Page 39 of Thaw of Spring (Knife’s Edge, Alaska #2)

Prosecutor Fallon didn’t even wait for the judge to ask. “We’re requesting bail be denied, Your Honor, and we’d like to secure Ms. Amaruq in the Alaska Correctional Facility in Anchorage until trial. She is a clear flight risk with motive, opportunity, and no credible alibi.”

Amka’s breath snagged in her throat.

Daisy’s head whipped around. “Excuse me?”

Fallon didn’t blink. “Ms. Amaruq was seen punching Jarod Teller in the stomach the night he died. We have multiple witnesses at the tavern who can verify that. He was found dead in her driveway hours later from single gunshot wound to the head. There are scratches down his torso that suggest a physical struggle before he was killed.”

Amka’s vision tunneled for a second. Her stomach turned over. She couldn’t spend months in the Anchorage prison waiting for a trial. What was she going to do?

Daisy’s voice sharpened. “Are you saying she scratched him to death?”

“I’m saying she had motive.” Fallon held up a file. “A million-dollar life insurance policy. Ms. Amaruq is the sole beneficiary. That policy was filed two weeks ago by the victim, and she never mentioned it.”

“Because she didn’t know about it,” Daisy shot back.

“She had zero knowledge about any life insurance policies, which means Jarod purchased them both, which doesn’t lead to any good conclusions about him.

If he broke the law in this manner, who knows what else he was into, or who might’ve wanted him dead. You’re reaching by charging my client.”

Fallon’s expression didn’t change. “They were engaged.”

Daisy didn’t flinch. “That isn’t exactly probable cause, and you know it.”

Amka wanted to crawl out of her skin. The walls felt too close. The lights too sharp. She could hear the buzz of the camera overhead and the faint whir of the old HVAC system grinding away. The room smelled like stress and bleach. Her fingers went numb.

The judge cleared his throat, clearly over the back-and-forth. “Ms. Amaruq, do you have an affirmative defense?”

Amka opened her mouth. Nothing came out.

Daisy stepped in. “My client does have an alibi. She was with Christian Osprey that night. She had a car accident on the way home and plunged into the river. Christian rescued her and took her home to warm up. They were together all night.”

Fallon leaned forward. “It’s not quite that innocent, judge. Christian Osprey is a man she was having a secret relationship with, while still engaged to the victim. A man who’s also a person of interest. That’s not an alibi, Your Honor. That’s a co-conspirator.”

Amka’s chest went tight. Her throat burned. She’d known this would be bad, but not like this. “I would never kill anybody, and neither would Christian,” she whispered. Not now that he was out of the military, anyway.

Daisy put a hand on her arm, firm. “Amka, I’ve got this.”

Fallon lifted an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting claim, Ms. Amaruq.

But without proof, we can only go on what we know.

Which is this: Jarod Teller named you as his beneficiary, and now he’s dead in your driveway.

Shot in the head. You were engaged to him, and now you’re sleeping with a man who may be fabricating an alibi on your behalf. None of this looks good.”

Daisy jumped in. “That’s enough, Fallon.”

“Bail should be denied,” Fallon snapped.

“No,” Daisy said. “There shouldn’t be any bail. My client has no criminal history, owns a business in town, and has nowhere to run.”

Judge Kerrick rubbed his temple. The screen wavered slightly. “We don’t have a murder weapon. We don’t have DNA. We don’t have fingerprints. Just the punch, the body location, the policy.”

“Which is already a hell of a lot,” Fallon muttered.

The judge exhaled. “Bail is set at fifty thousand. Ms. Amaruq is to remain within Knife’s Edge and check in daily with one of the three troopers in town. I believe we have two Alaska State Troopers and one Alaska Wildlife Trooper in Knife’s Edge currently?”

“Affirmative, Judge,” Fallon said.

The judge banged the gavel. “It is so ordered. Any further developments and we’ll reconvene immediately.”

The screen faded into gray.

Amka didn’t move.

Daisy stood and nudged her shoulder. “Come on. You’re getting out.”

Amka rose on stiff legs. In the hallway, Christian and Brock stood like sentinels, both furious.

Amos called out from the basement. “This is bullshit. Amka wouldn’t kill anybody.”

Amka paused. She’d never, in her entire life, heard Amos swear. “Thanks, Amos.”

Christian looked like he wanted to tear a hole through the nearest wall. “You okay?” he asked.

She wanted to pour herself right into his chest and let him shield her from the world. But the troopers were watching. “Yes.”

Daisy patted her arm. “They’re going to put you in a cell, and we’ll run to the bank. Don’t worry. Christian and I will figure this out.”

Christian nodded. “I have the fifty grand right now. We’ll take care of it.”

Paige slowly smiled, her trooper hat tilting slightly. “Well now. Isn’t that sweet?”