Free If I Should Die by Allison Brennan

park.”
    “It sounds like the Kelleys made a good deal,” Sean said. “Get paid for the land by the government, but still be able to mine and pull out resources.”
    “I really don’t know,” Adam said.
    “Maybe someone held a grudge, doesn’t want you to be successful? Did anyone lose big when your family sold off the other parcels?”
    “No—the thing is, my grandmother sold the land to people who’d been paying rent for years to the Kelleys—sold it cheap, too, from what my dad said, telling people all the rent they’d paid over the years could be used toward the purchase.”
    “When was this?”
    “Before I was born. I was three when she died, and in her will she forgave all the outstanding loans. My dad was the same way, you can ask his best friend, Henry Callahan. The big ranch you passed on your way here? That’s Henry’s place.”
    “Would you introduce us to Henry?” Sean asked.
    “Sure, why?”
    “At this point, I don’t know. Someone is trying to shut you down and I want to find out if it’s personal—against your family.”
    Adam looked stunned. “Personal? I don’t believe that.”
    “Can we talk to Henry Callahan tonight?”
    Adam nodded, but now seemed preoccupied. “Sure. I can arrange that.”
    “Someplace out in public,” Sean added. “See if we garner any interest from strangers.” It was time they shook things up and see who reacted.
    Lucy was quiet as they walked back to the cabin.
    “Tell me why you’re ticked off,” Sean said when he opened the door.
    “I’m not.”
    “Is it because I want to go public? Meet with Callahan and push some buttons?”
    “No.”
    He didn’t push. He crossed over to the desk in the corner and booted up his computer. Lucy stood at the wall of windows overlooking the lake, arms crossed over her chest. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her chin tilted slightly upward, the posture she assumed when she was trying to form an argument.
    He sent an email message to his partner Patrick, Lucy’s brother, giving him a rundown on what happened as well as a request for some needed research. As he typed, he watched Lucy’s mouth turn down. She was ready. He suppressed the itch to smile. He knew Lucy well.
    She said, “A dead body trumps arson.”
    “You think we should have shown our cards.”
    “Weddle treated me like an idiot. I don’t think they’re going to take this seriously, no matter what Tim said. Why on earth would Deputy Weddle think I’d lie about seeing a dead woman in the mine?”
    “I don’t think that’s—”
    “And someone moved her. That means someone who knew we found the body went there last night to get her out. Why?”
    “To cover up a murder?”
    “Exactly. Yesterday I wasn’t sure if her death was natural or inflicted, but I wasn’t thinking straight. There is no logical way for her to naturally die in that position. Maybe she was killed in or near the mine, and it was the only place the killer could think of leaving her. Maybe it was an accident—and someone panicked and didn’t want to go to the authorities.”
    “Tim said no one in town is missing.”
    “No one from Spruce Lake is missing. What about the surrounding areas? Potsdam or Canton? A camper from last summer? Spruce Lake is small, but the highway winds through the state park and could bring people from all over passing through.”
    “What do you want to do?” Sean asked, though he knew the answer.
    “Go back down in the mine, first thing in the morning.”
    “I knew you were going to say that.”
    “I’ll understand if you’re not ready—”
    “I’m not letting you go alone.”
    “How’s your leg?”
    “Fine.” It hurt like hell. “What do you expect to find?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe nothing. Or maybe a clue to her identity. How she died. How she was moved. Who she was. A confession etched on the wall of the tunnel, I don’t know. I just feel like I need to go down there and do something .”
    And that was the