Page 45 of The Jade Stone Sleuth

She could feel Brex startle, and his grip on her hands tightened.

“Please keep us safe today, spiritually and physically. Please bless Brex to know how loved he is by Thee and by me. Whatever he needs to tell me … help me to be understanding and full of love for him. In the name of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.”

Brex echoed the amen. Then he released her left hand but kept her right inside of his and started up the trail. The predawn was beautiful and peaceful. They passed two hikers already headed back down the canyon and said hello.

They often chatted as they hiked, but today it felt like a spiritual solemnness was upon them. From her prayer or theirimminent separation, or maybe preparing her for whatever he needed to tell her?

Reaching the top of the canyon walls, they walked along the ledge and then stopped and stared at the view for a bit. She glanced nervously around, but they were safe. No one was here to shove Brex off the cliff.

Maybe there was no murderer. Maybe all those horrific accidents were just that, and she needed to let that angst go and focus on loving Brex.

If he would ever tell her he loved her back.

As they headed back down the trail, Clara felt pressure building in her chest. They were safe from the edge, but there was a secret coming. Whatever he needed to tell her, she needed to hear it soon. They reached level ground and paused next to a tall, jagged red rock wall to take a drink. She couldn’t take it much longer.

“You said last night you have other secrets to share … besides going to Venezuela?”

He nodded, studying the rock wall.

“Are you still wanting to share those with me?”

“Wanting to?” He lifted his brows. “Not really wanting to, but I definitely need to.” He shook his wrist and looked at his watch, then focused on her. The sun rose in the east and a shaft penetrated the canyon angle at that moment and framed Brex like a halo. Clara was certain this man was heaven sent. Did he recognize that?

He took her hand and started walking slowly back down the trail. “Clara, I didn’t come to Jade Valley to train the police.”

She nodded. “You’re here for a different assignment from Aiden Porter?”

“Yes. The police training was the cover.”

“Okay.” She wanted to be excited he was sharing, but he was too solemn and her stomach felt uneasy. “What is your mission?” Something dangerous in Jade Valley? It didn’t fit.

His mouth twisted, and he didn’t say anything for a few beats. “I’m afraid you’re going to hate me.”

“Hate you?” Clara stopped walking and turned to face him. “I already told you, Brex, there’s no world where I could hate you.”

He studied her deeply, as if looking for holes in her sincerity. Then his eyes filled with determination. “Clara. I was hired by Rulon and Pamela Hendry to prove that you murdered Malik Hendry, Harrison Jones, and Kyle Tanner.”

She blinked at him. Was he pulling a prank on her? The depth of seriousness in his eyes terrified her. She’d known Pamela never liked her, thought she was below Malik’s status, but to think …

Yanking her hand free, she backed up a couple steps. “The Hendrys think I’m the murderer, even though the police and FBI cleared me?”

He nodded.

“And they hired you, through Aiden Porter, to prove I did it.” It clicked so quickly she wondered why she hadn’t had an inkling of the accusations until this moment.

“Yes.”

“But that’s … there’s no proof. Not even the FBI found anything, and you didn’t find anything, right? Or are you hiding something else from me? Do you believe …?”

“No, Clara.” He stepped up closer. “No. It didn’t take me long at all to see you were an innocent angel and the accusations are unfounded. But I wanted to try to find the murderer, if there was one, so I reunited with you to use myself as bait and draw the murderer out.”

That was horrible. She felt unsteady and chilled as she tried to process what he was revealing.

“I agreed to the job,” he continued, as if trying to explain. “I signed the contracts, and there was a million-dollar bonus on the line.” He looked at her as if she’d scream at him.

Clara didn’t want to scream at him, but she was having a hard time wrapping her mind around the man she’d fallen in love with investigating her for Malik’s parents. That he’d gotten close to her with an ulterior motive.

“A million dollars?” she asked.

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