Cassidy spotted Michelle the moment she hit the rickety boardwalk surrounding the geothermal plains.
She waved and walked to stand next to the ecologist. “So tell me all about this.”
Michelle smiled, pushing her chin-length hair back from her face. “It’s amazing. This has the potential to blow higher and stronger than Old Faithful.”
Cassidy eyed the area. It looked like nothing more than a small mound of crusty dirt, but she knew the power that bubbled and surged beneath this last layer of the earth’s crust. “Do you think it’s relevant to the wolves’ disappearance?”
Michelle shook her head. “I doubt it. The plains surrounding Old Faithful and the other geysers are constantly monitored for advanced geothermal activity. They’ve had an eye on this new baby for quite some time.”
Jake joined them. “How do they know when a new geyser exists?”
“Infrared imaging equipment. Apparently, several years ago there was a minor shift in the second porous rock layer. It created a crack that allowed water from an existing hot spring to seep down and be heated. Based on the calculations of Old Faithful, Yellowstone officials have determined that the first eruption is due to take place within the next ten days.”
“Really?” Jake asked. “The construction workers indicated that the scientists are all flying in for a viewing the day after tomorrow.”
A frown marred Michelle’s small, heart-shaped face. “I don’t know about that. I’ll have to talk and ask more questions, not to mention take more readings. I’ve ordered a specialized thermal reader. It’ll arrive tomorrow.”
Cassidy leaned over the railing and eyed the geyser. It didn’t appear to be any larger than a prairie dog’s burrow, but heat that gathered under the cover of rock and dirt could peel the skin from a man’s face with one blast of exploding water. “So we’re still at square one.”
Michelle sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Yep.”
“I need to find Steve,” Jake said. “Do you know his whereabouts?”
“The last I heard, he was in his room setting up the communications system. He didn’t want to leave Myrtle in the main suite. Too much commotion, he said.”
“Thanks. I’ll find him. What’s your next move?”
“I’m off to gather soil samples. I thought I’d begin in the quadrant where Cassidy was last night. My map indicates that she was north of Craig Pass toward the Continental Divide. Then I’ll head southeast toward Lewis Lake.”
Cassidy smiled. “That’s right.” She frowned, worrying her bottom lip. “If there’s any sign of danger, protocol states we need to pair up.” Gazing into the distance, she mulled over the past twenty-four hours. “I think a dead body classifies as danger.”
“Thanks for the concern, Cass, but I’m a lot tougher than I look.” Michelle swung her equipment over her shoulder and stepped off the plateau and onto the boardwalk.
Jake bent over and slipped his hand beneath the straps of Michelle’s canvas bag that sat next to their feet. He hauled it over his shoulder and slid his free arm around Cassidy’s waist, guiding her toward the parking lot.
“Nevertheless, we’re pairing up. Jake?”
She moved away from him, and he had the nerve to grin and wink at her as he opened the door to Michelle’s Jeep and tossed in her bag. “Yeah?”
“Why don’t you go with Michelle?” She was damn proud of herself for figuring out a way to place some distance between them.
Michelle stuffed the rest of her gear in the back of her vehicle. Slamming the door, she glanced at Jake and Cassidy. “Nah, I’ll grab Steve.” She winked. “He owes me fieldwork time for helping set up Myrtle.”
Cassidy’s smile faded. “You sure?” She waved her arm to the left. “Jake’s right here.”
Laughing, Michelle nodded and drove off, leaving Cassidy and Jake standing by their own vehicle. “That little witch. She did that on purpose.” She glanced at Jake only to find him gazing at her in an uncomfortable, I-can-see-right-through-you manner. “What?”
Jake continued to scrutinize her. She refused to fidget. Finally, he sighed deeply and jumped behind the wheel of the Jeep.
She didn’t move. A familiar logo beamed at her from the back of the newly constructed bleachers. Cassidy twisted and glanced at Jake. “What is NWP doing here?”
CHAPTER 18
JAKE AND CASSIDY STOOD AT THE BASE OF THE TRAIL LEADING to Observation Post 26. She pushed up the sleeve of her ZEBRA logo sweatshirt and verified the time. Stretching her arms to the sky, she twisted the kinks out of her back. The brief nap stolen while Jake coordinated data with Steve had revitalized her sagging energy. He hadn’t been able to answer her question about New World Petroleum’s presence in Yellowstone other than their sponsorship of the new geyser. In fact, his response had been entirely too distant and out of character.
“You don’t really need to join me,” Cassidy protested for the tenth time that afternoon. “Steve offered.”
Jake swore beneath his breath and tossed her backpack out of the Jeep. “He’s still out with Michelle. You’re stuck with me.”
She bent and picked up her belongings, ignoring a sudden twinge of excitement. “Fine.”
The beginning of the trail wound around the south arm of Yellowstone Lake. Water glistened brightly in the dying sun. Inhaling, she smiled. A prophetic tingle ran up her spine as fresh air filled her lungs. Home. Her eyes soaked in the surrounding vistas. Early evening burned with breathtaking beauty, the vivid blue of the lake a cool blanket for the crimson sky.
Cassidy led him west toward the southern bend of the Continental Divide. “Did you know that in the summer, wolves usually set out in the early evening and return to their den by the next morning? If this were winter, we’d be facing a greater obstacle.”
The path widened, and Jake stepped up next to her. “How’s that?”
Cassidy didn’t agree with the way her body responded to the man beside her. He was too close. “Without pups to care for, they wouldn’t bother to cross back and return to their dens.” She paused and sniffed the air. “Smell that?”
Jake inhaled. “Fires, right?”
“Part of Mother Nature’s way of killing the old and bringing in the new. The Lodgepole pines can only reseed once they’re burned.”
“Really?”
Cassidy stopped and pointed to a grove of pines. They looked like a fur-topped army lined up in precision. Each member the same height as the next. “During the fires of ’88 that area burnt to the ground. The new seeds were released and grew at the exact same rate. Amazing, don’t you think?”
Jake walked past her. “Fascinating, Dr. Doolittle.”
She tossed him what she hoped was a nasty look. “Anyway, those fires are miles away. But the scent will keep the wolves close to home in case their dens are threatened.”
“How far to the post?”
“What’s the matter, Charlie Brown? Tired?”
Jake shot her an amused grin. “Very funny.”
She tromped ahead of him, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I thought so. Actually, it’s not too far. We’ll park ourselves at the edge of this tributary from Yellowstone Lake. There’s a prominent watering hole just over that ridge that attracts wolf prey.” She pointed to a section against the horizon. It was a steep trail flanked by a mixture of pines and aspens that swayed in a graceful dance, inviting them forward with their leafy limbs. She calculated the distance to be approximately three miles up the trail. “I think we’ll see action tonight.”
They proceeded in silence. Steeply inclined passageways exhausted their energy and left them breathless. Jake reached for Cassidy, aiding her in difficult bends. He decided to give up and be himself. Jake figured that considering her awareness of their attraction, she’d think him out of character not to react to their chemistry.
Entering the clearing surrounding the post, he sank down, leaned against a tree, and contentedly watched her through half-shuttered eyes. Brilliant slashes of bloo
d red painted the horizon with the last light of day. Cassidy moved, bathed in its soft glow, from one corner of the clearing to the next.
She scrutinized the ground, gently pushing leaves and natural debris to the side to check for any recent tracks or signs of wolf habitation. He tilted his head to the side, smiling when she bit her lower lip. Jake recognized that sign now. The thoughts whirring in that intelligent mind of hers were in direct contradiction to what her emotions were signaling. He bent his head to the other side, cracking his neck.
Cassidy was a diversion he hadn’t been prepared to navigate.
She rapidly scratched notes on her pad. With a toss of her head, Cassidy flipped stray strands of hair from her face, bent, and tied flags around low branches, tracing a possible trail. He didn’t allow his eyes to follow her fingers as they brushed a thin line of perspiration from her brow.
“Goldilocks?”
He smiled when she paused at the title he’d used. “Yeah?” Stopping her markings, she looked at him expectantly.
“What happened in Africa?”
“Nothing,” Cassidy responded tightly. “Quit badgering.”
“Sharpe mentioned that it’d been tough for you. He thought maybe you shouldn’t be here.” Her eyes flashed daggers at him. Grinning back at her, Jake pushed even further. “Actually, he said that ZEBRA seemed to be sapping you of all life.” She stalked over, pinning him with blazing green eyes. Jake inhaled.
“It’s none of your business.” Through clenched teeth, her voice came out a husky rasp. Undeterred, he continued prodding.
“What happened in Africa?”
“I’m not answering.”
“Are you broken, Sunshine? Have those adventurous wings been clipped?” He gazed steadily into her anger-flushed face.
“I’m not broken. My wings are intact, but Africa is off limits.” Sadness crept across Cassidy’s face; she knelt next to him and drew small circles in the dirt at his feet. “Because I couldn’t keep my distance. The loss of life, both human and animal, was terrifying. Those people live with disease and inhumane conditions but maintain a love that puts my pitiful existence to shame. I think I’m helping, but I’m not. I’m invading.” Reaching forward, Jake took hold of her hand. Silencing its nervous movements, he stroked the soil from crevices that denoted her difficult job. “We bring false hope,” she whispered.
“You’re helping, Sunshine. You know you are.”
The expression on her face stabbed his heart. Her eyes were wide and unveiled, inviting him to witness the hurt and betrayal she felt. She didn’t bother to wipe away the tear that slid silently down her cheek. “Am I?”
Holding her shaking shoulders tightly, he murmured comforting words. “Some things in life aren’t easy to understand. Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault.” Pulling away from his embrace, Cassidy sighed deeply. He allowed her the distance.
“That’s it? You’re not going to interrogate me, Popeye? Don’t you want the truth about what a miserable failure I am?” She paused, inhaled a few breaths, then focused emerald daggers on his face. “You know what I want? I want to know what the hell the largest oil producer in the Niger Delta is doing playing around in my own backyard.”
Popeye? She was apiece of work. “Truce. I can’t answer your question, but I promise to quit badgering.” At least for a day.
She stared through slightly glazed eyes. He refrained from snapping his fingers in front of her face.
“Maybe Sharpe’s right,” she said. Maybe I am done.” Anger replaced her grief as quickly as the sun dropped behind the steep mountain peaks. “Why would he say those things to me yesterday?” Twilight descended in a gray blanket of fuzzy darkness.
Holding tightly to her hand, Jake stopped Cassidy from rising. “You’re not done, and he was out of line.”
Her lips twisted into a tight smile. “Sharpe is never out of line. He’s like a father to me.”
Why didn’t that sit well with him? To combat the awkward twist to his gut, Jake jumped to his feet. “Show me what to do,” he said and pulled her to her feet.
She stumbled and fell against his chest. He steadied her, inhaling the light honey scent that clung to her hair. She gazed into his face, her eyes wide and emotions vulnerable. “Come on,” he said softly, releasing her. “Let’s get to work, shall we?” She gaped at him in surprise, causing him to laugh out loud. “You do know how to work, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Her face flushed bright red. “Let’s get our gear topside and settle in for the night.”
“You’re the boss.”
She smiled and moved past him. He watched her put up her gear and scramble lithely up the wooden ladder. The spark of longing in her eyes unhinged him and he frowned, kicking the toe of his boot into the dirt. Damn if she wasn’t becoming something he needed.
He quickly gathered his backpack and climbed after her.
They worked in silence. The platform was small at seven-by-seven, forcing them to brush and bump against one another as they organized the site. Scent-free tarps were laid out across the plywood with a second layer prepared to cover their prone bodies. Notepads, camera, infrared binoculars, all lined up at attention. Testing the air, Cassidy appeared satisfied that they were apparently upwind from the trail she’d picked up behind the lookout post.
“With any luck,” she said softly, “the pack’ll walk right beneath us … just like Post 29.” Handing him a large plastic container, she grinned up at his puzzled expression. “Need to pee?”
Jake closed his eyes at his stupidity. “I’d forgotten,” he admitted reluctantly, “about that part of the job.”
“Wouldn’t want you scaring away our subjects, would we?” He could hear her giggle as she turned her back. Swearing softly, he grabbed the bottle.
“What about you?” he called when he’d finished.
“I took care of that earlier away from this spot. Based on the markings, if they hit my scent, it’ll push them in this direction.”
“You could’ve told me.”
“What? Miss the fun of watching the great Dr. Jake Anderson blush? Not on your life.”
He glared at her smug expression, securing the offensive container in its designated position. “I’m only blushing because I feel foolish about forgetting this aspect of observation duty. If you hadn’t distracted me, I’d probably have remembered.”
“Excuses, excuses,” Cassidy taunted. “Don’t use me as the scapegoat. Do your job, Eeyore, and forget about me.” He watched her gracefully stretch out on her stomach and pull the scent-free tarp over her shoulders. Her hair spilled from its imprisoning clip, flowing freely over her shoulders. Intent on positioning herself correctly, Cassidy allowed it to remain unbound.
She was having fun playing the name game. He wondered what she’d say if he explained the reason he never used her name.
Fear.
Jake was afraid of the intimacy, the longing that her name would arouse. His gaze drifted from the top of her head, down her spine, to the very tips of her shoes.
A stab of desire slammed into his gut. That he could handle. It was the skip in his heart that worried him.
Lying next to her would be too much of a distraction. He settled himself at the back of the platform, leaning against the support post and extending his long legs toward Cassidy. Drawn by the rustling of his scent-free tarp, she glanced over her shoulder. Even in the gray of twilight, her emerald eyes burned brightly.
“Why aren’t you in position?”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I am in position.”
“You can’t see the wolves from there.”
“This is where I’m comfortable.” He watched her settle back and regretted speaking harshly. It wasn’t her fault he couldn’t control his libido.
As crimson sky washed out into muted tones of the gloaming, Jake listened to the creatures of the night awaken. Bats flickered against the fading light, swooping and gobbling millions of bugs. The shrill call of a screech owl wove through the tr
ees and echoed back.
Sudden silence woke Jake from his quiet meditation.
A loud gunshot followed by a yelp shattered the tranquil evening.
Jake was on his feet, down the ladder, and racing in the direction of the noise before Cassidy struggled from beneath the tangled tarp that was frustratingly wrapped around her legs. He could hear her exasperated curses followed by the soft pounding of her boots attempting to catch up with him. His mind was focused on the chase.
He slowed around a particularly dangerous bend and listened intently to his surroundings. Evening crickets hadn’t yet returned to their melodious chirps, which signaled a continuing disturbance in the area. Dusk quickly disappeared beneath the blackness of night. A rustle of underbrush and a snapping branch drew his attention to the left. Un-holstering his gun and flashlight, he pointed the beam of light and muzzle at the commotion. Nothing.
Cassidy slid to a halt behind him. She peered over his shoulder into the lighted area. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” he said beneath his breath. “Just listen.” They stood absolutely still, straining to hear any kind of noise that would direct them to the hunter. Cassidy was pressed tightly against his back; light breaths tickled his neck enticingly, causing Jake’s concentration to waiver.
Another shot pierced the air. Jake moved with agility honed by years of covert operations. He pulled Cassidy to his front, pushing her to the ground. A branch above their heads snapped and broke, shattered by the path of the bullet. The moon speared the black forest with soft beams of light. Her body radiated heat beneath him, and he could feel her struggle against his weight. He bent forward so their faces were a nose length apart. Jake held his right forefinger to his lips to silence her protests.
She frowned and nodded, and they lay prone against the base of a tree. Jake shifted from Cassidy in an attempt to ease the pain she must be feeling from the sharp rocks and protruding roots. The sound of muffled footsteps reached his ears. He motioned for Cassidy to remain where she was and slid away from the tree.
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