Page 194 of Rangers Last Promise

Five Rangers surround the man who ran away from them fifteen years ago.

Nobody says anything.

They don't need to.

My eyes burn.

Sheriff Tate hands me a tissue.

“I don't need that.”

“You're crying.”

“No, I'm not.”

“You are.”

“Mind your business.”

He hands me the tissue anyway.

I take it.

From the holding room Hampton calls, “Is everyone hugging?”

I laugh through the tears.

Sheriff Tate shouts, “Stay out of it!”

“I feel excluded!”

Doc laughs against Blaze’s shoulder.

And something inside me melts.

This.

This is what he lost.

Not only Grant.

All of them.

When the men finally separate, Doc wipes one hand over his face.

Trigger points at him.

“Were you crying?”

“No.”

“Looked like it.”

“Head injury.”

Trigger stares at him.

“That doesn't even make sense.”