Down River by Karen Harper Read Free Book Online Page A

had for so many others.
    But, unfortunately, like a few other clients Mitch had defended, he questioned if she was a trustworthy witness of what had actually happened to her. He just couldn’t accept Lisa’s claim she’d been pushed into the river. Who at the lodge would be that desperate and dangerous? Opportunity for that must have been pure chance, and what would be a motive? Surely not just this competition among colleagues the Bonners had set up.
    If Lisa had hit her head in a tumble down the slope near the lodge, she could have just thought she was pushed—or be lying about it so she didn’t look careless or reckless to him and the Bonners. No, she wouldn’t be that devious to gain sympathy, even if she’d always been ambitious.
    Granted, she had been haunted by the drowning deaths of her mother and baby sister for years. He was sure, though she’d denied it, she’d been suicidal years ago, survivor’s guilt and all that. But to think of her jumping in of her own accord was as crazy as the idea she’d been pushed.
    Whatever had happened to get her in the Wild River, they had to risk the ledge over the chasm to getaway from it right now. Even if rescuers rafted or kayaked down the river after them, their attempting to land on the ledge where they were hemmed in could be deadly, or they might shoot right on by toward the falls.
    “Lisa!” He hurried back to her. She sat slumped on the ledge with her back to the rock face. Upset she’d fallen asleep even sitting up, he shook her shoulders. “I see a way we can walk out. I think we should go now, since we’ve lost the sun on the ledge. And if the river rises even more, we’d get more than wet here. I’m going to fill our empty cans with water and get things together. Can you get dressed by yourself?”
    “Yes. Yes, of course,” she insisted, sounding and looking annoyed right back at him. “I’m just f—”
    “Don’t you dare say you’re fine!”
    “And don’t try to read my mind! I’m just feeling a bit funny but more alert—that’s what I was going to say.”
    “Sorry I jumped to conclusions.”
    “Since you only saved my life today, you’re forgiven—for that,” she grumbled.
    That warmed him, not only because her spirited response sounded more like her but that she was grateful. She’d thanked him already, but he’d felt so guilty for so long about throwing a fire bomb into her life and then leaving Florida, that maybe, just maybe, what he’d done here could begin to make up for it. Not that he wanted her back—for sure not that—butit might make him feel less of a heel. On the other hand, he thought, hardening his heart when he realized he wanted to hold her, if she’d really loved him in the first place, she’d have understood and maybe even come with him to Alaska, taken a leave of absence, or visited the lodge on her own—at least given it a shot. He sure wasn’t the only one to blame for their breakup.
    The moment stretched out between them as, both frowning, they looked deep into each other’s eyes while the river roared.
    “We’re partners at least for getting out of here safely,” he said, then cleared his throat when his voice caught. “And when we get back, we’ll look into what really happened to you.”
    She started to say something, then just nodded.
    “I’ll pack our stuff,” he added, taking his Swiss Army knife out of his jeans pocket so he had something to do with his hands rather than touch her again. He rose and moved a few feet away on the ledge. “I’ll cut up our extra PFD for your feet.”
    “I’m hungry enough that I could eat a piece of a PFD!”
    He tried to grin but he knew it was more a grimace. She was not the only one who felt stiff all over. “We’ll have to stick with some of Christine’s dried salmon. Not sure what we’ll find on the other side of the chasm through the gorge, but there should be some berries to eat and fish to catch, if we get out of here.”
    “If?”
    “I