She was saved from answering when Daisy came over and took the flowers.“I’ll get water.”
Amka turned back toward the table.“Thank you for checking on me.Are you sure I can’t get you a drink?”
Wyland hunched his shoulders in his black flannel shirt.“No, thanks.We’ve got inventory to do.If you need us, you call.”He nodded at the Osprey brothers and then shuffled to the door.It seemed like people aged during the Alaskan winters and showed it in the spring.Amka should probably take Wyland soup during the colder days once her kitchen was back up and running.
Sheldon hesitated.“We’ll talk soon.Call if you need anything.”He turned just as Helene Stanford walked inside, rolling a small suitcase.
“Oh, good.You’re all here.”She reached into a wide bag over her arm and brought out two envelopes, one for Amka and the other for Wyland.“Northside Insurance has preliminarily denied your insurance claim upon the belief that either Amka Amaruq or Jarod Teller planted the device that caused the storage building fire.”She shuffled the bag onto her shoulder.“I’m headed back to Anchorage.If Jarod Teller decides to show up for an interview, you have my contact information.”
Wyland looked down at the envelope.“Where is Jarod?”
Amka shook her head.“I don’t know.I’m so sorry about this, Wyland.I promise we didn’t destroy that building.”
Wyland opened the door and walked outside.
Sheldon’s face turned a motley red.“Find that idiot, would you?The insurance money is ours.”He followed his father outside.
“Come eat your soup,” Daisy ordered, carrying the flowers in a mason jar back to place in the center of the table.“Listen to your lawyer.”She paused, taking the envelope.“I know Nixi left the hospital, and I thought we’d hear from her.”She pulled her phone out of her back pocket to show to Amka.“Her entire account has been deleted.Gone.I can’t even find one picture of her on here.”
Now that was impressive.“Maybe she just wanted to go off-grid.”Amka wasn’t going to blow her cover.Or whatever she was doing.Although, man, she was curious.
“I guess.”Daisy pushed her wild hair away from her face.“Before I forget, as your attorney, I received notice of a pretrial conference in a week.We’ll meet tomorrow and I’ll tell you the steps.Plus, I have copies of your business documents and last will and testament.”She nudged Amka into the chair.“Eat your soup.”She turned and headed back to the bar.
“Will?”Christian asked.
Amka shrugged.“Figured I needed one.”She picked up her spoon and sampled the soup.It tasted better this time.
“Nothing is going to happen to you.Period,” Christian said.
Damian’s phone buzzed, and he read the screen.“Finally.I have the ME’s report on Jarod’s autopsy.”He scrolled for a moment.“Jarod was shot.Single gunshot wound to the head, close range.Entry just above the right brow.No exit wound.The bullet lodged in the rear cranial cavity.The medical examiner said it’s still intact and was removed for ballistics.They haven’t matched it to a weapon yet.”
Amka’s pulse kicked.She didn’t say anything.
“He was still in the driver’s seat,” Damian added.“He had defensive injuries from scratches and contusions.There was a struggle.From what they can tell, it was quick, and he died right there.His body wasn’t moved.”
Christian’s mouth was a hard line.“Murder weapon?”
“Small caliber.They’ll know more after testing, but it wasn’t something heavy.Point-blank, no hesitation.”
Amka gripped the edge of the table.“So someone got in the truck with him.”
“Looks that way.”
Christian slowly worked through the evidence.“And Amka’s house?”
“They found no evidence of an altercation of any type inside the house,” Damian said.“The forensics cleared it.If Jarod was ever in there, it was just him and whatever personal effects were left behind.Nothing ties the murder to your house, Amka.”
She breathed out, but it didn’t help.“So he died in his truck, in my driveway.”The strongest urge overtook her, and for once, she didn’t fight it.She stood, moved in front of Christian, and dropped onto his lap, needing safety.The feeling of protection.
Surprise flashed across his rugged face for the briefest of seconds.He frowned but cradled her, shifting her into a more comfortable position.
She could see Damian grin from the corner of her eye.Sure, Christian might need some taking care of, but not like she’d thought.Everybody needed tending.He seemed to look out for everyone around him, and she hadn’t seen that.Now she did.Giving in to all of her feelings, she leaned up and kissed him beneath the ear.
He stiffened.
She grinned.Couldn’t help it.Maybe he would fight her on getting serious.Or dating.Or whatever the kids were calling it these days.
He tugged back her head to look into her eyes.“Does anybody know you created a will?”
