built for that kind of disappointment.”
Her words were knife stabs straight through the middle of his chest. He knew better than to take them to heart. Since her mind seemed made up, he decided not to push it. She was overwrought with emotion. Still, she wasn’t alone and needed to know it.
“You may not think I’m going to be there for you, and I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. But I need you to know that I won’t walk away from my child. That baby growing in you binds us, like it or not. I have every intention of being there for him or her,” he stated.
She didn’t argue, and he could see by her body language that she was slowly letting go of the anger she’d felt moments ago. It would be easy to defend himself to her, but she needed proof that he would be there. Words amounted to little more than empty promises to her. He could understand that when he thought about her upbringing and then what had happened last year.
Actions spoke the loudest. It would take time.
He slowly sipped his coffee in silence. Jordan was patient. Patience won battles, and this was one war he couldn’t afford to lose, no matter how much her words wounded him. They were only words. Actions were better indicators of what someone was thinking. Hers had been to cling to him in her moment of distress.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
Jordan excused himself and made the trek through the kitchen and down the hallway. This home was built before open-concept living was popular. The ceilings were high and the rooms large. It had a nice flow with the main room in the front hallway, which led to the kitchen.
Zach opened the door before Jordan could get there. His cousin had a key and was used to letting himself in. He’d practically grown up at the ranch along with his sister, Amy.
“How is she?” Zach asked before Jordan could greet his cousin.
Jordan twisted his face and lowered his voice. “Not good.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see the signs before now,” Zach started in. “She’s showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and I have to assume it’s connected to what she experienced in Dallas. The department declared her mentally competent in her file, so I didn’t question it.”
“She’s too smart for them. They didn’t know.” Jordan took a moment to let Zach’s revelation sink in. “She has nightmares.”
“Oh.”
“I know she told you that I’m the father.” There was no sense dancing around the topic.
“Congratulations.” Zach pulled Jordan into a brotherly hug.
“Thanks, cousin. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around being a father, but none of that will matter if she’s not okay.” There. He’d said it. He didn’t even realize that’s what was eating away at him until just now.
“I understand. Let’s take care of her as much as she wants us to,” Zach said.
“How are we supposed to do that? Because I seem to be making it worse.” Jordan didn’t like saying those words, even though they were true. He feared he was making everything harder than it needed to be, saying all the wrong things.
“We’ll figure it out,” Zach reassured. “In the meantime, I have news about what happened tonight.”
This was the first conversation he’d had about having a baby to someone other than Courtney, and he appreciated the support from Zach. “Let’s go talk to her.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jordan led Zach into the family room, where he was surprised to see that Courtney had finished off the bowl of soup and eaten more than half of the crackers. The tray was sitting on the coffee table and Kitty—it was the name given the feral cat who kept showing up for meals and eventually wormed its way inside the house—was curled up in Courtney’s lap as she absently stroked its fur. Courtney glanced at him with a look of apology, which he acknowledged with a nod and half a smile.
One great thing about being around someone he had history with, someone like Courtney, was that words weren’t always necessary to communicate. A look, a nod could say so much between two people who were tuned in to each other.
“What’s going on, Zach?” She turned her attention to her boss, who took a seat on the chair next to the leather couch.
Jordan took a seat on the matching couch opposite Courtney.
“The initial evidence is pointing to this being a separate crime,” Zach started. “Rhonda Keller was home for an extended stay after filing for divorce from her new husband. She’d been communicating with her boyfriend from high school, Hughey Brown.”
“I remember him. Wasn’t he the captain of the basketball team?” Courtney asked, and Jordan rocked his head.
“The two decided to meet up and party, which they did in the field. Hughey says they kissed, but as things started to get hot and heavy she ‘freaked out’ and started hitting him for breaking up with her in high school to go out with
Susan Wells,” Zach continued.
This was like a blast from the past. Jordan remembered hearing about it during football practice when he was in school.
“The two argued, and Hughey says he decided he didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes he’d made in high school, so he left. He said she might’ve been on something other than the tequila shots they did,” Zach continued.
“So, he just left her there?” Courtney’s shock was evident in her voice.
“She drove away from their meet-up spot but ended up with a flat tire.” Zach rubbed the scruff on his chin. “Hughey claims he didn’t know about it. He says the field is where it ended between the two of them. He told her to grow up and then took off. He says her car was there so he didn’t worry about her getting home.”
“What was his reaction to hearing she was murdered?” Courtney asked.
“He broke down and started crying. His demeanor changed almost immediately. He said he thought she’d filed assault charges or asked for a restraining order to get him back for leaving her again.” Zach’s brow arched. “But when we told him the news, he seemed genuinely shocked.”
“He was a jerk in high school, and he still sounds like a jerk, though,” Courtney said. “What kind of person gets drunk with someone and then leaves them to fend for themselves instead of seeing them home and especially with a killer on the loose?”
“Not anyone I want my sister or cousins to know,” Zach stated.
“Everyone is on high alert right now. That was a jerk move.” Courtney stroked Kitty a little faster.
“He left her vulnerable.” Zach paused a beat. “But there are no witnesses to corroborate his story.”
“Does that mean you think Hughey might be the killer?” Courtney’s hands trembled.
“He’s being detained while we decide on whether or not we’re going to file criminal charges against him. We’re looking at public intoxication for one and, of course, more serious charges if that’s what the evidence dictates,” Zach informed. “Rhonda had a flat tire, and the pickup you saw might’ve stopped to render aid. If Hughey’s story holds water, Rhonda might’ve trusted the wrong person.”
“It’s happened before. Ted Bundy comes to mind, but there were plenty of others. This guy might’ve walked with a limp or a cane. He could’ve disguised himself to look older and maybe even a little feeble in order to lower her defenses. She’d had a little too much to drink, so her judgment wasn’t the best,” Courtney speculated.
“He could’ve offered her a ride into town,” Zach added.
“Once she’s inside his vehicle, he thinks he has it made—and he probably does.” Courtney worked the corner of the pillow in between her thumb and forefinger. “Except this has to be related to the Jacobstown Hacker. We’d assumed that he’s an opportunistic killer based on Breanna’s murder. Maybe he cruises around looking for targets.”
“That’s a good point. The odds of him driving up at the exact moment she needs help are slim, though,” Zach pointed out.
“And the fact that Rhonda got a flat tire in the first place bugs me. I mean, it happens, but right at the moment she gets into a fight with her ex from high school? And then an opportunistic killer happens upon her?” Courtney issued a sharp breath.
“The killer could’ve wandered upon the fight without either of them knowing. He might’ve been scouting a location. That property backs up to the Kent Ranch and we all know Rushing Creek meanders nearby,” Zach said.
“It’s possible that’s how he’s been accessing the land all along,” Jordan agreed. “I don’t think we have any cameras on that side of the fencing.”
“If he was watching the fight and realized she’d be a good mark, maybe he put a hole in her tire or created a slow leak,” Courtney said.
“All of which makes sense,” Zach concluded.
“And then there’s the idea that Rhonda’s argument got heated with Hughey and his temper flew out of control. The words turned physical and he killed her,” Courtney said.
“Mike said there were multiple blows to the head with something that resembled the blade of an ax.” Zach’s face twisted in disgust at the coroner’s finding. The thought that any human being was sick enough to do that to another person was mind-boggling.
“The killer might not have been planning on targeting anyone tonight. Maybe he came upon the scene and figured this was the time to act,” Courtney offered.
“In which case he might’ve made his first mistake,” Zach said. “We’ll check her system for ketamine.”
“I interrupted him. It could be the reason for the change in MO.” There was so much sadness in Courtney’s voice when she spoke those words aloud.
Jordan knew the guy they were looking for was calculating. This crime didn’t fit the MO of the Jacobstown Hacker. He didn’t normally strike the head. In fact, there was normally no evidence he’d been at a crime scene. Zach was still trying to figure out if the victims were killed ahead of time and taken to the spot where he’d cut off their foot or if the victim was drugged and carried to the spot. Someone who’d been bludgeoned in the head with an ax multiple times as opposed to one clean whack on the left ankle right above the foot didn’t fit the bill. The date-rape drug ketamine had been found in Breanna’s system, which could’ve explained why she didn’t put up a fight. And Courtney made a good point about interrupting the killer.
Then there was Hughey to consider. He’d always been known for his bad temper. In high school he’d pushed a kid down the stairs for cutting him off. Being a star on the basketball team had gotten him out of suspension. The coach had smoothed things over with the dean of students. Athletes in Texas high schools were treated too much like rock stars.
Someone angry, who’d just been in a heated argument with an ex, might whack her the minute she turned around. But why would there be an ax anywhere near them? How would that have happened, exactly? Did the two take the ax into the woods to their love nest? And where was this supposed love nest to begin with? It had to be in the field somewhere. Only an idiot went into the trees and underbrush after dark. It was cold outside, so they wouldn’t be eaten by mosquitoes, but there were plenty of opportunistic animals lurking around. Animals that would no doubt pick an easy meal.
There were a lot of unanswered questions in this case that would leave the town spinning. Half the folks were out on neighborhood watches, trying to protect each other and keep each other safe. That could also explain the killer’s change in MO. Maybe he was starting to act out of desperation.
“Any word on the Barstock sighting?” Courtney asked Zach.
“No one else has seen him. Just Liesel at the diner.” Zach’s phone started dinging.
“Any chance she confused him with someone else?” Courtney asked.
“No.” Zach checked his screen and then glanced over at Jordan. “Would you mind if I spoke to Courtney alone for a minute?”
Jordan instinctively checked with Courtney, who nodded.
“Not a problem. I’ll be in the next room if you need me,” Jordan said. He left the room quickly. Although he wasn’t eager for the conversation to happen.
If he had to guess, Zach was telling Courtney to take leave. Not because of the pregnancy but because of what had happened earlier that night and the signs of PTSD. After what she’d seen and experienced, Zach would want a full evaluation on her mental fitness before allowing her back on the job. Being put on desk duty had been difficult. He feared this news would set her back even more.
Jordan busied himself in the kitchen.
Much to his surprise, Zach strolled in a couple of minutes later.
“Everything okay?” he asked his cousin.
“She asked for you,” Zach informed. “I can see myself out.”
Jordan said goodbye before excusing himself and walking into the family room. Courtney sat there, feet tucked underneath h
er legs, looking more at home than he’d seen her in days.
“I have to take a few days leave,” she said, and she sounded resigned to the fact.
“Would it make a difference if I talked to Zach?” He wanted to do something to help.
“It’s protocol, but I suspect there’s more to it than that if I’m being honest.” She issued a sharp breath and fixed her gaze on a spot on the wall across from her. “I can see it in his face. He’s worried about me.”
Jordan took a seat next to her. “I’m sorry.”
“He’s right. I’ve been trying to convince myself that I’m fine, but I’m not and the truth just keeps stalking me,” she said. “It’s not going away unless I face it head-on. That’s been made painfully clear to me.”
“Is this about what happened last year?” He didn’t want to push her, but he knew she hadn’t honestly spoken about the incident in Dallas with anyone.
“What do you know about it?” She didn’t look at him, and that was good. His heart went out to her for everything she’d been through, and he had a feeling her pain might be present in her eyes.
“Only what was in the news,” he admitted. This was the time she normally shut down on him and quit talking. Usually he could almost feel the walls going up between them. She’d been through even more tonight, and he saw her strength and bravery. But how much more could one person take? Bottle everything up, shake the bottle and eventually the cap would come shooting off in a massive explosion. Zach could handle the stress that came with the job because he didn’t bottle up his emotions.
Zach also had an amazing support network. He talked about what bothered him, and Jordan knew his cousin encouraged his deputies to take good care of themselves.
Looking at Courtney and not seeing her as fragile but someone who was trying to be too strong, Jordan couldn’t help wondering whom she had to lean on. She’d been honest about that earlier.
“Eight officers killed that day in Dallas were friends or associates of mine. One of them, Decks, was my boyfriend.” The words, spoken slow and deliberate, reminded him of the way she used to talk in high school when she was holding in emotion. “One of the officers killed, the one who was my boyfriend, had a nine-year-old son, Joey.”
