Silver Falls by Anne Stuart Page B

time to pro test. She landed in a heap, righting herself before he climbed in the driver’s side with insulting ease.
    â€œNo seat belts,” he said. “If we start going off the road you’ll have to hold on to me.”
    â€œYeah, right.” She glanced at her watch. Twenty to three, and they were three-quarters of the way up Silver Mountain. “You wanna step on it? I don’t want to be late.”
    The Jeep started forward with a leap, tossing her back against the seat. A moment later they were careening down the narrow dirt road at breakneck speeds and she was clutching the cracked leather of the seat, holding on for dear life andtrying to remember some kind of prayer to ward off certain death.
    They all escaped her—she was stuck with muttering “oh God oh God oh God” beneath her breath. Caleb was having too much fun, taking the switchback curves with abandon, and she wondered what the hell Sophie would do if she was left without a mother and no legal tie to David.
    Caleb glanced at her every few moments, waiting to see her reaction, but she gritted her teeth and said nothing. By the time they reached her parked car, she was ready to scream, and when he slammed to a stop he turned and looked at her.
    â€œFast enough for you?”
    Hitting him again wouldn’t be a good idea—it would give him an excuse to touch her and she still hadn’t recovered from their kiss. “Fine, thank you.” She slung one leg over the side of the door, planning to use the back of the seat for leverage, when he put his hands on her butt and shoved.
    She landed on her feet, a good thing, because another car had just pulled up beside hers. A black BMW, with David behind the wheel.
    â€œOh, fuck,” Rachel whispered.
    â€œWatch your language, Mrs. Middleton,” Caleb cautioned. “You don’t want him to know you feel guilty.”
    She turned on him. “I don’t! I don’t have anything to feel guilty for.”
    â€œExcept kissing me.” He looked up. “Hey, David,” he said in a louder voice. “I’m returning your wife. Reluctantly, I must admit. She got caught up at the falls.”
    She expected David’s usual look of sad disappointment as he climbed out of the car, but oddly enough he looked quite sunny. “What were you doing up there, Rachel? It’s a rotten day for hiking. Don’t tell me you’re as morbid as the rest of this town.”
    â€œI’d never seen the falls, and I was hoping to get some pictures. But you’re right—a rotten day. I slipped in the mud and almost went over. Fortunately Caleb was there to catch me.”
    â€œFortunate indeed,” David said. “I was worried when you didn’t come home. Sophie’s school closed early and I thought I’d better make sure you got the message. Clearly you didn’t.”
    All thought of Caleb and guilt vanished in her sudden panic. “Where is she? What happened? Is she all right?”
    â€œOf course she is. She went home with Kristen—if she’s not safe in the home of the police chief I don’t know where she would be. I’m afraid they’ve found another body.”
    The air around them suddenly seemed to freeze,like a slow-motion horror movie, and it felt like someone punched her in the chest, hard. “Who?” she managed to choke out.
    â€œThey don’t know—apparently she’d been dead for a while. They found her body downriver, but Chief Bannister says they’re thinking she may have gone over the falls as well.” He looked past at her at Caleb, an odd expression playing around his mouth. “Have you seen anyone up there the last day or so, Caleb? Anyone suspicious?”
    â€œNo.” The word was short, sharp, and she glanced back at Caleb. He looked stricken, guilty, an odd expression for him, a far cry from his usual mockery. A moment later that expression was gone,