Page 19 of The Daredevil

“No, but the police chief will know more. You’re the one making donations to his department, so he should talk.”

Thirty minutes later, I sat inside Chief Warren Sutton’s office. I’d donated enough money to the city and the police department, so the officials knew me well. Money talked, making things easier whenever I needed an approval for a business expansion.

“I’m sorry about what happened at the resort.” Dressed in his navy uniform, Warren leaned into the desk. He had a head full of white hair and sharp brown eyes. “It appears that James McNabb’s death was an accident. There were no signs of foul play. We interviewed all the guests staying at your lodge. No one saw anything out of the ordinary.”

I looked at Warren. “Do you know anything else about him?”

“He’s a former cop for the Providence Police Department. He was working as a security guard for a bank.”

My eyebrows furrowed. Something told me I had to look into James McNabb. “Thank you, Warren. When you get the autopsy results, can you let me know?” I passed him my business card. “It’ll make me feel better knowing it was an accident and not a crime on my property.”

“No problem.”

After thanking Warren, I returned to the campground, informed David to open for business tomorrow, and booked a flight back to Reykjavik tomorrow. Then I wandered over to where James McNabb’s body was found, which was on a slab of rock. My crew had cleaned the blood from the surface, making it appear like nothing had happened. I made a mental note to research James McNabb when I got back to Iceland.

I yawned even though it was just two in the afternoon. Functioning on only a few hours of sleep was taking its toll on my body. A walk in the woods with fresh air would rejuvenate me.

Not wanting to think about misfortune or death, I shrugged off all the dark thoughts and walked over to the bridge that gave me an unobscured view of the river where the whitewater rafting took place. As I glanced at the water foaming and breaking over the boulders, I couldn’t help but remember taking two different risks before becoming the owner of the excursion site. Buying it hadn’t been difficult because I’d been working there and knew how to run the business well. Still, my enthusiasm for becoming a business owner had overwhelmed me, which impaired my judgment. I’d taken a risk with a girl I’d met at a bar. She’d been on vacation and offered me a fun time. My younger self hadn’t been able to resist that.

The night before I officially took over the resort, I ended things with her. I’d been seeing her for a week, but according to her, we were dating. I only considered her as a sex partner. That made me sound like a jerk, but that was the truth. I told her it was just sex. It wasn’t my fault she misunderstood. Shaking her loose took more work than it should have.

That mistake forced me to reorganize my thoughts for temporary enjoyment. Hooking up with strangers wasn’t a good idea even if they had enticing bodies. That stranger could turn into an annoying stalker. Risking my mental or physical wellbeing for sex wasn’t worth it. I had been young and didn’t know any better.

The following day was etched in my brain because I owned something that was completely mine. I’d worked hard to learn the ins and outs of the excursion business, including being an experienced guide. Everything had gone smoothly until one terrifying incident: I saved a girl from drowning during a whitewater rafting adventure. That pivotal moment was a contrast from what I’d experienced days before when I’d been searching for a thrill.

I took two different risks that week. One brought me temporary pleasure but a headache afterward. The other offered me fear but also gave me the meaning of life. Life was unpredictable, and even though I preferred challenges, the dare, without careful thought, would eventually kill me or prevent me from achieving my dreams—which would have been the same as killing me.

From that day on, I vowed to never sleep with unstable women I met in a bar. These days, I was more careful.

After browsing the area for a few more minutes, I returned to my cabin. A smile formed on my lips as Michelle’s face popped into my mind. Where should I take her out to dinner? Did she want the authentic Icelandic food or something in between?

Dinner wouldn’t be until Saturday, so why was I thinking about it now? Since when had I thought ahead like this? I’d never cared before. Why did I care what Michelle thought of me?

Maybe she already had a preconceived notion from all the times we hung out as a group. What did she think of me?

You sound like a horny teenager.

God, I needed a good sleep tonight because I was losing my mind.

CHAPTERNINE

MICHELLE

After my conversation with Audri,ideas popped into my head. I wasn’t going for the License to Kiss mission like she had done when she wanted to know if Remi would kiss her. Kiera and I could see Remi had the hots for her from miles away, but Audri had her hesitations.

I understood her situation now. These feelings were like standing amid a hurricane. With all the uncertainties floating around, I couldn’t see beyond what was in front of me.

How should I approach this matter? I came to Iceland excited to work and explore this country. I didn’t get to discover it the last time I was here. But now, my attraction to Royce had taken center stage.

I didn’t like how a man had become more important than my career. I had put Julian first when we were dating, and he dismissed and disrespected me like a pair of old socks.

Asshole.

Why should I put someone first when I wasn’t a priority in their life? I had to be careful where I stepped because the last thing I needed was to crush my heart again.

I wasn’t sure if Roycelikedme in that way. Maybe he was a flirt and had charisma that made women melt, and I was just one of those women who couldn’t resist him. What if this attraction was one-sided? Then the entire mission would fail. I shoved that thought aside for now.

I didn’t even tell my friends about our dinner date this Saturday. Why didn’t I tell them?

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