Free Murder at five finger light by Sue Henry Page A

with interest as Karen got up, crossed the room, and tugged at them till not a hint of space remained for anyone outside to peer through. Returning to the bed, she gave Jessie a self-conscious smile.
    “I know. I’m more than a little paranoid,” she said. “I’m also really tired. Goodnight, Jessie. And thanks again.”
    With that, she turned over to face the wall, clearly meaning to go to sleep.
    “You’re welcome,” Jessie answered softly, reaching to turn out the light between the two beds.
    But from the expression on Karen’s face throughout the incident, Jessie doubted paranoia had much to do with it. What she had seen and recognized was the kind of fear that she didn’t believe could be faked. Whatever the veracity of Karen’s story, there was no doubt in her mind that the woman was sincerely terrified.

    In Whitehorse, Alex Jensen put his cell phone away thoughtfully with a frown that lowered his eyebrows half an inch closer to his handlebar mustache as he drained the last swallow of his beer.
    “Something wrong?” Inspector Delafosse asked from where he sat next to Alex at the bar, raising a finger to let the pilot who was waiting for them at the door know he’d been seen.
    “No, not wrong . We’re just getting used to each other again, I guess. Mostly my fault for leaving Alaska in the first place.”
    “Mind my asking why you did leave?”
    “Well . . .” Alex hesitated, casting memory back to the preceding February. “When my father died suddenly and I went back to Idaho to help my mother, Jessie was running the Yukon Quest.”
    “I remember that situation,” Delafosse reminded him. “And I knew that they had offered you a job as sheriff and that you went back and took it.”
    As they both stood up and put on jackets, Alex agreed.
    “That’s almost right. I had already taken it—without talking it over with her—before I heard she was in trouble and came back. The timing was all wrong, but I’d already accepted it anyway.”
    Delafosse gave him an understanding nod. “Big mistake?”
    “Oh yeah. Part of it was misplaced concern for my mother—I told myself I was doing it for her. Didn’t take long for her to let me know that, as always, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and I should go back to Alaska, where I really wanted to be. But I think that I was really testing Jessie. I’d asked her to marry me and I guess I thought taking the job might influence her to say yes.”
    “Bad assumption.”
    “Got that right!”
    The bartender collected the bill Alex dropped on the bar and extended thanks for the tip it included. The two men turned to meander their way through the tables to join the waiting officer.
    “The real mistake was my determination to go ahead with the Idaho job when Jessie wouldn’t say yes. I should have refused it and come back. There was a certain amount of trust lost between us because of my stubbornness and her resistance.”
    “I noticed there was something a bit tentative between you these days.”
    “That obvious, huh?”
    “Only to someone who knew you then and now, I think. Clair mentioned it.”
    “Well, women talk to each other, don’t they?”
    Del shook his head. “Clair said Jessie wasn’t talking, so she wasn’t asking. She just noticed.
    “Hey, Ted. Thanks for the airlift,” he said, reaching a hand to the officer as they reached him.
    “Not a problem. You ready?”
    Following the two Canadian officers out into the night, Alex gave his relationship with Jessie final, silent consideration. It’ll either work out — or not. Probably just needs time. When she gets back, maybe we’ll talk — if she’s ready.
    He couldn’t know that a lot would happen before they had such an opportunity for face-to-face conversation, meaningful or not.

CHAPTER NINE

     
     
     
     
    IN THE DARK OF THE EVENING, THE HARBOR BAR WAS A bright oasis on the main street of Petersburg, leading Joe Cooper into it after a long walk from the ferry