Page 75 of Smoky Lake

“I don’t believe you. I bet you were sloppy with that sample. Maybe you went into town when you were infected. Didn’t you buy out all of Kathy’s lemons at the general store? Were you sick then?”

Ani grabbed Gil’s arm to hold him back, felt the iron tension in his muscles. “Gil,” she said softly. “I have an idea.”

Slowly, he relaxed enough to turn away from Victor and set his stormy gaze on her. “What?”

Keeping her hand on Gil’s arm, she turned toward Lanie, who was watching the entire confrontation with some amusement, her thumbs tucked into the pockets of her jeans. “I’m a doctor. I’m medical personnel. And Victor is a research scientist, as you know. We can help with this outbreak, but we need to get there, fast.”

Lanie narrowed her eyes at Gil. “And him? How’s he gonna help, besides throwing punches?”

Gil’s arm tensed again, as if he wanted to throw one right that minute. Ani squeezed it gently. “Gil is the kind of person you want around in a crisis, put it that way. He’s already saved my life at least once, possibly more. Also, if it’s what we think it is, he just recovered from it. He should be immune.”

Lanie took a step away from Gil. “Is he still contagious?”

“Unlikely, but he’ll wear a mask just in case. I’d also advise not having sex with him,” she added, just to lighten things up.

After a stunned moment, Lanie burst into laughter. “I guess it can’t be too bad, if you’re cracking jokes like that.”

Ani gave her a coaxing smile. “Come on. All you have to do is land, let us out, and go on your way. Just radio ahead that you’re bringing medical personnel.”

Lanie reluctantly agreed, then strode off to get the plane ready while the rest of them grabbed their things.

Which was when Ani realized that one of their group wasn’t onboard with her plan. Victor slid into the driver’s seat of the Ford. “I’ll return the truck to Carlo Creek.”

Ani paused in the midst of grabbing her bag. “What are you talking about? You wanted to go to Smoky Lake to get your research, remember? Besides, we need you there. You have a potential treatment for it.”

He shook his head, and even as he spoke, kept on shaking it, like a bobblehead. Scientist Bobblehead. “You don’t understand. It’s not ready. I don’t know the proper dosage, and it’s a long way from being approved by any federal agency. And I…I could get into big trouble because I’ve been hanging onto my viral sample and not working with the CDC. I could go to jail. There’s going to be soldiers and?—”

He was interrupted by Gil’s strong hand yanking him from the car.

“Hey!” he squealed, trying to pull away. But even weakened by days in bed with a virus, Gil could still outmuscle the guy.

“You started this, you need to clean up the mess. Now get on that fucking plane.”

Ani had never found moral clarity quite so sexy before.

36

As they flew over the Wrangells on their way to Firelight Ridge, Gil watched the endless sharp peaks and sloped valleys appear and disappear through breaks in the thick cloud cover. Occasionally he caught a glimpse of a glacier or the ice fields beyond.

The more that ice melted, the more secrets would be revealed. This time it was a mining operation doing core samples. But more of the permafrost was melting every year. He thought about the secrets locked in that icy landscape. Was the world ready for that?

What about his own secrets? The part of himself he’d locked away so he could watch out for others? It was thawing, he could feel it, under the warm radiance of Ani’s smile. What would his life look like if he allowed that to happen?

Assuming she wanted it. Big assumption. He’d shown her more weakness and vulnerability than he’d shown anyone, even Lachlan. Maybe especially Lachlan, because his brother needed him to be tough in order to feel safe.

As for their immediate crisis, something didn’t sit right with him. Why wasn’t Victor champing at the bit to try out his super-secret treatment? This was his opportunity to be the hero riding in with a cure for a new virus. Even if it wasn’t ready yet, he could simply offer people the option, and have them sign a release.

Sure, he’d acted recklessly and unethically. No wonder he was afraid of the authorities. But did he need to be that afraid? Gil didn’t know the ins and outs of laws applying to scientific research, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t against the law to work on botanically based treatments for illnesses.

He’d been hellbent on getting to Firelight Ridge until he heard that there was a possible outbreak and the CDC was there. Was there more that Victor wasn’t sharing?

No doubt about it.

What did he know about Victor? Not much. As far as he knew, the scientist was a globe-trotting, cheerful adventurer who’d never been married and threw himself heart and soul into his research. He was no criminal, and no mastermind, no matter what grandiose kick he was on.

Lachlan would know more. Gil’s gut was tense with worry about his brother. That drumbeat, never far from his mind, had gotten damn near deafening since he’d learned about the outbreak. How had it happened? Had Victor passed it on to someone? Or maybe Ani had?

But no, it couldn’t be Ani, because she’d never actually contracted the virus. Victor’s spray had managed to trigger her body to produce the antibodies. As for him, he hadn’t caught it until later.

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