Page 33 of Ranger Devotion

Tate stepped in front of Preston. “Hold up, man. Let’s discuss this first.”

Preston sidestepped. “I’m not interested.” He tossed a look toward the rest of the room. “If you want to stay with us, then come talk to me and I’ll decide if you can. Otherwise, good luck.”

The room broke apart into groups, the noise level climbing. Annie, her body tense, turned toward Tate. “We can’t let them do that.”

“I don’t see how we can stop them.” He shared her fear, but Preston’s mind was made up. Foolish as it might be, he was an adult who could make his own choices.

“I’ll try to talk some sense into Nick,” Evan said, stepping forward. “Maybe he can convince Preston.”

Brooke nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Annie’s arm. “I’ll do the same with his wife, Cameron. She’s always been more reasonable.”

Evan escorted Brooke across the room. They intercepted Nick and Cameron, steering them away from Preston to a corner. But it was Caleb who drew Tate’s attention.

Caleb sat back in the armchair, a satisfied smirk on his lips as he watched the room spiral into barely controlled panic. One finger moved against the armrest, slow and steady. No fear. No huddled whispering. While his former classmates argued about whom to trust, Caleb looked like a man watching a show he’d paid good money to see. And when Preston’s voice cracked on an order to Dylan, something flickered across Caleb’s face that came dangerously close to excitement.

Unease coiled in Tate’s gut. The two-perpetrator theory Luke had suggested resurfaced, and this time it took shape.

One mission. Two killers. An inside man who knew their history, their phone numbers, their movements. Someone who could scatter them across the ranch with a few texts. And an outside man, strong enough to match Tate blow for blow, comfortable operating in an ice storm.

Caleb and Dwayne?

No, that didn’t sit right. Tate might not have believed everything Dwayne said, but his concern about Annie read as genuine. Still, he’d bet his badge the property manager knew more than he was letting on. So Caleb and…someone else in their group? Another member of Seth’s family?

None of it made sense. He had pieces and no thread. No proof of anything.

He could just be seeing killers in every shadow.

And the not-knowing was the worst of it. How could he keep everyone safe—keep Annie safe—if he didn’t know who he was supposed to protect them from?

SIXTEEN

Annie watched as Preston led a handful of people out of the main lodge and into the icy rain. They’d raided the kitchen for food and had taken a radio for communication, but no one had been willing to listen when she argued that separating the group would only make it easier for the killer to pick them off.

Tate came alongside her. “Preston always was stubborn. Once his mind is made up, there’s no changing it, no matter how foolhardy the decision.”

“And yet, people listen to him.” Preston had been the de facto leader of their group since fifth grade. His natural athletic ability had made him popular, and his charmed life as the mayor’s son fed his ego. Even as a kid, he’d commanded a room. Annie had always found his arrogance insufferable. Tonight, she feared it would get someone killed. “I should’ve done something to stop them. Said something⁠—”

“You tried. More than once.” Tate’s tone left no room for debate. Then his expression softened. “None of this is your fault. Remember that.”

The tenderness in his voice called to her. Annie longed to step into his arms, to rest her head against his cable-knit sweater and hear his heartbeat against her ear. She was so tired. Haven Ranch was supposed to be her fresh start, an escape from the chaos and murder her previous career had exposed her to. Having James taken from her—so suddenly and violently—had made it impossible to keep a professional distance from her cases. She’d crossed to the other side of the crime tape, from investigator to grieving family member, and there was no going back.

But she hadn’t escaped. Murder had followed her here, yanking away her hard-won peace. Seeking comfort from Tate would only make things more complicated than they already were. They’d avoided talking about the kiss, and while Annie knew at some point it would come up, she wasn’t sure what to say.

It was a moment of insanity.

I know you apologized and all, but sorry, I don’t fully trust you.

It didn’t mean anything.

That last one wasn’t even true, not that Annie would dare admit that out loud. Because what if the kiss had meant nothing to him? She’d misread Tate Atwood once before, and it had cost her dearly. She didn’t know him. Not really.

Had she ever?

It was all so ridiculous considering the trouble they were facing. Annie made herself focus. “The text message says he plans to make a move tonight. There’s safety in numbers. We’ll get air mattresses and lay them out here in the lobby for everyone to sleep on. It’s not ideal, but it’ll keep us together. You and I can trade off making rounds to ensure the facility is secure. The staff will stay at their residence, and Dwayne will keep an eye on them.”

None of that would keep them safe if the killer was someone from within their circle. The thought made her sick. She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “It’s impossible to keep an eye on everyone all the time, even if we all sleep here in the lobby.” People would get up to use the bathroom or for a glass of water. Someone might decide to sleep in their room instead of on the air mattress.

God, we really need Your help here. I’m doing my best, but it doesn’t feel like enough.