Page 40 of Smoky Lake

Gil got to his feet and came closer to the phone. “Gil here. Let me ask you something. Did you know the guy?”

“Kyle Cross. That was his name. And yeah, I met him a few times. I didn’t know him well.”

“Does that story add up to you?”

It took a moment, but eventually Sam said, “Not completely, to be honest. I know he used to drink. He got divorced because of it. But he loved to fly, and they’re saying he didn’t show up for his first flight today, that’s why they knew something was wrong. Kyle wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his pilot’s license or his business. He was hoping to sell his business this year, actually. I just don’t see him falling off the wagon when he was so close. But that kind of thing can happen. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Thanks, that’s helpful,” said Gil. “Will you call us if you hear anything else? I’ll send you my number too in case you can’t reach Ani.”

“Yup, I can do that. If there’s anything else, say the word.”

Ani spoke up. “Have you noticed a higher than usual incidence of sick passengers lately?”

“No. I make everyone wear a mask if they seem sick. Hasn’t happened except for a few times this summer.”

Relieved to hear that, she prepared to end the call. “Thanks, Sam, and take care of that crazy redhead of yours.”

“You guys take care too. Molly called me and said she’s checking something out with Nick and Bear. What’s going on there?”

Gil gave her a questioning look, which she interpreted as, “can I trust this dude?” When she nodded, he said, “I got a nine-one-one text from my brother Lachlan. They’re going out to his place to check on him.”

“My planes are at your disposal if you need any help. Day or night.”

“Thanks, man.”

Call complete, Gil paced across to the window, then did an entire circuit of the room, then repeated the action. As she watched, she wondered why the name of the pilot sounded so familiar.

Kyle Cross.

And then it clicked. She’d seen that name on the collection log the young doctor had let slip. K. Cross.

“Gil, I think they tested the pilot for the omegavirus,” she said urgently.

He stopped pacing. “Shit. Do you think he could have died from it?”

They both shuddered. Ani wished those test results weren’t going to take so long.

Gil scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “That story going around about how the pilot died. It doesn’t sound accurate.”

“It definitely isn’t, if the virus was to blame.”

“It almost sounds like a coverup. I want to find out more, but now we’re stuck here doing jack shit about any of this. It’s almost like…” He stopped abruptly.

“Like what?”

“Like they want to keep an eye on us. Maybe they think we’re involved.”

19

Ani felt a headache coming on. Wasn’t headache one of the viral symptoms? This one felt more like her standard “I’m overwhelmed and I need a nap” headache. Or a “when will things get back to normal” headache.

“Involved in what?”

“Good fucking question. Excuse me.”

She waved that off. “Are you saying they’re not testing us for the virus? It’s just an excuse to shut us up in a hotel room so we don’t cause trouble?”

“Something like that. Neither of us have any symptoms. If we were exposed, there’s probably a dozen more people back in Firelight Ridge who were too. What about them?”

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