Page 39 of Smoky Lake

Gil thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t. I suppose it’s possible, but I talked to him two days ago, right before I met you.”

Was that really only two days ago? It felt like much longer…or as if the normal parameters of time passing didn’t really apply.

“Okay. Let’s say he’s still alive. Is he trying to avoid the CDC? Why would he do that? He’s a scientist himself.”

“I don’t know.” Gil bounced one leg restlessly. “The whole thing is strange and I don’t like any of it. I want to know what’s going on with my brother, I want to know if Victor’s okay, and I really hope none of us have some thawed-out zombie virus.”

Her heart went out to him. His brother and his friend were both in possible jeopardy, and on top of that he was stuck with her. She was probably holding him back.

“Listen, Gil. I know you made that promise to Victor. But I’m my own person, and I release you from any obligation to babysit me.”

“Babysit you?” His eyes, green and brooding, flashed to hers. “So far, all I’ve done is expose you to danger.”

Her eyes widened. Could he possibly believe any of this was his fault?

“That’s completely untrue. You got me out of the Institute before it exploded.”

He shook his head. “After you went there looking for me.”

“Which was my choice.”

A muscle in his jaw flexed. Stubborn man.

She ticked off the next item on her fingers. “After that, you found us a place to take shelter.”

“Some shelter. Someone burst in with a damn gun.”

“Exactly, and you protected me from that armed intruder.”

He snorted. “Don’t you mean the armed rescuer?”

“You didn’t know that at the time. I saw you plant your body in front of mine like a shield.”

“That’s me, a human shield.” In his dry tone, she picked up a hint of something surprising—uncertainty, or maybe vulnerability. It touched a tender place in her heart, the spot reserved for her closest friends and loved ones.

“You’re a lot more than that,” she said softly. She stood up and walked across the carpet toward him, stepping between his legs, which were stretched long before him. A bold move, out of character for her, but something about him compelled her forward. “You don’t see how special you are, do you?”

He gazed up at her with a blank expression.

“Let me guess. In your mind, Lachlan the scientist is the special one and all you do is protect him.”

His quick, instinctive flinch told her that she’d hit the nail on the head. “I’m sure he’s an amazing person, but you are too. I’m really grateful you’re here with me right now.”

He moved one leg so it touched hers. The contact burned through both their layers of clothing, right to her nerve endings.

Her phone rang, shattering the moment and making her jump. She backed away from that too-tempting shelter between his legs and snatched up her phone from the table where it was charging.

“It’s Sam,” she told Gil. “Hi Sam, I’m putting you on speaker.”

“You’re on speaker too, because I’m driving home. Connection might drop.” It was Firelight Ridge. No doubt the connection would drop.

“I’ll be fast. I’m here with Gil McGowan. We just got to Blackbear and heard that one of the Firelight Ridge pilots has died. Do you know anything about that?”

“I just heard. People are saying it might have been a domestic dispute.”

She frowned at Gil, who shook his head. “He died of a domestic dispute? What happened?”

“From what people are saying, he used to be a drinker. He fell off the wagon, went on a bender, tried to attack his drinking buddy, who happened to be a woman he’d picked up at a bar, and she conked him.”

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