Page 4 of Disappearance at Angel’s Landing (Red Rock Murders #2)

Something had shifted.

Branch couldn’t put his finger on it as he studied Lila across the expanse of dirt that was Scout Lookout.

Law enforcement rangers were en route to contain the scene and analyze the blood he’d discovered, but with the sun sinking below the horizon, it would take more than the usual four hours before he and Lila could distance themselves from this trail.

Leaving nothing but the two of them and a path of budding stars in the east.

The entire hike to this point had coiled dread so thick in his gut he’d been able to taste the bitterness at the back of his throat.

Being alone with Lila Jordan had never worked out in his favor.

Her impulsivity, meddling in other peoples’ affairs and lack of discipline had left him with more than a few migraines at the end of a shift.

Every aspect of her personality sat in opposition to his.

It was one of the reasons he’d gone out of his way to ensure their schedules never coincided.

He’d managed to switch days and trails with the other park rangers, but Risner had ordered the two of them to search Angel’s Landing together.

Probably to get Ranger Barbie away from the scene down below.

Except Lila hadn’t been her normal upbeat self on the way up.

As if she’d forgotten he was there at all, and all that enthusiasm and pink was nothing but a cover.

For the first time, his nervous system hadn’t been on the defense around her.

He’d been able to relax surrounded by the jaw-dropping views and crystal sky.

No personal questions, no attempts to bond, nothing.

He’d actually been able to think. About Sarah Lantos, the stab wound, her killer. It’d been…unsettling.

It was no secret Lila had harbored a crush on him these past few months.

If he was being honest, most of the female rangers did.

He tended to have that effect simply due to the fact he had no real interest in dating or relationships after his divorce.

Something about wanting what you couldn’t have.

He’d gotten used to their personal crusades to help him break out of his shell, to be the one who got him to open up.

Unfortunately for them and the rest of the female population, there was nothing inside but a whole lot of self-destructive rage that threatened to blow any minute.

Something he only managed to keep locked up by avoiding others. Saving them the fallout.

Lila kicked at a patch of dirt across the Lookout, keeping to herself as they waited for the law enforcement unit.

For some awful reason that didn’t sit well with him.

As if he’d become uniquely tuned to her moods.

Which was ridiculous. He should be grateful his ears weren’t bleeding from her incessant attempts at humor.

Had the death of a hiker gotten to her? Or had Risner’s earlier reprimand thrown her off her game?

Dislodging his pack, Branch crouched. They’d ascended and cleared Angel’s Landing in five hours and had been waiting for law enforcement for an hour.

Not once had he seen her eat anything. Probably some strict diet to control her weight.

Wasn’t that why most women starved themselves?

But she was likely to pass out, and he had no intention of carrying her off this mountain.

“Eat.” He tossed one of the protein bars he’d packed in her direction.

Surprisingly, she caught it rather than dodge and squeal as he’d expected.

Who was this pod person, and what the hell had she done with Lila?

Straightening with the bar in hand, she skimmed her thumbs over the wrapper.

“Careful, Branch. Wouldn’t want to chip my manicure. I just touched it up this morning.”

Ah. There she was. He wasn’t sure why he’d bothered.

Every ranger in this park was capable of taking care of themselves.

They were trained to survive in the wilderness for days on end if necessary and through natural disasters.

And yet, by setting aside her zaniness for just a couple minutes, Lila had somehow triggered his instinct to care.

A mistake he wouldn’t make again. “I’m not carrying you out of here if you pass out. ”

“Aw.” Lila tore into the wrapper, her upper body twisting from one side to the other. A gust of wind whipped her ponytail over one shoulder and consumed his attention as it brushed over her face. “Are you concerned about me, Branch?”

Why did she have to keep repeating his name?

His nerves couldn’t take it much longer, going from zero to overdrive in the span of a single word out of her mouth.

Branch locked his jaw to regain some semblance of control, but that was the thing about Lila.

Anytime he found himself around her, that control didn’t exist. Like she’d subatomically convinced him to forget years of discipline with her free spirit that left him raw and confused and more than a little angry.

He forced himself to focus on cinching his bag and not the way his fingers tingled to brush her hair out of her face.

“I think you secretly like me.” She took a bite of the protein bar, chewing with her mouth open while continuing to goad him.

“I think all those times you switched shifts with the other rangers to make sure you didn’t have to work with me is because you’re trying to keep your distance when you really don’t want to. ”

She knew about that? Hell.

Branch shoved to his feet as flashlights flickered down the trail.

They were still a ways out, but law enforcement had arrived to take control of the scene.

Releasing him from this hell and the demon trying to work her way under his skin.

Satan had done an excellent job when he created Lila Jordan.

Personalized just for him. “They’re here. ”

“Oh, good. I hope they brought hand warmers.” Lila buried the protein bar wrapper in her pack and clapped her hands before heading toward the group of three flashlights. “I’m freezing my butt off.”

And what a butt it was. He hadn’t been able to avoid getting the perfect view the entire hike up.

Say what you will about her eating habits, whatever she was doing had paid off in spades.

A tendril of heat spiked through him as he caught another dose.

Hell, he was disturbed. In no shape or form should he ever consider Ranger Barbie a good idea.

They were coworkers. He’d barely survived his divorce. And she…was everything he didn’t want.

Branch settled his pack in place. He hadn’t noticed the drop in temperatures, too on edge from maintaining the wall he had to continually reinforce between him and Lila, but the cold seemed to rush him now that she’d escaped his orbit.

“Branch. Jordan.” Risner nodded to each of them at his approach.

Two rangers Branch recognized from the scene this afternoon moved past, heading to the Lookout with flashlights and field kits.

The law enforcement rangers would take control of the scene, gathering the blood for analysis somewhere off-site, and confirm the samples belonged to their murder victim.

“I see you two managed not to kill each other. Not sure how you pulled that off partnering with Jordan here, Branch, but thanks for saving me the paperwork.”

He didn’t miss the few inches Lila added between her and their district ranger.

Or the fleck of hurt in her expression before she smothered it with that smile she pasted on.

Which only added to the anger he restrained on a daily basis.

And there was that name again. Jordan. As if Lila didn’t deserve to be humanized by her supervisor.

And, well, that just wasn’t something he could let continue. “Lila.”

He hadn’t spoken her name aloud before. The effect was something sweet and light, counter to the bitterness he’d swallowed after taking this assignment.

Risner flicked his flashlight straight into Branch’s face. “What was that?”

“Her name is Lila. Not sure why it’s so hard for you to remember.

” The tingling in his fingers was back, except it’d spread to his palms. He curled his hands into fists to keep himself from launching one into Risner’s face.

“Or do you call the female rangers by their last names as part of whatever sexual harassment settlement you’re involved in? ”

Even in the last waning rays of sunset, Branch caught the drain of color in Risner’s face. “You’re out of line, Branch.”

“Actually, I prefer to be addressed as woman, demon or countess.” Lila’s smile slipped, her gaze bouncing between him and Risner.

Pleading with him to drop this. Parted lips he hadn’t realized were a bit fuller on one side than the other jumped right back into place.

Then again, he hadn’t really let himself get too close to notice.

For good reason. His blood pressure had crested a few points in the past minute or so.

“Whichever comes with the most amount of fear.”

The district ranger adjusted his flashlight beam to Lila, rolling his eyes. “Get back down to headquarters, Jordan. You’ll find your write-up in your locker, and HR will be waiting for you to discuss the adjustments you’ve been making to your uniform in the morning.”

She motioned toward the two law enforcement rangers. “But the scene—”

“Your shift is over, Ranger.” Risner put an end to the conversation. “Your services are no longer required on this case.”

“All right.” Lila hiked a thumb over her shoulder. “In that case, you might want to tell the law enforcement division about the rope, anchors and carabiners dangling off the north side of the Lookout.”

“What?” Risner darted for the edge, pressing up against the chains keeping him from going over. His flashlight locked on something out of Branch’s view. “Well, I’ll be damned. How did we miss that?”

Branch realized he had made this an uncomfortable situation for Lila.

He’d put her in Risner’s spotlight without warning her beforehand.

Potentially made her position worse. It was clear she was the only one who would suffer the consequences.

Damn it. She hadn’t asked him to fight this battle for her, but he’d made her a target all the same.

A growl resonated through his chest as he maneuvered down the rocky incline.

This was why he didn’t get involved. Why he kept to himself and made it clear he didn’t play nice with others.

It took more than a few steps for his control to slip back into place.

“Branch, not you, bud. I need you to show us where you found the blood.” Risner’s voice was nearly lost to the great valleys absorbing the sound of the wild, but there was no way Branch could ignore it.

Lila unpacked her own flashlight and headed down the decline without looking back.

Angel’s Landing was easily one of the park’s most dangerous trails, but she moved with the certainty of a ranger who’d memorized every threat in the terrain.

She’d been dismissed, and the heaviness in her shoulders testified to the treatment she and the rest of the female rangers had become accustomed to under Risner’s supervision.

This didn’t feel right. Lila was the first to realize Sarah Lantos had been stabbed.

Not to mention she’d discovered the rope and anchors wedged along the Lookout that could’ve been utilized by the killer to escape while Branch guarded a meager pool of blood.

Ranger Barbie—as much as he hated to admit it—saw more than she let on, and Branch wanted to know why she let her coworkers and supervisor think less.

Of all the rangers in the park, she should be the one to see this through. She’d earned it. He searched the stars for patience. Finding none, he turned back to the district ranger. Branch nodded toward Lila’s retreating flashlight. “Assign Lila to the case.”

“No way. You have experience with homicides from your time at the Grand Canyon. You’re the clear choice here.

” Risner hiked his hands to his waist with a clear shake of his head.

“What the hell has gotten into you, Branch? I thought I could count on you to keep Jordan in line. Now you’re defending her?

She’s a nobody. You know she doesn’t care about this job or take it seriously.

Not like we do. You really want Sarah Lantos’s family relying on her to get them answers? ”

Branch gritted his teeth against the blatant backstabbing and the disrespect of a fellow ranger.

Stepping up to Risner, he rode that line between letting the rage surface and walking away.

“I’ll work your homicide case. Because you’re right.

Sarah Lantos’s family deserves answers, and I’ve worked homicides in a national park.

But I’m not doing it without Lila Jordan. ”