Searching for Winslet (Fallport Rescue Operations #5)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Jett McCoy didn’t think there were too many things in life worth complaining about. In middle school, he’d been cut from the modified soccer team, which meant there was no way in hell he was making the freshman team, much less JV or varsity.

Lucky for him, he had two passions when it came to sports. While being a golfer wasn’t as appealing to the ladies, it gave him a place for quiet introspection, something he desperately needed more than a space for exerting energy as a teenager.

Golf had given Jett more than a team to letter in. It also came with recruitment to some of the best colleges. The most unlikely candidate: West Point Military Academy. So, really, in the long run, losing soccer wasn’t anything to complain about.

Jett glanced in the side-view mirror before pulling into a parking spot near On The Rocks, a restaurant and bar owned by an old Army buddy. Jett and Zeke had worked together for two years before Zeke had done the unthinkable and left the military for greener pastures.

If there even was such a thing.

Now Zeke had a wife and five freaking kids. One in college and four under the age of seven. Insanity is what that was.

It was not that Jett was complaining about life because he wasn’t, but this wasn’t how he was supposed to go out. He had at least nine more good years of active duty. Sure, he was forty-one years old, and perhaps he would have had to pull back on the special ops missions. Do more planning and training than running in like he was the star of a Mission Impossible movie. He got that people aged. He understood that everyone was punching a time clock.

But to be told he could no longer serve his country except for behind a desk? He rubbed his knees and shifted in his seat. He had more metal in his body than anyone else he knew, including his grandmother, who proudly called herself the bionic woman.

He chuckled at that thought.

Again, not really complaining.

He was vertical. And it was his choice to leave the Army. He could have stayed. He could have taken that desk job, and it was an important one. But after his fourth or fifth surgery, Jett had become bitter. Hardened.

And he was done.

Kind of like when he watched his wife walk out the door.

Though, even Jett could admit that failed marriage was mostly his fault. Back then, it was his career he’d been married to anyway. It had been all that mattered to him. All that had been important since he stepped foot on West Point.

Now, everything had changed, and Jett didn’t know who he was or what to do next. The only thing he knew for sure was that he’d made the right decision by retiring.

He shut down the engine of his truck and eased from behind the steering wheel. The spring evening air smacked his skin. Having grown up in Western, New York, this time of year, the temperatures could be anywhere from forty to sixty during the nighttime hours. But humid? Hell no. Where he was from, summer only happened for two weeks in July, and in April, it could snow.

It was April.

It should be cold.

He shouldn’t want to lift his shirt and wipe his brow.

It amazed most that he’d become a scratch golfer by the age of fourteen, living in the part of the state that snowed starting in October most years. But for as good as he was at golf, he used to be that good of a downhill skier.

Those days were over.

At least he could still chase the white ball around the green fairways.

That was something.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he made his way toward the bar. When Zeke had heard about Jett’s near-death experience, Zeke had been on the first plane. He sat with Jett. For weeks. For longer than any other human outside of his family.

Including his girlfriend at the time, but Jett couldn’t blame her, not really.

Before Zeke had even gotten there, Jett had gone through a heart procedure to repair damage from shrapnel that had nicked one chamber of his heart. He had to have five of his ribs plated. And had been on a ventilator for six days because both lungs had been punctured. There were some other issues, but Jett didn’t like to dwell on the fact that no one thought he would make it.

That had been sixteen months ago. Since then, Jett had three surgeries to correct issues with his heart. A hip and two knee replacements because his had been broken so badly they wouldn’t heal properly. And both his shoulders had undergone surgeries to repair damage done by either bullets tearing through his body or pieces of a helicopter landing on it.

If there was ever a time to complain, it would have been during the first eight months after the helicopter went down. Or during the hell that was called rehab.

But no. Jett wasn’t going to give death the last laugh. He beat death. Cheated it out of its victory.

More than once.

Only now, Jett was a shell of a man and all he wanted to do was bitch about it.

However, his grandma would find him and smack the back of his head. So, it was not worth it.

He locked his SUV and strolled across the street. Fallport, Virginia, seemed like a quaint little town. It felt like a cross between the Midwest and the South.

Or perhaps West Virginia, which was a land all by itself.

It was a good place to find out what kind of man Jett would become in this second chapter of his life.

He glanced at his watch. A little after seven. Perfect time for a cheeseburger, fries, and tall beer. He pushed open the door and scanned the room, making mental notes of everyone—and everything. Old habits died hard, and he figured this would never go away. He rubbed the center of his chest as he weaved through the room, dodging a few of the patrons who stood in the middle of the bar, conversing while their bodies swayed with the country music that filled the air.

“Look what the cat finally dragged in.” Zeke waved from behind the bar. “I thought you were going to be here a couple of hours ago.” He leaned in for a bro hug.

“I made a few extra stops along the way.”

“Well, it worked out for the best.” Zeke slapped his shoulder. “A few of the guys from Search and Rescue are here. Let me introduce you since you’ll end up seeing a lot of them working for parks and recreation.”

Jett had lucked out big-time when Zeke sent him the information regarding the ranger position. Jett worried he wouldn’t get the job, but thanks to a few letters of recommendation, he’d been offered the position three weeks ago and he pounced on it without hesitation.

Moving away from his family would be a big change. He’d come to rely on them heavily over the last few months. However, it was time for a fresh start. Time for Jett to pick up the pieces of his mangled life and move on.

He followed Zeke through the packed bar, turning his head as he passed a table of four women. After his divorce, his dating record had gone back to what it looked like when he’d first joined the Army.

A string of meaningless short-lived relationships that meant nothing.

That was until the crash. Of course, when that happened, he’d been dating one lady who had struck his fancy a little more than most had. She was sweet. Kind. Generous. Intelligent. A woman who more than warmed his bed at night. A woman he’d gotten used to and one he could see perhaps going the distance with.

He’d cared about Becky. He’d even thought about asking her to move in with him after this last deployment. But his injuries had scared the shit out her and while she sat at his bedside for the next six months, she didn’t have it in her to stay with him for the long haul.

He couldn’t blame her. He was lucky to walk out of that hospital.

His gaze caught one of the girls. She had long reddish hair that bounced over her shoulders like a shampoo commercial. Her eyes were the color of an emerald. And her smile sucker punched him in the gut.

Damn.

“That’s Winslet Payne. Our local forensic anthropologist.” Zeke chuckled.

“I wasn’t looking, much less asking,” Jett said. “Although, now that you brought it up, I have to ask. What does a small town like Fallport need with a forensic anthropologist?” He honestly didn’t need to know and he sure as hell shouldn’t have asked. He was a man destined for trouble when it came to women.

“Do you even know what that kind of doctor does?” Zeke paused, arching his brow.

“They study old dead bones.” Zeke shook his head. “You forget, I was a combat medic. I might not be a doctor, but I’m not an idiot and I patched you up a time or two in the field.”

“My wife is still pissed at how this scar looks.” Zeke rubbed his back. “But to answer your question, Winslet was born and raised in Fallport. Every so often she teaches for a semester at the local university when she’s not out on some dig, or doing work for the National History of Crime and Punishment Museum, or being called by the FBI, CIA, or some other agency who needs her brand of expertise.”

“Sounds like that character on the hit TV show Bones. ”

“Exactly. And she’s way out of your fucking league.” Zeke paused in front of a booth in the back of the restaurant where five men were enjoying a few pitchers of beer. “Boys, this is my buddy Jett. He’s our newest park ranger.” He pointed to the man in the corner. “That guy is Lincoln. He was Special Boat Service in the UK. Next to him is Brock. He worked Customs Border Patrol. Across the table there is Ethan and Rocky. Both SEALs. But I believe you met them a few years back.”

“We did. Nice to see you again.” Jett nodded.

“And next to Rocky is his cousin Weston. He’s a local cop here in town and a former ranger,” Zeke said.

“Damn.” Jett smiled. “Long time no see. Weston and I did Ranger School together. I had no idea you landed here.” Jett stretched out his arm.

“This is a good town to wind up in. Why don’t you have a seat? We were just about to order some appetizers.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got two hours before the wife says I’ve got to be home to help her with getting the little rug rats down for the night.”

“Married with kids.” Jett slipped into the booth. “Last time our paths crossed you swore commitment wasn’t in your future.”

“When you meet my Haven, you’ll understand why she changed my mind on that.” Weston laughed. “Where’s Kiki?”

“Oh, we divorced about six years ago,” Jett said.

“I’ll go get another pitcher and bring over a platter of appetizers.” Zeke tapped his knuckles on the table. “Be nice to my boy here. I’ll be back.”

“Sorry to hear about you and Kiki.” Weston lifted his beer and took a slow slip. “When we went to Ranger School, you’d only been married for a little while.”

“Marriage didn’t last that long,” Jett admitted, glancing over his shoulder.

Winslet and her friends were dropping back a shot and laughing.

“Zeke tells us that you’re moving into the apartments in town,” Weston said. “I lived there for a while. Not a bad place. Did you get the studio or the one-bedroom?”

“One-bedroom. I already dropped off my stuff a little while ago. Not bad. I honestly expected a dump by the way Zeke described it, but it’s nicer than most places I’ve lived in. And it was furnished, which was helpful.”

“My wife, Stormi, and I live around the corner,” Lincoln said. “Feel free to reach out if you need anything.”

“Any of us at Search and Rescue are more than happy to lend a hand to our park rangers.” Brock raised his beer. “It’s pretty quiet out there, but we’re coming up on our busy season and every year something weird happens.”

“Yeah, like when Madison’s sister went missing. That was a hard case,” Rocky said.

“Who’s Madison?” Jett found himself staring at Winslet and not his new friends.

“Brayden’s wife. He’s a fellow Search and Rescue man. You’ll meet him soon enough. Good guy,” Ethan said. “Old friend of mine and my brother’s.”

“We recruit a lot that way.” Lincoln chuckled. “Are we checking out Winslet or one of her friends?”

Jett snapped his gaze back to the men sitting at the table and cleared his throat. “None of them.”

Everyone laughed.

“Winslet is a real looker, that’s for sure,” Ethan said. “She’s a good woman, too. But unless you’re looking for anything other than a fling, I wouldn’t chase after that one.”

“Are you suggesting she leaves a trail of broken hearts behind?” Jett shouldn’t have asked the question. But when a woman was known for something, and that lady had the ability turn his head, he wanted to know what it was that had people talking.

Especially if it was a reason that should keep his wandering eye from wandering to her. Not that he was interested.

Because he wasn’t.

He came to Fallport for a job. For a fresh start. That didn’t include getting tangled up with the likes of the female persuasion. At least not right out of the gate.

“She doesn’t do relationships,” Weston said. “She’s here through the end of the semester and maybe through the summer, depending on what her work life tosses her way and how she gets along with her folks. But when she does come to town, she often finds some guy, has a fling, then breaks his heart when she leaves. It’s not like she doesn’t warn the guy, and the locals all know she’s not staying in town for the long haul.”

One thing Jett knew about people and relationships was that there was always a reason they didn’t do them. He had his, and they were good ones. If Winslet didn’t want to be in one for any length of time, something in her past dictated that response.

“She’s been here since Christmas and, to our knowledge, hasn’t been with anyone.” Brock raised his hand. “Not that we sit around and gossip about Winslet.”

“But our wives do.” Weston laughed. “Haven has known Winslet her entire life and it’s kind of pissed her off that Winslet can bounce from one man to the next and not be called a slut. But be treated like a man and everyone just states it’s one more notch on her bedpost.”

“Yeah, but men in this town treat her like she’s a challenge.” Rocky arched a brow. “As if they can tame her of her wild ways, which is gross if you ask me. She’s a person, not a prize, and those men aren’t good enough for her anyway.”

“Besides, she’s got family demons,” Weston said.

“Maybe that’s why she hasn’t dated anyone this semester. Or perhaps everyone has finally learned that Winslet is not marriage material and stopped trying,” Ethan said.

Jett turned, eyeing the beauty once more. “I’ve had a failed marriage and if that has taught me anything, it’s that not only am I not long-haul relationship material, but that when others make judgments about that fact, it’s because they don’t understand it. No offense.”

“Absolutely none taken, and most of us might say we were once of that philosophy,” Weston said. “So, now I’m curious, are you saying you’d hit on her for a fling?”

“If that’s the case, we might shut you down.” Rocky cocked his head. “You might be a good man, and Winslet is a grown woman, capable of taking care of herself. However, something has been bothering her ever since she’s come back to town. We don’t know what it is, and she’s chosen to keep to herself outside of hanging with her team.”

“I’m simply curious since we’re talking about it.” Jett rubbed his hip. The one that didn’t have metal holding it together. The doctors told him he was lucky both didn’t need to be replaced.

He wasn’t so sure about that.

“I came here to work and that’s what I’m going to do. You boys decided to fill me in on that one. I’m just enjoying the view,” he said.

“Well, don’t enjoy it too much.” Lincoln laughed. “Unless you want to go down that road.” He waggled his finger. “Because she’s eyeing you too and you’re new in this town. She might take you up on that.”

“Noted.” Jett leaned back as a waitress appeared carrying a tray of food, making his mouth water.

“There’s one more thing you should know about Winslet,” Rocky said.

“Why? I’m not entertaining any thoughts about her.” Jett had numerous thoughts jumping around his brain. But they were thoughts he had no intention of acting on.

“Because as the newest park ranger, you’ll hear about her grandfather, who was also a park ranger,” Brock said. “He disappeared when her father was fourteen years old, right after her grandmother was found murdered in their kitchen. Shot in the back. Marcus has never been found and the murder is still unsolved.”

“I’ve read the file.” Weston pushed his plate aside. “One of the cold cases that sits on my desk and taunts me.”

“Weston here hates unsolved crimes,” Rocky said.

“With a passion. And that case is a head-scratcher.” Weston rubbed the back of his neck. “Lola, Winslet’s grandmother, was well-liked in the community. So was Marcus, and according to everyone who knew them, they loved each other dearly. They were high school sweethearts, and her murder rocked this community. No one wanted to believe Marcus could have killed his wife. But all the evidence points to Marcus.” Weston lifted his beer. “But then came the rumors. And there are a lot of rumors. Most don’t make sense.”

“I take it this is her family demon.” Jett was more than intrigued by the tale. “What kind of evidence? And are the rumors founded?”

“The murder weapon, a shotgun, was left at the scene. The bullets matched and the only prints on the weapon were that of Marcus. A note was left behind, stating he was sorry. Forensics states that the handwriting is a match for Marcus,” Weston said. “But it only says he was sorry. We don’t know for what. And there is Hannah Wilks who left her husband the same day of the murder. She left him a note, stating she was in love with Marcus. That they had been having an affair and they were leaving town. She’s never been heard from since. That note also passes handwriting forensics, but no one can believe it. Cooper and Hannah loved each other. And the two couples were good friends. Unless they were swingers, it’s a big leap.” He arched a brow. “Lots of speculation on the possibility that Cooper Wilks killed them all, but Cooper maintains his innocence. He still lives in town, and there is no evidence to support that theory. He never remarried and he’s been a broken man ever since. Not just over his wife, but over what he believes are the deaths of his friends. Oddly enough, he believes Winslet’s dad killed his parents. But that’s about as fucked up as it comes.”

“Are you still actively investigating this?” Jett asked.

“We don’t have a cold case department here in Fallport,” Weston said. “County and State are too damn busy to give a damn. So yeah, I look into it when I can. So does my wife. But it’s about as cold as the artic snow. Why, are you looking to do some moonlighting for the police department?”

“Good grief, no.” Jett laughed. “When I’m not at the ranger station, out on the trails, or volunteering for Search and Rescue, I plan on fishing, camping, and taking a few little road trips.”

“And maybe taking in the sights?” Brock asked. “Or should I say, taking out a sight named Winslet.”

“Zeke warned me that you all were a bunch of ballbusters.” Jett laughed before bringing his beer to his lips. The problem was, he was too intrigued by her good looks, her laugh, and the history. But not enough to strike up a conversation.

At least not tonight.

“But if I get bored out there on ranger duty and you want another set of eyes on those files, I would humor you.”