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“An aura?” Duke repeated drily. “You don’t strike me as the type of guy who uses that word.”
“There’s probably a lot about me that would surprise you.” Ranger rubbed his beard.
Duke tried to imagine what the man would look like without all that hair on his face. But he couldn’t quite picture him as anything other than a mountain man.
“Finding answers about this murder is important to you, isn’t it?” Ranger continued to study Duke’s face.
The man had this way about him . . . almost as if he knew things others didn’t. Like he had the gift of being able to look at someone and sense their innermost thoughts.
It was unnerving, really.
And Duke wasn’t easily unnerved.
Yet, at the same time, Ranger didn’t gloat or act better than others. He simply seemed to be in touch with the energy around him—which wasn’t something Duke often thought about.
“Considering the fact that the killer has seen my face and Andi’s face, it does seem like something that’s rather important.”
“Or you could just get out of this area and assume he’ll stay here, happy you’re gone.” Ranger shrugged as if that were the solution a normal person would choose.
“You live around here,” Duke reminded him. “It can’t feel good knowing there could be a killer lurking in this area.”
“There’s probably more than one.” Ranger said the words matter-of-factly.
The hair on Duke’s neck rose at his statement. “What does that mean?”
“It just means that there’s a bit of lawlessness out here. I think you already know that. I’m sure this guy isn’t the only one who’s murdered someone. In some of the villages, there are no police. People handle matters on their own. That makes some people feel like they can get away with anything, depending on their position in the village.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Duke said. “It’s a shame that things are that way.”
“Then I applaud you for working to make them not that way. Every time we can get one more of these people behind bars, it’s a win for our communities.”
Duke’s shoulders relaxed—but just barely. “I agree. Thank you for helping us today. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course.”
Just then, Andi emerged, Bunny behind her.
Duke kept his chin up as he watched Andi head back to the table. He hadn’t meant to offend her, but he wasn’t going to apologize either.
That guy Skeeter was a jerk, and he needed to be put in his place. That wasn’t to say Andi couldn’t have done it herself because she’d clearly done a fine job standing up for herself.
But when Duke saw a friend put in that position, he had their back.
A friend? Is that what he considered Andi?
The thought surprised him.
They hadn’t known each other that long. Yet, in some ways, it felt like the two of them had known each other for years.
Duke supposed the situation had pushed them together faster than normal and accelerated their bond.
“Are you going to finish eating?” Duke nodded at her food, his question seeming safer than asking how she was doing.
“Are you kidding me?” Andi picked up her burger. “I can’t let this go to waste. It’s delicious.”
He had to hide his smile. He liked her hearty appetite and couldn’t help but muse that it was funny to see so much food in front of such a small lady.
Celeste had always been a picky eater, preferring vegetables and fruit.
