Shadow Bones. Colleen Rhoads

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СКАЧАТЬ laughed. “Diamonds in the UP? Is she nuts?” She hadn’t looked crazy. Skye Blackbird had a cool, elegant look that intrigued him. He supposed any man would wonder what made her tick. She was beautiful in a Sleeping Beauty kind of way. Her high Ojibwa cheekbones were sharp enough to draw blood from a man’s heart. He didn’t intend to let her close enough to see if she could hurt him.

      “In her defense, there are some signs it could be possible.”

      “Oh?”

      “Her stepfather, Peter Metis, has been pouring money into the mine and even hired an assayer a couple of weeks ago. He’s pretty savvy, so I doubt he’d be doing that without a good reason.”

      “Have I met him?”

      “Not unless you’ve taken out a loan lately. He is the president at the bank in Turtle Town.”

      “He’s Ojibwa, too?”

      Becca nodded. “According to town scuttlebutt, he took over the bank—and the Blackbird women—when Harry deserted his family.”

      “Skye’s father?” Wynne’s voice was full of sympathy.

      “Skye was pretty broken up about it, from what I hear. She hasn’t trusted a man since then.” Becca cast a slanting glance up into Jake’s face. “You could show her all men aren’t beasts.”

      “I doubt I’ll get close enough to get the chance,” he said shortly. “And I don’t want to.”

      Chapter Two

      Jake had thought to find something by now. He wiped his forehead with a bandana that had seen better days. Wynne wrinkled her nose. “All you’re doing is smearing the dirt around,” she said.

      Jake ignored her comment as he squatted over the dig. “A week into this, and nothing.” He’d had a hunch about this place, but he was beginning to wonder if he’d been seduced by the island’s beauty.

      “Did you expect to find something this fast?”

      “You know me—I always expect the best.”

      “And seldom get it,” she pointed out.

      Jake grinned and stood. “How about some lunch?”

      “Sounds good.” Wynne trotted to the cooler they’d parked under a nearby rock.

      The rumble of a car engine drew Jake’s attention. He squinted in the brilliant sun. A blue pickup rolled to a stop in the road. A woman got out of the passenger side. Jake’s stomach tightened as a familiar figure got out the driver side.

      “Cameron Reynolds,” he muttered.

      “You’re kidding!” Wynne went to Jake’s side and looked down the slope to the road. “What’s he doing here?” Her voice was tight.

      “I’d say we’re about to find out.” Jake took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. “I’ll give him fifteen minutes, then I’m throwing him off the site.”

      Cameron wore immaculate khaki trousers and a light blue shirt. His blond hair formed a pale cap around his angular face. Cameron was the type of man Jake despised most: a dabbling pretty boy who thought their field of study existed to amuse him. He liked to flash his money around, too—another thing that put Jake’s back up after scrabbling for sponsors all his life.

      Cameron was the very antithesis of a real paleontologist.

      Cameron came up the slope toward them. He didn’t bother to help the woman trailing him. Jake didn’t trust the genial smile on the man’s face. “What are you doing here, Reynolds?”

      Cameron put his hand up as if to ward off the hostility in Jake’s voice. “Whoa, Jake, I come in peace.” He chuckled at his own joke.

      Jake didn’t find it funny. “Don’t make any Native American jokes around here, or the owner will toss you off the reservation on your ear. On second thought, go right ahead. She’ll save me the bother.”

      “Hey, come on, guy. We can at least be civil.”

      “Why? The last time you showed up, you horned in on my dig and took the credit for the T-Rex fossils I found.” Jake folded his arms over his chest.

      “I mentioned your name in the article. Besides, you need my respectability.” He tossed Jake a smirk then jerked his head toward the woman. “This is my assistant, Brook Sawyer.”

      She was in her twenties, Jake judged. She nodded at them then looked down at the ground and didn’t speak. Jake nodded back then started pointedly at Cameron. “Don’t throw me any bones.” He jerked his head toward his dig. “I suppose you want to cut in on the action here. No way.”

      “I figure if you’re wasting your whole summer here, you’ve got a really good reason.” Cameron looked around, his face alive with curiosity.

      “My family is here. I’m just killing time while I visit with them.”

      Cameron chuckled. “Forgive me if I don’t believe that.” He slanted a glance toward Wynne. “You’re just as beautiful as ever, Wynne.”

      Wynne smiled but there was no warmth in the expression. “Hello, Cameron. Just as smarmy as ever, I see.”

      “Smarmy? That was a sincere compliment. How about dinner one night?” Cameron’s smile never dimmed.

      “Don’t you think you’d better scope out the other possibilities first?” Wynne’s eyes were hostile.

      Jake was glad to see she hadn’t forgotten the way Cameron had wined and dined her then dropped her when a more ripe candidate had come along.

      “Come on, forgive and forget, Wynne. You can show me the sights.” He took her hand.

      “I’d be more apt to tip you over a cliff into Superior.” Wynne pulled her hand free. “I’d better get lunch ready.” She turned and walked away from the men.

      Jake grinned at the way she put Cameron in his place. “How did you figure out where I was?”

      “A little birdie told me,” Cameron said, his eyes still on Wynne. He sighed then walked to the dig and squatted.

      “Careful, you might wrinkle your pants.” Jake was suddenly tired of the sparring.

      “We were partners a long time, Jake. I think it’s time you got over the personal stuff.”

      “I don’t trust you, Reynolds. This is my dig. I don’t need your help.”

      Cameron flicked a paper out of his pocket. “The owner says differently.”

      Jake’s face tightened as he read the lease from Mary Metis. She’d granted Reynolds permission to dig out here, too, but farther out from this site. “How’d you get around her? Did you tell her we were partners once?”

      “Something like that.”

      Jake СКАЧАТЬ