Dead Women Tell No Lies by Nora LeDuc Page A

forehead.
    “Are you all right?”
    “Small ache, no problem.” She lowered her arm and focused on the drop‒off.
    Six feet away, empty blue sky melded into the rock as the ridge disappeared to slope downhill and meet water. The sound of the rushing current filled the cool air. “The daredevils dive off the edge into the river.”
    “Dahlia would never do that.” Rose turned around in a circle while inspecting the ground. “We won’t uncover any footprints on this ground.”
    “I’m afraid not. The sun has melted the snow out in the open. Does this location match what you’ve seen in your mind?”
    “The stones are the same.” She twisted her fingers in front of her.
    “Take a few minutes. No pressure.”
    “No pressure,” she mumbled, inching further onto the smooth surface before it slanted away. The rubber soles of her shoes scuffed against the rock and she wobbled for a second.
    “Watch out.” He jumped forward and slipped his hand under her elbow. Hell, all he needed was for her to faint or fall.
    “Thanks. You can let go now. I’ll be careful.”
    He released his grip, but remained glued to her side.
    “I have to see the water.” She edged out on the ridge, her mouth in a tight line.
    He crept along at her heels until they stood on the crest. Below the dark river surged at their feet, snaking past with speed and power that swept chunks of ice and fallen branches along with it. He removed his camera and shot the water at different angles.
    Biting her lip, Rose worked her way down the uneven incline.
    He stuffed the camera in his pocket. “Where are you going?” Damn. He caught up and grabbed her arm. “It’s not safe. We need to go back. Rose. Rose, are you listening?”
    She stared upward. Her jaw dropped. “I see Dahlia,” she whispered.
    What! With the sound of the water roaring in his head, he must have misunderstood. “Your sister is here?” He scanned the empty rocks and saw only trees and sky.
    Rose nodded.
    “Where is she?”
    “Up there!” Rose pointed to the rise above them.
    He shot a gaze up to the ledge with moss but no ghost.
    “She’s gone.” Without a warning, Rose started upward.
    “This is dangerous, especially if you slip into a vision.” He glanced down at the swirling water and imagined the river swallowing him or Rose within a second. He snapped his attention to her. “Wait up!”
    She didn’t answer, but kept climbing upward.
    Damn, this was one of his worst ideas. He didn’t care if she was for real or as big a fake as Bigfoot or the lip synching Grammy winners. Below the white, frothy white caps of the river almost dared him to fall.
    “Here!” Rose shouted from the peak. “My sister stood on this ledge a minute ago.”
    “Great.” He hiked up beside her. “Now, let’s move to level ground.”
    “There’s the railroad trestle.” She pointed past his shoulder. “We should get closer to it.”
    To his far right sat the rusted bridge. “Most of the piers are rotted out. No one goes out there, especially me.” He repressed a shudder.
    She jerked her head toward the tree line. “Someone’s coming.”
    A chipmunk scampered across the path and up a tree trunk. Sweat broke out on his palms. “Okay, this is enough. We found the place. Now we’re going back to the car.” He seized her hand, but she stayed cemented to her spot. “Rose, did you hear me?”
    “He’s almost here. He has a surprise.”
    Despite his better judgment, Luke peered into the woods, searching, listening.
    “I’m waiting. Hurry.”
    Save me, she’d lost it completely. “Rose, we’re leaving.” She didn’t respond. “Rose, am I talking to you, or are you Dahlia?”
    She twisted around to him. “What?”
    “Did you see Dahlia near the woods?”
    She crossed her arms and rubbed her mittened hands over her sleeves. “Dahlia’s gone, but I still feel her. She trusted him, the man who was coming.”
    “Did she expect more than one person?”
    Rose shrugged. “She