Murder on Ice

by B. T. Lord

  Jace knew Cammie loved him. Even if she hadn’t come right out and said it yet, he knew she did. He knew she also loved her job, loved Twin Ponds. Loved the crazy eccentrics that made up this town perched in the middle of the wilderness.

  For now, came the unbidden fear that rested deep in his heart.

  She’d travelled throughout the United States. She’d been places, done things. How long would she be content with a grease monkey and hockey jock? How long before she grew bored with a job where her most pressing case was the theft of stupid bird feeders? Before Eli showed up, she may never have grown restless. But his appearance changed everything. His presence offered the possibility of another life out there, a life away from the endless snow and cold in the winters, the muds in spring, the summers that lasted only two to three months. With Kelley’s glamour and celebrity and money, he could whisk her away into a world that, in Twin Ponds, only existed on the internet, and TV and those fancy travel and society magazines.

  How could he compete with that?

  He lifted his head and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

  “I can’t make you stay, Cammie,” he whispered aloud to himself. “But I can make it damned hard. And I can make sure Eli doesn’t win this. You want a fight, Kelley? You’re going to get one. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “You think I did this,” Jace replied incredulously. “You actually believe I killed Kelley.”

  Cammie forced herself to meet his eye. “You tell me,” she answered.

  Jace fisted his hands and pounded them against his thigh. “I don’t fucking believe this.”

  “Bro, listen,” Rick spoke up. “We don’t want to believe you did this. But right now, it doesn’t look good. Just answer the questions so we can then find the real person who offed Eli.”

  Cammie watched as Jace rubbed his stubbled chin with his fist. Would he refuse to answer? Would he force her to do the one thing she wasn’t ready to do?

  The silence lengthened and grew tenser. The ball in her stomach grew tighter. Her frustration choked her. Just as she was about to give up, he uttered a low sigh.

  “I was at Zee’s,” he began slowly. He glanced at her from beneath his bangs. “I was really angry at you. Once again you let that bastard get between us.”

  Cammie felt Rick’s questioning gaze on her, but she refused to acknowledge it. She didn’t want to break eye contact with Jace. She kept her face neutral as he continued. “I went into the pool room and found some of the guys playing a round. They started buying me beers.”

  “Do you remember who was there?”

  “Yeah. Joey, Hank, Scottie and Matt. They’d been playing some pick-up hockey and stopped off at Zee’s for a bite and a brew. They were in the middle of a game of 9-ball. Scottie was having a hard time with it. Kept messing up the order of the balls.”

  As well known in town as Jace, it would be easy to verify if the young hockey players were at Zee’s the night before.

  “When did Carolyn show up?” she asked quietly.

  His dark blue eyes flickered to her before looking away. He paused and she wondered if he was going to deny it. Then he let out a long sigh. “I’m not sure of the time. Could have been one hour after you left. Could have been two. No clue.”

  Another question to ask his teammates.

  “What happened when she showed up?”

  “What do you think?” he suddenly snarled.

  Cammie remained calm in the heat of his anger. She knew he was embarrassed. She knew Rick was embarrassed. Hell, she was embarrassed. But these were questions she had to ask. And as the lead investigating officer, she was going to ask them. So she shut everything out and continued.

  “I need you to answer the question, Jace.”

  “You really want to hear it?” When she didn’t respond, he threw his hands up in the air. “Okay. She saw that I was upset. That I was lonely. That I’d been abandoned by the woman who was supposed to love me so she could be at another man’s side. She wanted to comfort me. I’m sure I don’t have to spell out how she was going to do that comforting.” His eyes snapped at her. “Or do I?”

  “Dude—“ Rick spoke up.

  Jace turned on the deputy. “What’s the point of all this? You both think I did it. Even those forensic guys think I did it. I could see it in their faces.”

  “Did you do it?”

  It was as though the air had been sucked out of the room. Both Jace and Rick turned their heads and stared at Cammie. “I think that’s a legitimate question.”

  Jace leaned forward until they were nose to nose. She smelled the vomit on him, the lingering aroma of stale beer and sweat. When he opened his mouth, his breath was sour. She refused to flinch. “I did not kill Eli Kelley. I have no idea how I ended up here or how the gun ended up under me, or how that blood ended up on my shirt. But I didn’t kill him. Yeah, I didn’t like him. Yeah, I even hated him. But not enough to take his life. You of all people should know that. Or did he turn your head around so much that you've conveniently forgotten who I am and what we have? Or should I say had?”

  “Yo, calm down,” Rick broke in, leaning forward and gently pushing Jace back. “Do you remember what happened after you left Zee’s with Carolyn?”

  Jace shook his head. “It’s all a jumble.”

  “Then do you remember how you got those bruises on your face?”

  “What the fuck are you talking about now?”

  Without a word, Cammie got up and left the room. A moment later she returned with a hand mirror she’d seen in the bathroom earlier that day. She handed it to him and he caught his breath when he saw his battered image.

  “Oh no,” he moaned.

  He dropped the mirror on the bed and for a moment, it looked as though he was going to cry. Then, just as quickly as his despair had appeared, it was replaced by a rage so profound and intense, he started to shake.

  He abruptly jumped to his feet and pointed a trembling finger at Cammie.

  “You did this to me.”

  “Calm down, Jace. You’re not making sense.”

  “I’m not? You’re so concerned with trying to find out what I did last night. Why don’t you tell me what you did last night? Huh? My memory may be screwed up, but I do remember that you were here last night. In fact, you were one of the last people to see Kelley alive.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Jace was sick. And upset. It was becoming increasingly difficult to pretend everything was okay.

  He and Cammie were sitting in Zee's, sharing their second beer after a long, busy day. He’d barely raised his head from beneath countless car hoods while Cammie dealt with yet another bird feeder theft. Ordinarily he loved this time together; both unwinding after a hectic day, telling each other what they’d been up to since saying goodbye to each other that morning. Yet tonight there was something different about Cammie. She was by nature circumspect about public displays of affection, especially since being elected sheriff. She took her position and responsibilities seriously and didn’t feel comfortable draping herself over Jace in public.

  She saved that for the privacy of their cabin.

  Tonight, however, she was holding hands with him. Caressing his cheek. Dancing especially close, her arms thrown tightly around his neck.

  This was worse than he thought.

  Two nights before, while helping him prepare dinner, she’d told him about her meeting with Eli. In exactly seven words. “I ran into Eli at Zee’s today.” That was it. No explanation, no details. He’d waited for more. But there was none. Instead, she’d changed the subject and he’d not pursued it, a decision he’d been kicking himself over ever since. Her nonchalance certainly didn’t jibe with what he’d been hearing around town – the loving reunion. The inordinate amount of time they’d spent in the booth together. Jealousy blinded him to the reality of small town gossip. Ninety percent was exaggeration. In an isolated town like Twin Ponds where winter lasted eight months, people
thrived on any juicy bit of news they could grab onto to pass the time, especially if it was about a person in authority.

  Cammie’s situation was made all that more interesting by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her breakup with Eli. What people didn’t know, they made up. And this was just too good to ignore.

  Which left Jace reeling with apprehension. Was she now making up for her tender reunion with Eli by showing her affectionate side in public? Was her behavior rooted in guilt? Was she trying to be nice to him so that when the ax fell it wouldn’t hurt him so much? What frightened him more was that she hadn’t brought up the subject of how she felt about him. Ever since the arrival of Eli, she hadn’t broached it again. He didn’t know what to do. Or think. So he sat and seethed and worried that his world, as he'd known it, was crumbling and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  For the past few days, Cammie noticed Jace sliding into an ever more morose mood. Not sure what to do, she fretted and worried and finally hoped that showering him with love and affection would reassure him there was nothing to worry about. She’d thought many times of finishing the conversation they’d started before Eli showed up. But she hesitated, concerned that he’d think she was telling him she loved him only because Eli was back in town. Throwing him a bone to calm him down. That was not how she wanted to do this. However, as the days passed and he withdrew more into himself, she knew she had to risk it. Tonight, she’d tell him how much she loved him. She had it all planned, right down to the smallest detail. She’d only said “I love you” once in her life. And it had almost broken her. Now, after fifteen years, she was ready to say it again. She wanted the moment to be right. To be perfect.

  She prayed he’d take the words in the spirit they were meant.

  “At Last” by Etta James came on the jukebox. As usual, whenever this song came on, the dance floor filled with amorous couples. Cammie immediately grabbed Jace’s hand and they squeezed into a small empty space near the bar. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to her.

  The scent of his cologne filled her nostrils, sending a thrill of desire in the pit of her stomach.

  “You know Jace,” she whispered in his ear, “when I came back to Twin Ponds, I had no intention of staying. I was going to sell Dad’s cabin and go back to Boston. But there were two things that made me change my mind. One was the unexpected peace I found waking up and looking out over Mkazawi Pond morning after morning. It suddenly made me realize why Dad chose that place and why he wouldn’t leave it. For the first time, I understood his need to be there. After the mess with him and Mom, that cabin became his healing place. I never expected that it would become mine as well. Somehow, I feel closer to him there than I ever did when he was alive.”

  “And the second reason you stayed?” Jace asked, pulling her away from him and looking into her eyes. She met his gaze and a wide, contented smile played across her lips.

  “You.”

  She gently traced a line along his jawline with her fingernail. “It’s been a tough, bumpy journey for me. I completely shut down, I admit that now. Everyone says Mom died of a stroke. But the truth is, she died of a broken heart. That was the last thing I wanted for myself. I was determined I wasn’t going to go through what she went through. Loving someone that much scared the crap out of me. But I didn’t count on meeting you.” She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. “Knowing you were at the end of my long, crazy road has made it all worthwhile.”

  They held on to each other, Etta’s voice enveloping them in deep, sensual tones. Jace held her tightly, afraid to let her go, afraid of what lay outside beyond them. His worry, his distress lifted off his shoulders. Whatever Cammie may be, she was not emotionally disingenuous. He knew her words came from her heart. She never could have said them if Eli had claim to even a small part. No. Her heart was his.

  And it made him feel safe.

  They clung to each other, enjoying the touch, the feel of their bodies moving slowly to the music. As soon as the song ended, Cammie was going to suggest they go home. There, she’d finish their conversation. Alone, with only the waters of Mkazawi surrounding them, she would finally and completely open her heart and soul to Jace. Tonight was going to be a new beginning.

  “Thank God, I found you. I need your help.”

  You’ve got to be kidding me.

  Cammie refused to turn around. She wanted, needed to hold on to this moment. It had been too long in coming. She burrowed deeper against Jace’s chest.

  “It’ll have to wait. Now go away,” she replied, her voice muffled against Jace’s flannel shirt.

  Eli reached out and grabbed her upper arm. “It can’t wait!” he exclaimed.

  His voice was desperate and ragged.

  “Let her go.”

  Dear God. Cammie instantly turned around and pressed her back against Jace, making herself a barrier between the two men.

  “I’ll handle this,” she said, trying to head off potential trouble.

  “Yeah Junior, this is police business.”

  Jace’s face flushed an angry red. Reaching over Cammie’s shoulder, he gave Eli a hard shove in the chest. “My name is not Junior, asshole.”

  “Enough!” Cammie ordered, the authority in her voice stopping both men.

  “I really need to talk to you. It’s important,” Eli said.

  Cammie searched his face. Searched his ice blue eyes. Saw the fear there that could not be manufactured. She immediately knew something was very wrong.

  “We’ll talk outside,” she responded tersely.

  Eli nodded and made his way towards the front door. When he was gone, she turned to Jace. As expected, his own eyes were blazing.

  “What the fuck, Cammie?” he exploded before she had a chance to utter a word. “You know he just wants to get you alone. Police business, my ass.”

  “Jace, I have to listen to what he has to say.”

  “No you don’t. Right now, you’re off duty. You’re not Sheriff Farnsworth. You’re Cammie and you’re on a date with the man you love.”

  He glared at her, daring her to contradict his words. She should agree, she knew that. But she held onto the desire to tell him in her own way. In the privacy of their cabin. Not here, with him glowering at her and people staring all around them. And certainly not with the specter of Eli standing between them. She forced herself to calmly meet his gaze.

  “Unfortunately Jace, I’m always on duty. You know that. It’s the nature of the job. Why don’t you go back to our table and let me do what I’m paid to do?”

  “Then I’m going with you.”

  He started towards their booth to grab their parkas. She put her hand on his chest, stopping him mid-stride.

  “I think it’s better if you stay here.” He scowled. “Jace,” she continued, pitching her voice so only he could hear her. “You better than anyone understands how important it is that I perform my duties efficiently and professionally. How do you think it’s going to look to everyone here if I have my boyfriend escort me to do a routine questioning of a potential victim? I’m already on the hot seat with these bird feeder thefts. Please don’t make it any more difficult for me.”

  For a moment she thought he would stubbornly refuse. She held her breath. To her relief, he gave a terse nod and slid back into their booth. She leaned in and kissed his hard, angry lips. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

  She grabbed her parka and snaked her way through the dancing couples, ignoring the curious looks as she went. Opening the door, she was hit in the face with a blast of frigid air. Her eyes immediately watered against the cold. Wiping them against her gloves, she shivered and inwardly cursed Eli for dragging her away from the warmth of the restaurant and, more importantly, the warmth of Jace’s arms.

  She scanned the street with a mind to pop back inside and forget Eli, but two things stopped her. One, her damned integrity at doing her job to the best of her ability and two, seeing Eli’s Black Lincoln Navigator parked across the
street, idling at the curb. He lowered his window and waved at her. With no choice, she burrowed into her parka and navigated through the narrow opening in the piles of snow at the corner of the street. She hurried across and slid inside the luxurious vehicle.

  The aroma of rich leather mixed with that universal new car smell made her inwardly sigh. She ran her fingers over the dark interior and suddenly realized that her butt was warm and toasty.

  “Heated seats?” she asked.

  “Only the best,” Eli smiled.

  This time she sighed aloud. This was the type of vehicle she could only dream about. In the past, she’d been lucky enough to own cars that actually ran. Her Explorer came with the job and Jace’s truck was held together by his prodigious talent and, as she liked to joke, industrial strength chewing gum.

  “How much does something like this go for?” she couldn’t help asking.

  “More than anyone in this town could afford.”

  She bristled, his snobbish tone snapping her out of her dreamy state. “I haven’t got much time, so what’s going on?”

  “I’ve been getting threatening notes ever since I got back to Twin Ponds.” He gave her a direct look. “I think someone wants me dead.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  With great effort, she bit back a retort and instead asked, “Do you have these notes with you?”

  Eli shook his head. “I’ve been stashing them in a shoebox. They’re at home.”

  “And you didn’t think to bring them?”

  He clicked his tongue. “Stop being so suspicious. I was so spooked by the last note, my only thought was to track you down and tell you about them.”

  “Just how many exactly have you gotten?”

  “Five. Two the day after I arrived. Two yesterday and one today.”

  “Where did you find them?”

  “They were tucked in the handle on the slider door. That is, except for the last note. That one was sitting right on my kitchen counter. Creeped me out to think someone had actually entered my home.”