Shadow Bones (10 page)

“Hello.” Skye still wanted to run. She hardly dared look at Jake. The last exchange between them was still too painful. He'd made his lack of interest in her quite clear.

“I've been wanting to show you what we've found, Skye.” Jake came toward her and took her arm. “It's in the basement.”

Her arm tingled where he touched her, and she pulled away from him. She tempered her reaction with a smile. “Lead the way.”

His face changed as though she'd slapped him, but he didn't say anything. He went past her to the hall and led her through the kitchen to the basement entrance. Flicking on the light switch, he went down the steps, and she followed.

“Look at the size of that egg.” He pointed to a large, oval-shaped stone on the workbench. It had been chiseled away, and tiny bone fragments lay exposed.

Skye approached the egg. “What is it, do you know?”

“Kimball thinks it might be the largest egg discovered to date. If we could find adult bones in the same area, we might be able to identify an entirely new dinosaur.”

“Congratulations.” The words practically choked her. “When will you be announcing this?”

“Probably not for at least two more weeks. We'd thought it might take a month, but we've been working practically round the clock and it's going quickly.”

Jake stood closer than was comfortable for Skye's state of mind. “I'm about to start work in a new tube at the mine. You're going to close us down, aren't you?”

The elation faded on Jake's face. “That might happen, yes. I'm sorry.”

“I'll fight you. You know that.” She turned and stared into his face.

“I know.” He stood looking down at her, and the expression on his face changed.

She saw the way his nostrils flared and his eyes darkened. Then he bent his head and kissed her.

She couldn't deny she'd wondered what it would be like to kiss Jake Baxter, but she wasn't prepared for the tide of emotion that swept over her like a tsunami. She wrapped her fingers in his chambray shirt and held on for dear life. This man evoked emotions in her she'd never felt. He wasn't safe, though he made her feel protected.

The scent of his cologne made her feel dizzy, and the touch of his lips penetrated the defenses she'd thought invulnerable. Even through the onslaught of emotions, she knew she should pull away and run up the steps behind her, but she couldn't move. She'd never been faced with this kind of temptation before and knew she was failing miserably.

With a supreme effort, she tore her mouth free and stepped back. She touched her fingertips to her lips.
They felt warm from Jake's kiss. “Why did you do that?”

“I don't know.” He ran his hand through his hair.

“Don't do it again.” She tried to make her voice stern then turned and dashed up the steps, tripping over the top one. She raced past Kimball Washington with a murmur of apology and made it to the safety of her truck. She'd just made a complete fool of herself.

J
ake had hired a guard, a surly, stout Ojibwa named Joe, whom Skye swore would defend the site with his life. Joe didn't say much, but Jake never caught him sleeping or goofing off when he was supposed to be watching. With his leather vest and hat decorated with a single feather, Joe reminded Jake of the native scouts who used to lead the settlers West.

Jake couldn't deny he kept watch for Skye. The dig looked down on the entrance to the mine, and he found his gaze straying in that direction every few minutes. A thousand times he had castigated himself for scaring her off that way. She'd made it clear how she felt by the way she tore out of the basement a week ago. If he'd entertained a slim hope that there could be anything between them, the thought had died as he watched her retreat up the stairs.

He pushed away the thoughts plaguing his mind and went up the slope to the dig. “Morning, Joe. Any trouble last night?”

The stocky native shook his head. “Nothing, Jake. Pretty quiet night.”

“Go get some rest. I'm going to work on releasing a few more eggs today. Don't come running if you hear another vehicle midmorning. Kimball's due in then.”

Joe nodded and went to the tent in a grassy knoll in the meadow. The June sun was hot, so Jake took off his chambray shirt and pulled on a T-shirt. Adrenaline pumped through his blood as he knelt by the clutch of eggs again.

They seemed to get larger as he went deeper into the ground. What else was hidden on this slope? In his mind's eye, he could see the entire hillside excavated. Maybe the largest dinosaur bones found to date would be uncovered here. This spot was what he'd been searching for all his life—the fame he sought slept here, just under the surface of the soil.

His chest expanded as he contemplated the future. Lecture invitations, elite digs, magazine and newspaper articles, maybe the front page of
Time
and television shows. Maybe even a
National Geographic
special. His name would be mentioned in paleontology textbooks. And he'd finally erase his humiliation.

“We need to talk.”

His pleasant dream vanished at the sound of Cameron Reynolds's voice. Jake stood from where he'd crouched over the dig and scowled at the other man. “I have nothing to say to you. I told you to stay away from my dig.”

“I'll give you back your eggs and tell you who's
been sabotaging your dig if you cut me in on the action here.”

“I have even more eggs here.”

“I've had a look at what was taken. It's another dinosaur altogether. A therizinosaur.”

Jake frowned. These eggs were sauropods. “Therizinosaur eggs that big?” He didn't bother to hide his skepticism. But his heart gave a blip in his chest. If this was true, it could be huge. Therizinosaur eggs were extremely rare and no one really knew what they looked like full grown. If he could find an adult skeleton…He couldn't even finish the thought. It was too huge to take in.

“I know, I couldn't believe it, either. But it's true.” He pulled a snapshot from his shirt pocket. “Take a look.”

The snapshot showed a curled dinosaur embryo. It might be a therizinosaur. “Where did you get this?” He didn't give the picture back to Cameron.

“I had one of the eggs run through a CT scanner. I can take you to the rest of them.”

“You had something to do with their disappearance—I knew it.”

Cameron shrugged. “Okay, maybe I did. But I've had second thoughts. This is too big for either of us alone. We need each other, Jake. You need me.”

Maybe he could use help, but it wouldn't be Cameron's. “You could take the other eggs and claim the discovery for yourself. It makes no sense you'd want to join forces.”

Cameron's smile looked forced. “I would if I thought I could get away with it. But you've got Kimball here. His word and yours will outweigh mine. But I want in on the discovery.” His expression grew grim and determined.

Jake wanted to throw Cameron off the site, but the remote possibility that the man might be right kept him silent. Though everything in him rebelled at the thought of sharing the limelight with this sleazeball, he wanted those eggs.

He gritted his teeth. “Looks like I don't have a choice.”

Cameron's uncertain look faded and he grinned. “Don't look so pained. We used to be friends, Jake.”

“I'd as soon welcome a cobra into my tent,” Jake snapped. “We'll work together, Reynolds, but don't expect things to ever be like they were before.”

Cameron's grin faded. “I'm sorry we can't be friends, Jake. I miss the old camaraderie.”

Jake did, too, but he wasn't about to tell Cameron that. “Now where are the eggs?”

Cameron glanced at his watch. “Meet me at the turnoff to Milly Pike at nine tonight. We need to go in after dark.”

“I want to go now. I'll get the sheriff and get my property back.”

“You can't do that.” Cameron's voice rose. “If my partner gets wind of it, those eggs will be gone. Do it my way for once.”

“Looks like I don't have a choice.” Jake folded his
arms over his chest. “Now get out of here and let me work.”

“I'm part of this now, remember? I'll give you a hand.”

“Not until you prove yourself by getting me those eggs.” Jake wasn't going to budge on this one.

Cameron frowned, then shrugged and went toward the path. “Fine. But you'd better get rid of that chip on your shoulder. We've got a lot of work ahead of us.”

The self-satisfaction in Cameron's voice as he said “us” made Jake grit his teeth. The last thing he wanted was to share the limelight with the man, but Cameron held all the cards since he was holding the eggs hostage.

He didn't reply and the other paleontologist went down the path to the parking lot, and Jake heard his truck start up and the crunch of gravel under the tires.

He bent back to his work. Maybe Kimball would have an idea of how to get out of this snafu.

 

Skye stood looking at the Mitchell tube. “How much longer, Pop?”

“Maybe tomorrow we can get the first extraction going.”

“That soon?”

“We've been working day and night on this. You realize Peter will get wind of it any minute, don't you? If he shuts us down before we can prove anything to your mother, we're sunk.”

“I don't think so.” Skye was surprised her mother hadn't told Peter what she was up to.

“I hope you're right.”

Skye hoped so, too. “I can't believe Peter hasn't heard about it yet.”

“I wish there was some way to keep him busy and make sure he doesn't show up here unexpectedly.”

Skye laughed. “He's a real pussycat and here we are acting like we're scared to death of him. He might get upset and go silent for a few days at home, but when we find something, he'll be gung-ho, too. He hired that assayer a few weeks back to see if there was any chance we'd find diamonds. He's wanted this dream right along with us.”

James grinned. “You're right. I forgot about that. He'll be on board right away. I've always thought it was admirable the way he has looked out for you and your mom. He gets a little overzealous about it at times, but that's understandable after what you've all been through.”

Skye's heart softened at the reminder. “He likes to protect us. I feel guilty I didn't tell him what I was using the money for. I'm thinking about confessing.”

“Wait until tomorrow,” James advised. “Let's see what the first extraction shows.”

“Okay. I'd like to be the one to tell him. It will hurt him less.”

James nodded, but she could tell his thoughts were far from worrying about Peter's feelings. “I'll be back in the morning to help with the start-up.”

“Sounds good. I'll get back to work and make sure we're ready.” James pressed her shoulder then trotted down the tunnel toward his office.

Skye smiled as she watched him go. He was the closest thing she had to a father, closer even than Peter. She didn't know what she'd do without him.

She hurried out into the sunshine. Becca had called this morning and invited her to come to lunch at Windigo Manor. At first, Skye had wanted to turn it down. The last thing she wanted was to run into Jake. But Becca said Wynne was bored and wanted a fresh face in the house.

She saw Jake's SUV in the parking lot and paused in the sunshine to look up the slope of the mountain toward the dig. The path disappeared at the top of the hill, and she couldn't see Jake's head, though a curl of smoke rose above the mountain peak. Maybe it was just as well she didn't see him. What would she say to him if she ran into him anyway? Better to avoid him. At least he was here and not at the Manor.

She started the truck and turned out onto the road toward town. She downshifted and the truck hit a pothole and slewed sideways. As the undercarriage thumped, she heard something from behind the seat. A funny rattle like something loose. She concentrated on the road then jumped when the noise came again. She'd check it out when she got to Windigo Manor.

It sounded as though something moved under her seat. Probably something rolling around. She glanced down at the floorboard and froze. A long, slithery brown snake marked with lighter grayish brown stripes moved from under the seat. It turned and looked at her, and the tongue flickered out.

Skye froze, her hands gripping the steering wheel in a tight clasp. The truck veered toward the right from her spasm. Barely breathing, she righted the truck but didn't dare tromp on the brake. The accelerator felt like a sponge under her foot. She tried to ease up on it, but her limbs felt frozen.

More of the snake's body slithered from under her seat, and it coiled right under her right ankle. She could see the rattle. A timber rattler. Just like those out at Tallulah's. They weren't native to this area, so how did this one get here? She was afraid to breathe, afraid to move.

The truck hurtled along. Skye knew a hairpin curve lay ahead. There was no way she could negotiate it at this speed. Ever so slightly, she eased up on the accelerator. Her instincts told her to get out of the truck, but how? The snake would bite her if she moved.

She swallowed, and her throat made a clicking sound that the snake heard. It raised its head, and the tongue flicked out again. Skye wanted to throw up. Her eyes felt dry and gritty. She blinked rapidly to moisten them. Her muscles felt tight, and her mind raced frantically through her options.

Slowly, slowly, she eased up further on the accelerator. Maybe she could let the truck glide to a stop. She didn't want to go into Higley curve up ahead. The snake might be thrown against her bare ankle. Why had she worn shorts today? If only she had put on a thick pair of jeans and her boots this morning. Now there would be nothing to impede the snake's bite.

The truck hit a bump, and the snake hissed and coiled
tighter, its rattle sounding loud in the enclosed space. Skye's breath came in pants. The snake's head was inches from her ankle. Her palms felt slick, and she fought to hang on to the wheel.

She hated snakes and could barely stand to look at it coiled so close. Panic clawed at her chest, but she didn't dare react.

The truck slowed further. With one hand on the wheel, she slipped her right hand over to the handbag on the seat. She opened the flap and eased her fingers inside, searching for her cell phone. There it was. She teased it out with gentle movements then flipped it on its back so the keypad lay upward.

Who should she call? Jake would be the closest—he was only three miles behind her at the mine parking lot. Fortunately his cell number was in her phone from the last time he'd called her. She called it up then pressed Send and brought the phone to her ear.

It seemed an eternity before it began to ring, then it rang four times. Five. She was about to give up when the phone clicked in her ear.

“Jake Baxter.”

“Jake, it's me.” She whispered in the phone.

“Skye? What's wrong?”

“There's a snake in the truck with me. A timber rattler. It's right under my feet. I'm almost to Higley curve. I can't put my foot on the brake.”

“Keep easing off the accelerator.”

“I am but the truck is still rolling.” Panic rose in her chest.

“Shhh, don't speak so loudly. You don't want to startle the snake. Keep letting up on the gas. But slowly so it doesn't see any movement. Is it coiled and rattling?”

“Yes,” she whispered. She let up on the gas some more, and the rattle increased. “It's getting mad.”

“I'm on my way, don't hang up.”

She heard the sound of an engine start through the phone and closed her eyes briefly. Jake would be here soon.

“You still there?”

“I'm here,” she said, her eyes darting from the snake and back to the road. “The truck is almost stopped. Just before the curve.”

“Good. Keep it up. Try to let it roll to a stop.”

The vehicle barely moved along, and Skye guided it to the side of the road where it finally slowed then stopped.

“I've stopped,” she whispered. She could hear gravel hitting the undercarriage of Jake's car. He must be flying along the road.

“Good. Now slowly open your door.”

She hadn't thought of that. With her left hand, she reached over and pulled on the door handle. At the noise, the snake's rattle came again, and her gaze darted back to the reptile. It had moved closer to her leg and was nearly touching her. If those scales came in contact with her skin, she wouldn't be able to help herself. She would have to move and would likely be bitten.

She prayed for strength and began to push the door open. Slowly, so slowly, the door creaked open. She
closed her eyes. She couldn't watch that snake's black eyes any longer. It was going to bite her, she knew it. A scream built in her throat as she began to lose control. Her leg twitched from the strain of holding it in one position.