Ranger Courage

so much weight, she hadn’t been able to wear it.
He missed her. Every day. It’d been five long years since Melissa’s death. The loss had become hollower and more poignant with time. Weston couldn’t imagine moving on, falling in love, and getting married again. Yet a part of him yearned for a second chance at happiness.
The door to the house opened, and Weston tucked the wedding rings back inside his shirt. Avery appeared. She hugged her grandmother before strolling to her car. In her hand was a tinfoil-wrapped object. Probably her slice of chocolate cake. Weston’s lips tipped up thinking of their teasing exchange in the kitchen.
Just as he pulled away from his hiding spot to follow Avery home, his cell phone rang. Luke’s name flashed across the navigation screen. Weston hit the button on his steering wheel to accept the call from his fellow ranger. “Hey, man, congrats on your daughter. Love the name Ava Marie. How’s Megan?”
“Getting some much deserved rest. Ava’s being checked out by the doctor in the nursery, so I have a few minutes to talk. What’s going on with Avery?”
Weston gave Luke a quick rundown of the events. His fellow ranger listened carefully, only interrupting to ask questions for clarity. Avery’s taillights glowed and her turn signal flashed. Weston mimicked her movements, keeping several car lengths behind. There wasn’t much traffic this time of night, which made following her easier. It, unfortunately, also made his official state vehicle more noticeable.
“You believe the murder may be connected to Avery’s dad?” Luke asked, once Weston was done talking.
“She thinks so. It’s not a bad theory. Kenneth Madison worked for the Union County Sheriff’s Department for over twenty years. Criminals tend to hold grudges, and if our killer was in jail, it’s possible he’s had a lot of time to plan and stew.”
“I suppose. Seems to me, though, the most logical target is Avery. Have you asked about former boyfriends?”
“Absolutely. Her last serious relationship was with a prosecutor in Houston. His name is Jeffrey Strikes, and they were engaged until last year.” Although Avery hadn’t provided many details, he sensed the relationship had been troubled. “Jeffrey was attending a conference at the time of the murder. Rock solid alibi. The few guys she dated in college have all moved on and gotten married.”
“What about professionally? Cops make enemies.”
“I’m not taking anything off the table. I’ve got investigators running down the people she’s arrested, starting with the biggest cases first. I’ve also called Grady in for assistance.”
Grady West was another ranger with Company A. The three of them—Weston, Luke, and Grady—were also good friends.
“I hate to drag him away from his family,” Weston continued. Grady had a wife and two children. “But I don’t see any way around it. I can’t leave Avery alone and this case is bigger than I anticipated.”
“No, you made the right call.” Luke huffed out a breath. “Okay, let’s say Avery is right and this is connected to her father. Kenneth Madison died fifteen years ago. Does the sheriff’s department keep records that old?”
“Partially. If the case ended in a guilty plea or a conviction, it’s been destroyed. However, if it’s unsolved, they still have it. I’ve requested those files to be pulled. Trouble is, that leaves a lot of wiggle room. The killer could easily be overlooked.” Rain sprinkled his windshield. Weston flipped on the wipers. “One of Kenneth’s former partners, Mike Steel, is still a detective with the sheriff’s department. Avery’s reached out to him, but we haven’t heard back yet.”
“I’ll contact some of the retired detectives I know in the area. Maybe something about this case will ring a bell with them.”
“You just had a baby, Luke. Give the contacts to me—”
“Not a chance, Weston. Avery’s my friend. And Megan’s.” Luke paused and seemed to realize his tone was harsher than he intended. He took a deep breath. “Making a few phone calls is easy enough to do from the hospital. Besides, these detectives know me. They’re more likely to be candid if I speak to them.”
“I appreciate it. Just don’t mention the note. We’re trying to keep it out of the media.”
“Understood. I’ll be discreet.”
“Thanks, Luke.”
He hung up. Avery took another turn and Weston followed. The street bordered the university, but on the opposite side of campus from the Fairman Building. Houses were on one side of the road and a thick row of trees lined the other, hiding the campus from view.
Suddenly, Avery pulled over and got out of her vehicle. Weston quickly closed the distance between them. She wouldn’t have deviated from the plan if something wasn’t wrong.
“What is it?” he asked, climbing out of his truck. The steady drizzle pelted his shoulders and ran off the brim of his cowboy hat.
Avery shrugged on a tactical jacket with the word POLICE placed on the back. “I saw a flashlight beam in the woods. I have to check it out. We’ve had several thefts on campus in the last few months. One was reported tonight in the last hour. A laptop taken from the library, which isn’t far from here.”
Weston didn’t argue. As chief of police for the university, Avery was responsible for its safety. “Okay. Let’s go.”
He undid the snap on his holster but didn’t draw his weapon. They couldn’t be sure the person in the woods had a nefarious purpose. It could be a student taking a shortcut to the street from the university. Or a neighbor looking for a lost dog. There were any number of legitimate reasons someone could be tramping through the trees.
They crossed the street. The scent of pine and wet leaves mingled with the sound of the rain. Lightning flashed, illuminating the surrounding woods, and Weston spotted a figure dressed in a black raincoat. Judging from the height and build, the person was male.
“Excuse me, sir,” Avery called out. “Campus police. I need to—”
The man spun. Something whistled past Weston’s ear and thudded into the tree behind him. Bark exploded, tossing