Page 98 of Her Wild Coast Refuge

Sheriff Kaufmann remains standing, his eagle eyes sharp.

I clasp my hands under the table.

“Seaplane pilot Ken Adams says he picked you up at Soren Lake and dropped you near the survey camp at 8:17 this morning,” Seth says.

“That’s true.” My voice sounds ragged and hoarse, like I’ve been screaming at one of William’s peewee football games all day. I wish I had more water.

Seth opens the folder. Inside isEco Defenseand the aerial photos of the survey camp from Kalle.

My cheeks burn. They’ve already searched my home? Does Grams know I’m in custody? She’s probably worried sick.

Seth points to the book. “Interesting reading.”

I swallow the dry lump in my throat. “It was a gift.”

“From Kalle Jensen,” Seth replies.

How do they know this? “Yeah. He’s with Fish2Forever. It’s a nonprofit.”

“Fish2Forever doesn’t have anyone by that name on their roster,” Seth says.

I try to swallow, but my throat is like a pincushion.

“In fact, we can’t find anyone named Kalle Jensen.”

Before I can react to this, the sheriff asks, “How do you know him?”

I realize I’m going to have to use short sentences if I want my voice to last the rest of this interview. “I don’t. He emailed me. He knew my granddad.”

Seth slides the tablet across to me. “Can you log in and show us?”

I pull the keyboard closer and log into my email using the web server. It takes a few times to remember my password, but I finally get in, then swing the laptop back to Seth.

Seth and the sheriff concentrate on skimming my emails, their faces tense. “Looks like you’ve been communicating with him. Is that correct?”

I nod.

“The most recent exchange was this morning. I’d like you to explain.”

“I replied to him that I was ready to fight back.”

“This is in reference to the mine,” Seth interrupts, setting down the iPad.

“I was upset. I thought we’d lost, and I was…desperate. Kalle said he would meet me there.”

“Did you discuss a plan?”

“No.” Worms wriggle through my stomach.

Seth gives me a patient nod. “But you went up to the camp. You were found inside the bunkhouse shredding rations packets.”

My face heats so fast it’s like my skin is on fire. “It probably seems stupid to you.”

“Soren Creek is a special place,” Seth says in a kind voice. “Wanting to protect it is completely understandable.”

Yet I failed. I exhale slowly.

Seth waits for me to look at him again before asking, “When you first arrived at the camp, was there any sign of activity? Things out of place? Footprints?”

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