Jax rubbed his index finger along his bottom lip, picking through his thoughts to recall every detail Matt Ecal had mentioned earlier in the week. When Matt confided in him regarding the suspicious nature of the accident he and Seyla had in her car, Jax figured his best friend had overreacted. His family’s fierce protectiveness of Seyla had resulted in a bout of paranoia. After what had just happened, he’d changed his mind.
Jax leveled his gaze at Seyla, reeling from the shock of seeing her again.
He’d assumed she and Matt shared the same last name.
Seyla Tierney.
He’d already been told she’d returned to the area, and he remembered how pretty she’d been in high school. However, “stunning” described her better now. More shocking than that, a volley of competing memories and emotions assailed him with the unexpected reunion in the woods. Jax dragged his eyes away from her face to recover his thoughts. “How many notes like this have you gotten?”
“Only one before this. I planned to call the police, but I got sick that afternoon and I…I don’t know. I figured it was a prank or Janet attempting to scare me.” Rock leaned into her and sat on his haunches. She wrapped an arm around the dog and her features relaxed a little.
“What did it say?” Vanessa asked.
“Pretty much the same thing—a warning that I don’t belong here and a vague threat if I don’t leave.”
“So who has something to gain if you leave?” Jax questioned. He watched Seyla’s eyes dart to her cousin, then back to him. Textbook nervousness. Interesting.
She rubbed her arms. “No idea. I’m the manager at Safe Haven Exotic Animal Sanctuary. It’s next to this reserve. Any of the previous owners of those animals has a motive, I guess.”
Jax clenched his teeth, grinding them against each other.
Matt had left that particular detail out. And he knew why.
Vanessa slapped Seyla’s arm. “Don’t be modest. You’re the only reason the sanctuary is still standing. It’s possible they see you as a threat.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sure the sanctuary has a long list of enemies,” Jax muttered. Starting with him.
At Seyla’s frown, he changed his focus to Vanessa. “Do you think you can walk now?”
“Yeah, I think I’m okay other than a bad headache.”
“Let’s get moving, then. We can discuss this on the way. Right now, we need to get you back to civilization so you can see a doctor.” The three of them began the lengthy trek along the remainder of the winding reserve trail to get to their vehicles. The sky above took on an orange, pink, and purple glow. Any other time, Jax would have lingered to enjoy the magnificent display. Not today.
Seyla halted in front of him so suddenly, he bumped into her. “Sorry.” He cupped her shoulders with his hands to steady them both.
She didn’t respond. Instead, she stared into the weeds at the edge of the path. “I don’t remember seeing that yesterday during my jog. I took the same path. It wasn’t there.”
“What is it?” he prompted.
She kneeled to examine an item in the brush. “It’s a beer bottle.”
He crouched low next to her and tried not to notice her smooth, tanned skin. Definitely not his type. A long time ago, yes, but not anymore. “Is that significant?”
“We removed a tiger and lion hybrid, what we call a liger, from a guy’s property earlier this year. He didn’t exactly appreciate it. The guy’s name was Travis Yoder. He reeked of beer. That’s not uncommon for him, though.”
Seyla stood up. Her nose wrinkled at what Jax assumed was an unpleasant memory of the man.
“Is he capable of this?” Jax asked.
“I think so. Travis has some pretty shady business dealings. The sheriff hasn’t been able to prove anything unfortunately.”
“And he has tons of guns at his house,” Vanessa added. “He’s an avid hunter.”
Jax pointed at the label. “Any idea if this is the kind Travis drinks?”
Seyla’s eyes squinted, then opened wide. “I don’t know, but—” The words died on her lips.
“No. Seriously? You think he’s capable—” Vanessa blurted, but then she clammed up too.