Page 9 of The Jade Stone Sleuth

“It’s you I’m worried about.” She bit her lip and her jade eyes grew almost blue. “I … can’t handle people getting hurt around me.”

He tilted his chin up in acknowledgement. As a police officer, he knew many normal people who couldn’t handle any sort of emergency, or people who’d been through trauma and couldn’t see any more. This felt more specific. He wanted her to confide in him about her boyfriends’ deaths. He couldn’t just admit he knew all about her watching two men she loved fall to theirdeaths and one die on a mountain bike. Of course she didn’t love Brex—she didn’t even know him—but her reaction was intriguing. If she’d killed those men, would she react so strongly to someone slipping on a ledge? Maybe. If she felt regret for killing them.

“I’ll be more careful,” he said.

“Thanks.”

She turned to head back down the trail, but Brex found himself reaching out to touch her arm despite his intentions to stay detached.

She glanced back at him, her mouth soft. She was captivating in her authentic appeal, and he was in trouble.

“Clara.” He cleared his throat and moved his hand off her arm. “What if I came to meet your brother tonight and then you could tell him who I work for?”

It was all for the job, to grow closer to her and find the murderer, but he hoped she’d say yes. He wanted more time with her, and he wanted to meet Lincoln.

Her eyes widened. “I don’t want to mess up your work. If you need to be incognito so you can catch the bad guys on future jobs.”

He cringed inside. How would she react if he told her she was the supposed ‘bad guy’?

“I think it would be all right to reveal my handsome face to the bad guys.” He grinned. It wasn’t as if he was famous like Aiden. Yet. “I could risk that for you, at least.”

“You’d do that … for me?”

Brex licked his lips. He wanted to do a lot of things for her. She was far too intriguing, sweet, and naturally beautiful. He was playing his role well, gaining her trust and getting closer to her, but he knew being drawn to her wasn’t any kind of roleplay. Her genuine allure was the only thing he was sure of at the moment.

“Sure,” he said.

“What if Linc spreads the news around the high school?”

“I’m betting the policemen will spread it as well. It’s fine. It’ll be old news quick.” He shrugged. This job was very different from the detective work of his past or his future infiltrating traffickers, mobsters, or drug lords, tracking down criminals, or protecting famous people. Those were all roles he’d prepared for with Nick and the other operatives. Usually he would be protecting someone from a clear ‘bad guy’, not getting close and cozy. And though he’d planned to play a role, he wouldn’t have felt guilty deceiving a trafficker, gangster, or drug runner.

He had to figure out the truth. After spending twenty minutes with Clara, he was about forty-five percent convinced that each of her boyfriends had died in tragic accidents. He’d give another forty percent to the theory that someone else had caused their deaths and fifteen percent had to keep doubting this innocent-seeming woman.

Could Clara Gem be the most impressive actress of the year and wasting her talents killing boyfriends and doing charity work on the side?

“Thank you!” She clapped her hands together and beamed at him. She looked for a moment as if she’d throw her arms around him and hug him.

Anticipation of feeling her close had him wanting to lean forward. He tensed instead, not sure how his body would react and afraid he’d forget all his professionalism and distance if Clara was in his arms.

She stiffened as if she’d noticed his reluctance or his internal battle. Giving him a smile instead, she said, “That would be a huge favor for me. Would you be willing to come over for dinner tonight and meet Linc and tell him then? I’ll have Granny Pearl make you those chocolate chip cookies from the one-woman Jade Valley welcoming committee.”

He smiled. He was weaseling his way into Clara Gem’s life quick, but that was exactly what he was supposed to do. Nick would approve. Rulon and Pamela Hendry would be happy. Rachel would be upset. He’d never been so confused.

“That sounds delectable,” he said.

“Linc loves to say my cookies are delectable.” She grinned as if they shared an inside joke. “He has to fight for his ‘fair share’, which means at least a dozen for him and two dozen for his buddies, but nobody else will be home tonight.”

“How many of your siblings still live at home?” he asked.

“Only Linc, and me when I’m not on a mission trip.”

“You do mission trips?” It was the right question. He felt like an imposter already knowing too much information about her.

“I organize trips for the youth in our area in the summer and I’m usually in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Belize, Angola, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, or Cape Verde most of June, July, and August. The rest of the year I travel occasionally to volunteer, take supplies, work on relations, or assess needs, but I also raise money and goods here in Jade Valley through charity runs and bike rides, social media campaigns, and even bake sales with my famous cookies, and the help of my friend Ginger who owns the bakery. My siblings, cousins, friends, and our church all help. Especially my sister Melody with her social media following, my cousin Tess with her bike shop, my cousin Jude who is an extreme sports hero, and my oldest brother Vance who owns the fitness resort over there.” She pointed to their left and the resort he’d noticed.

“I’m impressed.” He knew most of this information. Her sister Melody was a social media influencer who was hilarious and didn’t mind embarrassing herself and others. And everybody knew Jude Gem who’d taken over Sawyer Creed and Corbin Johns’ stunt channel on YouTube.

It was interesting how Clara had given an almost practiced spiel. Maybe at thirty she was embarrassed to not have her own home, or maybe she was proud of what she did and liked to share. Maybe she wanted to look good for him since she thought his career was impressive.

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