Page 11 of Only One More Lie

“Don’t worry about me.” Emmett’s face pinched with pain. “I’ll be okay. It’s Juniper I’m worried about. Her parents would want me to watch out for her.”

“You won’t be okay if you don’t seek medical attention,” Duke told him. “This isn’t going to heal on its own—not properly, at least. A doctor or nurse will need to set the bone and check for tissue damage. Plus, you don’t want infection to set in.”

Emmett opened his mouth as if about to argue again. Then he closed it and nodded with resignation. “You’re right.”

“Matthew.” Duke looked behind him to where Matthew stood, trying to stay out of the way. “Let’s see if we can get himout of the snow and somewhere warm until help arrives. We’ll need to be careful with a break like this and secure it first.”

“I’ll stay with the ladies,” Ranger said before quietly adding, “just in case.”

Duke knew what that meant. Foul play was involved.

No one should be left alone, not until they knew what had happened to Pepper.

The note made him especially curious.

It took some effort, but Duke and Matthew managed get Emmett inside Juniper’s cabin and onto the couch.

“Before the ambulance gets here . . .” Emmett winced as if each word was agony. “I need to tell you something.”

Duke leaned over him as he sprawled on the couch. “Whatever it is, it can wait.”

He gripped Duke’s arm, his eyes widening with intensity. “You don’t understand. I need . . . to tell you . . . something. Something—important. Couldn’t say . . . in front of Juniper.”

“What’s on your mind?”

His face wrinkled with pain. “Someone . . . did this.”

“Did what? Broke your leg?”

“No . . .” Emmett pressed his eyes closed. “Killed . . . Pepper.”

“Emmett . . .” Duke paused. “Did you see something?”

He shook his head, appearing to give the motion every last ounce of his energy. “No, but . . . maybe.”

“What do you mean?” The man wasn’t making sense.

“I mean—” Before Emmett finished his statement, his hands jerked forward. He clutched his heart and let out a moan. Sweat spread across his forehead as his eyes widened.

This man was having a heart attack, Duke realized. He checked for a pulse but found none.

Wasting no time, he began CPR.

CHAPTER 4

Thankfully, the paramedics arrived on the scene twenty minutes later—fast for the Fairbanks area. Matthew had left the cabin just long enough to tell them what was going on with Emmett.

Andi had been praying for the man since she’d heard. Now the medics could take over and get Emmett the help he needed.

Five minutes after that, an Alaskan State Trooper SUV pulled onto the scene.

Andi’s old friend Logan Gibson climbed out. The man was tall with a chiseled face and short hair. Tattoos beneath his shirt hinted that he hadn’t always been on the straight and narrow, though he never talked about his past.

He’d proven himself to be an ally throughout their investigations, however.

Andi met him halfway, anxious to talk.

“A dead body?” Gibson started. “And you were close by when it was discovered? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

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