AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Eli nodded. “What if I do and he’s still using? Or worse, what if his criminal record involves more than simply stealing a car?”
“Then you’ll cross that bridge when you get there.” Sienna placed a hand on his forearm. “But there’s just as much chance that Dalton has gotten his act together. A lot can change in five years. Isn’t it better to approach the issue with positivity and hopefulness?”
That sounded like a recipe for disaster. Sienna’s advice highlighted yet another difference between them. She always looked for the best in everything. Eli’s childhood was spent dodging his father’s flying fists and navigating his mother’s dark depression, and as a result, he was trained to anticipate every injury or disappointment.
Those same skills made him an excellent Texas Ranger. But maybe they’d crippled him in his personal life. They certainly hadn’t been helpful in dealing with Sienna’s choices five years ago.
Eli sighed again as he turned into a quaint neighborhood. Cookie-cutter homes intermingled with older custom-designed houses. “I’ll spend some time thinking about it. And praying on it.”
Sienna nodded. “If you need to talk about anything, I’m here.”
Her kind words only drove home the terrible way Eli had torn apart their relationship. She was carrying so much on her narrow shoulders: a murder charge, a sick father, a house that’d burned down, killers hunting her, and a missing woman. Yet Sienna didn’t hesitate to offer her support. She was incredible.
Before Eli could say as much, his cell phone rang. Lieutenant Vikki Rodriguez’s name flashed on the screen embedded in his truck’s dash. His boss. Eli quickly pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road and fished his cell out of the cup holder to answer the call.
“Good morning, Ranger Goodwin.” The lieutenant’s words were clipped, but not harsh. They’d always had a good working relationship built on mutual respect. Her leadership was the entire reason Company A was such a close-knit group. “I’ve read the report you sent last night regarding the missing woman, Ruby Morales, and the murder of Albert Greer, along with the attacks perpetrated on Sienna Evans. You make a compelling argument why these incidents are connected, however, Chief Ramirez insists you steer clear of these investigations.”
“I’m not the only one he’s blocking, ma’am. He won’t allow Cole or Ryker to investigate the potential connections either.”
Vikki hummed and the sound of paperwork shuffling came over the line. “I’m aware. I’ve read their reports as well.”
“Chief Ramirez believes that Ruby Morales has simply run off, but there’s evidence she’s being held against her will. That’s not something I can ignore.” He glanced at Sienna. “Nor can I allow an innocent woman to be charged with murder.”
She was quiet for a long moment. “I respect your dedication to the truth, Eli, but you don’t have the jurisdiction to work these cases. You also haven’t been cleared by the doctors for active duty. If Chief Ramirez insists on creating a ruckus by filing an official complaint, then I won’t be able to protect you from the repercussions. Do you understand?”
He could be sanctioned. Or lose his job. Eli loved being a Texas Ranger. He didn’t know what life looked like without a career in law enforcement, but he couldn’t abandon Sienna to save his own skin. Ruby either. He had a duty and a responsibility to see this through. Otherwise, his badge meant nothing.
“Yes, ma’am.” Eli scanned his surroundings for any sign of danger. Sienna caught his gaze with eyebrows raised in silent question. He shook his head to show they were okay. “I appreciate the warning, Lieutenant.”
“I suppose ordering you to stand down won’t do a lick of good, will it?”
“No, ma’am, with all due respect, it won’t.”
Eli had never bucked the rules before. He couldn’t imagine what his boss was thinking, but if the lieutenant was surprised by his response, there was no sign of it in her voice. “I’ve ordered Cole and Ryker to investigate the attacks against you and Sienna thoroughly. If there’s any evidence these cases are linked to Albert’s murder or Ruby’s disappearance, then I can use that to persuade the chief to give us more leeway. In the meantime, be careful, Eli. I don’t want to lose you over this.”
“I pray it won’t come to that.”
“So do I.” She hung up.
Eli replaced his cell phone in the cup holder. He put the truck back into Drive and continued on to Amelia’s house.
Sienna’s expression was filled with concern as she fiddled again with her seat belt. “I’ve said it before, but I feel the need to say it again. You don’t have to do this, Eli. I’m capable of working this case on my own.”
“With a killer chasing you?” He slanted a glance in her direction. “No, Sienna. Besides, if Ruby called her grandmother begging for help after she went missing, then there’s evidence she’s alive and being held against her will. No one in law enforcement is looking for her. I can’t walk away.”
He pulled up to a tiny bungalow. Crisp white shutters framed the windows, creating a contrast against the light blue siding. A late-model sedan sat in the driveway and neatly trimmed bushes spotted the flowerbeds. Birds flitted from feeder to feeder while a squirrel scurried up an oak tree. The front step was clear of leaves and pine needles. A broom rested against a rocking chair.
Eli got out of the truck and circled the vehicle to open Sienna’s door. A prickle of nerves skated up the back of his spine. He turned, half-expecting to see danger heading his direction. His hand flew to the handgun holstered at his waist.
Nothing. No one was there. His gaze swept across the front of the house and then the surrounding area, searching for signs of trouble, but everything appeared as it should. An elderly man weeded his front yard three doors down while a mom wrangled her toddler into an SUV across the street. The shouts of children playing in the park attached to the elementary school carried on the wind.
“What is it?” Sienna asked. Her muscles were tense, her gaze also searching the area.
Eli rolled his shoulders. “Just a feeling.” He released the hold on his holster, mentally admonishing himself for jumping at imaginary shadows. “Sorry. Maybe I’m more tense than I realized…” His attention snagged on the bungalow’s front door.
It gaped open.
His entire body went on high alert as he ordered Sienna behind him and then quickly traveled up the walkway. As he grew closer, a knot tightened his belly. It was possible the older woman had simply gone out to the porch to sweep it and then hadn’t closed her door well when she went back inside. But Eli wouldn’t assume the best-case scenario. Not after a thug had nearly tried to kill Sienna twice. Not after Albert’s murder.
