Page 42 of Snow River

“Trying to fill in the holes.There’s some big ones here.”

“Right?I thought so too.I almost wondered…”

He looked at her sharply.“What?”

“Well, I don’t want to make unjustified accusations, but do you think something’s being covered up?”

Corruption?In Alaskan law enforcement?His entire body stiffened.From personal experience, he knew it was very possible.But he was the last person who’d be able to speak up about it.Everyone would think he had an axe to grind.

“Of course it’s possible.”

“And then he had a heart attack while they were still processing his case.Doesn’t that seem weird?”

“Maybe.But it’s more likely that no one put that much effort into investigating the case.It was winter in the mountains.It’s hard to get out here, hard to move around.Hard to locate evidence.Once Bowman confessed, I’m sure everyone was happy to move on.”

“But maybe someone wasn’t,” she said softly.

“And they’re back here, forty years later, making trouble?Killing a young woman?Spilling syrup?What makes you think there’s any connection?”

“I just…I think there is.I had a dream.More than one.Allison was in them.Allison Casey,” she prompted, as he stared at her.

“Allison Casey, the murder victim and?—”

“And former resident of the hardware store.Yes.I know how it sounds.But I think she’s telling me whatever is happening now is connected to what happened back then.”

He let out a soft groan.“We can’t exactly take that theory to the police.”

“I don’t want to take it to the police.”Her gaze clung to his, so trusting that it hurt his heart.“You’re the only one I trust with it.”

But she shouldn’t trust him.He couldn’t let her.Once she found out more about what had happened in Bethel, she’d be so disappointed.

He cleared his throat.“How about I keep ahold of all this and do a more in-depth read.I like to be thorough.I’ll tell you if I find anything helpful.”

She immediately got to her feet, as if he’d dropped a hint that she should go.He didn’t want her to go.He wanted her to stay longer, come closer, kiss him the way she had before.“Lila?—”

“I should go.”

But she didn’t.She stood hesitating before him, as if balanced on the edge of a wish, or a warning.

The moment ended and she padded toward the door in her stocking feet to put on her boots.After she’d gone, disappearing with a light wave and a flash of purple leggings, he stared at the papers on his table with eyes that saw nothing.

Some obstacle—maybe more than one—stood between them.Was it her or him, or both?

Was it his past?He could simply tell her about Bethel.Why was he so sure she’d judge him for it?Knowing Lila, she’d be entirely sympathetic.Maybe he should try trustingher.But it wasn’t his habit.Keeping things to himself, that was his comfort zone.The silent watchful giant, that was him.Once you started shaking things up, anything could happen.He couldn’t risk that.

20

Fall turnedinto winter so quickly that Lila could practically see the calendar pages flipping.Everything froze hard one night, and from then on, every morning when Lila woke up, she was dazzled by the frost crystals adorning the frozen stalks of the grass outside her window.The dead leaves that still clung to the shrubs—alder, willow, elderberry—were covered in a thick fur of rime.A few bright red berries still shone through the frost, even more vivid against the stark white.

As for the hardware store, icy condensation gathered in the corners of the single-pane windows, and her first task every morning was to stoke the fire.Bear had promised to set up a propane heater for her, but he hadn’t had a chance so far.He was busy helping half the townspeople with all their winter preps.To help out, she offered to pick up the slack at The Fang, so she found herself working even more shifts than she had during the busy summer season.

Luckily, she had an espresso machine to keep her adequately caffeinated.The regulars had finally accepted the new addition to the bar, and coffee with a splash of whiskey became everyone’s new favorite request.

Since they were both so busy, she didn’t see Bear as much as usual.Not that “busy-ness” was the only issue.She didn’t have to have hyper-intuition to sense the wall that existed between them.It was her doing just as much as his, but that didn’t stop her eyes from searching for him.It didn’t stop her heart from fluttering whenever she caught a glimpse of him.Or her knees from going weak.Or her dreams from getting downright X-rated.

Bear didn’t come to her goodbye party for Charlie and Nick; he was busy helping Pink Bannister repair his outhouse.His absence distracted her even from her favorite people in the world, as they all munched on homemade pizza together and made plans for a Firelight Ridge Christmas.

Were they just going to continue this way, avoiding the attraction between them, each of them putting up barriers, one step forward, two steps back?

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