Page 117 of Ranger's Wildflower
My jaw tightens. “Gable Ridge?”
“Yeah.”
Trigger glances back. “You’re saying they used county resources for a hit?”
“I’m saying someone inside the system is dirty enough to try,” I reply. “That means there are others helping Reynolds.”
Tessa shifts beside me. “Daniel.”
“Most likely,” I say. “Or someone doing it for him.”
Beast’s voice cuts in, calm and heavy. “Either way, that ties the attempt to the county.”
“Which makes it evidence,” Blaze adds. “Big, ugly evidence.”
“Save everything,” I say. “Copies in three places.”
“Already mirrored,” he says.
Good.
I look at Tessa. “You good to keep pushing?”
She meets my eyes. No hesitation. “Yeah.”
That lands.
“Alright,” I say. “Then we don’t slow down.”
My phone buzzes again.
Unknown number.
I answer.
“Mercer.”
A different voice this time. Male. Tense.
“This is Deputy Aaron Cole, Gable Ridge Sheriff’s Department.”
I go still.
“Talk.”
“We’ve got a situation,” he says. “And I don’t think you’re the problem.”
I exchange a look with Blaze.
“Explain.”
“I saw the footage,” he says quietly. “Not the official version. The real one.”
My grip tightens.
“And?”
“And it doesn’t match the report I signed off on back then,” he says. “I was a rookie. I trusted what I was given.”
