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“A little,” she said, searching for the files Brooke had sent her on the guests that had requested to be a part of the excursion. Files she now wished she’d have paid a little better attention to. All that had mattered to her was that they’d signed the waiver to attend the trip. “What about you? Did you talk to anyone besides Tessa?”

“Darrin.” He grunted. “But that doesn’t help my case. Everyone saw us argue. I stayed away from everyone else. I had other things on my mind besides making friends.”

Ignoring his remark, she pressed on. “Joan and Tessa came the night before the trip, so I hadn’t spoken with either of them prior. Darrin stopped by too often for my liking and was pushy as hell. Not to mention his pride might have taken a licken’ when I rebuffed him. If I had to pick the person who stood out as the most likely to push things too far, he’d be number one on my list.”

Zeke leaned back in his chair. “What about the other campers? What do you know about any of them?”

“Trevor, the other man who was there, has stopped by for axe throwing lessons twice and likes to grab the bow. Doesn’t say much. Keeps to himself.” She found Trevor’s name on the list and clicked on the attached document.

“Axe throwing?”

She glanced over the screen. “One of my many talents.”

He grinned. “Oh, really? And how is that talent being used here?”

The hint of a challenge lingered behind his words, and she couldn’t help but take the bait. “Stress relief.”

He raised his brow, and a cascade of wrinkles deepened his tanned forehead. “Maybe if I’m throwing one at the person causing the stress.”

She snorted out a laugh.

All traces of amusement fled his face. “Seriously, though, you teach people how to throw axes and shoot bows to help them relieve stress?”

“Yes. As well as wilderness skills and survival tactics. I get to do what I love, and people don’t ask me a lot of personal questions. I’m mostly left alone. It’s perfect.”

He frowned. “You never wanted to be alone before.”

Her mouth went dry. She should have known they couldn’t be together without venturing into topics she didn’t want to discuss. But it was too late to backout now. Besides, it was true what she’d said before. She needed him gone in order to get back to her tidy, structured routine, and the only way that could happen was by clearing him of all suspicion so he could walk away and leave her alone to stew in her misery.

“Things change,” she said, the bitter truth like acid on her tongue.

A sad half-smile twitched his lips. “You’ve got that right.”

Needing to get the rest of the uncomfortable truth out on the table, she pushed past the fear holding her hostage. “Did Penelope send you here?”

He nodded.

She deflated as grief and appreciation and a bone-aching sadness collided in the pit of her stomach.

“She didn’t tell me you were here. Just that she’d heard of this place and thought it’d be good for me.” He dropped his gaze to his lap as if suddenly uncomfortable.

“Why?”

He scrunched up his face. “Why what? Why did she send me here to see you? I think you and I both know the answer to that question.”

She shook her head, not ready to cross that bridge quite yet. “How did she get you here if she didn’t tell you it was to coax me out of hiding?”

He rested his fingers on his shoulder. “There was an accident.”

She figured as much but kept that to herself. Hell, if she really wanted to find out what had brought Zeke here, all she had to do was find his file. But she wanted him to tell her, wanted him to trust her with the pain he’d carried. Even if she didn’t deserve that trust. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t remind you that you’re supposed to be focusing on you and your recovery while you’re here. Not getting caught up in a murder investigation.”

“Kind of hard not to when my name is linked with the victim.”

“Fair point.”

Ruby whined at his side and sat up, nudging his hand with her nose.

A stoic mask slid over his face, erasing all traces of emotion. “There was a fire at Danny’s Tavern in town. I was there when it started.”