room before so he was taken aback. It looked more like a cozy artist’s studio than it did a scientific laboratory. He spotted several computers at work stations and a small, boxy, black machine he didn’t recognize. Beyond that, the place was arrayed in a personal, extremely artistic manner.
There were rows of framed pictures of faces on one wall, a window on another and tall filing cabinets on the third. Beside them hung a painting of an ethereal-looking child whose face seemed to drift in the mist of the artist’s imagination.
Cade set the case on the nearest table and approached the painting while Paige removed her jacket. “This picture is amazing. Did you paint it?”
“Yes.” She was unzipping the carrying bag as she spoke. “Tell me again what you know about this victim.”
“Not a whole lot,” Cade replied as he joined her. “We’re pretty sure he’s tied to Gregory Pike’s murder. We just can’t prove exactly how.”
“I guessed as much when I was told to drop everything and give your case my full attention,” she said with evident empathy. “We’re all still in shock after what happened to Captain Pike. How’s the rest of that investigation coming along? Any hits on the sketch I made from his daughter Corinna’s description of her stalker?”
Cade nodded soberly. “Yes. We got him.”
“Wonderful. How about the likenesses I created from my photos of the man in the coma?”
“Those helped, too. We still don’t know his name, but a witness saw the pictures and came forward with some information.”
“So, what do you know?”
“He’s Irish. The witness remembered his brogue.”
“Good. At least that’s a start.”
“Yeah. A mighty slow one.” Cade sighed. “Greg was special. He was more than my superior, he was my friend and mentor. I owed him plenty. Still do.”
Paige donned latex gloves and carefully lifted the skull, supporting the lower jaw as she turned the relic in her hands to assess it. “I’m confused. What makes you think this death is associated with Captain Pike’s? Under normal conditions it can take from six months to a year to reduce human remains to a skeletal state. This man must have died long before the captain was killed.”
Cade nodded. “The Lions of Texas drug cartel is the link. It has to be. Did you know that Pike had ordered all of Company D to rendezvous at his house just before he was shot and killed?”
“Yes. Corinna told me all about it while I was making the sketch of the man who broke into her house. Did you ever figure out what her father was so eager to tell all the other Rangers?”
“We have an idea. Apparently, the Lions were afraid there was incriminating evidence in the house. They sent someone to retrieve it, and Corinna interrupted. Since she could ID him, he decided to take her out.”
“Poor Corinna. Is she all right?”
“Yes. Now she is. When we finally nabbed her stalker, he told us he worked for the Lions and mentioned a drug drop site the Lions were still using. We put a Ranger undercover and staked it out, hoping to catch them in the act.”
“Did you?”
“In a manner of speaking. We may have gotten something better.” He pointed. “The skull you’re holding was dug up on that property while we had it under surveillance. It’s too big a coincidence to overlook. There has to be a connection between that murder and the drug cartel.”
“Were you able to arrest anyone at the grave site?”
“Not at that time, but it worked out in the end. All we got at first was the jacket of the guy who was trying to retrieve the skull. Later, a man named Greco came after Jennifer Rodgers, the woman who owns the property on which the drop site and skull were located. Greco was killed by the Ranger we had working undercover there.”
“Uh-oh. He didn’t talk first?”
“No.” Cade frowned and gestured at the skull. “If you can help us ID this guy, we may be able to make more progress than we have lately.”
“What about the guy in the coma? Could he have been a secret informant for Captain Pike? He was found shot at the house alongside Pike’s body, right?”
“Yeah. He’s still in a coma so we can’t question him, although we do have hope he may recover. They say he moved his fingers slightly. All we have to work with right now is his photo and the fact that he’s Irish.”
Cade tilted his head toward the skull she was holding so gingerly. “Which leaves that as our only other clue at present. That’s why it’s so important. So important that I’ve been ordered to stick around until you finish the facial reconstruct—”
Without any warning, all the overhead lights blinked off.
Cade heard Paige gasp.
“Hold your horses,” he said. “I’m sure it’s nothing. The emergency generator should kick on in a few seconds.”
“I wonder. Look outside. The lights in the parking lot are still working.”
Cade’s right hand instinctively went to his gun, his palm resting on the grip, his thumb unsnapping the tab that kept it in the holster. “You’re right. Stay where you are. I’ll go have a look around.”
He heard shuffling. Then she grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket.
“I’m going with you.”
“Don’t be silly.”
“The silly part is how afraid I get when it’s totally dark. Either you take me with you or I’ll probably panic and get hysterical.” She drew a noisy, shaky breath. “I mean it. I know it’s stupid and irrational but I’m really, really scared.”
“Okay. You can come. Grab the evidence. We’re not leaving it unguarded.”
He heard the slide of a zipper as she closed the carrying case. Now that his vision had adjusted more to the darkness he could see enough via the reflected exterior lights to move around safely, even in such unfamiliar territory.
“Got it,” Paige said. “I’m ready.”
Judging by the quaver in her tone she was truly frightened. Although such unfounded fears made no sense to him, he was willing to indulge her, particularly in view of the Rangers’ desperate need for her talents. The last thing he wanted to do was alienate her.
They crossed the room, moving as one.
Cade grasped the doorknob. He had no sooner started to twist it than he heard a clicking, sliding sound. He froze. Was that a bullet being chambered in an automatic weapon?
If someone else was outside in the hallway, as he now suspected, they might very well be getting ready to shoot the first person dumb enough to stick his—or her—head out.
Cade steeled himself. He wasn’t going to make it that easy.
TWO
