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She agreed with him. In theory. The evidence had been strong enough to warrant bringing charges, but there were holes. “Dr. Anderson has maintained his innocence. According to his deposition testimony, a drug dealer threatened him in the parking lot of his office one week prior to Julie’s murder. The guy identified himself only as Cash.” The police had done a composite sketch of the suspect, but no one matching the description had ever been found. “Cash wanted Dr. Anderson to write narcotics prescriptions for fake patients, and when he refused, the man became irate and threatened him before finally leaving. Dr. Anderson believes Julie was killed in retaliation.”
Ryker snorted. “Right. The mysterious drug dealer. If the good doctor was so terrified by this encounter, why didn’t he call the police? He never reported it. I think the entire incident was made up.” He glanced down at the letter in his hand. “This is addressed to me specifically.”
“You were the lead investigator in Julie Anderson’s murder.”
He nodded, his attention never leaving the typewritten letter as he read it aloud. “Ranger Montgomery, it’s been amusing to watch you stumble around trying to uncover the truth about Julie’s murder. I considered letting her husband take the fall for me, but I’m tired of staying in the shadows. I want the world to see me. Catch me if you can.” He glanced at Hannah holding the baby, and his jaw tightened again. “The intruder intended to kill you in the same manner as Julie, and then leave this note behind. How convenient for Thomas Anderson.”
Hannah wasn’t surprised by his sarcastic tone, but there was an edge to his words she hadn’t heard before. An anger. A protectiveness. For her? Surely not. Ryker had never indicated he found her attractive or was interested in her romantically. Nor did she want him to. That would open a can of worms she wasn’t prepared to mess with.
She set the empty bottle down on the small table next to the rocking chair and shifted Charlotte onto her shoulder to burp her. The baby was fast asleep, her long eyelashes resting on chubby cheeks. Hannah patted her back while continuing to rock gently, but placed her focus on Ryker’s assertion. “You’re suggesting that Thomas hired someone to murder me in the same manner as his wife in order to prove his innocence?” Another involuntary shudder rippled through Hannah as her mind flashed back to the feel of the knife blade against her throat. Julie Anderson had been stabbed several times before her throat was cut. She’d bled out in a manner of minutes. “That’s a stretch, isn’t it?”
“Not for Thomas. The man is a sociopath and a narcissist. He’ll do whatever it takes to stay out of prison and is convinced he’s smarter than us.” Ryker frowned. “You have to tell the defense attorney about this letter, don’t you?”
“Of course.” The rules of discovery required Hannah to turn over any evidence that could prove exculpatory to the defendant’s counsel. She sighed. “The defense’s entire strategy is based on the drug dealer retaliation theory.”
He waved the note. “Which this falls into perfectly.”
His theory was valid. Still, Hannah had a job to do, and she wouldn’t assume anything. “We have to treat this note as valid and run a full investigation. Quick. The Anderson trial is scheduled to begin next week. If I were the opposing counsel, I’d bring this note to the judge’s attention in a pretrial motion and ask for the charges against my client to be dropped.”
Ryker’s gaze hardened. “Do you plan on dropping the charges?”
“Of course not. There was sufficient probable cause to charge Thomas with the murder of his wife, and like you, I believe he’s guilty. But what I believe and what I can prove in a court of law are two different things. And we can’t be seen taking sides or attempting to ignore evidence that’s right in front of us.”
Charlotte took that moment to let out a belch and Hannah couldn’t help but smile. “That wasn’t very ladylike.”
Ryker chuckled. The low baritone vibrated his chest and twisted Hannah’s insides in a strange way. “She’s cute.” The mirth fled from his expression as quickly as it came. “If we’re right, and Thomas is behind this attack on you, then he may not be done.”
Icy fear washed over Hannah. She swallowed hard. “What are you talking about? If he is behind this, then the note accomplishes what he wants. To create reasonable doubt.”
Criminal trials required the prosecutor to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant was guilty. If the jury had any logical misgivings, then they needed to acquit. It was a high bar. Hannah wasn’t sure—even before the letter—that she could pull off a conviction in this case. After his wife’s murder, Thomas had conducted a thorough and effective media campaign. His willingness to do interviews, and his charming personality, had convinced a large swatch of the population of his innocence.
But like Ryker, Hannah had seen through the veneer of Thomas’s exterior. He was a master manipulator. His alibi was too carefully concocted, the grief over losing his wife too calculated. Their marriage had been on the rocks for a while. Thomas had been having, according to witnesses, a heated love affair with his nurse. Julie had considered divorce, but then found out she was pregnant.
One month later, she was murdered.
Ryker leveled a look at Hannah. “As the lead prosecutor in this case, you determine whether to pursue a murder charge or not. You’ve been a thorn in Thomas’s side from day one. If you’re…”
“Dead.” She met his gaze head-on, her chin tilted up. Talking about this terrified her, but she wouldn’t run from the danger, nor would she be scared away from doing her job. “Don’t sugarcoat, Ryker. I can take it.”
He hesitated and then nodded. “If you’re killed, then another prosecutor will be assigned to the case. Someone who may be more amenable to dropping the charges.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I don’t think it was an accident you were attacked. Thomas wants you gone. At a minimum, he wants you frightened.”
“I don’t scare easily.” She rose from the rocking chair and crossed to the crib before laying Charlotte down on the mattress. The baby sighed with contentment. Light played along the delicate features of her sweet face, the rosebud mouth and soft chin.
Love swelled inside her. It was a reminder of why Hannah was so committed to her work. She wanted the world to be a safer place for her niece. That required bravery. Facing down bad people and bringing them to justice so they couldn’t hurt others wasn’t easy, but it was her calling.
She turned to face Ryker. “I have no intention of backing down.”
His gaze flickered to the baby behind her before returning to Hannah’s. Determination rode his strong features. “Then the two of you will need my protection.”
FOUR
Morning dew coated the grass as Ryker finished a perimeter check around Hannah’s property. He’d spent most of the night keeping watch after the crime scene investigators left. His boss, Lieutenant Vikki Rodriquez, had officially assigned him to protect Hannah while other rangers in Company A, in coordination with the Fulton County Police Department, worked on neutralizing the threat against her. Claire had stationed police officers at the beginning of the neighborhood to keep the media away. Despite their best efforts, someone had leaked the attack and the contents of the letter to a reporter.
The scent of fresh coffee and eggs greeted Ryker as he stepped into the mudroom. He slipped off his boots and went into the kitchen. Pam, an apron wrapped around her ample waist, stood at the stove. She’d spent the night in the guest bedroom. Her gray hair was neatly pulled back into clips, her face scrubbed free of makeup. She greeted Ryker with a smile. “Morning. Hope you like breakfast burritos.”
“I like everything.” He beelined for the coffee machine and poured a cup of the dark brew. The smell alone began clearing the fog from his brain. “Are Hannah and Charlotte still sleeping?”
“No, they’re up and getting ready for the day.” Pam glanced at her watch and then turned off the stove. “I’d better get a move on. I’ve gotta get home, take a shower, and then head to the office. Thomas’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss this morning. Hannah and I have drafted a response, but I need to file it with the court before the hearing this morning.”
