Page 130 of It Runs in the Family

“You have to admit I’d be a fool not to question things,” I countered. “You told me you’re a cop but haven’t shown me a stitch of proof. I’m just takin’ your word for it as we fall farther down this rabbit hole.”

He pulled into the Dollar General parking lot and parked in the back row. He shifted into park and turned to face me, giving me his full attention. “What do I need to do to make you comfortable?”

“Show me your badge or your Ranger identification.”

He frowned. “I don’t have it, but⁠—”

“How convenient.”

He gave me an impatient look. “I was about to say I can show you an article with my name and photo about something I did while on duty before I joined the Rangers.” His face softened. “Would that make you feel better?”

“Yeah. It would,” I said, slightly indignant.

He grabbed his phone and started typing on the screen. Several seconds later, he handed it to me.

It was a news article from an Austin newspaper from three years ago. My gaze landed on the byline first—State Trooper Saves Family.

There was a photo underneath—it was an action shot, probably taken by a bystander—but the man was obviously Boone. He was pulling a child out of a back passenger window on the shoulder of a highway.

There had been three passengers in the car—a woman and her two kids, ages seven and four—when it was rear-ended by a drunk driver late on a Tuesday night. Trooper Boone Callahan had been two miles back on a routine stop, close enough to the scene that he arrived just as a fire broke out in the car.

He’d pulled all three of them out to safety.

The seven-year-old had a broken arm. The mother had second-degree burns on her hands and arms from trying to get her kids out of the car before Boone arrived. The four-year-old suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns but was released the next day.

Boone hadn’t shown me an arrest record or some kind of commendation proving he was big, bad, and tough. He’d shown me something better—he’d saved a family.

I handed the phone back.

“Is that enough?” he asked quietly.

I nodded. But I also realized he’d taken a risk by showing me that. He was undercover, and telling anyone his identity could put him at risk. It said he trusted me, and he wanted me to trust him all the way too. “Yeah. Thank you.”

“Yeah,” was his gruff reply as he pocketed his phone.

I turned to him. “I won’t tell anyone,” I said earnestly. “Not even Garrett.”

His mouth lifted into a soft smile. “I know.”

The Dollar General building loomed in front of us, a reminder of what I was about to do. I drew in a deep breath and held it before slowly releasing it. “Okay. Let’s see if Deanna’s here.”

I got out of the truck before he could remind me of what I should or shouldn’t say. I just wanted to get this over with.

He followed me into the store, wisely keeping quiet. Once inside, I looked around and took the place in, trying to determine where to start my search. A middle-aged woman was working the register, checking out two elderly women. If Deanna were here, she was probably working the floor. I grabbed a hand basket, then started walking along the tops of the aisles, searching for her. When I didn’t find her, I turned and went the other direction, finally spotting her on the last aisle, stocking cereal boxes on a shelf.

And there on her wrist was a slightly faded woven blue bracelet.

“Deanna?” I cried out in fake surprise. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide, then a grin spread across her face. “Iris Gardner. What have you been up to, girl?”

“Not much,” I said. “I was working at the Stop-n-Go on Highway 32 until last week, so now I’m lookin’ for a job.” I glanced around. “Are y’all hirin’?”

She made a face. “No. The new manager believes in a bare-bones staff.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I know,” she said. “It would’ve been fun workin’ together.” Her gaze lifted to something behind me, and her grin spread farther. “And who’s this?”