Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Dana Mentink (e books free to read TXT) 📖

so I deemed it necessary to drive my ATV as fast as I could. I was trying to save what I thought was a dying man.”

“So that’s a no.” Henry regretted saying the thought aloud instantly.

“I think my dedication speaks for itself.” Perry’s eyes hardened. “Look, why is Nora even here? You could’ve gotten her statement without bringing her back to the scene.”

“She helped us get here faster and, like you, we thought there was a chance to save the victim. I believe she saw something, Perry.”

He blew out a breath and shook his head. “I probably shouldn’t have discussed theories with her, but I honestly thought there was a man there, too, when I approached. I don’t blame her in the slightest for thinking it was murder.”

“She said she heard two men talking.”

Perry shrugged. “We both know eyewitnesses make mistakes. Our brains trick us into making sense of things, especially in the heat of the moment. The wind through the trees, the birds, the squirrels, they can sound like voices when I’m on patrol. And since Tommy Sorenson was murdered at a rafting stop it’s only natural for her mind to fill in—”

Perry’s radio went off, and he turned down the volume. “The point is, you don’t need to tell me how to do my job, Henry. I also don’t need Nora telling everyone she witnessed a murder. That’d turn the area into a media circus that will only hurt our already depressed economy. We don’t need our bosses to breathe down our necks for answers we don’t have.”

“Is that what happened when Tommy was killed?” Henry knew he was on thin ice, but Tommy’s murder had happened on Forest Service soil, as well.

Perry pressed his lips together for a moment. “Same lack of resources back then, too, but you didn’t stick around to see how news of a rafting guide’s murder devastated the economy for several years after the fact. I’ve got over a hundred open cases right now. These mobile meth labs keep popping up faster than I can shut down—”

Henry held up a hand to shorten a rant he understood all too well. “We’ve all got a big load. I don’t want it to be murder, either, but we can’t write off an eyewitness to suit our need to close the case fast.”

Perry pursed his lips, as if about to argue, but he relaxed instead. “We’re on the same page. I’ll assign the sheriff’s deputies to interview the other rafting guides and town businesses. Let’s get a handle on who the victim was to see if we can find a motive for either scenario while we wait for the lab to analyze the evidence.”

“Search and rescue just came around the bend,” Nora called out.

“Get her home,” Perry said to Henry, this time softer. “Take her official statement, and maybe we’ll find something concrete to go on. I need to process the scene before it gets any later in the day.” They both glanced at the horizon. Processing a scene took hours, and spring sunsets in the mountains happened early. Time was running out.

“Understood.” There would be more deputies on the boat to help take over the processing of the scene. Carl was already wrapping crime scene tape around trees. “I’ll take her home and make sure the other rafting company knows Sandy Cape is off-limits for now.”

Perry tilted his head in the direction of the river. “We all like Nora.” His voice and face relaxed into the thoughtful ranger Henry respected. “If her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, then I suppose it’s possible someone planted the jacket to cast doubt. I still say it’s unlikely, but I’m sure you’ll keep an eye on her.”

He read between the lines. When Nora and Henry had broken the engagement, Perry had predicted it would only be temporary, lasting a month tops. The memory served as a reminder that his mentor and friend could be very wrong at times. It’d been almost three years since they’d split up.

The other deputies and volunteer firemen of the search and rescue team hit the sand. Nora rushed forward to help secure the raft. Henry helped the team pull out the collapsible stretcher and gear Perry would need to transport the body.

Zach approached and nodded at the abandoned kayak near the rocks. “Carl is almost done collecting evidence. He offered to take your kayak back.”

Nora nodded. “He regularly kayaks on the river, doesn’t he?”

“As far as I know.” Zach hopped in the raft. “I’m supposed to accompany you back. Glad we’re not looking at murder. Not good for business. Not good at all.”

Henry shot a dark look at him, but the deputy didn’t take the hint and continued to offer his commentary as the three of them set off.

Nora pursed her lips and guided them through The Killer with hardly any instructions.

Henry’s leg produced a phantom pain with every wave, remembering the sensation of his tibia snapping when he’d hit the boulder at full speed. He gritted his teeth.

His accident had happened shortly after Tommy had been killed, and Henry had wrestled with guilt for not taking his friend seriously when he’d started acting like something bad was going to happen to him.

“Move left!” Nora hollered.

Henry leaned as Nora deftly avoided a swirling, churning hydraulic and the raft leveled. He exhaled, but his muscles wouldn’t relax. Moments later, she steered the boat onto the same emergency take-out at Clair Creek where he’d found her hours before.

Zach had the keys to the SUV that’d been left there. They attached the raft to the roof and got back on the road. Deputy O’Brien never had a shortage of words and since his wife had recently taken over running the bistro in town, he told stories of her experiments with new menus and fonts. Nora politely nodded but said nothing.

Zach dropped them off at Henry’s truck, still at Petillant Creek, and turned around to go back to pick up the search and rescue crew.

Nora finally spoke.