Ranger Brigade (Book 12)
His latest case is dangerous.
So is his attraction to the missing victim's ex.
Eve Shea's ex is missing in the Colorado mountains. Although her romantic feelings for the man are long gone, her honor demands she be a part of Ranger Commander Grant Sanderlin's investigation. But her rising attraction to Grant is another matter. The hardened military man vows justice, even as he opens his home and heart to Eve. But as more clues emerge, is Eve's ex a victim -- or a killer targeting the woman Grant is falling for?
Terrific book. Eve's ex-boyfriend is missing, and when she receives a strange letter from him, she takes it to the Ranger Brigade. In the first book of the series, Investigation in Black Canyon, Dane Trask faked his death and disappeared into the mountains. He has been accused of everything from embezzlement to murder, but that isn't the man that Eve knows. Eve insists on being part of Grant's investigation as more odd things happen to her.
I liked both Eve and Grant. Eve is independent, loyal, and not afraid to go after what she wants. Though she broke off her relationship with Dane when it became clear they didn't want the same things, they remained good friends. Eve is skeptical of the things she's heard about him. In the meantime, she resumed her dating life. She is surprised by the attraction she feels for Grant, who is different than the men she dates. Grant is a divorced father of two teenagers. He carries some guilt over the end of his marriage and believes that he has not been the father he should have been. He does not expect the sparks of attraction that fly between him and Eve.
I liked the development of the relationship between Grant and Eve. After six months of unsatisfying dates via online dating sites, Eve is wary of the feelings Grant stirs in her. They spend time together and hit it off, but she still has questions about whether they want the same things. Eve is the first woman Grant has been attracted to in quite a while. He likes being with her, but an offhand comment about children puts some distance between them. I ached for Grant, who found himself jealous of Eve's past relationship with Dane and also of a current man who has his eye on her. Despite the distance, Eve is the one Grant calls when a problem crops up with one of his daughters. I liked how Eve was there for him. I liked how having Janie there made Grant re-evaluate his past and opened his heart to possibilities. I liked the ending as they both admitted their feelings and looked toward a future together.
The suspense of the story was terrific. So many people are looking for Dane, but he continues to remain elusive. The letter that he sends to Eve makes it clear that he has a reason for his disappearance. Meanwhile, his former employers continue to accuse him of heinous crimes. When Eve receives a second letter, the tension ramps up. More questions arise with visits to a mining site and the discovery of an illegal dump in the park. A dead body on a hiking trail increases the pressure on the Brigade, while Grant suspects that something odd is going on. I was glued to the pages as a desperate man used Eve as bait for his own purposes, and Grant raced to get there in time. The resolution had an unexpected twist. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens.
The secondary characters were great, mostly made up of the Brigade members. I liked seeing more of Jared and Cara from the first book. Cara is clearly on Team Dane, and Jared raises some good points during the investigation. It is easy to feel the team's frustration as they continually come up empty-handed. It doesn't help that Dane's company is less than cooperative in the search for information. On the civilian side, I loved Eve's coworker, Sarah. She is fun with her interest and encouragement in Eve's love life. My favorite of the secondary characters is Grant's daughter Janie. She is smart and enthusiastic, and clearly adores her father. I laughed at her blatant attempts to bring Eve and Grant together.
