by Cindi Myers
Parker shook his head. “Just you and Paige and the sheriff.”
“Do you swear you don’t know anything about the two men who fired those shots at Paige?” Rob asked.
“I swear!” Parker straightened, the color high in his cheeks. “They tried to kill my sister. If I knew anything at all, I swear I’d tell you. Why wouldn’t I?”
Rob didn’t answer this question. “Did you see any signs that anyone had been up there recently?” he asked. “Tire tracks or new excavation or equipment?”
“Nothing like that. But I wasn’t really up there that long before y’all came around.” He turned to Paige again. “You don’t think the sheriff recognized my car, do you?”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “But Travis is really smart. You should drive my car for a few days, until this settles down.”
“What are you going to do?” Parker asked Rob.
“I won’t say anything to anyone,” he said. “For now.” He didn’t look at Paige when he spoke, which was probably just as well, because she had to fight to keep from throwing her arms around his neck in gratitude. She definitely didn’t want him thinking she owed him anything for this particular favor—though maybe she did.
“Thank you,” she said. Then she turned to Parker. “And you tell the professor you are not breaking any more laws in the name of research. You’re not even going to jaywalk across the street on your way to the campus library.”
“I’m not stupid,” he said.
“Then why are you acting like you are?” Paige asked.
“You can settle that debate later,” Rob said. He straightened and came to stand beside Paige, facing Parker. “What has the professor learned about this World War II project?” he asked.
“A lot, I guess,” Parker said. “I mean, most of it is based on that old book he used to own—the one that was destroyed before Brenda could auction it to raise money for the museum.”
Rob sent Paige a questioning look.
“It was a rare book that purported to be an insider’s story about the government project here in Rayford County,” she explained. “Brenda’s late husband had borrowed it from Professor Gibson and it was apparently worth a lot of money to collectors. One of them paid a former sheriff’s deputy to destroy the book—no one has been able to figure out why.”
“Right,” Parker said. “But the professor has the notes Brenda took when she read the book, as well as government documents about the project that have been declassified.”
“Do the documents say where the lab was located?” Rob asked.
“Not exactly,” Parker said. “A lot of the documents are blacked out—all the names and stuff like that.”
“Redacted,” Paige said.
“What?” Parker frowned at her.
“It’s called redacted, when they black out things in documents.”
“Whatever. Anyway, the professor has been comparing topographical features described in a few reports with the terrain around here, and he’s sure that the lab was on or near the Eagle Mountain Resort property.”
“Why is he so interested in finding it?” Rob asked.
Parker stared at him. He didn’t say “Duh!” but Paige was sure he was thinking it.
“Something like that would be a significant historical discovery,” she said.
“Yeah!” Parker said. “And I’d be listed as one of the people who located it. I’d have an important research credit before I even graduated. It could really help me get a great job later on. Plus, it would really rock to be famous for something like that.”
“What kind of things did they try to make in that lab, do you know?” Rob asked.
Parker made a face. “It was nasty stuff, that’s for sure. I think the professor said they experimented with botulism and anthrax and something called Q fever.”
“What about tularemia?” Rob asked.
“Yeah, I think that was on the list. Why?”
He shrugged. “Just curious.”
Parker picked up his backpack and slung it over one shoulder. “Are we okay now?” he asked.
“For now,” Rob said.
Parker nodded and shuffled out of the room. Paige waited until his door closed behind him, then turned to Rob. “What was all that about tularemia?”
“Didn’t we already have this conversation?” he asked.
“You and Travis said you couldn’t tell me anything, but it keeps coming up. Why is it so important?”
“I still can’t tell you.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Trust me on this,” he said. “If it had anything to do with you or with your brother, I would tell you.”
“You’ll keep quiet about him being at the resort today, won’t you?” she asked. “I know it was a really bad decision on his part, but it wasn’t criminal.”
“I won’t say anything,” he said. “But you have to be prepared for Travis to figure it out. He’s no dummy, and a good investigator.”
“And he has a lot on his plate right now,” she said. “I hope finding a random stranger he glimpsed for a few seconds is low on the list.”
“Before we saw Parker, did you get anything out of today?” Rob asked. “Did the visit shake loose any new memories?”
“No.”
“Do you think you’d recognize the two men if you saw them again?”
“I do.”
“That’s simple, then. All we have to do is find them.”
* * *
ROB TOOK ADVANTAGE of Parker’s presence at the B and B to check in with the sheriff. He was curious to know if Travis had recognized Parker, and if he had heard anything from CNG Development.
Adelaide Kinkaid sat at her usual post behind her desk in the lobby of the sheriff’s department. When Rob stepped through the door the normally stern expression left her face, replaced by a smile that deepened the lines around her eyes. “Good morning, Agent Allerton,” she said. “What can I do for you?”
“Good morning, Ms. Kinkaid,” he said. “You’re looking lovely this morning. That’s a beautiful blouse you’re wearing.” The blouse was a purple-and-turquoise paisley print that wouldn’t have been out of place at Woodstock.
Adelaide brushed her shoulder. “Oh, this old thing. I’ve had it forever.”
Rob had a sudden image of a much younger Adelaide, a flower child with a beaded headband, dancing around at some outdoor concert in this very shirt. The idea was disconcerting, to say the least. “Is the sheriff in?” he asked.
“No. Lacy dragged him along with her to interview caterers for the wedding. You know, when I got married, my mother made a big bowl of punch and we served it with little finger sandwiches and after-dinner mints and called it good. But now brides want these big fancy dinners and dances that cost a small fortune.” She leaned toward him. “Have you ever been married, Agent Allerton?”
“No.”
“One of those confirmed bachelors, aren’t you?” She pointed a pink-polished nail at him. “I know the type. You think you’re immune to love and then one day you meet the right woman and bam!” She slammed her hand down on her desk, making him jump. “You’re down for the count.”
She made falling in love sound like a wrestling match. “I don’t know—” he began.
“I know what I’m talking about,” she insisted. “Gage was that way—such a ladies’ man until Maya came along.”
“Is Gage in?” Rob asked.
“No. He had to go over to the other end of the county to deal with a traffic accident. Some fool ran off the road and took out a section of Herbert Kowalski’s fence. Two of his llamas got loose and Gage is having to help round them up before they cause another accident. That could take a while. Llamas can be hard to handle.”
“I wouldn’t know.” And he hoped he never would.
She fixed her smile on him again. “Is there an
ything I can help you with?”
Adelaide struck him as the type to keep up with local gossip. “Have you heard anything else about what’s going on up at the old Eagle Mountain Resort property?” he asked. “Has CNG revealed their plans?”
“They won’t return the sheriff’s calls, I can tell you that,” she said. “Though my neighbor, Sandra, has a brother-in-law who works for a concrete company in Junction, and she said someone she thinks was from CNG called about getting bids to pour some building foundations. Which is interesting, considering they haven’t even gotten approval from the county to proceed with any building. And I’m pretty sure the injunction that Paige’s group got is still in place, and it prohibits any development on the site.”
“Maybe they think they can go ahead without county approval,” Rob said.
Adelaide snorted. “They’d better not try it. People here are keeping an eye on them, and if they make one wrong move, Paige and her bunch, especially, will be on them.”
“They’re that dogged, are they?”
“I don’t always agree with her, mind you, but Paige Riddell knows how to get things done.” She shook her head. “Of course, being pushy like that isn’t the most attractive trait in a woman—which may explain why she’s still single.”
“Maybe she’s choosy about who she dates,” Rob said. “And I like a woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in.”
“Well, I—” The phone rang, interrupting her. She held up one finger, to signal he should wait, and answered.
While Adelaide dealt with the caller, Rob wandered over to look at a series of photographs on the wall—Travis, Gage, Dwight and other officers at various community events. One photo showed Travis on horseback, leading a parade. In another, Gage was surrounded by a group of schoolchildren. Rob felt a stab of envy. DEA agents weren’t normally part of a community like this. He believed what he was doing was important, but the public didn’t always recognize that.
“Now, that was interesting.” Adelaide had hung up the phone and looked pleased with herself. “Something you might want to know.”
“Oh?” He returned to stand in front of her desk. “What is it?”
“That call was from my friend Shirley, over at the county offices. You’ll never guess who is on the agenda to address the county commissioners at their meeting tonight.”
He could see she wanted him to ask the question, so he did. “Who?”
“A representative from CNG Development. Apparently, he wants to present their plans for the old Eagle Mountain Resort property.”
“That is interesting,” Rob said. “Any idea what he’s going to talk about?”
“No.” She picked up her phone. “I’ve got to call Travis. He’s definitely going to want to be there.”
“Yes.” Rob would make it a point to be there, too. And he was sure Paige wouldn’t want to miss it.
* * *
PAIGE SURVEYED THE new front door with a critical eye. It was a darker shade of red than the old one, but she decided she liked the look. And at least she wouldn’t have to explain bullet holes to her guests.
She went inside and closed and locked the door behind her. Parker was at the computer, typing away. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“While you were outside I took a call from a woman who wanted to book a room for next month,” he said.
“You should have put her on hold and come and gotten me,” Paige said.
“Why? I took care of it.” He finished typing and looked up. “She wanted the Miner’s Suite and it was available for those dates, so I took her credit card information and she’s all set.”
Paige came to look over his shoulder. Everything about the reservation looked right. “Thanks,” she said. “How did you know what to do?” It wasn’t as if she had ever shown him her system—though maybe she should have.
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out,” he said.
“Even though you are smarter than the average bear.” She ruffled his hair, which he hated, but he only ducked out of the way.
“What are you doing, hanging around here this morning, anyway?” she asked. “Don’t you have class?”
“Not this morning.”
“You’re not scheduled to do a shift at the museum?”
“I told Brenda I needed to take the day off.”
He avoided her gaze, which immediately set off an internal alarm bell. “A day off for what?” she asked.
“I promised Rob I’d stick around this morning and look after you. He had to go to town to do some stuff, but he didn’t want to leave you alone.”
“So you’re my designated babysitter?”
“Hey, I couldn’t exactly tell the man no, could I? I owe him.”
“I’ll certainly talk to him about payback when he gets here.”
“Paige, don’t give him a hard time,” Parker said. “He’s only trying to protect you. And I would have stuck around anyway, even if he hadn’t asked.”
“I don’t need a keeper.”
“Maybe not, but until those creeps who shot at you are found, you don’t need to be here alone, either.”
She was sensible enough to admit he was right, but the idea chafed. She was about to tell him so when the doorbell rang.
A glance through the peephole showed an attractive, sandy-haired man in his midforties, wearing sharply creased khakis and a peach-colored polo shirt that showed off a good tan, broad shoulders and a trim waist. Paige opened the door. “May I help you?”
“Are you Paige Riddell?” He held out his hand. “I’m Bryce Reed, chief financial officer of CNG Development. We own the property up on Dakota Ridge that was formerly the proposed site for something called Eagle Mountain Resort. I understand you were instrumental in halting that development.”
“Yes.” She eyed him warily. He seemed friendly enough, but even the friendliest person could be bent on wholesale habitat destruction. “My organization is very serious about protecting the fragile environment at that elevation,” she said.
“Which is exactly what I want to talk to you about,” he said. “May I come in?”
She couldn’t think of a good reason to tell him no. Parker was here with her—not that she couldn’t look after herself—and she was curious to hear what Bryce Reed had to say. She held the door open wider.
“This is my brother, Parker. Parker, this is Mr. Reed, with CNG Development.” The two shook hands. Then Parker stepped back and crossed his arms, tattoos and tough-guy scowl on display. Paige ignored him. “We can talk in here,” she said, leading the way into the family room she used as a space for guests to hang out when they didn’t want to be in their rooms.
She took a seat on a sofa and he settled into an armchair adjacent to her. Parker stood in the doorway, as if blocking Reed’s escape. She scowled at her brother, hoping he would get the message that she wanted him to leave, but he ignored her and continued to glower at the CNG spokesman.
Reed either didn’t notice or pretended not to. “I saw the plans Hake Development had drawn up for the property,” he said. “A very ambitious project.”
“A ridiculous project,” Paige said. “There isn’t enough water up there to support the kind of development he wanted to do, and keeping the roads clear and mitigating the avalanche danger would be a logistical nightmare. Not to mention the impact on wildlife and native trees and—”
Reed held up a hand. “You don’t have to convince me, Ms. Riddell,” he said. “I agree with all the points you’ve made. CNG has a very different use in mind for the property—one that will have much less impact.”
She relaxed a little. She didn’t get the impression he was trying to distract her with his charm or sell her a pack of lies. She had had enough experience with that type that she could spot them within seconds of meeting them for the first time. “I’m interested in fin
ding out more about your plan,” she said.
“I appreciate you hearing me out,” he said. “What we have in mind is a small, exclusive high-altitude research facility. A few researchers and interns living on-site in the summer months in very low-profile, low-impact buildings. In the late fall we would close up the place and secure everything through the winter, and reopen when the roads are clear in late spring or early summer. No need to plow the road or worry about avalanches, no impact on elk calving season, very little traffic. We think we can use solar for much of our energy, and are looking into rainwater collection systems for our water needs, as well as compostable toilets and other green initiatives.”
She let his words sink in. “It sounds almost too good to be true,” she said after a moment.
He laughed—a hearty, friendly sound. “After dealing with Hake Development, I’m sure it does,” he said. “I read your group’s presentation of your objections against the resort development and you made some very good points. We’re trying to keep them in mind as we plan this project.”
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
“No wasting time with you, is there?” He smiled, fine lines popping out around his blue eyes. He really was a very attractive man. He didn’t have Rob’s movie-star looks, but there was something very appealing about him. Not that she trusted men in general, handsome or not. “Obviously, we’d like your support, if we can get it,” he said. “I’m supposed to give a presentation about our plans to the town council this evening. I think your presence and approval of our project would carry a lot of weight with the local government.”
“Now you’re just trying to flatter me,” she said.
“Maybe a little. But can you blame me? I think we’ve got a great project here—something that will make good use of the land and, incidentally, get rid of what I gather has been something of a blight on the local landscape. You’ve seen the property as it is now—abandoned foundations, crumbling streets, and I understand it has even attracted a criminal element. That isn’t what CNG wants at all. We’ve already locked the gate and added additional fencing to try to keep out trespassers.”
“You put a lock on a gate over the public hiking trail,” she said. “I have a court order for the lock to be removed, but so far CNG has ignored it.”