Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Ace’s head snapped toward her. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were.”
His jaw tightened. “We need to warn Brock, although he might be on board with the idea.”
“That’s not true. He enjoys being sheriff, even though he complains about it.”
Ace huffed a laugh. “Fair.”
“We’ll warn him. But honestly? The entire state of Alaska knows that Knife’s Edge has a sheriff. I don’t think there’ll be a problem,” May mused.
Ace didn’t look convinced.
May spotted an empty booth in the back corner of the restaurant. Every other table was full with people enjoying the very excellent food. “I have to admit that I kind of like winter around here.”
Ace smirked. “Less tourists?”
“Exactly.”
They moved past several occupied booths.
“Hey, Ace!” A pretty dark-haired woman waved enthusiastically.
Ace slowed. “Oh. Hi, um…”
“Betty,” she said. She had to be in her mid-twenties and was both vivacious and curvy. “And my partner, Barbie.”
May blinked. Oh yeah. The two newest influencers to hit town.
Barbie’s hazel eyes lit up. She was just as voluptuous but a lovely blonde with brown skin. “We were looking for you last night.”
“Yeah, I heard.” Ace’s tone stayed polite but cautious. “I don’t want to be on a podcast.”
“That’s not why,” Barbie said, winking.
Ace coughed. “Ah, thanks but no. Have a nice night, ladies.”
May walked past the last table and started to slide into the leather booth.
Ace gently caught her arm and tugged her back, guiding her to the other side before taking the seat himself.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I always face the door.”
May paused. “Former Navy issue?”
“You could say that.”
She shook her head but didn’t argue.
Janet appeared quickly to take their orders, giving them the option of steak, some chicken dish, or Cobb salad. She and her husband owned the place, and the menu always varied. May ordered the salad and Ace the steak. Janet hurried away, pouring water in glasses as she went.
May waited until she was out of earshot. She didn’t have time to worry about Ace with the hot influencers. “I was interviewed by the troopers.”
Ace’s expression didn’t change. “Yeah?”
“They wanted to know how long you were at my house last night.” She held his gaze. “Do you know why?”
Ace’s face looked like it had been carved from stone. “Yeah.”
May’s stomach cramped. “Why?”
“They think I murdered that woman.”
Chapter Nine
Ace drove away from town with May seat-belted next to him. The troopers had his Ford, so he’d pulled his plow truck out of storage and removed the plow. The older rig rode steady on the narrow road with his suspension barely reacting to the uneven patches left behind by a long winter. Gravel popped softly beneath the tires where the pavement thinned. The engine hummed low and constant, a sound he’d always found calming.
May rolled down her window and lifted her face toward the breeze. Cool air rushed inside, carrying the scent of pine, damp earth, and distant water. “Such a nice night, although I do miss darkness.”
Ace glanced at the sky. It wasn’t full sun, but the light lingered in that strange Alaskan way, like a cloudy afternoon that refused to fade. The clouds hung low and gray, heavy but undecided. He didn’t need his headlights.
A plane caught his eye as it moved overhead, its drone cutting across the quiet. He tracked it automatically. He’d never admit it, but sometimes he dreamed about flying again. Knew he had to but wasn’t ready. Yet he wouldn’t be able to offer anything to anybody until he got his head on straight.
Anybody like May Smirnov.
It felt right having her beside him. The realization settled heavily inside him. The timing was terrible, and he knew it. In fact, he wasn’t sure she even liked him and couldn’t blame her if she didn’t. He’d spent the last six months getting wounded in increasingly creative ways, half the time just to be near her.
Pathetic.
May glanced over at him, blue eyes bright in the lingering light. “You didn’t have to drive me home. You could’ve taken the two influencers up on their offer.” Her lips curved as if in amusement.
Ace snorted. “That’s okay. I’m not quite sure what they were offering, but I know I’m not interested.”
“They’re both pretty.”
He hadn’t noticed. “Sure.”
“And more age-appropriate than Laura was.”
His jaw clenched. “Laura wasn’t my type, and I wasn’t hitting on her. I just wanted to make sure she was safe.”
“From Tyler.”
“Yeah.”
May studied his profile for a second before turning back toward the window. Wind lifted a few strands of her hair, tossing them wildly before they settled again. Silence stretched between them, filled with road noise and the steady rush of air. Then she spoke quietly. “Do you think Tyler killed her?”
Ace flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. “I don’t know. Considering I’m the troopers’ prime suspect right now, I hope they’re interviewing him as strongly as they did me. I should’ve made sure she got home.”