Jared realized that not all of the melancholy surrounding his fiancée was because of the death. With their wedding growing closer, she was starting to question the big things in life ... like how to sustain a marriage over the long haul. He knew that because he’d been wondering about the same things.
“Hold up.” He unzipped their tent and glanced inside to make sure nobody had snuck in to attack them. The odds were long, but there was obviously no way to ensure it, and there was every possibility they had a murderer on the loose. Once he was convinced it was safe, he ushered Harper into the tent and zipped it behind them.
“I think you’re struggling with bigger questions than we can solve tonight,” he noted, kicking off his shoes. Even though he would’ve preferred crawling into their bed and tuning out the rest of the world, the sleeping bags looked mighty inviting. “Sam and Leslie aren’t us. We’re never going to turn out like them.”
Harper stripped her shirt over her head but left the support tank top she wore underneath in place. All she really wanted to do was pass out. Finishing this conversation, though, seemed necessary. “How do you know that we’ll never end up like them?”
“Because my love for you is all-consuming.”
That earned a smile. “I feel that way, too. There are times I look at you and wonder how I managed to draw a breath before you were in my life. Don’t you think Sam and Leslie felt that way before they were married, though?”
He took a moment to consider his answer and then shook his head. “No. I don’t think all people love alike. I think you and I, for example, have one of those loves that’s bigger than anything that came before or will ever come.
“We ... love with our whole hearts,” he continued. “I know it sounds corny, but I believe in destiny. We were destined to be together.”
Harper went warm all over. “That’s really sweet.”
“You’re really sweet.” He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss before moving to the sleeping bag and pulling it open. “Climb in.”
She did as instructed, waiting until he settled next to her to snuggle close. They wrapped themselves around one another and got comfortable.
“I guess I don’t understand how two people could end up together if they didn’t feel the same sort of love,” she admitted after a beat. “I mean ... I don’t want to be judgmental or anything, but isn’t that the whole point of marriage? You want someone to share your life with. That doesn’t mean a year ... or five years ... or even ten years. It means forever.”
“I can’t speak for Leslie and Sam, but I think it’s possible that some people marry because they believe it’s as good as it’s going to get.” His smile was rueful against her forehead. “It’s not the sort of life I would want to live, but I get it. Sometimes loneliness can be too much.”
“I guess.” Harper closed her eyes. “The thing is, that saying about there being a thin line between love and hate is often true. Maybe Sam fell out of love with her and decided to hurt her. I mean ... it is a murder-mystery event. He might’ve thought it would be a good way to hide his actions.”
“Maybe,” Jared conceded. “It would make more sense to me to hide the body if that was his plan, though. The woods are thick up here. Finding the body wouldn’t necessarily be easy. Leslie disappearing would be better for him than a murder investigation.”
“I didn’t think of that.” Harper’s body was tired, to the point where she suddenly felt limp as a noodle. “What do you think Harris is going to do? I mean ... do you think he’ll cancel the event?”
“No,” Jared replied automatically. “I think he’ll use the notoriety of what happened — whether it’s an accident or murder — to further his brand. I mean, this is actually good for him.”
Harper’s eyes sprang open. “What?” She honestly hadn’t considered that. “You don’t think he killed her to drum up attention for this place, do you?” She was horrified at the thought.
Jared pictured the over-the-top entrepreneur and shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s likely he did it himself. He seems like too much of a dandy for that. Can I see him hiring someone to do it? I just don’t know. He’s really desperate to make a go of this place.”
“He is but ... he can’t run the campground from prison. He’s never going to get what he wants if he’s locked up.”
“That is a point. Maybe he thinks it’s worth the risk, though.”
“Maybe.” Harper wasn’t convinced.
“There is one other possibility, too,” Jared added, almost as an afterthought. “It could be someone else entirely. I mean ... we could have a predator up here.”
Harper was taken aback. “You don’t really think it was a crime of opportunity, do you? I mean ... what would be the motive?”
“Motives can often seem murky. Do I think it’s likely we have some random serial killer up here? No. An individual who snapped for no reason? No as well. It could be something else, though. Maybe Leslie saw something she wasn’t supposed to see.”
“Like what?”
“I have no idea. It’s just something to think about.”
“Yeah.” Harper closed her eyes again. “I’m really tired. I think I’m going to work through it in my dreams.”
“That sounds like a plan.” He snuggled her close. “Just one thing before you drift off, though. I need to know if you want to leave.”
Harper jolted at the suggestion. “Why would I want to leave?”
“Because a woman is dead.”
“Yeah, and if she was murdered, we might be
