“I don’t know. I thought so but now I’m not sure. I do have a very active imagination.”
“In your line of work that’s probably an asset.”
She huffed softly. “It’s not so hot when I’m trapped in a dark building, even if I do have one of Texas’s finest to protect me. I was sure I heard something. Besides our footsteps, I mean.”
They stood quietly together, listening to the silence, before Cade said, “Maybe you aren’t the only one who stayed to work late and somebody else is trying to fix the problem, too. Come on.”
Carrying the evidence bag behind her, Paige stuck close to Cade as they tiptoed along the hallway. Each private office door they tried to open was locked, as they should have been. Unless the prowler—assuming there was one—had individual keys, there was no way he could be hiding in any of those rooms.
“You said the controls for the overhead lighting are around here, right? Show me.” Cade painted the beige-tiled floor with the narrow beam of light.
It took her only a few seconds to guide him to the gray metal box containing the electrical panel. He located the breakers and flipped them all to On.
The resulting illumination was blinding. Paige shaded her eyes with her free hand and could feel the tension flowing out of her. “Whew. That’s better. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll need to report this incident to Captain Parker. It may have been just a blown breaker from a power surge or something, but an electrician should have a look at the whole system just the same. No use taking chances.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. Anything that scares you as much as this incident did should definitely be investigated.”
“Me? I wasn’t the only one on edge. You almost hit the ceiling when I tapped you on the shoulder.”
“That’s because I never did find a logical explanation for what sounded like somebody cocking an automatic weapon right outside your office.”
“Now that I heard, too,” Paige said. “So tell me. After what already happened to you on your way here, do you honestly think this electrical problem was an accident?”
She saw more worry than she was comfortable with in the Ranger’s eyes when he shook his head and said, “No. I can’t say I do.”
Remaining on his guard, Cade escorted the artist back to her studio. He didn’t know what was going on but he didn’t believe in chance. The incident on the highway that had almost gotten him killed had been too convenient. So had this supposed power failure.
In his view, there was a good possibility that someone wanted to keep this victim’s identity a secret. That made perfect sense, particularly if the Lions of Texas cartel really was involved.
Paige once again removed the skull and started to study it.
“The lab boys said he was a man in his thirties,” Cade offered. “Do you agree?”
“Perhaps. I suppose they took dental X-rays and checked the opacity of the teeth to help decide.” She was rotating the skull as she spoke. “It has large brow ridges and blunt orbital borders, plus a dandy occipital protuberance. Nasal openings and the structure of the inner ear fit, too.”
“In English, please?”
Paige grinned. “Congratulations. It’s a boy. An older one, like you said.” Her grin widened when their glances met. “Probably of European ancestry. I’ll check my conclusions when I look up the tissue depth measurements, just to be absolutely positive.”
Cade didn’t mind seeing that his request for plainer speaking had amused her. There was little enough laughter in the world, particularly their corner of it.
“Okay.” He held up the open carrying case. “Better let me have him back for now. I’ve delayed you long enough. We can get down to serious business tomorrow.”
“Fine with me. It is getting late. Max will be wondering what kept me.”
To Cade’s surprise, he felt a twinge of emotion that was too akin to envy to suit him. “Max? Are you married?”
Paige shook her head and the sparkle in her emerald eyes was so appealing, he almost stared.
“No,” she said. “Max is short for Maximum, which is what I named the biggest dog I’ve ever had. He’s part Old English sheepdog, part fence-jumper, I think. I have to keep trimming his hair so he can see where he’s going.”
Cade gave a soft chuckle. “Well, I don’t want to keep you, ma’am.”
Paige stripped off her gloves and disposed of them while he zipped the bag closed. “You can leave that here so you don’t have to tote it all over Austin with you,” she said. “I have a big vault for secure storage.”
“Thanks. After the strange goings-on tonight it’ll be a relief to have it locked away safely.” Cade patted the closed top of the bag. “Are you the only one who knows the combination to your vault?”
“Of course not. Why?”
It occurred to him that maybe he should keep the skull with him, even if it would be a real pain to guard it every second. “Sharing the combination is not good. I told you how important this clue is. We can’t take any chances on losing it.”
“I have never lost a shred of evidence. Not once.”
“You probably aren’t normally as edgy as you were tonight, either. Suppose somebody was prowling around looking for this skull? What then?”
“We never saw a soul,” Paige countered.
“True. But if the Lions of Texas are as well connected as we suspect, they probably already know you’ve been chosen to do the facial rebuild.”
She arched her brows and rolled her eyes, almost making Cade laugh out loud. “That doesn’t take a rocket scientist. I’m the only forensic artist the Rangers have.”
“My point, exactly,” he said, watching her expression until he sensed that she’d begun to comprehend the importance of his warning. “They know what your job is.”
“And maybe they were watching you instead of me and knew you’d just delivered that evidence. Did you think of that?”
“Unfortunately, yes, which means your safe is the most secure option.” He took the carrying case to the safe. “Let’s get this guy locked up and get out of here. I’ll check in with the troopers before I go and have them keep an eye on this building. Especially your office.”
To his chagrin, Paige began to laugh softly.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are. You seem to have forgotten you’re on foot. You don’t have your truck anymore.”
“It’s around here somewhere. Probably still in the maintenance garage. It’s dented and scraped but the running gear didn’t look damaged. If they aren’t through checking it for clues yet, I can probably borrow some decent wheels from the motor pool.”
Taking her arm as soon as she locked the safe, he started to urge her toward the door. “Come on. I’ll walk you out.”
“Okay. Give me a minute to grab my things.”
Cade stayed on alert and by her side as she secured her office. Watching Paige that closely, it was impossible to avoid noticing how attractive she was. Her jeans, plain green T-shirt and fitted denim jacket were extremely well suited to her. So was the soft, draping leather shoulder bag she carried. They also indicated that she wasn’t into fancy clothing and such. His kind of down-to-earth, simple-pleasures woman, not given to prissiness.
Oh, well. He shrugged with resignation. He knew from his fellow Rangers that her assignments