Page 31 of Thaw of Spring (Knife’s Edge, Alaska #2)

Paige placed her phone on the table and rattled off the names of everyone present as well as the date and time. “Sorry about that. I forgot the recording. You spent the night with Christian Osprey last night?”

Daisy shook her head. “That’s irrelevant.” She sounded like a badass lawyer all of a sudden.

“If he’s her alibi—” Paige started.

“Alibi?” Daisy cut in. “We don’t even know what happened yet. In fact, why don’t you fill us in, Jeb?”

Wow. That edge in Daisy’s voice could cut glass. Impressive. Amka felt her shoulders start to relax.

Jeb didn’t flinch. “Jarod Teller was found in his truck, in your driveway, after being shot in the head.”

Shock ripped through her. She gasped. “Somebody shot him?”

“Yep,” Jeb said. “And there’s no way it was self-inflicted.

I could tell just from one look at the body, which has already been sent to Anchorage for an autopsy.

We had a transport helicopter that brought new fire equipment to town, so the timing worked.

Unfortunately, that means the body of Eli Warner stays in the cooler here a few more days.

We think Jarod’s truck was leaving your house based on how it was positioned. Did you see him last night?”

“No.” Amka’s voice dropped. “Not after the fight we had at the bar.” Why did she have to fight with him in front of everyone? “He left and I worked late before heading home. My brakes were cut and I crashed into the river.”

“Excuse me?” Jeb’s brow wrinkled in disbelief.

She nodded. “I went into the river.”

Daisy swiveled to look at her. “Are you all right?”

“Christian saved my life,” Amka said. “But my rig’s still at the bottom of the river. We’ve got to pull it out.”

“Wait a minute,” Paige said, leaning back and raising a hand.

“This is your story? That you got in a fight with your fiancé last night. Then you were driving home, somebody cut your brakes, and you crashed into a river. Christian Osprey saved you. Then you stayed the night with him, while somebody murdered your fiancé in your driveway. That’s your timeline? ”

Amka swallowed hard. “It’s the truth.”

“What were you and Jarod fighting about?” Jeb asked.

“Money,” she said without hesitation. “I mortgaged my house and the tavern to go into business with Ace Osprey. Jarod wanted the cash for his motel. I figured he had enough funds from the insurance payout for his motel.”

Paige’s brows drew down. “Yet another fire in town? What a coincidence, huh?”

Not a convenient one. Amka looked at Daisy, who was studying the troopers.

“How long have you been engaged?” Paige asked.

“Since New Year’s.” That had been when Jarod first blackmailed her.

Paige leaned forward. “I see. And yet you stayed the night with Christian Osprey last night, correct?”

Heat rushed into Amka’s face. “Yes.”

Paige placed elbows on the table. “Do you feel bad about cheating on him?”

So much for them all being friends.

“That’s irrelevant,” Daisy snapped before Amka could speak. “Stick to the facts.”

“I can stick to whatever I damn well want to,” Paige said without even looking at Daisy. Her focus never left Amka. “Did anybody else see you last night?”

“No,” Amka answered. Her back was straight, her tone calm, but her stomach had gone cold. She felt like she was gripping the edge of something slippery, and her fingers were starting to give.

“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.”