Deception

I can do this.

Chief Winters stared at her, waiting patiently. She’d always liked that about him. But how did she answer his question? What could she tell him that would make any sense?

* * *

Jewel moved to sit in the chair against the wall. Colin didn’t rush her, giving her a moment to think on the details of what had happened.

Some days Colin hated his job, and today was one of those days. He hated having to pry answers out of people—especially people he cared about personally.

“Accidents happen, Jewel. People fall where they shouldn’t all the time, including in the shower, where some die every year.” He hated himself for this, but he had to ask her. He had to be certain. “Are you sure someone pushed you?”

She stared at the floor. Was she thinking it through?

Seeing Jewel like this undid him. Unraveled him from the inside out.

Jewel Caraway was a beautiful woman. One of the most beautiful he’d ever seen, and that included on the inside, where it mattered most. She was beautiful like Katelyn—a woman he’d loved—had been. Had a quiet elegance and grace about her, and the most captivating hazel-green, gold-flecked eyes. Colin shouldn’t be thinking about her in that way, but he couldn’t stop himself. Had never been able to stop himself for as long as he’d known her.

Except today, circles darkened Jewel’s eyes, and her usually shiny, ash-blond hair was askew. Her face was bruised in a way that turned his stomach into knots.

He was the police chief, but he was a man, too, and Jewel had caught his attention the first time he’d met her. She reflected light like a precious gem. Her parents must have known she would when they had named her. She carried herself with the confidence of experience, but she’d never looked a day over thirty to him, though she was in her mid to late forties just like Colin.

Then he remembered himself.

In a professional capacity he’d come to make sure she was all right. But his true interest in her went deeper, even though he’d never let himself act on it. Her husband had been a friend, and Colin had never let his mind or heart stray before. Nor would that happen now, even though she was a widow.

In his eyes, she’d aged ten years in the past few hours. Colin thought maybe he’d aged that much, too. Maybe more.

She could have died out there.

She pressed her face into her palms, her shoulders shaking. He’d never seen her undone like this, but it was understandable. Colin lost it then, too. He pressed his hand against her head, felt the softness of her hair. His heart thudded against his ribs.

“Please, Jewel. Talk to me.”

She drew her face up, and her haggardness caught him afresh, sending a new pang through his chest.

“Meral, Buck and I had gone kayaking. They just got married and arrived two days ago. Were excited to be here and wanted to see southeast Alaska. She’s my sister, and I haven’t seen her in twenty years.”

Jewel seemed to regret her last words, which came out rushed. An outburst to cover some deeper emotion hidden away? He’d let her tell him that story another time. Yet maybe there was something here that played a role in what had happened today.

“Go on,” Colin said, nodding.

“We secured the kayaks in the bay and decided to hike up to the falls. We planned to be out for a few hours. A day at the most. I forgot my water and went back to get it. Buck and Meral went on ahead. I said I’d catch up to them. Meet them at the falls where the trail stopped. From there you could choose between two other trails, and I didn’t want them to go farther without me. It shouldn’t have been so complicated.”

“And were they at the falls when you got there?”

“No. I stopped to watch the waterfall. Silas liked to explore waterfalls. Maybe you remember that we used to travel around to see the falls in the region, even as far south as Ketchikan. He liked to study them. Kayak over them, if possible.”

“And what about you? Did you enjoy that, too?”

She shook her head. “I’m not into thrills.”

No. He hadn’t thought so. She was adventurous, yes, but was more the kind to enjoy the beauty rather than the challenge of nature.

“So did you call for Meral and... What is his full name again?” She’d only given her brother-in-law’s first name when she’d mentioned him earlier. Colin didn’t want to be too invasive. Let her tell the story. He hadn’t met Buck yet. Apparently he’d just missed the man and Jewel’s sister when he’d got to the clinic.

“Buck Cambridge. Yes, I called out for them when I made the falls, and they were not there. I heard a twig snap behind me. Before I turned, something slammed into my back.”

Colin hated thinking about the bruises that covered the rest of her, if her face was any indication. “I’m just glad you survived. It seems...”

“Impossible. I know.”

For a moment, Colin let himself visualize her battle, experience it with her. If he let himself think about it too long, he’d be visibly shaking, trembling like she was.

“Tell me the rest.”

“After my initial panic, I swam beneath the backwash and let the current pull me away from the churning falls. I swam toward the surface to get air and happened to glance to the top of the falls.”

“And what did you see?”

“Someone. Just a figure. My vision was blurred by water, but I saw someone for a split second before the water pulled me away.”

“You sure it wasn’t Meral you saw, arriving after you’d fallen in? She was the one to call this in. Her quick thinking got the search for you going.”

Jewel closed her eyes. After a moment, she shook her head. “I don’t think so. No, I’m sure it wasn’t Meral. The jacket she’s wearing is too bright—even though I couldn’t make out the face of the person I saw, that color would have caught my eye. It was the person who pushed me in. They were standing exactly where I’d been before being pushed.”

Colin hated that her story could be picked apart, especially since she appeared so frazzled. And after his experience in Texas, he resolved to look at the facts and only the facts. He couldn’t go on gut feelings alone.

Jewel’s experience and what she’d seen could be based entirely on her emotional state. But this was Jewel Caraway. Writing her off wasn’t something he was willing to do. Colin would take her seriously. If someone truly had tried to kill her, then he would do everything he could to make sure she was safe.

He frowned. “Was the person you saw male or female?”

“I couldn’t tell.” She looked up at him again. “You do believe me, don’t you?”

“Of course.” He believed she wasn’t deliberately lying, but could her memory be faulty? Eyewitness stories almost always conflicted. Everyone had his or her own perspective. Had Jewel really seen someone? And had that person pushed her?

“Did you see anyone else on the trail during your hike?”

“No.”

“I’ll need to question your sister and her husband.” He wouldn’t divvy this out to his officers. No. This investigation belonged to Colin.

“Of course. They’re waiting out there. I’m surprised you didn’t already meet and question them. They are still out there, aren’t they?”

Colin let out a slow breath. Would she be disappointed if he told her they had already gone? A fact he found strange. What was more important to them than Jewel’s well-being?

“Oh, wait. Meral wasn’t feeling well.” Disappointment edged her voice. “Maybe Buck wanted to get her home. Maybe they decided not to wait for me to get dressed.”

Colin’s throat tightened. Nice guy. “I’ll take you home, Jewel. Don’t worry. Now can you think of any reason why someone would try to kill you?” Maybe this wasn’t a random act, though he couldn’t think of a single enemy she would have made. She was kind and generous, and her guests always raved about their experience at the B and B. But if he’d learned anything as a twenty-five-year police veteran, it was that everyone had dry bones buried in the backyard. As hard as it was to believe, Jewel would be no exception.