Page 40 of Dr. Alaska
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She waved her hand in front of her face and scrunched up her nose, pointing to Kaaktuq. “It’s like a thousand dead fish rotting in the sun. How can something so small and cute create that much stink?”
“Told you he’s deadly.” He groaned, unable to escape the flatulent dog now tethered to him. “Probably a good time to head back to the lodge.”
Chapter Sixteen
After tucking inthe babies, Lee, Maverick, and Kenai rounded the corner of the house. The large maroon SUV pulled up in front of the cabin and six men exited, four of them retrieving grocery bags and twelve-packs of beer from the trunk. Hard to tell ages, but it seemed like a few younger twenties guys and the rest older. One of the men in a blue coat that strained over his gut raised his hand in greeting and tromped over in what looked like stiff new boots.
Lee caught Maverick’s faint grunt.
The gray light had made things bright enough to require the sunglasses she wore. On instinct, she tugged her neck gaiter up over her nose and made sure her hair was tucked under her beanie.
Mav switched Kenai’s lead to his left hand and extended his right for a brief handshake. “Trip to town went okay?” His words came out friendly but tight.
The man, maybe in his late forties, grinned and patted his belly. “Tried out the local diner and then got some provisions for this weekend. Damn, but prices are expensive here! Nothing like Boise. Even when I met the boys to drive up from Anchorage the other day, it was cheaper there.”
Lee studied the man in his very puffy jacket. Wonder why he didn’t fly into Fairbanks? Who chose to drive all the way from Anchorage to Yukon Valley in winter?
Not her business. Lee shivered. She just wanted to warm up.
Maverick nodded. “It’s true. All the groceries have to be shipped in from longer distances. In rural Alaska, we pay more for sundries and food. We pay nothing in income tax, so that helps.”
“Ha.” The man peered around. “Not much benefit if there’s no income.”
Lee’s head whipped up. What the heck?
Next to her Maverick stiffened. She bristled along with him.
“Pardon,” Maverick finally gritted out.
The guy’s smile. Somehow it was wrong. “I meant that you don’t likely get much business way out here.”
“I get enough.” Mav’s tone dropped another few notes. “Well. I don’t want to keep you.”
Wind gusted snow around them, and Lee stomped a cold foot. Temperature was dropping, not all due to the conversation in front of her. She scanned the low clouds and snow scudding across the plowed parking area.
The grocery-carrying guys had disappeared into their cabin. The remaining man, tall but younger, wearing a heavy winter coat, headed for the entrance of the lodge.
“I’ll be ready in ten, Randy,” he called out, opening the front door.
“Roger.” Randy turned back to Maverick. “We’re going to get a ride in before the snow. Hope those older snowmobiles are safe and up to the task.”
Waves of tension poured off of Maverick. Kenai’s tail didn’t move. What was going on here?
The wind whipped at Maverick’s words. “I personally tuned up all the snowmachinesthis past week. Even the extra one.” She caught the difference in terminology. Must be an Alaska thing.
Randy turned in a one-hundred-eighty-degree arc around him. His expression was assessing but not appreciative. “Yeah, Nick decided to tag along at the last minute. Lucky you had the extra guest rooms available for him and for me. With everyone else in the cabin, it’s nice to spread out.” He eyed Lee. “Who is this lady with you?”
Suppressing a cringe, she said, “Hello, I’m Lee.” Her voice muffled behind the gaiter.
“You live here?” Randy’s sparse eyebrows rose. Above his ruddy cheeks, weathered lines formed. He should have appeared jolly, but the impression she got from him wastrying too hard. Calculating. He had a hard edge, and she couldn’t figure him out.
“Nope,” she said, equally as brief as Maverick. She didn’t want to give more details than absolutely necessary.
Maverick gave an empty, polite laugh. “Lee and I work together.”
“What do you do?” the man asked.
