Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard (shoe dog free ebook .txt) 📗

“If you say so.”

Terra hadn’t wanted to drift into personal territory during this drive, but she and Jack shared a volatile past. One they’d never talked through or worked out. In a way, it was just left there hanging with no true closure, and here they were together again in a completely different capacity.

She opened her mouth to give at least a heads-up about her expert friend. Her openness would head off any knee-jerk reactions on his part, though she couldn’t know he would have any reaction at all.

She sucked in a breath to speak—

“That’s it.” Jack snapped his fingers. “That must be it.”

“What are you talking about?

“Neva Bolz’s connection. We were talking about the curation center.”

“What does she have to do with the curation center?”

“Not the center, but the oil and gas. Think about it. Artifacts can be discovered when oil and gas wells are being drilled. Federal or private, aren’t archaeologists called in at that point? Maybe Neva was somehow involved with the looting of a drill site turned archaeological site.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.” Admiration swelled in her heart. “Seriously, I should have made that connection already.”

Jack stared at his cell. “I’ll see what more we’ve come up with on her company and her background, and look into any archaeological sites her company has run into.”

“She traveled, Jack, so that search has to be broad and wide.”

“She was murdered in Montana. Jim was murdered in Montana. We’ll start in the county seat of Big Rapids and work our way out from there.”

Terra turned onto a winding road leading into the Gros Ventre Wilderness area.

Jack groaned. “I think my call is going to have to wait.”

“No signal?”

“No. Oh, wait, there it is. No. Gone again.”

A burst of laughter escaped. She hadn’t laughed so hard in far too long. But no more laughing for her as she turned onto a challenging, rocky, and twisted drive up the mountain.

“Just where are you taking us?” he asked.

“I put this address in the GPS, but I was warned it was kind of tough to get to. A guest ranch. Owned by somebody McKade out in the boonies near the town of Grayback. Apparently they were dozing to install a new structure when they came across human remains and artifacts, so the construction has stopped. Dr. Brand is leading the team of archaeologists, interns, and volunteers.”

“Dr. Brand. He’s the guy you don’t have a story with?”

She steered slowly under an archway with “Emerald M Ranch” carved into the pine arch.

Terra angled a look at Jack. “That’d be the one.”

THIRTY-EIGHT

Jack hiked with Terra across the meadow where several white, tented domes had been set up. A few people worked in excavated grids dug several feet down. Some crouched or squatted. Whatever their position, their focus remained in the dirt. He glanced back at the sprawling log cabin in the distance and presumed that to be the main house.

He’d run into Liam McKade when he was an FBI special agent working in the Jackson Hole area. And he owed the guy his life. Would he see Liam today?

“You seem distracted, Jack. You okay?”

Terra’s voice drew him back to the moment. “Yep.”

They approached the back of two tented domes situated close together. She slowed.

Jack stopped walking. “You’re hesitating. Why?”

“Someone’s talking.”

“Yeah? So?”

A man stepped from between the two tents, followed by a woman. At the sight of the familiar face, shock coursed through Jack.

She shook hands with the man. “Thanks for the interview, Dr. Brand.”

He smiled as if immensely pleased with himself, then his eyes landed on Terra, who instantly stiffened.

“Rae?” Jack stepped forward. “Rae Burke? I can’t believe it.”

Rae’s eyes grew wide. “Jack. Oh my gosh, Jack.” She rushed forward and gave him a hug. Then just as quickly stepped back. They hadn’t known each other all that well but had been in a life-threatening situation together, and that alone had connected them in ways that couldn’t be put into words.

He looked her up and down and smiled. “You look well. What are you doing here?”

Rae turned and smiled at Dr. Brand. “Liam asked me to write up a few articles about the archaeological site discovered here on the ranch, or part of the ranch. Some of it extends into the wilderness area.”

“Liam. How is he?”

“You can ask him yourself.” She gestured behind Jack.

Wearing a Stetson, Liam McKade hiked toward them from across the meadow. Last Jack knew, Liam owned a security business that covered private security for high-profile clients as well as area ski resorts.

“So, you guys are close?”

She held up her left hand and flashed a big diamond ring. “We’re engaged!”

“Oh, Rae, that’s wonderful.”

Liam stepped up and wrapped his arm around Rae’s shoulder and pulled her close. He thrust his hand out to Jack. “It’s good to see you, Jack. Who’s your friend?”

“Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors, meet Liam McKade and Rae Burke.”

Introductions were made all around.

“Jack, everyone’s up at the big house for a get-together,” Liam said. “You and Agent Connors are welcome to join us for dinner. You too, Dr. Brand.”

“You’ve been too good to us already”—Dr. Brand pressed a hand to his midsection—“considering how much food you’ve catered out here completely free of charge. We have a lot of work to do if we want to close up the site before the first snow hits. We’re behind schedule as it is, so I’m going to pass, but thank you for your generosity.” Brand eyed Terra. “Terra and I have some business to attend to. You ready?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

She followed Dr. Brand between the two tents without a backward glance.

Jack needed to be part of that meeting. “I tell you what,” he said to Liam. “Depending on how long it takes us to finish our business here, I’ll pop by the house before we leave.” Liam McKade’s family—brothers Heath and Austin and their wives—had been grateful for Jack’s work last year and had kept Jack company while he recovered in the hospital. “Maybe I