Page 85 of Shephard

“There is no other way to live. Something is off about the victims and the way they were killed. It seemed ritualistic or maybe a threat to someone. I’ve seen a significant number of murders in my career and to not be able to identify the victims is a clear indication I’m right.”

“What’s on the drive? Have you had a chance to look it over?” I was more than eager to get my hands on it.

“Not yet, but it’s from the coroner, the woman you saw at the bar tonight. She insisted we meet and said there was something I needed to see. She wouldn’t tell me what it was. But you were right about the paralyzing drug.”

I took a deep breath.

She studied my reaction, a slight smirk remaining on her face. “Maggie is never bothered by anything or anyone, but I could swear she was afraid of sharing the information with me. Fromwhat she said, there are some discrepancies with the injuries. She wanted me to see the results.”

“You could get fired. You both could. Does that matter?”

She nursed her drink for a few minutes and I let her be. After she poured another round, I sat back in my chair. She was a tough one alright, almost as much as I was. “Not in the least. I know I could get fired, but as my mama always told me, nothing worth having comes without issues and Maggie won’t back down to anyone, male or female or bear.”

I had to chuckle. “Maybe so, but you need to be careful.”

“Why?”

“Because the man with the assassin’s rifle was working for someone highly dangerous. We were seen. He was almost killed. His mission wasn’t completed. A recipe for danger.”

“Maybe, but the guy wasn’t a pro. We’d be dead if he was.” She studied me and it was as if a light bulb was going off. “Unless we were meant to remain alive.”

“Possible.”

“Talk to me. Please.”

“About what?”

She was exasperated as hell. “Your past has returned. Hasn’t it?”

My jaw was clenched almost immediately. “I have no reason to believe that.”

“Bullshit.”

“If you’re telling me the truth, then I need to think about my past cases. I had my share of threats. Every visitor I look at now I question in my mind. I’ve even questioned the motives of an associate I work with.”

“Why?”

“He disappeared and I saw him with a strange-looking guy the other day.”

“Strange-looking guy?”

As she told the story, my hackles became more raised than before.

A part of me needed to tell her that I had my doubts the recent incidents had anything to do with her. “The first murder was almost three months ago?”

“Yes, give or take. Why?”

I played the timing in my head once again. Conspiracy theory or not, I planned on contacting Russ. He was the catalyst. “Because if you’re determined to look into this case, you need to consider all options.”

“Does that mean you’re going to help me?” Now her smile was way too seductive. “You do have the kind of skills every park ranger would die for.”

Helping her would mean putting myself out in the open, something I could barely tolerate.

“That remains to be seen,” I told her. “But you need to be very careful. I know you’re stubborn, but these people mean business.”

“Careful like you?”

“I’m trained to handle assassins and almost every dangerous situation. You’re not.”