me in the rearview mirror. My foot lifted off the gas pedal, but it was too late. As I slowed and veered for the shoulder, so did the imposing police truck behind me.
“Shit. Why am I so stupid?”
This was bad. This was really, really bad.
My heart pounded as I came to a stop, shoving the Rover into park. With trembling hands, I reached for my purse in the passenger seat and rifled through it until I found my wallet.
Why couldn’t I have just been on time for once in my life? A speeding ticket my first day in Calamity was not blending in. If my name ended up in the local police report, my stay here would be much, much shorter than planned.
The officer’s footsteps approached my door cautiously. Through the side mirror, I couldn’t get a good look at his face, but I didn’t miss the black gun on one hip and shining badge on the other.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted the second he was close enough to my open window to hear. “I was late and—”
The words disappeared as I looked up and saw blue.
“Jade?”
I blinked. “Duke? What are you doing here? I thought you were from Wyoming.”
“I grew up in Wyoming, but I live in Calamity.” He shook his head, clearing the disbelief from his expression. Then his gaze narrowed and intensified. “License, registration and insurance, please.”
“Right.” I pretended like the sharp, impassive edge to his voice didn’t sting.
Maybe I’d misread that parting moment in the park. Maybe he’d just been a nice guy, helping two tourists to their car, and the attraction here was one-sided.
My fingers fumbled with the plastic as I yanked my license out of my wallet, and I nearly dropped it as I handed it over.
“I’m sorry I was speeding.” Please, please don’t notice. I gave him my most innocent eyes, silently pleading for him to hand me back my driver’s license and forget this whole thing.
No such luck.
Duke studied my license, his eyes flickering between me and the plastic card. Then his jaw ticked and he put both of his hands on the windowsill. “Ms. Morgan. Lajade, right? Or should I call you Lucy Ross? As in the famous country singer, Lucy Ross.”
I cringed. “I can explain.”
“Yeah. I think you’d better start talking.”
“Sheriff Evans.” I gave him my sweetest smile. “What would you say to a bribe?”
• • •
Follow Devney and learn more about how this story continues in, The Bribe.
Elliot jumps, startled by the deep voice behind him, causing the ground to break and crumble beneath his feet. He thought he was alone up here and about craps his pants at the intrusion. Watching the stones tumble down the mountain to their demise, he can’t help the anger that boils within, knowing that should be him scattered on the ground.
He turns his head slowly to see a tall, broad man leaning against a nearby tree, looking completely relaxed and at ease. No, this can’t be happening, not again. I was actually going to go through with it this time, Elliot screams inside his head. It’s like some cosmic plan to keep him from his ultimate goal. Too bad Elliot doesn’t believe in a higher power. If he did, he might actually believe there was someone out there who wanted him alive.
Elliot stares at the man in disbelief for a few moments. He hasn’t seen a single soul for his entire six-hour climb. He purposely waited until midafternoon to even start his trek, choosing a route off the beaten path so he didn’t have to worry about this very thing happening.
How dare this man interrupt this moment? He didn’t drain his entire bank account to fly across country, taking two buses and a six-hour hike to get to the top of this mountain, just to back out now.
Elliot takes a deep breath and clears his mind of all fear and rationalization. With one last breath, he shifts his weight to the balls of his feet, bends at the knees, and jumps.
Well, that was supposed to be what happened. In reality, what happens is he clears his mind, bends his knees, and just about leaps when he is grabbed from behind and flung backward, away from the ledge. He lands, limbs akimbo, hoodie half over his face, and his glasses hanging off the end of his nose as he glares up at the menace.