Deception (10 page)

She looked up. Everyone was still waiting. “I need to think about it.”

“You have a day. We'll need time to get you ready for the trip. But I really don't see you have a choice,” Meral said.

Jewel locked eyes with Colin. Why wasn't he saying anything? But he'd already told her to go. Maybe that was enough.

It would mean she couldn't stick close to the man who wanted to protect her, like Doc Harland said. Doc seemed to believe God had put Colin in her life to protect her, but what happened now if she left that protection behind in search of a safe place?

* * *

Colin sat in the chair across the antique mahogany desk from Mayor Judy Conroy. A driven woman in her early fifties, she liked to dress the part of a politician. Had a stylish hairdo and ordered her suits from some fancy place out of Seattle. No matter the weather, she would always wear matching pumps. And she liked to control and intimidate.

But she hadn't called him into her office today. No. He'd come here of his own volition, needing to detail his plans and ask permission, something he never liked to do. Especially since he could see in her eyes she had plans of her own—to berate Colin.

She sucked in a breath, opened her mouth and her cell buzzed on her desk. After a glance down she released that breath, then looked back at him. “Sorry, Chief. Gotta take this. It won't be but a second.”

“No problem.”

She was on the cell before he responded. He released a pent-up sigh and tried to calm himself. The call would give him a few seconds, hopefully minutes, to regain his nerve. He tapped his fingers on her desk while he waited for her to end the phone call.

Where did he start? How did he present his case?

She jabbered on with her niece, Taney Westmore, while Colin tried to ignore the conversation. He got up to pace the room. What he wanted to do was put his fist through the wall. He'd never been so frustrated.

He'd been the one to suggest that Jewel get out of town, and now he was incredibly bothered by the idea that she was taking his advice. He should have considered that if Jewel left town, Buck would be with her because Meral would be with her.

But Colin hadn't thought that through very well. “Idiot,” he mumbled under his breath with a quick glance at the mayor. Wouldn't do for her to think he had just called her a name.

No, he needed her in a good mood. Problem was he had been the one to put her in a perpetually bad mood lately. Now add that one of his officers had been murdered and another one injured, and the mayor would likely tear into him before he got a word in edgewise.

The pressure was on and seemed to be measured by the pounding in his head.

Finally, he plopped in the chair again, afraid that if he kept pacing he would, in fact, put a fist through the wall in the mayor's office, and that wouldn't go over well. He noticed a Holy Bible sitting at the corner of her desk and took a minute to seek some guidance. Closing his eyes, he drew in a calming breath.

God, I could use a little help here. I'm in a serious predicament. Help me to do what needs to be done. Help me get Jed's killer before he kills again. Help me keep Jewel safe.

“Sleeping on the job?”

He opened his eyes to see that she had ended her call. “No, just saying a little prayer.”

“That bad, huh?” Her brows drew together. “Sorry about the call, but I had to take it.”

“No problem.” He should ask if everything was all right with Taney, but that would send them down a road he didn't want to go right now.

She pressed her elbows on her desk and rested her chin in her clasped hands. “What can I do for you?”

Colin could see it in her eyes. That was a trick question—she was waiting for him to say something she could criticize. Everything he was about to say went against his personal policy, his resolve to act only on the cold hard facts. He pulled in a breath.

Here goes nothing or everything.

“I have a possible lead on Jed's murder and on who attacked Jewel Caraway.”

“Is that so?”

“But I need to follow it up.”

The mayor dropped her hands and pushed from the chair. Now she was the one pacing. Building up steam to blast him with, no doubt. “And by follow up you mean what?”

Colin scratched his chin. Explaining this wasn't going to be easy. “This all started when Jewel's sister and husband, Meral and Buck, arrived. I checked on him, but he came back clean. He's some sort of import and export consultant.”

“What aren't you telling me, Colin?” Now the mayor had gone personal with his name. Never a good sign.

“I need to leave. Jewel, Meral and Buck are going on a short cruise, a tour of Alaska. A week or two. I need to be there with her to protect her and to find out if Buck is the man who killed Jed.”

There. He'd spoken his mind.

“It would mean you wouldn't be here for Jed's funeral.”

He nodded, hating the timing. “What's more important? Getting Jed's killer or attending his funeral?”

“What reason have you got to suspect Buck? Give me something, anything, and I'll think about it.”

“A feeling.”

Her eyes blazed.
Here it comes.

“Let me get this straight. You want to go off on what amounts to a vacation while we have a murderer out there based on a feeling?”

“No. It's not like that.” He knew the man from somewhere, and though he couldn't remember the circumstances, Buck gave him a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.

“Oh, I think it is. You're infatuated with Jewel. Let me make myself perfectly clear, Chief Winters. You think that you're under pressure now? Let me assure you that I am under tremendous pressure as this town's mayor. People want to know why this is happening to our town. And what about Jed's family? How do you think they are going to see your actions? His wife, his kids and the town want to know why someone—a fine and upstanding officer of the law, no less—has been murdered. Not long ago others were murdered. Businesses burned down. People were scared to come out of their houses or even go to the dentist because maybe a bomb would blow up while they were sitting in the chair. You took far too long to solve those cases, and this one is still open, with a killer still free. So, no, I can't let you go on a trip with your precious Jewel based on nothing more than a feeling.”

The mayor's face was red. Though he'd been the object of her complaints before, this was the worst dressing- down he'd ever gotten. He supposed he'd given her reason enough.

“You see, here's the thing.” He stood to give himself the edge. “The reason I didn't solve those cases quicker is because I refused to listen to my gut. I refused to go on anything but the facts. But the hard truth of it is that solving an investigation takes a good measure of both gut feeling and facts. Not one or the other but both working together. I have to ask myself what kind of police chief doesn't listen to his gut instincts? A poor one. And I'm sorry that I didn't realize that sooner. Now, please, let me follow my instincts on this.” He was so tired of second-guessing himself, and for the first time in a long time, he believed he was doing the right thing. Now if only he could convince the mayor.

She took a seat and sighed. “Give me something. You have to give me something solid, Chief. What are people going to say?”

As if he cared anymore. Colin detested politics, but there was no getting around them. “Even if I give you a reason, a solid lead or evidence, they're going to talk. They're going to spin this trip in a negative light.”

“True.” The mayor sagged in her seat and slowly shook her head. “I'm sorry. I can't let you go. You're going to have to figure out how to solve this case here in Mountain Cove while working in your capacity as chief of police, not gallivanting around the Inside Passage with the woman everyone knows you love.”

Love? Colin narrowed his eyes. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

“I'm sorry, Colin. I shouldn't have said that. It's none of my business. If you want to protect her, then get this guy, but you'll have to do it while remaining in your jurisdiction and functioning in your full capacity as the Mountain Cove chief of police. If you need a presence there with Jewel, send one of your officers, but I can't let you go yourself.”

There was that image of his fist slamming into the wall again. Wasn't she listening? The only way to get the bad guy was to go with Jewel. Nobody else could do this. It had to be Colin. He was the one with the gut feeling. He didn't dare risk another one of his men or send them into danger on instincts alone.

As for gathering evidence against Buck, he'd contacted a friend, the forensic artist from Juneau that Mountain Cove sometimes used, to take some years and pounds off Buck's photo to help Colin figure out why he recognized him. But it wasn't under the official umbrella of police business, so it might not come in time. He couldn't tell her about that—it might be a dead end.

I have no choice.

His next words pained him, weakened his legs, but he had to do it.

“Okay, then, maybe I care about Jewel more than I should, but this isn't about that. It comes down to the fact that I couldn't live with myself if something happened to her, especially when I know how to prevent it.”

He'd already experienced losing someone he loved, but he wouldn't tell the mayor about that. He'd already said too much. He didn't need to explain himself, but maybe part of him hoped if he showed a little more of himself, she would be more understanding.

It all flooded back and swirled through his mind in a quick second before he could blink and formulate his next words.

He'd planned to propose, but Katelyn had been murdered and all because she had witnessed a crime. He hadn't been able to arrest the man without her testimony, and afterward the charges brought against the man for her murder had been dismissed because of shoddy DNA and the killer's airtight alibi. Colin had failed Katelyn miserably. That was why from then on he'd made sure he only worked off the facts. He'd made sure he wasn't emotionally involved with a woman he needed to protect.

But that couldn't be helped this time. And he wouldn't fail Jewel. He wouldn't let himself get any more involved with her either. He'd keep it professional. Wouldn't let his heart even dip a toe in the water, but he would protect her if it was the last thing he did.

Another problem drilled through the tension. He hadn't been invited to go with Jewel, but the boat left this afternoon and he had to move quickly. He'd already deliberated far too long about how to handle this. And now it came down to worst-case scenarios. Had he convinced the mayor? Or not?

Her eyes softened, but it wasn't enough. That much he could see. “Colin... I...” She blew out a breath, clearly unsettled by his words. “I'm sorry.”

“You'll have my resignation letter on your desk by the end of the day.”

TEN

T
he privately chartered yacht,
The Alabaster Sky
, waited at the dock for the passengers to board. From the outside, Jewel could already see the yacht was modern and luxurious, and she guessed between sixty and seventy feet long. Though it had only been chartered for the trip, it had to have cost a small fortune. A year's salary for some. She'd forgotten what real wealth could buy. When she'd offered to pay for her portion of the trip, Meral had reassured her it was all taken care of.

Next to her, Buck and Meral unloaded the rest of the luggage from the cab.

Jewel's palms slicked. Nausea swelled. Was she making a mistake?

Colin had told her to get out of town so she would be safe. So she could escape her attackers before they succeeded in killing her. But Colin had had no idea that she suspected Buck when he'd said the words. And even though it didn't seem possible that he was involved in the incident that totaled her vehicle and injured an officer, her suspicions had crept back in with a vengeance and she couldn't let go of them.

With the Krizan Diamond burning a hole in the bag she shouldered much too protectively, she would find out sooner rather than later. She'd managed to sneak up to the attic again and pull the rock from its hiding place. She couldn't bring herself to leave it there to be stolen, if that's why her attacker had been in the attic—to search for the diamond.

She should have put it in a safe-deposit box, but she hadn't been able to break away from Meral and Buck. And to ask them to stop at the bank for her to take care of business would have been futile. They would have marched right in with her. Heard her say she wanted a safe-deposit box. Then the questions would have come. It was a small town, and others would see and talk.

She was trapped.

It was all so awkward.

And if Buck was after the diamond, he would know that Jewel suspected his motives. He might even hope that she would bring it with her to keep it safe or, out of desperation, to lure out her attacker. In that case, he might look for it on the boat.

But was she thinking clearly about this? It was hard to know with the attempts on her life holding her mind hostage and the likely reason weighing heavy in her pack.

She was some kind of crazy to attempt this.

Besides, if Buck really was involved, and he really was after the diamond, then putting it in a safe-deposit box in the bank like any normal person would virtually guarantee Jewel's death. Kill Jewel and the items in her safe-deposit box would go to Meral, who was named in Jewel's will after she'd lost Silas, a fact she'd shared with her sister shortly after her arrival in Mountain Cove. That had been her way to make sure the diamond went back to her family. Maybe that was why her attacker had tried to kill her. He thought it was stored safely away—whoever he was. A man and a woman working together.

Meral and Buck.

Her heart sank.

Jewel hung her head.
I don't know, I just don't know anymore.

She didn't want to believe it of Meral. Yet doubt suffused her. This trip had been Buck's idea, just like coming to Mountain Cove.

Her pulse raced and jumped. Had agreeing to this been a wise decision?

What did it matter? If there was any chance that Meral was not involved, then Jewel had to be with Meral to spend time with her and protect her, if she could.

Meral set Jewel's bag next to her feet. “You okay?”

The question pulled Jewel back to the present. “Sure.”

“You don't look okay.” Meral eyed her.

Buck paid the cab driver.

“I'll be fine, Meral.” Jewel gave her sister a quick hug.

Buck's dark eyes and fake smile landed on Jewel. “Let's go.”

Jewel released her sister to Buck. Two men and a woman appeared on the yacht and came down the gangplank to greet them.

The older of the crew members thrust out his hand and shook Buck's in a hearty greeting, then turned his attention to Meral and Jewel. “Good afternoon, ladies. I'm captain of
The Alabaster Sky
. You can call me Mike or Captain Mike, whatever you prefer. This is Gary, our deckhand, and Stella, your hostess and steward. And Mack's the chef, but he's in the kitchen preparing your meal for this evening.”

Private and chartered yachts and cruise ships were a familiar sight in southeast Alaska, and some even stopped in Mountain Cove. But Jewel had never met any of the staff that operated those vessels, so it was strange when a sense of recognition pricked her at Stella's smile. Gary had a familiar face, too, but maybe they each just had one of those faces that everyone thought they knew. Jewel was sure she'd never met either of them.

Buck grinned. He gave the captain's hand a second good, hard shake. “Captain Mike here is one of the best. Decades of experience and he knows all the sweet spots in the channels, full of isolated and undisturbed nature. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime. I'm going fishing for the catch of my life.”

With his last words, Buck's eyes locked with Jewel's.

“Let's get the adventure of a lifetime going,” Stella said, smiling sweetly.

Jewel bent to lift her luggage.

“Oh, no, I'll get that,” Stella said. “All part of the package.”

The crew gathered up their bags and lugged everything up the gangplank. Jewel stared at the luxury cruiser yacht. Arm in arm, Meral and Buck followed the crew.

“Come on, Jewel!” Meral yelled over her shoulder.

Jewel's throat went dry.

What am I doing?
Was she getting on this boat with a killer? Jewel felt like the absolute worst kind of traitor to think these awful thoughts. Meral was giddy with excitement and looked much younger than her years. Jewel should be happy for Meral.

Instead, she felt seasick and she hadn't even boarded the yacht. She was leaving her self-proclaimed protector behind. Yet, she wasn't truly alone.

God had been her refuge and would continue to be. And she had let Colin go, what small part of him she had held on to in her heart. She had no right to think about him or hang on to him when she simply wasn't willing to risk that much.

Tears threatened, burning her eyes and throat.

But she focused on the yacht in front of her and this new adventure, praying it wouldn't be deadly. A piece of her hoped this trip would force the truth—good or bad—to come out and she would at last be free from the threats on her life.

Finally, Jewel followed her sister and Buck onto the boat, where Stella, carrying Jewel's luggage, showed Jewel to her quarters. Jewel trailed her, containing her gasp at the spacious room, though she shouldn't have been surprised. Stella set Jewel's luggage next to the king-size bed covered in an elegant seashell spread in shades of teal.

Stella held out her hand. “Can I take your bag?”

Jewel tugged it closer. “Uh, no. I can unpack my things, thank you.” She forced a smile and tried to relax.

Stella never lost her bright smile and went around the expansive stateroom explaining all the amenities like a well-practiced tour guide. The woman was in her mid to late twenties, slender and athletic, and a full head taller than Jewel. Her warm brown hair was secured in a ponytail and hidden beneath a white cap.

She stood at another door. “And in here, you'll find a full bath with a large shower.”

“Thank you, Stella. I appreciate you showing me around.”

She clasped her hands in front of her. “Will there be anything else?”

“No. I'll unpack my things and freshen up for dinner. When do we leave?”

“In half an hour or less, when everyone is settled in.”

Once alone, Jewel paced the luxurious room, feeling completely out of place, though she'd grown up in an old-money family and shouldn't have felt uncomfortable. Had she been away from it all so long that she felt out of place here?

But one thing was certain. Meral hadn't been disinherited—at least not yet—if chartering a private yacht for a few days was nothing to her. Or maybe Buck, who could have his own money, had paid for it. Jewel didn't know a thing about him, and maybe that was what disturbed her the most.

But after the life Jewel had lived in Alaska, which consisted of hard work to earn a living and make ends meet, Jewel found this kind of wealth difficult to handle.

It didn't feel right. She didn't belong here. Jewel grabbed her bag. Forget her luggage. Easier to sneak off without it. Loathing herself for her indecision, loathing herself for doing this to Meral, she stepped into the hallway. Quietly, she shut the door behind her.

Then froze.

Buck stood at the other end of the hall in a wide stance.

He didn't smile or speak.

He just stood there and stared at her. She should move or say something, but she felt the urge to turn and run. The skin on the back of her neck crawled, and she had the keen sense that Buck would react like a rabid dog at the prospect of a chase.

No. She couldn't run.

Meral stepped from a room and leaned against Buck, who hugged her to him, but his eyes were slow to pull from Jewel.

After planting a kiss on his lips, Meral laughed and pulled away, only now noticing Jewel. Her smile dropped. “Jewel, what's the matter? Why don't you get settled in your room?”

Oh, how did Jewel tell her sister there was no way she could stay? Her heart crashed against her ribcage.

Suddenly, Meral's eyes focused beyond Jewel's shoulder. Buck's eyes narrowed.

“I finally made it,” a familiar voice spoke from behind. “Thought I was going to miss the boat.”

Colin.

Jewel whipped around. Chief Colin Winters confidently strode toward her. Her heart bounced around at the sight of him. At the relief that he was here. He was dressed in a casual polo shirt and jeans and carried a duffel bag and jacket slung over his shoulder. He'd always looked good—authoritative and powerful—in his police attire. But now Colin was not the law. He was just a man and not just any man. A slow hum started in her stomach. She couldn't find the words to greet him.

“What are you doing here?” Buck asked.

Jewel almost opened her mouth to ask the same question, but without missing a beat, Colin answered, “Jewel invited me. Didn't she tell you?”

Buck laughed.

Meral gave him a jab. “Shush. Well, we're delighted to have you, Chief Winters.”

“Colin. It's just Colin. I'm not on duty now.”

A million questions ran through Jewel's mind. Like how had he swung this? Would Meral and Buck make him pay for the ride? Would that clean out the man's savings? But it didn't matter. Jewel wanted to run into his arms like Meral had done with Buck, but she and Colin weren't in that kind of relationship.

There was a question in his eyes.

Would she play along?

Yes. Yes, she would definitely play along. “I'm sorry, Meral. With everything going on, it must have slipped my mind. But remember, he promised not to leave my side until this was over.”

Meral giggled. “Yes, but the whole purpose of the trip was to keep you safe. You don't need a protector here. Uh-huh. I'm on to you two. You can't fool me for a minute.”

Jewel opened her mouth to correct Meral, but hesitated. She wasn't sure what to say to Meral's innuendos. Protesting that there was nothing between them would make things even more awkward. She had no idea how to act or respond.

Meral filled the silence with her exuberance. “But this will be so much fun!”

Could Meral be so incredibly clueless?

Stella appeared and showed Colin to his quarters down the hall. Jewel slipped back into her own room and let the bag slide to the floor. She was staying after all.

Now, where could she hide a diamond worth a fortune?

* * *

They traveled from Mountain Cove, heading north a short distance to stop and anchor for the night at an isolated cove off a nearby island. From there, they could watch for whales and sea lions. Maybe do some fishing. Buck claimed he was looking forward to catching halibut with Colin.

At dinner that evening they were served on the deck outside, under the stars. This time of year in southeast Alaska, the sunrise and sunset, as well as the weather, was more like that in the lower forty-eight.

A gorgeous night in a beautiful, secluded cove. Colin had to fight hard against relaxing into this dream vacation. It would be easy to imagine or pretend he was here with Jewel for personal reasons. That could be dangerous on too many levels, and if his hunch was right, cost their lives. That sober reminder kept him focused and on task.

Meral and Buck laughed, and the conversation was stimulating, but never veering too close to personal topics for any in the group, which was just as well. Colin didn't want to answer questions about his life before Mountain Cove. Interesting to think they each had secrets—pasts they weren't willing to share. Yet the conversation never ran out. Buck was intelligent and an eloquent conversationalist, knowledgeable on more subjects than most people Colin had met. Which would make him a great con artist.

Buck grinned at Meral, his gaze flicking to Jewel and back.

A memory flashed. Something at the edge of Colin's mind. Why couldn't he remember? He'd gone through photos of past investigations and had come up empty.

It would come to him, but would it come too late?

Jewel excused herself and left the table, promising to return in a minute or two.

While she was gone, Buck turned his attention on Colin.

“So tell me, Chief...er...Colin. How did you get away from town with a killer on the loose?” Buck asked. “I mean, Jewel's here with us and obviously safe, so why would they let you leave in the middle of an investigation? It's hard to imagine that the police chief would be assigned to bodyguard duty in these circumstances. Unless...oh, I know—” Buck snapped his fingers “—you assigned yourself.”