Framed by the Man Who Saved Her

rumors started. Smal

n't just a quiet housegue

e villain of hi

re how Jake had been "acting stra

ke was "jealous" and "controlling," unable to ha

haned hero, taken in by a compassionate nurse,

guys at the auto parts store. They looke

e'd earned – Billy was systematically strip

e counter of her diner,

Jake," she said, slamming a cu

nter with a practiced effic

h... well, Sarah's always been a sucker for a so

tter taste in his mouth. "It's wor

d, her voice laced with her usual sarcasm. "But not everyone's

small comfort in

aid, leaning on the counter. "Y

iness in his voice. "Ho

t let it go. His reputation,

ffice. The building was old

old friend of Jake's fath

sten, offer some guidan

er and stale coffee. A dispat

in his office.

nks and walked down

wooden desk, stacks of files on either side

t can I do

laid it all out. The discovery. The breakup.

wisting things, painting him

Sheriff," Jake said, his voice tigh

tiently, steepling his fi

ker leaned back in his

me. And I know Sarah. She's a g

y... I've heard some of the

Tell him to stop?" Jak

d, a deep,

ading rumors... it's distasteful.

hope

inciting violence, or committing perjur

appointment. "So I j

h again," Baker suggested. "

t listen. She's convinced he's

said, his voice not unkind. "Truth

He felt more alone than ever. He stoo

of trouble, Jake. Don't

Sheriff's office, a hea

The small apartment above Li

s the outskirts of town, toward

nk. He needed to

trong man. A logger. He'd always kno

to him. But his father h

gers. The discipline, the honor c

lly Rivers was an affront to all of it. Leeching

river, the water rushi

the riverbank. The air was clean her

isa's advice: "Fig

ruth has a way of coming out." But when? A

mechanic, a former soldier. He fixe

different.

ipped it across the water. One,

e couldn't let Bill

mattered. He would fi

r later that afternoon. L

e diner wasn't much, b

or to the narrow stairs

ak

standing on the sidewa

yes red-rimmed. She look

ce he left their house

im. Anger. Sadness. A tiny, reluctan

alked down

nt, Sarah?" His

she asked, he

What was there

eyes. He nodded. "Inside the din

iet. Sunlight streamed through the wi

, the red vinyl coo

in. "Jake, I... I didn't w

did I,"

aker," she said, her eyes accusing. "He

f anger. Billy, twi

lly from spreading lies about me, Sara

isted. "You were jealous! Y

your lap on our couch? Because I didn't want him moving

gain control. "You have no ide

nd, Jake. He's gentle. He saved my lif

ematically destroy someone's reputation out of spite. T

laying you, Sarah. And he'