Part 31 (1/2)
To her acute disappointment, it wasn't a cadaver dog.
”Dr. Quinn?”
Both Kelsey and Gage turned around to see Aaron trekking across the creek bed. Everything about her field a.s.sistant, from his tone of voice to his expression, telegraphed disapproval, and Kelsey knew he'd seen the kiss.
She snapped off her surgical gloves and stuffed them in her pocket. ”What is it, Aaron?”
”We've got a problem. Dylan is missing.”
”He's on the escarpment, photographing the petroglyphs.” She looked around for her water bottle. Where had she left it?
”That was after lunch. No one's seen him since two.”
”Where's Jeannie?” Gage asked. ”Maybe they're taking a little break at the mine shaft.”
Kelsey looked at Gage, surprised how clued in he was.
”Yes, ask Jeannie,” Kelsey said. ”She probably knows.”
”She's the one who told me he's missing,” Aaron said. ”Apparently they had an argument, and no one's seen or heard from him in two hours.”
”I have.” This from Rohit, who'd just walked over from the other side of the creek bed. ”I saw him back at camp. He asked me to go get a beer with him, said he was knocking off early today.”
”He's supposed to be working the ossuary,” Aaron complained.
”This is why we have a sign-out sheet.” Kelsey checked her watch, annoyed. It was nearly four and Sattler's deputy was just now arriving. He trudged toward them with a sour look on his face and a metal detector in his hand. is why we have a sign-out sheet.” Kelsey checked her watch, annoyed. It was nearly four and Sattler's deputy was just now arriving. He trudged toward them with a sour look on his face and a metal detector in his hand.
She turned to Aaron. ”See if you can reach him by sat phone. If he's in town, maybe his cell is working. In the meantime, I've got to get these bones out of the ground before nightfall.”
Aaron walked off in a huff, but Kelsey didn't much care. She didn't have time to track down truant grad students. The forecast called for rain tonight, which meant the clock was ticking on this excavation.
”If you're good here-”
”I am,” she told Gage.
”In that case, I'll help the deputy. Maybe we can locate a sh.e.l.l casing.”
”Start here first.” Kelsey glanced around, looking for any unnatural rock patterns. ”I think there's another grave.”
”You're saying we've got two victims?”
She stared down at the remains protruding from the soil. ”At least.”
”How do you know?”
She lifted her gaze to his. ”Because this one isn't missing a femur.”
GAGE STOOD IN Kelsey's camper and practiced the SEAL art of making himself invisible. He didn't contribute to the debate. Not because he lacked an opinion, but because no matter what Kelsey and Robles concluded Gage had already decided on a battle plan. Kelsey's camper and practiced the SEAL art of making himself invisible. He didn't contribute to the debate. Not because he lacked an opinion, but because no matter what Kelsey and Robles concluded Gage had already decided on a battle plan.
”I don't see how much more secure it could be,” Kelsey was saying. ”We've got a sheriff's deputy patrolling the area and a”-she turned to Gage and seemed to bite her tongue on the word ”SEAL”-”an armed law enforcement officer right here in camp.”
Robles nodded. ”And their presence is appreciated. But I can no longer overlook the situation. Our dig is located near a dangerous highway. Two fresh graves are ample evidence-”
”Those crimes occurred months ago.” Kelsey turned to the stove and stirred the soup she was making. ”And what about the students? Some of them are conducting research for their dissertations. They paid good money to attend this field school, and we haven't finished what we came here to do.”
Robles shot Gage a look that seemed to say, ”Help me out here.” When Gage didn't throw him a lifeline the old man stood up from the table.
”Dissertations don't matter in the scheme of things, Dr. Quinn.” He picked up his gray fis.h.i.+ng hat and arranged it on his head. ”Given the way you spend most of your professional time, I would think you'd know that by now.”
Kelsey stood silently, her expression a mixture of frustration and acceptance. She knew she'd lost.
”When the students arrive in the morning we'll start packing. I want all the equipment loaded by ten.” Robles nodded at Gage. ”Good night, sir. I thank you for keeping an eye on my field supervisor this evening.”
The incensed look on Kelsey's face as he left the camper was comical, but Gage didn't dare laugh. He kept his expression carefully neutral as she slammed around the kitchen.
”This is bulls.h.i.+t,” she muttered. ”If I were a man, this wouldn't even be up for discussion.”
”Yeah, but you're not a man,” Gage felt compelled to point out. ”And he's right. This isn't a safe place to be right now. Ultimately, Robles is responsible for everyone here, and you can't expect him to take risks with their safety.”
”I'm responsible for my safety.” Kelsey waved her wooden spoon at him. ”I've got my own private security detail. How much safer could I get? And I still haven't finished my work here.” responsible for my safety.” Kelsey waved her wooden spoon at him. ”I've got my own private security detail. How much safer could I get? And I still haven't finished my work here.”
Gage pulled two soup bowls from the crate where she kept her dishes. He was starving, and he was pretty sure she was in no mood to wait on him. ”You were too busy getting mad to listen. Robles didn't say anything about you you leaving. He was talking about the field school.” leaving. He was talking about the field school.”
Kelsey rested a hand on her hip and watched him ladle soup. ”You're saying I should continue helping Sattler?”
He put the bowls on the table and sat down. ”Eat,” he ordered. ”And no, I'm not saying you should should do anything. But I know you're going to. I know you're invested in this thing, and you're not going to leave until you've finished. I plan to stick around until that happens.” do anything. But I know you're going to. I know you're invested in this thing, and you're not going to leave until you've finished. I plan to stick around until that happens.”
She watched him warily, then joined him at the table. ”You'll really stay?”
”I said I would.” He scooped up a bite of beef stew. It tasted incredible, and he knew he'd never be able to look at the MRE version with quite the same gusto.
”Thank you,” she said quietly.
”I've got some rules, though.”
”I knew it.”
”We're moving you into town, starting tonight. You can get a room at the lodge. And you're only going to work during daylight hours. And no driving alone. You can pack after dinner.”
He held her gaze as anger flashed in her eyes. This woman didn't like taking orders. Too d.a.m.n bad. He wanted her in town, in an actual building, behind an actual door, not camped out in this piece of s.h.i.+t RV.
Gage needed a break from this place, too. If he had to spend another night in that sleeping bag that smelled like her, all the while knowing she was curled up, soft and warm in that bed just a few feet away, he was going to start howling at the moon.
Gage considered himself a disciplined man, but he didn't have nearly the willpower he needed to spend another night alone in Kelsey Quinn's sleeping bag. He'd already slipped up once today by kissing her at the creek bed. It had been pure impulse, a gut reaction to something he'd seen in her eyes. It had also been a mistake.
”What?” Gage asked, as she gave him a peevish look.
”I'm just thinking it's no wonder you're a lieutenant. You're very comfortable giving orders. Reminds me of Joe.”
Gage watched her get up and take a pair of beers from the minifridge. He realized he knew very little about her background besides the fact that she was his CO's niece.