-Jacey-
The lavender freshness of the bath didn’t last long, and neither did the braid. Oh, we’d had every intention of going out to see the sights Grand Marais and the North Shore of Lake Superior had to offer, but instead, I’d ended up staring at the ceiling fan while Caleb ravaged me again. Not that I’d had much time to examine the 1990s-style fan. I was too busy enjoying the sex.
If Caleb and I ever had a honeymoon, it would be unreal.
I slept next to Caleb, his arm draped over my belly. I was happily sound asleep when Caleb started to tremble, then thrash.
“No...” he groaned. “No...”
“Caleb,” I said quickly, catching his face between my hands. “Caleb, wake
-Caleb-All things being equal, I’d have rather been back at the motel having sex therapy with Jocelyn. As it was, I was now sitting at a table across from Pierson, who had taken out a recording device and a notepad.“Mr. Killeen, do you mind if I record this conversation?” Pierson asked.“Go right ahead,” I replied.Pierson turned on the recorder and said the date and the crime in question. Then he looked at me. “Please state your name for the record.”“Caleb Killeen,” I responded clearly.“And you’re sure you don’t want an attorney present?” Pierson asked.
-Jacey-The boat skimmed over the water as Caleb and I sat on the middle seat. There was a conservation officer in front of us and two Mounties behind in the boat.A helicopter had been thrown around as an idea, but ultimately, the Mounties hadn’t wanted to scare the loggers off.The conservation officer had taken our description of the terrain and the cabin and decided we had probably gone past Little Shimmer in the storm to a little pocket of a lake called Devil’s Mouth. He eagerly informed us of how good the fishing was there, provided you could get in and out. Getting in and out was the problem. Not even the conservation officers went there—not even on a sunny day.Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, for us, this old-timer had absolutely no fear
-Jacey-We stopped before nightfall, as even the conservation officer wasn’t stupid enough to go zipping around the lake without the aid of daylight. Ironically, we ended up at our old campground. It was empty now, but at least there was the fire pit where Girard started a fire.“I’d suggest getting some shut-eye, but I’m pretty sure you won’t,” Girard said, and the conservation officer snickered.I leaned against Caleb, both of us out of our life jackets now. Caleb was wearing a T-shirt and a button-down flannel shirt. I wore a Care Bear sweatshirt. Caleb had opened his shirt to tuck me against him and wrap it partially around me. Neither of us answered Girard’s stupid statement.“I’ve always been curious, Caleb. Wha
-Caleb-The small seaplane touched down on a small lake then taxied to a dock hidden by overhanging trees.Jacey leaned against me, pretending to sleep. I knew she was pretending because of the way she was breathing, but honestly, it was for the best. I didn’t trust Jacob or Girard as far as I could throw them.“All right, everybody off,” Girard said.Jacob waved his gun at us.“Time to be awake, love,” I whispered to Jacey.Jacey popped her head up and started when she saw the gun.“My other one’s even bigger,” Jacob grinned, grabbing his crotch.
-Jacey-Once the men were gone, I heard someone hobble toward my tent. I pulled the covers closer around myself as the flap zipped open.“Brought you some clothes, baby girl,” Stumpy, or at least I assumed it was Stumpy, said. “By the sounds of last night, you’re gonna need to go for a swim. So I brought a towel and some soap, too.”“Th-Thanks,” I replied. “Um… would you mind giving me a little privacy to get ready for my bath?”“Nope. Boss says I have to watch you all the time,” Stumpy told me with a toothless grin.I felt the blood drain from my face. “But then you’re going to see me naked.”
-Caleb-I didn’t go find Stumpy, even though he was overdue for a punch in the face. I went to find Girard instead.The men had all trundled into the cook tent and were loudly calling to Stumpy for grub. When Stumpy, standing behind the camp range, saw me enter the tent, he was suitably shaken. I guess I must have looked pretty foreboding.Good.I walked straight over to Girard and plunked down on the bench across from him, forcing two people to move to make space for me.“Something on your mind, son?” Girard asked.“Stumpy does not get to play grab-ass with my girl. None of you do. I swear, I will drown us both if it happens again. I’m not going to l
-Jacey-Caleb gave his gun to the Mountie who then had him put his hands behind his back. He cuffed him and started leading him away.“Hey!” I called weakly. “Hey, you can’t do that!”No one listened. Paramedics bustled over and picked up the stretcher, hefting me out of the seaplane and into an ambulance.“Caleb!” I cried, reaching out as they stuck him in a different vehicle.“Hush, dear. Worry about yourself for now,” one of the paramedics said.I shook my head. “You don’t understand. He’s my boyfriend. You can’t take him away from me!”“Darlin
-Caleb-I’d demanded to see Jacey until I was blue in the face, but the Mounties had treated me just like the killer they thought I was and threw me into holding with some very, very scary characters. One was so big and pumped up he could have snapped me like a twig. The other gave off a vibe that he’d shivved people from behind before and wasn’t afraid to do it again.Luckily, we’d all decided to remain in our own bubbles and leave each other alone. Though, I thought the Mounties had hoped Mr. Stabby would have shivved me. They were convinced I murdered the two Mounties back at the lake.If it weren’t for that detective, I’d have been screwed. I knew it.And now, he was dead.Jacey writhed