Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

Needing to make a decision on the fly, Jenna looked from Rio to Rowley. The weather hadn't changed and the wind was now buffeting the snow against the windows at an alarming rate. Her deputies had located Steven Oberg and Luke Sierra. Both men lived in Stanton Forest, with access to their cabins by fire roads. The fire roads should be passable using snowmobiles and the terrain in the immediate area of both cabins shouldn't be subject to avalanches. Rio had suggested going there right away. As both men had eaten lunch and could take supplies with them, Jenna considered Rio's request. She glanced out the window. Snow swirled and danced like a thousand brides on their wedding day. Going anywhere in this weather, even through town, was dangerous. The snowplows and salt spreaders had been at work twenty-four hours a day keeping the roads around Black Rock Falls clear and safe, but visibility was poor and reports of fender benders on Main were coming in hourly.

"With all the collisions in town at the moment, I really need you both here." Jenna frowned. "I'll go with Dave."

"Jenna." Kane looked at her with a troubled expression on his face. "They would be able to move much faster than us, and to be perfectly blunt, they have more experience than you do in these conditions if you plan on going it alone on a snowmobile, which would be the only way we'd be able to make it there and back before nightfall." He leaned forward on the desk and met her gaze. "It's your call."

Drumming her fingers on the desk, Jenna recognized Kane's advice for what it was, a practical solution to a problem, and not being overprotective of her. She nodded. "You're right, I'm not experienced on a snowmobile like these two." She turned to Rio and Rowley. "Okay, make sure you take your satellite sleeves and check in with Maggie on arrival and when you leave. These men are both criminals, so don't trust them. And remember to announce yourself when you arrive. I don't want to come out and find your frozen bodies riddled with gunshot wounds."

"Don't worry, we'll take due care." Rio stood and gave her a small smile. "We'll get the job done, don't worry. If either of these men had anything to do with the murders, we'll flush them out."

"From what I've read on their rap sheets, both these guys have been round the block a few times." Kane stood and gathered the papers together on his desk and tapped them into a pile. "You're the enemy. Play it like you're going door to door looking for a lost woman from the plane wreck, which to some extent you are. Be careful not to ask any leading questions that might cause them to get jumpy and run. I'm sure you are both experienced enough to know if you're speaking to someone capable of murder. If you do get into trouble, I can be there with Wolfe before you know it, so don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks." Rowley slapped Kane on the back. "Catch you later." He followed Rio out of the door.

"What did Wolfe want?" Kane pushed documents into the filing cabinet and then turned to look at her.

Jenna pushed all thoughts of the investigation from her mind and stood, closing her laptop. "He wants to meet us at Aunt Betty's to discuss something personal over lunch. He didn't say exactly what it was he wanted to speak to us about, but he did say it wasn't about the case."

"Okay, I'll put Duke's coat on." He headed for the door.

Jenna smiled. The dog had already climbed out of his basket and was wagging his tail at the mention of Aunt Betty's Café before scampering after Kane. She followed. "Are we walking?"

"In this weather?" Kane raised one eyebrow. "Taking Duke outside for a potty break was enough for me. That's why I parked outside the back door this morning. We get an undercover walk inside and the Beast stays moderately snow free."

Jenna pulled on her coat and then changed her shoes for boots. "So that's why you didn't want to interview the suspects. Arthritis playing up, old man?" She poked him in the ribs and giggled.

"Not quite yet." Kane pulled on his woolen cap and then added his Stetson. "Sometimes you forget you have a team around you to support you. Trying to carry the entire load of an investigation by yourself is counterproductive. You know this deep down in your heart or you wouldn't have agreed to make Rio chief deputy. If we're going to make this work with you as sheriff and a mother, you must start delegating now." He looked deep into her eyes. "By the time the baby comes along, you will feel more confident in their ability to handle things when we're not around. We both need that time to bond with our children. It will be a difficult time for Tauri. He needs to know absolutely that he is equal in every way to the baby."

Jenna smiled at him. "Oh, I agree. Since I discovered we were having this baby, I've been speaking to many working mothers. Trust me, I'm not the only working mother. In fact, most women with young children work. We have everything covered. I am more fortunate than most as I have you there twenty-four/seven and we've agreed to work only on the homicide cases or criminal cases going forward. Trust me, our kids will see us so often they won't even know we work at all."

"Okay." Kane took her hand and led her to the stairs. "I wonder what Wolfe wants. Maybe to ask me to be his best man?"

Jenna laughed. "That's a given. I know they're postponing the wedding until after the baby is born. Shane said that if he went away on his honeymoon, something would happen. This way, he can guarantee I have a safe delivery."

"Worst-case scenario, I can deliver our baby." Kane squeezed her hand. "I know what to do."

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Oh, won't that be fun? One thing: why don't you want to know the sex?"

"Oh, I know what sex it is." Kane grinned at her. "I just want it to be a surprise after all your hard work."

Speechless, she stared at him. "Trust me, holding a live healthy baby is all the reward I need."