Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“Nobody saw you drive away?”
“I have no idea.”
Jeb cocked his head. “Nobody saw you crash into the river?”
“Just Christian. He was behind me in Brock’s truck, and he saved me.”
Paige didn’t blink. “Why was he behind you? Did you plan to meet up?”
All of this sounded so bad. Terrible. “No. He just wanted to see me home safely after everything that’s been going on. That’s all.” Yet he probably would’ve watched outside her home all night. If he had, maybe Jarod would still be alive.
Paige drummed her fingers on the tabletop. “Did anybody see you at the river or going to Christian’s house? In other words, can anybody verify what you’re saying?”
“No.” Each answer dug a little deeper, like Amka was carving her own grave, one monosyllable at a time. Her heart thudded under her ribs, steady and dull.
Paige sat back, her expression unreadable. “When was the last time you saw Jarod?”
“I already told you,” Amka said, voice tight. “Last night. At the bar.” Her throat was dry, her palms damp against her jeans.
Daisy’s chair scraped against the floor as she leaned forward. “Stop asking her the same questions. She’s not going to answer them on repeat just to make you feel like you’re doing your job.”
“We have to ask. This isn’t making sense, and you know it, counselor,” Jeb said.
Amka’s fingernails dug into her palms. Her body felt heavy, like the adrenaline from the morning had drained out and left her made of lead. She glanced at Daisy, then back at the two troopers.
“So let me get this straight,” Paige said, voice ice-cold. “You cheated on your fiancé, and your alibi is the man you cheated with?”
Amka didn’t answer. She didn’t have anything left to say that would make this look any better.
Paige turned to Jeb. “Doesn’t Osprey have military experience?”
“I believe so,” Jeb said quietly.
The implication settled into the room like a weight. Cold. Heavy. Final.
“Do you cheat on your fiancé often?” Paige asked, cool and direct.
Amka pressed her lips together, not seeing a reason to answer that.
Paige wasn’t deterred. “Dutch found you and the doctor, who we’ll talk to later, breaking and entering Jarod’s home. Want to explain that?”
“I forgot my key.” Amka wouldn’t say more than that. She couldn’t get May in trouble, too.
Paige was quiet for moments. Waiting. Amka had watched a criminal show detailing the interrogation method. If the silence stretched long enough, the interviewee usually started talking to fill the quiet.
Amka didn’t.
Respect filtered through Paige’s eyes before she switched topics. “Is there anybody else we should know about? Other lovers of yours? Someone who might’ve been jealous enough to kill Jarod?”
“No,” Amka burst out.
Daisy folded her arms. “That’s quite a reach.”
“It’s a fair question,” Jeb said. “Let’s not pretend it isn’t. How long have you and Christian Osprey been involved?”
Amka paused. She didn’t even know how to answer that. “We’re not. I didn’t say we were seeing each other.”
“But you went home with him last night,” Jeb said.
Amka needed to get out of there. Now. She wasn’t ashamed of her night with Christian, and she didn’t want to share the details with anybody. Especially the troopers. “Yes. We were freezing from the river, got into the truck, and went to Christian’s to warm up. I stayed there. We haven’t been dating.”
“So it was a one-night stand?” Paige's voice was flat.
“Careful,” Daisy warned.
Paige didn’t blink. “Was it?”
“I don’t know what it was,” Amka said. Her temples ached. This was too much.
Jeb lifted his chin. “Jarod was shot. Close range. Not self-inflicted. Do you know anyone else who might’ve wanted him dead?”
“Neither of us wanted him dead,” Amka said.
“Right,” Paige said softly. “Obviously not. What about you and Jarod? There have supposedly been attempts on your life this last week. What were you and Jarod into that has you both in so much danger?”
Nothing. They weren’t even together. But if Amka admitted that, she’d have to admit to the blackmail. To what she and Flossy had done. “I’m finished talking. Arrest me or let me go.” She stood, and Daisy did the same.
Paige smiled. “I don’t think we need to do that. Not today, anyway.”
Chapter 26
Christian leaned against the hood of Brock’s truck, arms crossed, gaze on the rooftops across the street. Morning light reflected off the windows and metal, throwing slivers of glare into his eyes, but he didn’t blink. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular. No scopes were aimed at them. Watching helped him think and anchored him in his body, which still felt like it hadn’t caught up from the chaos of the last twelve hours.
He didn’t like standing still. He didn’t appreciate being exposed like this, with his back uncovered and the wrong kind of quiet pressing in. But he also wasn’t ready to go inside. Not yet.
Brock stood a few feet away, boots planted, face tight. “You gonna tell me what’s going on with Amka?”