Page 458 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Gavin didn’t have hard evidence of the killer’s motives, but his gut said they were on the right track. Which meant Claire was still in danger. The killer would keep coming after her. The thought made Gavin’s blood boil. He wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her. Not on his watch.

Claire scowled. “If you’re right, and the killer is attempting to get rid of me to avoid these cases being investigated thoroughly, then I’m very concerned about the private investigator Faye hired. Michael Grayson could answer a lot of our questions. Have we been able to track him down yet?”

Gavin shared her fear. “He hasn’t been seen since last night. My colleague, Ranger Weston Donovan, is searching for him. We’ve listing him as a critical missing.”

Every officer in the state was looking for the man. Claire sighed, rubbing her forehead as if her head was still bothering her. “We need to find him.”

“Agreed. We’re doing all we can.” Gavin leaned back in his chair. He studied a photograph of the shooter extracted from the surveillance video. Frustration bubbled at the blurriness of the criminal’s face. “We need to focus our attention on Stephanie’s disappearance. Figuring out what happened to her should lead us to Faye’s killer since the two cases are linked.”

Claire nodded. “Let’s start by talking to Stephanie’s mom. I’d like to find out what she knows about her daughter living in Houston.”

“Careful, Sheriff.” Keith’s tone was ominous. “Stephanie’s stepfather, Xavier Whitlock, doesn’t like law enforcement.”

She grimaced. “I know.”

Claire keptboth hands on the steering wheel while driving to the Whitlock property. She had all-weather tires, but the temperature hadn’t risen above freezing all day. Black ice was a treacherous prospect. Dark clouds hovering beyond the windshield promised even more heavy rain. The two-lane country road was empty. Most of the people were hunkered down, waiting for the storm to pass.

“Why doesn’t Xavier Whitlock like law enforcement?” Gavin asked from the passenger seat. His long legs were tucked under the dash and his cowboy hat rested in his lap. He tapped on his phone screen. “I’ve reviewed his criminal record. He’s been arrested a few times for misdemeanor assaults, but the cases are over twenty years old. There’s nothing recent.”

“He’s a survivalist.” Claire flipped on her wipers to combat the drizzle sprinkling the glass. “Xavier is part of a group known as the Chosen.”

Gavin inhaled sharply. “They’ve been on our radar for a long time. Paramilitary, known to stock-pile weapons and suspected of drug trafficking.”

“Now you know why he doesn’t like law enforcement. Xavier claims he only follows the policies of the Chosen. Living independently, off the grid, that kind of thing. And, to be honest, it could be true. We’ve kept our eye on him and never caughtXavier doing anything illegal. On the other hand, the property he owns is vast. Over 200 acres, much of it wooded.”

“So it would be easy for him to hide illegal activity.” A muscle in Gavin’s powerful jaw twitched. “If something did happen to Stephanie, her stepfather could have motive. Maybe she knew something about him. Threatened to tell law enforcement.”

“It’s not out of the realm of possibility.” Claire turned onto a dirt road leading to the Whitlock house. The rain had turned it into a mud pit. She hit the brakes, eying the large puddles coated with a sheen of ice. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck on the Whitlock property waiting on a tow-truck. Especially in this weather. “Sorry, but I think we should walk the rest of the way to the house.”

Gavin nodded. Claire zipped up her coat and exited the vehicle. Her boots sank into the muck. She snagged her own cowboy hat from the rear to keep the drizzle off her face, but the frigid air, so unusual for a Texas winter, shocked her lungs.

“How far is the house?” Gavin asked. His gaze swept over the tree-lined path. Shadows lurked, big enough to hide a person in. Claire could feel the tension in his body. The hair on the back of her neck rose. It felt like they were being watched.

“The house is about 50 yards ahead of us.” Claire stepped closer to Gavin until they were shoulder to shoulder. She lowered her voice, so it wouldn’t carry on the wind. “Xavier isn’t stupid. Even if he is the one behind Faye’s murder and the shooting this morning, he’s not going to attack us while we’re on his property. It would draw too much attention.”

Gavin met her gaze. This close, she could see the specks of green and gold buried in his warm brown eyes. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when the corner of his mouth hitched upward. “Xavier may think twice about hurting us, but stick close to me all the same, would you?”

She nodded, tearing her gaze from his. She needed to do a better job of ignoring this annoying hum of attraction between them. It could only cause trouble.

They maneuvered past a large puddle. Rain pattered against the tree leaves. It was colder in the shelter of the woods. Claire’s breath came in puffs that hung in the air. Gavin stayed close to her side, one hand on the holster of his weapon, as they followed the road to the house.

Something rustled in the trees ahead of them. Claire halted. Her gaze swept the tree line. “Who’s there?”

Xavier stepped out of the tree line. A long beard covered the lower half of his face and a ski cap hid his hair. He wore a camouflage jacket, cargo pants, and military-style boots. A rifle rested in his hands, barrel pointed upward. “You’re trespassing on my land.”

Claire stepped forward. “I need to speak to your wife, Xavier. It’s police business.”

“What kind of business do you have with Maribelle?”

“It’s about your stepdaughter, Stephanie.”

No flicker of surprise crossed Xavier’s face. Claire’s muscles tightened with tension. The video of the shooter they had was grainy and of poor quality, but Xavier was the right height and weight. The rifle in his hands was a high-powered one, similar to the make and model used by the shooter this morning.

Circumstantial evidence. But it left her with questions. Was Gavin right? Was she looking at a killer?

“Stephanie hasn’t been around for a long time, Sheriff. No need to go looking for her now.” Xavier’s expression darkened. “That girl’s a troublemaker, anyway. I guarantee, you’ll only find problems where she’s concerned.”

Was that a threat? It certainly seemed like one.