Page 9 of My Mountain Man Rescuer

“You don’t know that. What if that guy is waiting up the road or something?” I didn’t like this. Too dangerous. Too many unknown variables.

“Listen, Security Man, I’ve got this. There’s pepper spray in my car and a gun in my glove box. I know how to use it.”

“I’d feel better if I could follow you to be sure.”

She glared at me, and I couldn’t understand the sudden hostility. “No.”

“Listen, please. This puts you at unnecessary risk. At least let me know where you’re staying so I can have someone watch for you.”

She sighed. “Bramblewick. One of the cabins.”

Really? “Number eight?” I’d rented that one out two days earlier. The name didn’t click in my head until now. Carly Styles.

“Yeah.” She paused. “How did you know?”

“I’m the owner. Beau Coleman.”

“Of course,” she muttered. “Fine. Follow me back. No point in going alone since you already know where I’m staying. Pull any funny business, and I’ll dial 9-1-1.”

I didn’t crack a smile, even though I wanted to. She didn’t have a clue how shit went down around here. Emergency services included local townsfolk, and we all knew one another. Woodbridge Falls had fewer than twelve thousand residents. Most of the population knew the EPG. We were local heroes. She wouldn’t get far trying to accuse me of anything.

But that didn’t mean I was an asshole. Okay. Not to women. I just liked my space and cabin and didn’t have room for bullshit. What was wrong with that?

True to my word, I followed Carly back to cabin 8 and watched her enter, then turned away and headed back to Blood Moon Manor.

Greg called me before I could arrive. “We’ve got a problem, Beau.”

“What happened?”

“A young girl.” His voice faltered. “Throat slashed. Blood everywhere.”

Shit! I should have been there. I didn’t regret ensuring Carly got home safe, but this meant I missed finding the killer. Alden would be pissed. “Where?”

“The shed out back. Someone unlocked it and threw the lock over the fence. Fuck, Beau. How did this happen? How did we miss it?”

“I don’t know. I’m in the parking lot. Be right there.”

Blue and red lights spun in the darkness as I arrived, turning the scene into something out of a horror movie. I parked a short distance from the ambulance and police cruisers. The medical examiner would show up soon. I didn’t see his van yet.

Groups of people stood around, most of them appearing shocked. Frustration and anger battled for dominance as I rushed toward the backyard and the shed. I already knew I’d find a mess. I didn’t expect to see the amount of blood and carnage that covered the ground and inside the structure.

This didn’t match the other crime scenes.

Greg approached and noticed my frown. “What is it?” He kept his back to the shed. His shoulders drooped like he carried the weight of the world. I had compassion, but it was also his choice to open for business. People were put at risk. His fault? No. But he did enable the killer by keeping his doors open.

“Not sure,” I admitted. “But this seems a bit extreme.” I’d seen the other photos. The first three victims. All male before tonight. “He’s never killed a woman before.” It wasn’t a secret. Anyone following the case knew this information.

“I know.” He hung his head. “This is on me. My choice to run my business with a killer out there.”

“It’s not on you. You didn’t slash her throat, Greg.”

He shook his head. “It’s on all of us. Me. Penny. You. We all missed him.”

I felt the weight of that truth before he ever said the words. “I accept that responsibility.” Failure wasn’t something I experienced often. Not being part of EPG. The best operatives worked on the team. Skilled. Intelligent. We didn’t make mistakes.

But I did tonight. I owned it.

“Hell,” Greg cursed. “This is fucked up. I don’t think I’m going to be able to close my eyes and not see this poor girl for months.”