Page 48 of The Jade Stone Sleuth

Brex said a prayer in his mind as his body slid rapidly toward the drop off. Fifty feet … he might survive. But with rock and the uneven surface down below … probably not.

“No!”

Hands grasped his left arm, torso, and leg. Two pairs of feminine hands, yanking him back toward safety. Inch by agonizing inch. He glanced back and saw Jane and Clara each tugging on him, leaning back and gritting their teeth.

He was able to scramble with them, using his free hand and leg. Then he was on his knees and wrapping Clara up tight, ushering her away from the edge and away from Jane.

The dust settled, and he leaned against a rock with his back, clinging to Clara. They all sat there, panting for air for a few beats.

Clara stared up at him. “You’re all right?”

“I’m all right.”

“Thank the good Lord and all His angels. I’ve never sprinted up an incline so fast in my life.” Her beautiful jade eyes grew bright. Tears crested her eyelids, and she buried her head in his chest and let out a shuddering sob.

He held her close, keeping his focus on Jane.

The woman didn’t appear to be a threat. She lay in a crumpled heap, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“Jane.” Brex’s voice was too sharp. He tried to temper it. “You’re okay. I’m okay. It’s over. Calm down.”

Jane kept crying but seemed to calm marginally.

Brex glanced at Clara. “Your prayer. You coming for me. It was miraculous that you could run that fast. You saved my life.” He wanted to kiss her long and hard, but he had to get Jane to the authorities first. The woman obviously wasn’t right in her mind, but she’d helped Weston kill Clara’s boyfriends. He hadn’t seen that coming. He’d believed there was no killer, or that it was Weston.

“I love you,” Clara said. She arched up and kissed him fiercely.

He let himself savor her mouth moving urgently against his for a few beats, but then he had to break the kiss and usher her head to his chest. There would be time to kiss her and tell her he loved her. Later. He hoped.

“We’ve got to get Jane to the authorities and riddle this mess out,” he said. Helping Clara stand, he studied her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she said, but her voice was weak and her lower lip trembling. “Okay, no. Not really.”

“It’ll be okay,” he tried to reassure her, but it made him sick that seemingly harmless Jane had been the perpetrator.

He pulled out his phone and called 911. Jane and Clara both watched him as he reported the crime, telling the police to bring Weston Darrough to the station, and to send officers to come meet them at the trailhead.

“Not Weston’s fault,” Jane whimpered over and over again. The poor girl was so deluded and misused. “I’m sorry, Clara.”

“Jane,” he commanded, keeping the call open but sliding it into his pocket. “We’re going to walk down the trail. You’re going to stay in front of us and don’t make any sudden moves.” Brex edged even farther away from the ledge.

Jane obeyed and stood, her legs trembling. She slowly walked in front of them. He held onto Clara’s elbow to steady her, and they followed.

His mind spun through the events of the past twenty minutes. He’d almost died. Both women had saved him. It was a miracle. Maybe God and Clara could both forgive him.

He glanced askance at Clara. Her hair was a mess, her face was mottled with tears as she turned red-rimmed eyes to him. He saw love there, but also confusion and suspicion. He’d just admitted that he’d been lying to her the entire time they knew each other. And she’d just found out her two best friends had killed her three boyfriends. She had to be a mess. If only he could hold her and comfort her, share how deeply he loved her.

“I’m sorry,” Jane suddenly wailed from in front of them. They were to the spot he’d revealed the truth to Clara, where the boulder pushed by Jane would’ve landed on his head. He glanced down and saw the jade stone winking up at them next to the boulder.

“You tried to kill me.” Brex put his phone on speaker so the 911 operator could record if this was a confession.

“I’m sorry. You nice to Clara and love her. I didn’t want to hurt you too. But Clara choose you over us. Weston so sad last night. I have to help him. He’s my Weston.”

Weston. That scum. He couldn’t even kill the men himself but sent disturbed Jane to do his dirty work.

“Jane.” Clara’s voice was soft. “Did you kill Harrison, Kyle, and Malik?”

“No Harrison,” she said, walking in front of them and not looking back. “Accident on his bike. No me. Jade stone.” She shrugged. “Gave me idea when you date Kyle. Weston sad and Kyle not nice. I remember Harrison die, jade stone. I find his climbing thing in car at your house. I use my brother’s knife,make little cuts. I follow you. Leave jade stone and pray he falls.” She admitted all of this in a dull voice.

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