A rule-following ranger finds himself on the hunt for a killerâand falling for a woman who should be off-limitsâ¦
On the hunt for a serial killer, ranger Ryan Spencer canât afford any distraction. But Jana Lassiter, sister to one of the missing women, wonât let Ryan investigate Mystic Mesa alone. Even though the seasoned officer has always been by the book, something tells him it wouldnât be so bad to break a few rules for Jana.
When Janaâs life is suddenly jeopardized, the lawman is forced to face his darkest fears. Heâs allowed desire to overshadow duty. Now he has to rein in his emotions to save Jana from becoming the next victim. Because losing this woman heâs inexplicably fallen for will destroy this warrior forever.
The Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets
âWhat kind of vibe from me are you getting?â he asked.
âOne that makes me wonder how often you get involved with women who are part of a case youâre working on.â
âNever.â He continued holding her gaze. âBut thereâs a first time for everything, with the right woman.â
She looked away, lamplight playing across the curve of her cheek and the smooth column of her neck. He fought the urge to kiss her there.
âThis may be the definition of bad timing,â she said.
âProbably,â he said.
âBut do I feel this attraction to you because thereâs something between us, or because youâre something steady I can hold on to while Iâm reeling from my sisterâs disappearance?â
âI think the only way weâre going to learn the answer to that question is to stick around and find out,â he said.
CINDI MYERS is the author of more than fifty novels. When sheâs not crafting new romance plots, she enjoys skiing, gardening, cooking, crafting and daydreaming. A lover of small-town life, she lives with her husband and two spoiled dogs in the Colorado mountains.
Chapter One
âWeâve got another missing woman.â Commander Graham Ellison tossed the photo of a smiling blonde in the middle of the table where the members of the Ranger Brigade had gathered for a morning briefing. The fresh-faced, blue-eyed young woman radiated vitality and happiness, jarring when compared to the stony visage of the commander. âHer name is Jennifer Lassiter, nineteen years old, from Denver,â Ellison continued. âShe was one of a group of archaeology students working in the area.â
âThat makes two missing women in the past month.â One of the officers seated around the tableâthe only woman, whose nametag identified her as Carmen Redhorseâglanced at the photo and passed it down the table.
âThree.â Officer Ryan Spencer spoke from the doorway of the room. The rest of the team swiveled to stare at him. Not exactly the entrance he had wanted to make on his first day at his new job. He ignored the stares, strode to the table and pulled out the only empty chair, at the end opposite the commander.
âWho are you?â a sharp-nosed, lean man who sat behind an open laptopâSimon Woolridgeâdemanded.
âThis is Ryan Spencer, with Customs and Border Protection,â Commander Ellison said. âOur newest team member.â
Ryan sat. âSorry Iâm late,â he said. The drive from Montrose had taken longer than he had anticipated, partly because he had gotten behind a caravan of RVs making their way into Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, where the Ranger Brigade task forceâs headquarters were located. But he didnât bother to mention that. As his dad had always told himânever make excuses.
âWhat do you mean three women are missing instead of two?â The man to the commanderâs left spoke. He was the picture of a rugged outdoorsmanâdark eyes and hair, olive skin, a hawk nose and strong chin. His nametag read Michael Dance.
âI got a bulletin this morning from my office,â Ryan said. âMy former office.â Though he was technically still an officer with United States Customs and Border Protection, Ryanâs current assignment made him a member of the multiagency task force whose job it was to prevent and solve crime on the vast network of public lands in southwestern Colorado.
He took out his phone and pulled up the message. âHer name is Alicia Mendoza and sheâs from Guatemala. Part of a group of illegal immigrants who were traveling through this area on their way to work in Utah. When they were picked up last night, one of them reported that Alicia had disappeared two days ago, near the national park.â
Simon snorted. âNice of them to let us know.â
âYou know now.â Ryan pocketed his phone and looked around the table.
âDonât mind Simon.â The man on Ryanâs left offered his hand. âHeâs our resident grouch. Iâm Randall Knightbridge. BLM.â