Beyond Risk

by Connie Mann

  “Stop apologizing. Give Mom a kiss for me. I have to go. I love you.”

  Charlee hung up and let the relief slide through her. Her breath eased out, and she felt the muscles in her neck and shoulders slowly relax as she leaned back in the seat.

  “That’s good news, cher. Your mama is tough, just like her daughter.” He grinned. “Now if we can keep Travis from phone stalking you, you’ll be all set.”

  Charlee laughed. “There’s always a fly in the ointment, isn’t there? I may have to change my number.” She looked over at him, her smile coming all the way from her heart.

  Hunter reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze.

  The familiar tension crept in as they approached the Outpost. Charlee hated that Hunter was right. The place she’d loved most in the world now filled her with dread. She squared her shoulders. She’d take that kayak tour this afternoon, just like any other. She could do this.

  Pete’s official SUV sat in the parking lot, and she hurried inside, heart pounding. “What’s wrong?”

  In uniform, Pete lounged behind the desk, booted feet propped up, reading the paper. He sat up when she rushed in. “’Bout time you got here.”

  Charlee looked from him to Hunter, who had come in behind her. “What are you doing here? You should be home resting.”

  He made a calm-down motion with his hands, which always raised her hackles. “Easy there, squirt. I’m on light duty. I stopped in to see you and found Travis pacing like a caged tiger, worried about some test. He said you were on your way, so I told him I’d man the store until you got here.”

  “Glad to see you up and around, Pete,” Hunter said. “I need to talk to Sally and Nora Jennings.” He looked over at Charlee. “You good here for a while?”

  Charlee made sure her body language conveyed none of the dread she felt. If either of these macho men knew she was the least bit hesitant, there was no telling what idiotic scheme they’d hatch. “Of course. This is my job. Go talk to Sally and Nora. Tell them…” She stopped, shook her head. “Never mind. They don’t want to hear from me.”

  But after Hunter walked out the door, she hurried after him. She caught him just as he climbed into his truck. “Will you ask Nora about what happened that day? About the bruises around her neck?”

  “What are you thinking?” He kept his eyes steady on hers, and she hoped he meant what he’d said about her investigative skills.

  She took a deep breath. “I’m not sure. As I said, when I found Nora last year, she had a limb over her neck, just like Tommy. She had bruises around her neck, like Brittany. But she survived.” She paused. “Tommy didn’t have any bruises.”

  “You mentioned the bruises before, but there is nothing in the file.”

  “I told the investigator. Rick told me I was looking for evidence that wasn’t there.”

  At the mention of Rick’s name, Hunter’s jaw hardened. “What did Nora say happened?”

  “She’s always said she doesn’t remember.”

  “You don’t believe her.”

  “I don’t know. The bruises didn’t seem like they could have been made by the branch.” Charlee looked at him, waited for him to brush it off, or worse, to laugh at her, as Rick had done.

  He nodded slowly. “Between the bruises on Brittany’s neck and the similarity of Tommy’s death and Nora’s near death… I’ll ask Nora about it.”

  Before she could process her relief that he’d taken her seriously, Hunter yanked her into his arms and gave her a mind-numbing kiss that seared her all the way to her toes. He set her back and said, “I love the way you think, cher.”

  Then he climbed into his truck, rolled down the window, and said, “Look for all the things you love about the river today,” and drove away.

  His words—and that kiss—echoed in her mind as she tidied the front counter and checked their reservations for the day. Pete sat back in the chair and picked up the paper. “Don’t you have a job to do? Bad guys to catch?”

  He set the paper down and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s going on with you, Charlee?”

  She focused on straightening the postcard rack. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about you. Look, I get that what happened last year shook you up, but you’ve always loved this place, loved the water. Out of all four of us, the Outpost was your favorite. That’s why Dad wants you to have it. We’re all okay with that. But now…” His voice drifted off, and he sent her a worried frown. “You’re not the same.”

  “Knowing someone died on your watch will do that to you. I figure you should understand that.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Charlee.”

  She fisted her hands on her hips, feeling like she might explode with frustration. “I wish people would stop saying that! Maybe it wasn’t technically my ‘fault,’ since I didn’t cause the storm, but it was absolutely my responsibility. I was the guide. My group. So yes, it’s on me.”

  “Dad said he’s tried to get you to sign papers turning the place over to you, and you keep putting him off.”

  “I’ve been a little busy here lately, in case you forgot. And besides, how is any of this your business?”

  He looked as though she’d slapped him. “Because it’s family business. Dad said you’ve been squirrelly for a while now. Not just lately. Why are you stalling?”

  “I’m not stalling,” she shot back. Which wasn’t entirely true. But she didn’t plan to discuss it with Pete. They called him Bulldog for a reason.

  He moved closer, trying to back her into a corner to get her to talk, a trick he’d been using since childhood. She put her palm out and shoved him back. “Quit. You know better than to push this way.”

  He backed up, sighed. “Sorry. Habit. Talk to me. Why won’t you sign the papers?”

  “Because I’m not sure I want the place.” The words burst out and surprised them both. But now that they’d been said, Charlee felt an unexpected sense of relief.

  “Oh no. A deal’s a deal, Charlee, and Tanners don’t welch on deals.”

  Since he’d put her guilt into words, she had no snappy comeback.

  “You have to cut them free of this place, Charlee. You know they want to take their trailer and go exploring. They can’t do that until you sign.”

  “They can’t go until Mama is strong enough,” she countered.

  “And when she is? They still can’t leave until you’ve taken over.”

  “Then they should sell the place!”

  He drew back, genuinely shocked. “Sell it? They don’t want to sell it. They want it to stay in the family.”

  “Then you run it.” Charlee crossed her arms and pierced him with a look.

  “But I don’t want it. Besides, I have a job.” He blew out a breath, visibly calmed himself. “What’s really going on here, squirt?”

  What the heck. She gave him the truth, straight up, no chaser. “I hate being on the water, Pete. I dread every single trip. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

  His eyes widened as understanding dawned. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the radio on his shoulder crackled to life. He answered, then headed for the door. “I have to go.” He stopped, turned back, then pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m sorry for riding you so hard. We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry.” He kissed her cheek and disappeared.

  Charlee sank down in the seat he’d vacated and tried to calm her racing heart.

  She almost had things under control when she heard cars pulling into the parking lot. Her kayak tour had arrived.

  She put on her game face and was smiling when the two families walked through the door. “Hi. Welcome to Tanner’s Outpost.”

  Chapter 23

  Once he got on the road, Hunter checked the CAD system to see who was on patrol near the Outpost, then called FWC Officer Wagner. “Hey
, Greg, I know it’s your day off, but I could use your help.” Greg was a recent transfer from another FWC region, so Charlee hadn’t met him yet.

  “What do you need, Lieutenant? I’ll see what I can do.”

  Hunter outlined his plan, gratified by Greg’s quick agreement. “Thanks, Wag. I appreciate it. Keep me posted, would you?”

  “Sure thing, Lieutenant.”

  Hunter disconnected, relieved. At least he had one of his bases covered.

  He spent the rest of the drive to Lake City thinking about what Charlee had said. After he talked to Sally and Nora, he’d go through the reports from last year one more time. He made a mental note to call the investigator on the case, too.

  He pulled into Sally Jennings’s driveway and saw two compact cars. The little blue one closest to the house was registered to Sally, so he figured the other was Nora’s.

  The small ranch house had a tidy yard and a bright-red front door. Nora Jennings opened the door a crack when he knocked, tearstained cheeks barely visible.

  Hunter held up his badge. “Ma’am, I’m Lieutenant Boudreau with Fish and Wildlife. Is Mrs. Jennings here? I need to ask her a few questions.”

  The door flew open, and Sally Jennings stood in the doorway, hands on hips, eyes blazing. While her daughter’s face was ravaged by grief, Sally’s showed only fury. She looked past Hunter as though she was looking for something. Or someone. Then she stabbed a finger in Hunter’s direction. “This is all Charlee Tanner’s fault. She let my boy die out there, all alone, and now she let Tommy die, too.”

  Hunter kept his face bland. “Mrs. Jennings, may I come in?”

  Sally stormed back into the house. “Fine. Whatever. You’ll do what you want anyway.”

  Hunter walked in and followed her into the living room. Sally flopped down in an armchair, glaring, while Nora sagged onto the striped sofa and wiped the tears from her face.

  “Mrs. Jennings.” Then he turned to the young woman. “Nora, right? I’m so very sorry for your loss,” Hunter began.

  “Spare me the crap, Lieutenant,” Sally spat. “Just get on with it.”

  “I’m trying to get a timeline of events. When was the last time either of you spoke with Tommy?”

  At his question, Sally’s fury deflated, and she sank into the chair, as though her anger had been the only thing supporting her. “He called me on the anniversary, drunk and sloppy, rambling about how it was all his fault.”

  Hunter looked up from his smartphone, where he’d been taking notes. “Did he say why he thought that?”

  Sally glared at him like he was an idiot. “Our son died on that trip. Of course it was his fault.”

  “What time was this?”

  “The first time was about eight in the morning, just as I was leaving for work.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “For Doctor Cohen, a podiatrist. And before you ask, yes, I was there all day.”

  When Hunter merely sent her a questioning look, she snorted. “That is what this is about, right? To find out if I somehow caused my drunken ex-husband to off himself?”

  “Mom!” Nora protested. She huddled on the couch, knees pulled up to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks faster than she could wipe them away.

  “Sorry, darling. But your father was weak.” She paused, looked at Hunter. “He couldn’t handle JJ’s death.”

  “You said he called more than once. How many times did he call you that day?”

  “Once more. About eight that night. Wanted me to come over.”

  “And did you?”

  “No.” She shook her head, and Hunter got a glimpse of the grief she tried to hide. She leaned forward, hands clasped in her lap, voice quiet. “He’d want to talk it all over again, every detail, and I just…couldn’t.”

  “I understand. Did he sound like he’d been drinking then, too?”

  “Yes. And to be honest, by then, I’d had a couple glasses of wine, too. It’s not easy, the remembering.”

  “No, I can’t imagine it is. Was that the last time you spoke with him?”

  “Yes. I wanted to call him back, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Now I wish I had. Maybe then he wouldn’t have…killed himself.”

  Hunter kept his voice bland. “Mrs. Jennings, did the deputy tell you that?”

  “What? No. He said they found him facedown in the creek behind his little shack.”

  “While that’s true, we don’t think it was suicide.” He paused, then added, “We believe he was murdered.”

  Hunter watched identical expressions of horror appear on Sally and Nora’s faces.

  “Oh, Daddy,” Nora cried and buried her face in her knees, rocking back and forth.

  Sally gripped the arms of the chair, knuckles white. “Murdered? By whom?” she demanded.

  “We don’t know yet. That’s why we’re asking questions, trying to get a sense of Tommy’s movements the last couple of days.” Hunter turned to Nora. “When did you last see or speak to your father?”

  “Monday. On the anniversary.” She glanced at her mother. “I, ah, skipped school, and Dad called my cell phone. He wanted to come get me, but he’d been drinking, and I didn’t think he should drive.”

  “What time was that?” Hunter asked.

  “About ten, I guess. I’m not really sure.”

  Sally walked over to the couch and sat down beside her daughter. She tried to pull Nora into her arms, but Nora scooted out of reach. “Leave me alone. You hated Dad.”

  Sally sighed. “Oh, honey. I didn’t hate him. I hated what the alcohol made him.”

  “Nora, did you talk with him after that day? See him at all?”

  “No. I didn’t know what to say. And he kept wanting to talk about the day JJ… He wanted to go over and over every detail, and it just hurt too much. So I didn’t answer when he called.”

  “He called several times?”

  “Yeah, like three times a day.”

  “Why would someone murder Tommy?” Sally asked again.

  “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. Did he have any enemies? Anyone at work he had a problem with?”

  “They loved him at the shop. He could fix anything. Kept all the machines going.”

  “Did he ever miss work because of the drinking?”

  “Yeah, some, especially lately, but the owner is a guy we’ve known forever. I know he cut Tommy some slack.” Sally shook her head. “I can’t believe he drowned. Just like his mother.”

  Hunter sat up straighter. “His mother drowned?”

  “Back when he was little. Drowned in the bathtub.”

  Nora’s shoulders shook with her sobs. Sally again tried to offer comfort, but Nora shrugged off her mother’s touch.

  “Nora, I need to ask about last year for a minute.”

  The teen looked up in surprise, wiped her eyes.

  “After the storm started, what happened? What do you remember?”

  Sally stiffened. “I don’t see what this has to do with—”

  Hunter held up a hand. Nora took a deep breath and said, “I don’t remember much. The wind started howling, and it was raining so hard, I couldn’t see the end of my kayak. I thought I felt something hit me in the shoulder, and I lost my balance and fell out of the kayak. Next thing I knew, I was on shore, and Charlee was doing CPR. And JJ was…gone.”

  “You had bruises on your neck?”

  Nora’s hand went to her throat. “Yes. It hurt to talk for a few days. Charlee said there was a branch over me when she found me.”

  “Do you remember anything else, any detail?”

  Nora’s tears started again as she shook her head. After a moment, Sally jumped to her feet, marched over to the front door, and held it open. “It’s time for you to leave, Lieutenant.” Her chin came up, hands clutched the door. �
�Maybe you’d better check Charlee Tanner’s whereabouts at the time of Tommy’s murder. She already killed my son.”

  Hunter studied her face. “Why would you think Charlee killed either of them?” he asked.

  She stiffened, as though she couldn’t believe what he’d just asked. “When Charlee realized how bad the weather was getting, she should have gotten everyone to safety. Immediately. That was her job, for crying out loud. To keep everyone safe. Not to let them die.” She swallowed hard, then added, “JJ’s death destroyed Tommy. His drinking got out of control, and his whole personality changed. I lost them both. I’d always hoped Tommy would be able to get it together, but now…” She speared him with a look. “Tommy started talking about getting a lawyer, reopening the case. Maybe Charlee was afraid of going to jail for what she did.”

  Hunter thanked her and climbed into his truck, sorting and shifting the puzzle pieces around in his mind, frustration building. He still couldn’t see the whole picture.

  * * *

  Charlee kept her focus solely on the task at hand. She made sure her guests filled out all the right forms, then let them shop while she gave the equipment a thorough once-over. She checked the first aid kit, then added a few more bandages, just in case.

  Just as she started handing out the life jackets, a young couple pulled up in a Jeep, both athletic looking and fit, about midtwenties. They came bounding into the office.

  The man’s hair was cut military short, his demeanor casual, friendly. He propped his sunglasses up on his head and smiled. “Looks like you’re getting ready to take a group out.” He pointed to the loaded kayak rack. “Do you have room for two more?”

  Charlee kept her professional smile in place. “Of course. Have you kayaked before?”

  “We go all the time,” the woman added, smiling at the man beside her.

  At least they weren’t unruly, inexperienced teenagers like the other day. Focus, girl. “Great. Let me get everyone a life jacket, then we’ll get your paperwork done so we can go.”

  “We appreciate it, thanks.” The woman smiled brightly behind her dark sunglasses, and Charlee got the feeling she was trying to tell her something, but she didn’t know what.