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Creed’s appreciation earlier hadn’t meant nearly as much as Jackson’s. Which only reminded her of the need to keep an emotional distance from him. No more crying on his shoulder or leaning on him for strength. They needed to maintain a professional relationship, especially once this was over and they went back to their usual roles, with her just supporting him as well as other rangers.

Turning her attention back to the computer, she looked up the various high schools in Temple. There were more than she’d anticipated, but she was able to narrow down the list by eliminating private schools. She doubted her mother would have been able to afford that.

Nina didn’t know anything about her maternal grandparents, another question she’d intended to ask Uncle Mark during their meeting. She wished she’d taken more time to dive into her uncle’s background, but he wouldn’t even give her his date of birth, so she thought she’d wait until they spoke in person. Now, she at least had that much. Hopefully she could find them in the vital records database.

Before she could look at either of the top two high schools on her list, Jackson said, “Looks like our ride is here.”

She glanced up as Creed pulled up in front of the coffee shop in a dark gray SUV, like she’d requested. Closing the laptop, she finished her coffee and stood.

Following Jackson outside, she slid into the back seat. “We need disposable phones,” she reminded them.

“We’ll get them at the mall.” Jackson gestured to his right. “It’s only a few miles away.”

“A mall?” She peered through the window. “Perfect. I need a change of clothes and some toiletries.”

“We can’t stick around too long,” Creed cautioned.

“I only need a few minutes.” She would rather skip the clothes in favor of something to use on her crazy curly hair.

“We’ll get the phones while you shop,” Jackson said. “Do you need cash?”

“I have enough. I hit the ATM prior to heading to visit my uncle.” She flashed him a grateful smile. “Thanks.”

True to her word, Nina was back at the phone store within ten minutes. The guys were talking in low voices when she walked up, and she hoped there hadn’t been any trouble.

“Ready?” Jackson asked.

“Yes.” She tucked the bag of toiletries under her arm as she followed them outside. Thinking about the two-hour drive ahead and the need to use the laptop, she held out her hand. “May I please see the phones?”

Creed passed the bag to her.

She was glad to note they’d included car chargers. “Great. I’ll get these up and running. They’ll be charged and ready to go soon.”

As she settled into the back seat, she went to work. Keeping busy with tasks she could readily accomplish was the best way to stay on track.

The danger was over for now, but they were on a tight timeline. They only had the weekend and maybe Monday to figure out what was going on.

And to arrest whoever kept trying to kill them.

* * *

Jackson turned in his seat to check the highway behind them. Taking the interstate to Temple would get them there faster than side roads, but that also made it more difficult to spot a tail. Pickup trucks were very popular in Texas. Especially in black or other dark colors. Every time he saw one, he tensed until it passed.

Nina’s using a fake company name to obtain the car should provide the cover they needed. But seeing that brand-new truck coming up behind them earlier had rattled him.

He didn’t like the way the two goons had obtained a new set of wheels so quickly. Money was apparently no barrier when it came to taking them out of the picture. And that meant someone in a position of power was involved.

It wouldn’t be the first time he and his fellow rangers had gotten entangled in a situation where political corruption was involved. That was an area the rangers excelled in dealing with. But he was having trouble figuring out the connection between Nina’s Uncle Mark and politics. It made more sense if the gunmen were coming after him and Creed to prevent them from testifying against Diego Sanchez.

Yet if that was the case, how did Mark Lange’s murder fit into the picture?

While he wasn’t convinced the current case and Nina’s mother’s cold case murder were connected, he didn’t begrudge Nina’s desire to uncover more information about the woman who’d died shortly after giving birth to her. He glanced at Creed, who also kept a wary eye on the rearview mirror.

“Any potential tails?” He asked.

“Nope.” Creed offered a lopsided smile. “I’m sure Nina’s arrangements will keep us off the grid.”

“Yeah.” Jackson shot a quick look at her over his shoulder. Nina might not be accustomed to dodging bullets, but her expertise had been critical to their escape plan.