by Terry Spear
Chapter 15
Early the next morning, Amelia got a call from Gavin, right before she had a flight scheduled. The swelling of Slade’s eye had gone down significantly. Despite how much better he was doing, her dad said no to him taking anyone up today. Amelia thought Slade could take over for her tomorrow, and he promised to drop her off wherever was closest to Gavin’s location.
Amelia was usually so work-focused that she couldn’t believe how much she wanted to be with Gavin. He was like the chocolate frosting on a devil’s food cake.
“Is it him?” Slade asked when he heard the phone ring. “So sorry about all this.”
“It is.” She’d worried Gavin would have trouble. She moved away from her brother so she could talk privately. Slade got the message and returned to the office.
“Hey, we’re headed back to the place where you and Nina were picked up. It’s the closest to us. I spotted Asher Michaels out here yesterday paddling, and I found Lee’s group. They weren’t where they were supposed to be. In case whoever took the plane down had done so because of one of them, they didn’t want him to know where they were. After seeing Asher out here, Lee and I figured it was time to come in. Safer for everyone.”
Worried about him and the group, Amelia couldn’t have been more surprised. “Asher Michaels is there? That doesn’t sound good.”
“Yeah, I thought the same.”
“Are you and everybody else okay?” She was so glad to hear from Gavin but concerned now that he’d spied Asher out there.
“Yeah. We’ll be in tomorrow evening. If you can pick us up the next morning, that would be good.”
“You’re not worried about me flying?”
He chuckled. “You know, come to think of it, there are too many canoes to haul back in one trip. I’ll just paddle back to Ely.”
“You are afraid of flying with me.”
“No. You proved to me that no matter the circumstances, no engine, no nothing, you could still land the seaplane without suffering any casualties.”
“All right. I’m coming with you.”
He hesitated, and she wondered if the call had dropped. “Gavin?”
“Yeah, the thing of it is, Asher knows I’m out here too. What if I have trouble with him on the way out of here?”
“Did you call your partners?” Amelia was thinking it was time for Gavin to call in more muscle.
“Faith says no one’s come back from their jobs yet. I don’t want you in the middle of this. It could get ugly.”
“I’m coming with you. I’ll bring more food, because I’m sure you’re getting low on yours after having to share with so many others—Theodore, me, and more if you shared with the rest of the group later.”
“Amelia—”
“Do you want to court me? We’re starting now. I’m coming with you. Just get ready.”
He chuckled. “An Arctic she-wolf after my own heart.”
She smiled. She hoped he meant it, because she was serious. If he was going to bat for them over this whole situation, she’d be there for him. That’s what wolves did. They were there for each other. No tucking tail and running. If they were going to see if this worked out between them, she had to be there too.
Of course, she had no plans to tell her father or brother. They’d ruin everything and want to be the one to take her place. Her mother had risked her life for her father a few times while running as wolves in the snow country, as he had for her. It was just part of who they were. It was a natural state of being. If she and Gavin couldn’t do that for each other now, what about when they had pups?
She hoped Gavin was really all right with it. That was another thing. If they couldn’t be honest about issues, that could be a problem.
“Just bring another Taser gun.”
She smiled. “Will do.” So he was agreeable. She could have jumped for joy, except that her dad was heading her way. “Okay, let me check on the schedule and get back with you. We might have to come in while it’s still dark so we don’t have conflicts with the flights later in the morning.”
“Okay, let me know. We’re just packing up and will be headed out shortly.”
“I’ll get right back with you.”
Her dad reached her and said, “Slade told me you got a call from Gavin. Is he having trouble?” He sounded like he was getting ready to come to Gavin’s aid, and Amelia appreciated it.
“Yeah, Lee’s group needs to be picked up at the original drop-off place. They’ll be there tomorrow night. I was thinking we could pick them up the next morning before any of your other flights, or even tomorrow night, if they don’t get in too late.”
“We?”
“Well, you’re going to drop me off. Since there would be too many canoes to bring back at once, I’ll go with Gavin. We’ll paddle to Ely where he can have someone pick us up, and we’ll return to the hangar sometime after that to get his vehicle.”
“Did something else happen?”
“Nina had to return early due to food poisoning. Then there’s this business with the plane. They were so scared that they didn’t stick to their itinerary in case someone is after one of them. They finally decided it wasn’t worth staying out there and worrying about it. What if something did happen to someone? No one would know where they really were. What if they got lost? They’re not from this area, and from what Lee told you and Slade, they’ve never been out here before. Getting help out there would be difficult if they had an emergency.”
“Okay. As long as you’ll be all right. Gavin too, of course.”
“We will be.” She believed in him. And she’d be there to help if he needed her to.
“All right. I’ll be on standby. If they get in early enough, I’ll fly out to pick them up.”
“Okay, I’m going to take this flight out and then go home to get more food ready and pack a few more clothes in case we’re out there for a while.”
Her father raised a brow.
She smiled back at him, shrugging. “It’s a good getting-to-know-you time.”
“Then you’d better talk to your mother about meeting him too.”
“I will. I’ve got to go.” She was excited about seeing Gavin, but she was also conscious of the fact that they could have problems. She couldn’t wait for her last flight of the day. She called Gavin quickly about the flight pickup times.
“You know what I’ll be opting for. I’d have to push these folks hard to make it early enough the next night.”
She laughed. “Unless it’s a life-or-death situation, don’t do that to them. I’ll talk to you soon.”
* * *
Gavin told Lee and her people their options, and everyone was willing to push the envelope to reach the dock the next night. They could be on their way home sooner. Gavin really wanted to see Amelia too. He hoped they didn’t run into any trouble on the way to Ely.
“I want to paddle with you,” Mindy told Gavin.
At first, he was surprised, then he assumed she felt she needed protection from her husband, and he understood that. He really didn’t figure her husband would try to kill her for insurance money now. Still, Gavin would remain on guard.
“Are you worried about Asher finding you?”
“Asher? No. He’s not here. You have to be mistaken. I just want to be with the man who knows how to get back to the dock.”
Gavin didn’t believe her. Unless she was so shocked that Asher truly would be here that she was in denial.
They stopped for breaks a couple of times, and when Gavin called Amelia to tell her they would arrive at the dock by five that night, she said, “I’ll let Dad know. He’s finished with his flight, and I just returned with my last one.”
“If it’s a go tonight, I’ll just set up my tent and a campfire, and we’ll keep the rest of the gear by the dock. You don’t need to bring any extra food. They aren�
�t going to pack up what they had left to take with them, so we’ll have plenty to eat.”
“Oh, okay. Wait, here’s Dad. Can we pick them up at five?”
“Yeah. That will work. It will still be light out when we return them here.”
“Dad said it’s a go, if you didn’t hear him.”
“We’ll be ready. And, Amelia, thanks for saying you’d come with me.”
“Are you kidding? This is the first real vacation I’ve had in two years. I’m looking forward to it.”
Though everyone was tired from the nearly two days of paddling, they’d picked up their pace when they saw the bay. They were going home to all their creature comforts.
When Gavin and the others finally arrived at the dock, they were even earlier than they’d planned. They pulled their canoes out of the water and unloaded their gear.
Conrad helped Gavin set up his tent, and the others helped make a campfire. For Gavin, this was as much home as his house with all the amenities. He’d always loved the great outdoors, but being a part-time wolf made him appreciate it all the more.
Then they set a lantern on the edge of the dock, though it was still plenty light out. They weren’t taking any chances that Henry would have trouble.
As soon as Gavin heard the plane, he began to keep a lookout.
“Do you see anything?” Theodore asked.
“No. I hear it though.” Gavin knew Theodore couldn’t hear it yet.
Then they both saw the plane, and Mindy said, “Thank God, and all in one piece too.”
“Does Asher have a sat phone?” Gavin asked her, suddenly wondering if she could reach him and ask him what he was doing out here.
“Yeah. So?”
“You should try calling him and ask why he’s out here.”
“Are you joking?”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to go home and pretend he never came out here.”
“I didn’t see him. And he never told me he was coming out here. It’s just your word that you saw him. You have to be mistaken.”
“Play it however you want, but I’d be wary of your ex-con husband.”
“Can I use your phone?” Mindy asked Lee.
“Sure.” She handed her the sat phone.
Mindy placed a call. “Hey, Asher, it’s me. You know that guy that had you arrested and testified against you at the trial? The one looking for his Samoyed pups? Well, he’s here in the Boundary Waters, if you can imagine. And you know what he said? He saw you paddling out here.”
Gavin heard him laughing on the phone.
“Asher’s laughing,” Mindy told Gavin. “He’s never been paddling and doesn’t even know how to swim. He hates the water. He’s home, waiting for his loving wife to return. That’s what he says.”
“Are you afraid of him?” Gavin asked.
She said to Asher, “I told him you were mistaken. I’ll see you soon.”
Gavin wondered if she was afraid of her husband and suspected she believed Asher was here, which was why she hadn’t wanted to paddle with someone else.
“Bye.” She handed Lee her sat phone.
“Of course, there could be more to this than meets the eye. You’re working on something illegal with your husband, and you don’t want anyone to believe he’s here.” Not that Gavin really thought that. Mindy had been too shocked at hearing the news when he’d first told her.
Mindy folded her arms across her waist. “All right. For whatever it’s worth, I believe you. I heard the water lapping at the canoe when he answered the sat phone.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t admit to him I knew he was out here, but I wanted him to know you had come along and said he was. Just in case he’d been watching us.”
“I understand.”
Lee patted her shoulder. “If you want, I’ll help you get a lawyer and a divorce. If I were you, I’d cancel my life insurance policy.”
“Can I have your sat phone back?” Mindy asked.
Lee handed it to her.
Mindy called someone and said, “Hi, I need to have you call my insurance company.” She gave the operator the name, and then said a few seconds later, “Hi, this is Mindy Michaels. And I have a problem. I’m in the Boundary Waters on a canoe trip, but someone poisoned my food and sabotaged the plane I was on. I need to cancel my life insurance policy, in case my beneficiary is involved in recent events. Thank you.”
Then she gave details to prove who she was and ended the call and returned the phone to Lee. “I believe I’ll take you up on your offer of a lawyer’s assistance in handling my divorce.”
Gavin swore everyone in the group released their collective breaths at once.
As soon as the plane taxied in and parked at the dock, Gavin tied it off and opened the doors to let Henry and Amelia out.
“You take good care of her,” Henry warned.
“I will, sir.” Gavin smiled at Amelia and gave her a big hug.
Then he hauled out her bags. They were going to enjoy this trip. They both carried the bags off the dock and then helped everyone carry their gear to the plane. It took them some time to load all the gear and the canoes.
“Thank you,” Lee told Gavin, “for coming back to take care of us.”
Theodore shook Gavin’s hand. “I really owe you.” He gave Gavin his business card. “If you ever come to Seattle, look me up, will you?”
“Sure, and thanks.”
Conrad shook his hand. “Too bad your agency isn’t situated in the Seattle area. I might need a PI myself.”
Gavin raised a brow in question.
Conrad gave him a dark smile. “Let’s just say I might know why you were out here. I don’t have anything to hide. On the other hand, she might.”
Gavin opened his mouth to speak, to verify that the “she” he was referring to was his wife, but Orwell came over and shook Gavin’s hand. “My wife has been unfaithful for the last five years of our marriage. We had an understanding. We only separated recently because she suddenly didn’t like the idea that I would be seeing other women. If you ever want to check out the guys she’s been seeing, come out to Seattle and I’ll hire you for the investigation.”
“He’s on my case for now,” Amelia said, taking hold of Gavin’s hand. “But if it turns out it has anything to do with any of you, we’ll be sure to contact you.”
“Thank you,” Lee said, glancing again at Conrad.
Gavin suspected Lee still wanted to make a play for Conrad, particularly if he suspected his wife was up to no good.
Then Henry gave Amelia a hug, and everyone loaded onto the plane. Gavin thought they looked relieved to be going home. Amelia looked relieved to see them all leaving too. Gavin wrapped his arms around her shoulders as they saw the group off.
“Let’s have some hot dogs for dinner, and then we can watch the sunset,” Gavin said.
“Now that sounds like a plan.”
They fixed hot dogs, and she’d brought brownies for dessert. Afterward, they roasted marshmallows and watched the sunset. “Beautiful,” she said. “Sometimes I see the sunset when I’m flying, and it’s just mesmerizing. Here with you, it’s so much more…romantic.”
Anytime spent with her, he couldn’t see it any other way. “As wet and chilly as it was the first couple of days we were here together, I thought that was romantic too.”
She smiled and snuggled up next to him. “I never thought I’d be in a situation like that, but I agree.”
Once the blue hour had passed, the stars dotted the dark night, and Gavin and Amelia admired their simplistic magnificence. “Beautiful.”
She was.
They listened to frogs croaking, the sound of a breeze ruffling pine needles and leaves, and an owl hooting nearby. Gavin loved hearing the sounds of nature at night and her heart beating next to his.
“How long will it take for us to
reach Ely?” she asked.
“Three days, if we’re enjoying the trip and not trying to rush to get there. I called Faith to tell her we’ll need a pickup. She said to just call her when we’re near, and she’ll drive there to get us. She can’t wait to meet you. She was upset to hear what had happened to us.” The whole pack wanted to know more about Amelia and her family. Faith already knew, without Gavin having to say a thing, that he had fallen for the she-wolf.
“I bet.”
“My partners will help us with this too, once they return from their current assignments. If we haven’t resolved it by ourselves by then.” He sure hoped they’d finish it themselves before anyone else in the agency had to drop what they were doing to help.
“What do you think about Conrad’s comment? Did he mean he’d hire you to investigate his wife?”
“I suspect that’s what he meant.”
“Sounds like you could have a bunch of jobs.” Amelia sounded proud of him.
“But then I have the issue with the gray wolf pack there.” Not that they would stop him.
“What if this investigation requires you to go to Seattle?”
Gavin took her hand and squeezed. “Then that’s where I’ll be going. Gray wolf pack or no.”
“I’ll go with you and give them a piece of my mind,” Amelia said. “I’m not newly turned, and if they have issues with me, tough. I’m surprised they gave you and your pack trouble but said nothing to me or my family.”
“I suspect they hadn’t run across you. You said you lived out a way from Seattle.”
“Could be. What about Asher coming after you once you saw he was here? You’d be a witness,” Amelia said.
“Mindy’s all right. She wasn’t hurt. Unless we can tie him to the plane sabotage, the only other reason he might want me dead is for having him arrested. That was over seven years ago. I can’t imagine he’d want revenge at this late date.”
“How did Mindy act about you seeing him here?”
