Mountain Secrets by Elizabeth Goddard (good books to read for teens txt) 📕

“You can’t just sell a diamond like that. It won’t work.”

He laughed. A strange sound coming from him.

“I’m in the business of imports and exports. What do you think that means? I’m a jewel thief and a fence. I already have the connections. I already have a buyer. All I need is the diamond.”

Jewel squeezed her eyes shut. She never could have imagined this twenty years ago when she’d taken what she’d thought would be a safety net.

“Come on, Jewel. The diamond for Meral’s life.”

“She’s your wife.”

“And your sister.”

“Answer me this, did you ever really love her?”

“She’s a beautiful woman with top-notch society connections. Marrying her had more than a few benefits. But what you’re missing here is that Meral married me for my money. She doesn’t really love me, although she’s convinced herself that she does. She likes to think of it all as a fairy tale. But the truth is she loves that I can provide a comfortable life for her. Her last husband depleted her funds. Meral was broke.”

“But if you have money, why go to such lengths for this diamond? Why marry a woman you don’t even love?”

His smirk speared through her. “I’m in business. I must keep generating revenue, and we’ve had a few hard years.”

Jewel hung her head, wanting to get as much truth out of him as she could, if she could trust anything he said. “Does she... Does Meral know the truth about you? Was Meral in on your plans to steal the diamond?”

“No. Meral’s habit of turning a blind eye, and not wanting to see the ugly truth of how things really are, is how her first husband got away with draining their accounts. She learned years ago, probably while she was still at home with your family, not to let herself notice things that might upset her and simply look the other way when it suited her. And because she did, you were able to get away with the Krizan Diamond when you stole it and left to marry a poor man. She shared the truth about you and the Krizan Diamond with me, her soul mate, the first night we were together as lovers. That same night I knew I should propose. It’s a gift, really. A sixth sense for a big opportunity that has paid off well in business dealings. And Meral accepted. After all, I was charming and had money. Marrying me would benefit her. She dressed it up in more romantic thoughts, but getting married was a mutually beneficial business arrangement.”

Jewel nodded, understanding things better now. It fit with the image she had of her sister to learn that Meral wouldn’t choose to do something she felt was wrong...but she’d be easily convinced to look the other way when someone else did something wrong—as had Jewel years ago.

“Now time’s up,” he said. He tugged some plastic straps from his pocket.

“Buck, no. You can’t leave me in here, tied up so I can’t even move. I’ll freeze to death.”

He gestured with his head. “You’ve got your coat. But I stashed a few blankets. You’ll be fine. I just need time to verify you’ve told me the truth. If I find it, then I’ll make a call and let someone know where you are. And if I don’t, then I’ll be back with a piece of Meral.”

Right. If he found it, then he would leave her here to die, or come back and kill her himself. Either way she was dead.

Buck shifted toward her, lifted her chin with the muzzle of his gun. “Now, Jewel. Where did you hide the diamond?”

Colin stood outside the cave listening, getting most of what Buck said, but missing a few words.

He’d come around the building in time to see movement in the woods and had followed his gut. Even though The Alabaster Sky was already cruising away from the glacier, and Jewel should have been heading that direction trying to catch the boat before it was out of sight, he had listened to his instincts.

That had paid off.

He hadn’t gotten a chance to attack Buck, to free Jewel from his grasp, because the man had had a weapon pointing at her head the whole time. With the trees and brush hindering his view, getting a shot off at Buck would have been too risky.

No. Colin had to wait for the right time, and now that time had come. Buck would be leaving Jewel here. Colin could wait until he left to free her, but if she didn’t tell Buck the truth about the diamond, he might kill Meral before he came back for Jewel. There could be another murder on Buck’s hands. On Colin’s conscience.

Better to arrest the man now after both Colin and Jewel had heard the man’s confession. Buck had been the attacker that day at the falls. But he hadn’t said a thing about Jed. Colin needed that confession, too. He needed something concrete.

“Winters,” the man called from inside the cave. “Come on in.”

Heart jumping up his throat, Colin sank away behind the tree. No, no, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go down. He’d put in a call for help, but it would take too long for backup to arrive.

“Jewel is waiting for you, Chief Winters. Join the party.”

Jewel cried out in pain.

He couldn’t leave her in there alone with this murderer. He had no choice and felt as if once again he was becoming entangled in a fight he wasn’t smart enough or strong enough to win. If he’d been the first to attack, the one to surprise Buck, then this would all be over.

He hadn’t brought his department-issued Glock on this venture, but his personal SIG P224. A compact 9-millimeter pistol he could hide out of sight—which he did, tucking it away carefully under his jacket along with an extra magazine loaded with ammo before he strode into the cave.

Buck pointed his weapon point-blank at Jewel, who sat on