If they don’t find Logan’s body until spring, or even next summer, then that’s even better for her.

She is starting to smile, but then her face freezes as the broadcast continues.

There is a police sketch placed prominently on the screen—an excellent rendering of her own face. The artist couldn’t have done a better job if she’d been posing in person.

“Police are looking for this woman for questioning,” the reporter states. “A witness saw her leaving the hiking area the day of the homicide.”

The reporter continues, “The Lake Tahoe Gazette is reporting that the woman has used the aliases Claire and Jill, and she was last seen driving a Toyota Tacoma pickup. Authorities believe she has ties to the Los Angeles area.”

She grits her teeth, thinking of that bitch from the newspaper. But how would she know about the name Jill? And how did the reporter know what she drove?

The TV anchor moves on to other news, a warehouse fire in New York, but the woman stares at the TV in a daze, trying to make sense of what she just saw.

There’s only one explanation: Logan is still alive.

That bitch from the paper went to Lake Aloha and saved him. Then, when the bodies were discovered, she told police she’d been hiking there and saw a woman come out alone.

She can’t quite figure out all the details. It is hard to believe Logan could make it back down the hill, but even if he had, he’d need medical attention. And a hospital would certainly report a gunshot wound to the police. Maybe the police know more than the TV is reporting.

Whatever. It doesn’t matter. Logan could go ahead and enjoy his retirement in Lake Tahoe without his diamonds. She’d gotten away with it.

But as she glances around the terminal, she feels again like all eyes are on her. Not jealous eyes this time. Not lustful eyes.

Suspicious eyes.

She reaches into her handbag, her fingers brushing against the bag of diamonds, and pulls out her sunglasses. She puts them on and looks around, trying to act casual. There are people everywhere stealing glances her way. A man who’d been watching the news is gawking openly at her. Two security guards standing by the bathroom keep glancing at her as they talk.

She stands up and starts walking toward the exit, trying to exude the confidence she’d had just five minutes earlier, pretending the stares don’t bother her, pretending everything is all right. She is good at pretending, after all. She fooled Marco. She fooled Logan. She can fool anyone she wants.

But, she realizes, it’s harder to pretend when the person you’re trying to fool is yourself.

STORIES AT THE SPEED OF LIFE