I gritted my teeth. “He shouldn’t have. That wasn’t his information to share.”
“Taylor. I spent all of two hours with your friends, but it only took fifteen minutes for me to see how much they love you.” I let out a slow breath, knowing he was right. “And they’re worried about you.”
“I know they are.” I stared at the rippling water, watching it shimmer in the sunlight. “Does your family know?”
Walker gave my arm another squeeze. “Just my grandma. But I can tell the others if you want…so you don’t have to.”
“Might be a good idea. So your mom doesn’t think I’m a crazy person.”
Another squeeze. “She doesn’t. She’s worried about you, too.”
I grimaced. “I’ll have to apologize for freaking out on her.”
“I told you, you don’t have to apologize. What happened?”
I let out a shuddered breath. “I–I just–Sarah was baking…and something reminded me of my mom.”
He pulled me tighter against him, and a rush of warmth filled me. I felt safe. For the first time in a long time, I felt protected from all the overwhelming feelings. And that terrified me. “Do you want to tell me about it?” he asked.
I stiffened beside him. “I don’t like to talk about her.”
He tipped my face up so our eyes met. “Remember her. Sharing her with others might help you heal. Tell me a memory you have that makes you ridiculously happy.”
I put up a mental wall to the onslaught of images that wanted to fill my mind. I shook my head. “Even the happy memories…they break my heart.”
“Still gotta let yourself experience them. Then, maybe one day, you won’t cry because of what you’ve lost, you’ll smile because of what you had.”
His words landed with a thud in my gut. “That might be true, but I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about her yet.”
“Well, whenever you are, I’ll be here to listen.”
“Thank you.” It was another of those moments. But this time, alcohol wasn’t skewing my perceptions. There was definitely heat in those green depths staring down at me. His eyes dipped to my lips. My breath caught. His arm tightened around me.
A vibration sent us jumping apart. “Shit.” Walker reached into his pocket. “My phone.”
It was then that I realized that Walker had sat down next to me, submerging his shoes and pant legs in the water. He hadn’t taken the time to even slip off his shoes and roll up his jeans. He’d seen me hurting and didn’t delay to bring me comfort. My stomach dipped with a mixture of joy and fear.
“Cole,” he clipped into the phone, rising to his feet. “Shit. Really? Okay, I’ll be there in about thirty. Did you let Tuck and Forest Service know?” Silence. “Okay, thanks.”
I got to my feet, studying the hard set of Walker’s jaw. “Everything okay?”
“Not really. A couple of hikers found a body in the woods. I gotta get out there, head up the investigation.”
My entire body went ramrod straight. How could I have let myself forget? Walker was a cop. His job was dangerous. Potentially lethal. I fought down the panic. “Be careful.” My voice sounded stilted.
Walker’s eyes roamed my face. “Always am.”
“Good,” I replied.
I headed back to the house, and Walker headed towards danger.
19
Walker
The sun shone down, casting shadows in leafy patterns across the ground as I made my way up the hiking trail. It was a haul from the trailhead, and I was thankful that I’d stopped at home to change out of my wet jeans and to pick up my hiking boots. Several officers appeared as I rounded a bend in the path.
“Hey, Walker,” Greg called.
I flipped my ballcap around so the brim wasn’t obstructing my vision. “Hey. Fill me in.”
“It’s a gnarly one. Husband and wife were out here from Portland. Thought they’d take in a little nature during their weekend of R&R.” I bit back a sigh. Greg, still green, was known for his long-windedness. “The wife needed to take a leak and headed about thirty feet off the trail. Nearly popped a squat right on the body. She and the husband called it in.”
“Crime techs here?”
“Arrived just before you. First glance, looks like it might be our missing hiker.”
“Shit.” I had been hoping for a much better outcome than this one. “Animal attack?”
Greg swiped sweat from his brow. “They can’t say for sure yet. The animals have definitely been at her, but no idea if that’s cause of death.”
I jerked my chin in a nod. “Take me to her.”
Greg stepped off the trail and led me south. Voices sounded from up ahead. My stomach roiled at my first glimpse of the body. There wasn’t much left of the poor girl to use for identification. Just a crumpled mass of flesh and bone, torn apart by scavengers. I took a breath through my mouth to avoid the stench in the air.
I flashed back to another body found in the woods a decade ago. Julie’s sweet smile burst to life in my mind. Her life stolen from her. From me. My fists clenched as I pushed the memories back.
I forced myself to study the crime scene. Guess the path the hiker might have taken. Search for any signs of a bear or cougar. My eyes caught on strands of blonde hair. They were matted in patches, stained a red-brown from blood. This time, it wasn’t Julie I saw but Taylor’s golden-blonde tresses.
Shaking my head to clear it, I asked the crime techs, “What do we know?”
Bryant straightened from his crouched position and handed me a small, clear evidence bag. “It’s the hiker.”
I pressed my lips together, studying the ID. Lucy Gaines. Age twenty-two. From Seattle, Washington. Gone way too fucking soon. I turned to Greg. “Call the station, let them know we have a preliminary ID, but I don’t want the family notified until the medical examiner confirms. All right?”
“You got it, Deputy Chief.” Greg turned on his heel and headed back towards the trail.
I met Bryant’s gaze. “I know it’s not your job, but any thoughts on cause of death before the M.E. gets here?”
Bryant glanced back towards the body. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think it was an animal.”