by K C West
“Mmm.” Sandy kept his eyes on the monitor.
I touched his shoulder. “Maybe you could give me an update a bit later … clarify some points for me?”
He looked up, took a long drink of his tea, and shrugged. “Okay. Only it will have to be later.”
“Sure. No problem. Thanks.”
He hunkered back over the keyboard as a new graph appeared.
Geesh! Now, on to the other quiet one.
Kim nodded her thanks when I gave her the steaming mug. I studied her eyes. The lines and shadows seemed less prominent today. That was encouraging.
Let’s see…what to talk about. Something normal … like work.
“Sleep well? Or are you too excited about the new plans?”
She took a sip while jotting down a few last minute notes on her clipboard. “Hmm? Sleep? What’s that?”
We both chuckled.
Okay. She made a little joke. I’m all for that. Business as usual for her, then we’ll pull Sandy into line. It’ll work…
“PJ, today is going to be an important one. I can feel it in my bones. Big things are going to happen.” She gave me a sly grin and thrust the clipboard in my direction. “I need to go over the latest GIS data with Sandy. Will you do the honors?”
Huh? Well that came out of left field.
I took the pad and glanced at the chart. Kim used a thick pad on a clipboard to record our daily work assignments. With our new plans to close up one hole and relocate to another spot, there was more than usual outlined on the pages.
“You want me to tell the crew where they’ll be working?”
“Yeah. We discussed it all last night. You had good suggestions and you’re the assistant director. It’s about time you got more involved in the administrative tasks.”
I had been reading the lists of details in Kim’s precise handwriting, but I looked up when she touched my arm.
“You’ll be fine,” she said.
I bounced once on my heels and grinned back at her. “Sure…I can do this. Thanks.”
“Thank you,” Kim said. I think she was referring to more than this assignment.
“All right, Dirt Diggers, listen up.” I scanned their faces and realized one was missing. “Where’s Donny?” The skinny redhead with the pale goatee was not among the group.
“He’s coming, PJ,” Josie answered. “I saw him talking to a really good-looking guy in a suit back at the trailhead.”
“Well, if that guy turns out to be with the media, I’ll pluck Donny’s beard out one whisker at a time.”
The others chuckled.
“That won’t take very long,” James said, and we all laughed.
“Let’s get started and Donny can catch up. Kim and I worked out some new assignments for you as a result of the meeting last night. A couple of you lucky people will be helping us plot and dig a new site nearer to the canyon wall. This won’t be a Wheeler Grid, more like a horizontal excavation with careful attention to stratification. Anyway it will involve lots of digging.”
A loud groan greeted my words.
I smiled. “Ah, some things never change. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little spade work!”
“It’s gonna be a hot one today, PJ.”
“We’ve got plenty of water, Laine and we’ll take regular breaks.” I looked down the list. “Hmm. Looks like you lucked out on this one, though. You and Dewey will close the old site.”
She gave a happy cry and slapped Dewey’s raised hand. “All Right!”
I handed her several printed forms. “Make sure all finds are classified, recorded and labeled. Ship the ones that still need lab work off to the appropriate places and stack the rest in boxes along the wall of the field lab. We’ll bring in new samples as soon as the new site yields something.”
“Okay, PJ. We’re on top of it.” Dewey gave me a confident nod.
“James, you and Donny will set up the new datum point and man the cameras when needed. The rest of you, grab your digging tools and plenty of water.”
I noticed that their attention was drawn to something in back of me so I turned to see what it was. “Ah, the late Mister Benton and…” Oh, shit! The man brushing off his expensive Italian suit was none other than Stephen.
Oh, Gawd, I don’t think this is the ‘big thing’ that Kim had in mind.
I turned back to the group. “That’s it for the moment gang. Relax awhile.” They moved off to find some shade.
“Look who I brought, PJ.” Donny’s gray eyes widened with delight. “I saw him talking with Security. When he said he was your fiance, I thought I’d bring him along to surprise you.”
“Thank you, Donny. You need to see James about your new work assignment.”
“Sure thing, PJ.”
Donny left and I faced Stephen feeling the eyes of the crew boring into my back.
“Hello, Stephen.”
“Cilia.” He gripped my shoulders and bent his head to give me a proprietary kiss.
“What brings you all the way out here?”
Stephen’s scowl returned. When he spoke he made no effort to lower his voice. “What do you think, Cilia? I find out you’re messing around with some college kid, digging up this mountain looking for ghosts and wasting your father’s money with a dried up has-been of a relic hunter—”
“Stephen, please. Keep your voice down. Let’s go over to the main tent. I don’t know where you got this crazy information.” As we walked, Stephen kept his arm around my shoulder. His possessiveness irritated me. Was I being too irrational? “In the first place, I am not messing around with anyone—”
Pup’s menacing growl interrupted whatever else I might have said. We ventured inside the tent after Kim gained control of the animal. I made introductions. Though he no longer growled, Pup’s fur stayed ruffled and he maintained a watchful surveillance on Stephen.
Kim and Sandy mumbled polite greetings and left with Pup so that we could continue our talk with a little more privacy. I couldn’t read Kim’s expression, but she gave my arm a brief squeeze on her way out.
I cleared my throat. “Tea?”
“No, we won’t be staying. Get your things and let’s get out of this God-forsaken—”
“What? Have you lost your mind? I can’t leave, I have a job to do.”
“Cilia, wake up and smell the cactus. You are embarrassing me by remaining here.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “And you are embarrassing me by coming here, Stephen.” I took a deep breath, trying to curb my temper. “Who the hell do you think you are coming—”
“Who? I’ll tell you who. I’m your fiance and I have every right to—”
“Well, let me tell you something Stephen. That title was not my decision. You and Father cooked it up between you and I just let it slide.” I raked several fingers through my hair; brushing damp bangs off my forehead. “I should have talked with you long before this, but you were always too busy to hear about my plans for the future. Every time I tried to have a serious conversation with you, we ended up in bed.”
He looked at me. A smirk replaced his scowl. “What? What am I too busy to hear?”
“I’m sorry Stephen. I don’t know how to make this easy for you. We just aren’t compatible.”
“Huh?”
“It’s over … we’re through … finished.”
“I don’t believe this!” He threw up his hands and started to pace. His hands clenched and his jaw tightened as anger welled inside him.
“You don’t have any respect for my career, for my plans, what I want to do with my life.”
He stopped and stared at me. “This is crazy. ‘What you want to do with your life’? You don’t need to do anything with your life!” He was shouting now. I knew the entire crew could hear every word we said. “You’re rich Cilia! You don’t need to do a thing … ever. You can stay home, look beautiful, entertain my associates and make me happy. Isn’t that enough?”
I sighed. “In a word, Stephen … no.
It isn’t. Not by a long shot.”
“God.” He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.
“I’m sorry.” My voice dropped. “Stephen, it’s over between us. I can’t marry you. I don’t love you. Now, please leave and let me get back to my work.”
I turned away to let him compose himself. In a minute or two he’d shuffle on down the trail, out of my life.
Instead, he grabbed my arm and spun me around. “You listen to me. Walk out of here on your own two feet, or by God, I’ll carry you out. Your father will not be happy—”
“Father and I talked. He left it up to me.” I pulled free of his grasp and rushed out of the tent.
Sandy and Kim were nearby holding Pup. When Sandy saw me, he moved to my side.
I touched his arm. “It’s okay. He’s just leaving.”
Stephen burst from the tent. I had never seen him so enraged. When he saw my hand on Sandy’s arm, he thrust his body between us. “That’s right Sonny Boy, we’re leaving. So, you can find another sweet thing to warm your bed. This one’s mine.” He tried to take hold of my arm, but I ducked away.
“Stephen, leave us alone. I’m not going with you. Not now, not—”
I never saw his fist. There was a sudden explosion of pain along my jaw. I fell to my knees, tasting blood, feeling tears on my cheeks. I watched Sandy and Stephen scuffle while Pup charged between them and launched himself at Stephen, driving him to the ground in a snarling, teeth-baring fury.
Gawd, open up a hole and let me fall in. I’ve never been so mortified in my whole life.
“Pup! Sit!” With fangs bared he crouched between Stephen and PJ. Sandy, too, rushed to PJ’s side, but I warned him away. I approached Pup with caution, snatching him firmly by his collar as he focused his energy on protecting PJ. I had to defuse the escalation of what was rapidly becoming a dangerous situation.
Stephen’s face was ashen. “That animal is a menace,” he said, his eyes locked on Pup.
His voice shook, partly from anger, I thought, and partly from fear.
“He should be put down.”
Although I was doing a good job of containing my emotions, I felt the heat of anger coloring my face. My heart was racing and threatening to strangle my breath. “It appears to me that it is you, not my dog that is the menace.”
PJ was still on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. A welt reddened her cheek and her left eye was puffy. I gripped her hand and slid my arm around her back, pulling her up and against me, supporting her weight. The firmness of her body surprised me and the spicy scent of her hair was a momentary distraction. “Easy does it,” I said, reluctant to let her stand on her own.
“Ugh.” She worked her jaw and grimaced.
“Can you walk?”
She nodded.
I let her go. She staggered. I reached for her again.
“No. I’m okay … really, I’m okay.”
“Then go and wait for me in the tent. Take Pup with you and be sure to hold him.”
Stephen moved in her direction, but Sandy put a hand out to stop him. Stephen brushed him away, directing his words toward PJ. “Cilia, if you don’t come with me now, it’s over. I won’t be back.”
Dazed, PJ looked at me, her eyes clouded with confusion. She gave no indication that she had heard Stephen.
He tried again. “You either come with me now and look forward to a good future, or you can spend the rest of your life with this rag-tag bunch of air heads.”
“PJ, take Pup and go to the tent,” I repeated. She glanced at Stephen, hesitating. Then, she looked in my direction and I saw recognition and comprehension in her eyes. I softened my tone. “Now, Doctor Curtis, please.”
She sniffed and nodded, reaching for Pup’s collar.
“Damn it, Cilia!” Stephen started toward her, but Sandy blocked his path.
I watched PJ stumble toward the tent with Pup, until I became aware of Stephen and Sandy shoving and threatening each other. PJ had reached the tent and was fumbling with the flap when I forced my attention away from her and back to Stephen and Sandy. “Enough, both of you! Mister Cresswell, I don’t know what manner of man you are.”
I do and I’d like to sic Pup on you, but that’s not going to help PJ.
“You’re not welcome here. I’m asking you to leave right now and I don’t want to see you around here again … ever. Is that clear?”
“You bitch! You’ve filled her head with craziness.”
“Mister Cresswell, you will leave, one way or another. I suggest you do so now.”
“I’ll leave when I’m damned well ready to and what’s more, Cilia’s going with me.” He took a menacing step toward me, his fists clenched.
Sandy pushed him away. “Keep your filthy hands off of her. You’ve already hurt one of my friends. You’re not going to hurt another one.”
“Sandy, don’t get into the middle of this. He’s not worth it.”
Stephen pulled back. He glared at both of us. “This is none of your damn business. It’s between Cilia and me.”
I heard Pup’s growls and PJ’s attempts to calm him. For gawd’s sake, PJ, hang on to him no matter what happens out here.
“Give it up, Mister Cresswell. It’s over.” I took the two-way off my belt. “Unit one, come in, please.”
The radio crackled, a man’s voice responded. “Doctor Blair, this is Jackson. What’s the problem?”
“We have a situation … a gentleman needs an escort back to the road.”
“On my way, Doctor Blair.”
I slipped the radio back onto my belt. “Your choice, Mister Cresswell. You can leave quietly before security gets here, or you can wait to be escorted.” I wanted to get this over with. My jaw ached from tension. “And just so you know, I’ll be reporting this incident to Frederick Curtis. I doubt he’ll take kindly to your treatment of his daughter.”
“What makes you think he’ll believe you over me?” Stephen snarled.
“Look around you. We aren’t alone here. There are plenty of witnesses, people who work with PJ, friends of hers.” Several of my crew had witnessed the exchange. James, the freckled faced, youngest member of the group, the one who rarely showed any emotion, bristled with anger. And Josie, who for a while had exhibited some jealousy toward PJ because of her friendship with Sandy, was crying. The rest were a blur in my peripheral vision. And even though I could not see them clearly, I knew they were experiencing every emotion from anger to embarrassment to sympathy. “Mister Cresswell, you’re no fool…”
“Your loss, Cilia, not mine,” he shouted.
Our burly security guard prodded him toward the trailhead. I hope that’s the last we see of you, Mister Cresswell. PJ deserves better.
My people gathered around me. “You shoulda let me take a punch at him,” Sandy said, still clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Yeah, me, too,” Dewey echoed.
Josie, her eyes still red, shuddered. “And I thought he was so handsome, the creep.”
“I wanted to scratch his eyes out and feed ‘em to him,” Laine muttered.
“Why, Laine, such violence.” My attempt at humor was forced but I needed to lighten the situation.
She gave me a sheepish grin.
“Anyway, people, the show’s over so back to work all of you. I’m sure PJ appreciates your support. I’m going to check on her … make sure she’s okay.”
“Anything I can do?”
“For now, Sandy, just keep things progressing out here. I may need you in a few minutes.”
“Sure thing, Doc.”
PJ sat on the floor of the tent, hugging Pup, crying against his shoulder. Pale blonde hair mingled with gray and black. It softened my heart.
“And I thought I was the number one human in his life.”
She lifted her head and I stared into wide, watery eyes. The most captivating eyes I’ve seen in a long, long time.
Emotions long kept silent, threatened me. I wanted more than anything to comfo
rt her, to be her friend.
I’m in so much trouble. If I don’t stop now…damn it. I won’t be able to help myself.
I reached out and trailed two fingers along her cheek and jaw. “You okay?” I whispered.
She nodded.
I reached into the cooler and wrapped some ice in a hand towel. I dropped to my knees in front of her. My hands shook. “Here, hold this against your cheek.”
She reached for the compress and our fingers touched, her hand lingering on top of mine. “It’s okay, Kim. I’m fine. Really.”
“I’m supposed to say that to you,” I muttered, disgusted with my lack of composure.
“Well, your hands were shaking. I thought maybe you were worried …”
“Me? Not a bit.” Then, I exhaled. “Well, maybe a little.” We both smiled.
She took hold of the icepack and I leaned back on my heels.
“When you’re ready, I’ll have Sandy take you back to the inn where you can rest.”
“No, I’d rather stay here, Kim. Just give me a little time, okay?”
I opened the first aid kit. “All right, but at least let me look at your mouth.” I cleaned the blood away with an antiseptic soaked square of gauze.
“The only damage is a split lip.”
“Helps to have a hard head, I guess.” We chuckled and she winced.
I examined the inside of her mouth. “Your teeth are still in nice, even rows and your smile should be as dazzling as ever, once you get over that fat lip.” I wiped my hands and closed the medical kit. “It’ll be sore for a while, but it’s not life threatening.”
“Unless you count dying of embarrassment.”
“C’mon, this wasn’t your fault.” I smiled. “You’ll have a colorful face for a few days.”
She shot me a stiff, lop-sided grin. “Will you still love me in black and blue?”
I laughed out loud for what felt like the first time in days. I got to my feet. “I’m delighted that your sense of humor is still intact.”
Damn, I’m still feeling the after effects … that idiot could have broken her teeth, smashed her jaw, or worse. Gawd, how I wanted to smack him! But, it’s over. PJ is trying to get beyond it. I must, too.
I packed the first aid kit away and spread my sleeping bag on the cot. Now that I wasn’t invading her personal space, my thoughts were more professional, more practical.
