AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Andi tried to force her shoulders to relax, especially as everyone looked over at them.
“Duke and Andi . . . we were wondering if you were going to get back anytime soon.” Simmy grinned at them. “Andi, I was hoping you wouldn’t leave.”
Andi forced a smile. “I couldn’t leave yet.”
“We’re glad.” Mariella stood and stretched. “It wasn’t the same without you here.”
Andi’s gaze went to the newcomer to their group, and she swallowed hard. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here . . . Mr. Palmer.”
Tommy turned toward her and smiled. “Duke asked me to look into that deed, and I just happened to be coming out toward this area anyway. I thought talking in person might be a little easier.”
Duke edged closer, purposefully placing himself in front of Andi. “What did you find out?”
“Nothing.” Tommy frowned. “I know it doesn’t make much sense. But I have no idea why Craig was making such a big deal over the deed to that property. I found the records online, and the property went to the Blancos as part of the Homestead Act.”
“It didn’t belong to anyone before that?” Andi asked.
“No, there’s no record of it. I called the Alaska Department of Natural Resources myself.”
Andi found that hard to believe.
“Were there any disputes over any of the other properties that made up Canaan?” Duke said.
“Wait . . . you think Henrietta was killed over a property dispute?” Mariella stared at them.
“I think things weren’t as righteous in the village as people wanted others to believe,” Andi said. “And I think Henrietta discovered what was going on, and that’s why she was killed.”
“I didn’t see any disputes.” Tommy shrugged. “It’s a nice theory, but it doesn’t hold much weight, unfortunately. I personally think this had something to do with Henry’s debt.”
“It seems a shame you had to come all the way out here just to tell us that.” Duke’s voice sounded tighter than usual.
Tommy shrugged again. “Like I said, I needed a few things. Not enough to justify a trip down to Fairbanks, but I thought I’d pick up some toilet paper and laundry soap.”
Was that what Tommy would do? Would he get what he needed and leave?
Andi didn’t know. That seemed too easy.
He’d had a reason for coming here.
Probably because he wanted to read the room. To know if they’d discovered anything new.
Now they were all face-to-face with a cold-hearted killer.
One who just happened to at one time have been an elder in Canaan.
He was the man in the picture who looked familiar.
That wasn’t a coincidence.
None of this was.
* * *
More than anything, Duke wanted to keep the people in this room safe.
But he and Andi were the only ones who realized the danger they were facing.
Should he try to restrain Tommy and then call the police?
