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Please be okay. Dear Lord, please let my sister be okay, Rachel prayed silently.
“We found her—”
“Is she okay?” Rachel blurted. “Please tell me she’s okay.”
The sheriff’s pregnant pause sucked the air out of Rachel’s lungs.
“I’m sorry to inform you that we found your sister unresponsive.”
Rachel fell to her knees. As a patrol officer with the California Highway Patrol, she knew what unresponsive meant.
“Do you have someone who can be with you, Ms. West?” the sheriff asked.
“Nobody,” she whispered. “Lindsay was my only relative.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” the sheriff said. “She’s been taken to the medical examiner for a full autopsy.”
Tears slipped from Rachel’s eyes and streamed down her face. “I wasn’t there. I could do nothing.”
“She was a mile up the trail,” the sheriff said. “We couldn’t get there fast enough to save her. I’ve given the medical examiner your number so you can work out the details of her disposition. I know it’s a lot to process. If you need anything, you can always call me later.”
“I’m flying to Colorado Springs tomorrow,” Rachel said, her voice shaking on suppressed sobs.
“I’ll be here in Fool’s Gold,” he said, “to answer any questions you might have.”
“How—” Rachel swallowed past the lump in her throat. “How did she die?”
“The medical examiner will have to complete a full examination. But from what I could see, she was strangled to death with what appears to be a wedding veil.”
Anger burned through her veins, pushing past the tears. “The killer?”
“At large.”
Her hand tightened around the cell phone. “Any clues as to who he is?”
“None,” the sheriff said. “He didn’t leave even a footprint behind.”
“Did you locate my sister’s cell phone?” Rachel asked.
“No,” he answered. “The state crime scene investigators conducted a thorough search of the area. He was thorough to the point he used something to brush away his footprints.”
“Thank you for letting me know,” Rachel said. “Calls like this aren’t easy.”
“I’m sorry about your sister,” the sheriff said. “I want you to know we’re working the case and hope to find some leads.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Rachel ended the call. Unable to do anything to make her world better, she buried her face in her hands and gave in to her grief.
That night she cried all the tears she would allow.
After that, she wouldn’t wallow in self-pity anymore. Not when her sister’s murderer was still out there. She’d find him and bring him down if it was the last thing she did.
For Lindsay.
CHAPTER2
Six months later…
Griff slowedhis truck to make the turn off the highway onto the country road deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He’d spent the past month selling the few pieces of furniture he’d accrued over the years, donating what he didn’t plan to take and packing what personal items he cared to keep and that fit in the back of his truck.
