Into the Badlands. Caron Todd

and began writing. “You were lucky this time, Susannah. I wouldn’t recommend that you try a jump like that again. A nurse will bandage your hands, and I’ll order a strong painkiller for tonight. We’ll get you a crutch, although with two sprains on the same side of your body, walking will still be difficult. Get in touch with Outpatients if you decide you need a wheelchair. You’ll have to take it easy for a while—keep your foot elevated, your shoulder immobilized, your hands clean and dry.”

      Take it easy? The consequences of her injuries hadn’t occurred to Susannah yet. “No digging?”

      “You’re joking, right? Absolutely no digging.”

      SUSANNAH WATCHED DROWSILY as the headlights swept past the town, the stands of cottonwood, clusters of rounded hills and the occasional hoodoo. Soon she would be home, and Blake would disappear. He hadn’t disappeared when they’d got to the parking area outside the gully, but he would disappear after he took her home. She would crawl into bed and stay there till Christmas.

      “Friendly emergency room.” His voice sounded soft in the darkness of the leather-upholstered car. No edge at all.

      Susannah closed her eyes, too tired to talk. If she had gone to his meeting, she would be at home sleeping by now. She wouldn’t have told Matt about taking lots of long walks to find fossils, and he might not have wandered so far from the bonebed. The worst part of her day would have been listening to Blake’s plans for the museum. The next time she had an impulse, she would make a point of ignoring it.

      “Everyone I’ve run into in town seems interested in the work we do,” Alex went on. “On Saturday, I was in that little grocery store on Main. The lady who runs it— Dorothy—packed my groceries, told me the history of paleontology in the area, and brought me up-to-date on world events, all at no extra charge. Several other people, who didn’t seem to be there to shop, wanted to know what’s going on at every quarry.”

      Reluctantly Susannah opened her eyes and tried to do her part for the conversation. “It’s a small town. Everybody knows one another.”

      “And one another’s business, I suppose.”

      “I’m not sure about that. People probably manage to keep a few secrets.”

      “Where do I turn?”

      “At the next road. Left.” Five minutes, tops, and he’d be gone. It would be a relief to let her guard down. “Here we are.”

      Susannah hadn’t expected to be out after dark, so she’d left the yard light off. It was difficult to see where the road ended and the ditch began. Alex nosed onto the driveway and drove slowly to the front of the house. “I’ll leave the headlights on so you can see to get in.”

      Susannah swung the passenger door open as soon as they stopped. “Thanks for everything, Dr. Blake.” She tried to maneuver her way out of the car, but the left half of her body was no help at all. Alex was at her side before her good foot hit the ground. He helped her to stand, and waited while she struggled with the crutch. She leaned her whole weight on it, hopped a few inches forward, then rested.

      “Can you manage?”

      “I think so.” Inch by inch, she made her way to the house. She stopped when she reached the porch steps. They looked impassable. They were impassable.

      “Need a lift?”

      She tried to smile. “I’m being punished.”

      “For what?”

      “For skipping your meeting.”

      After a brief silence, he said calmly, “You must have really wanted to avoid me.”

      “I really did.”

      “So…if that had worked better today, what were you going to do about tomorrow?”

      “I didn’t think that far ahead.” She took a deep breath. “It was a mistake. A very childish mistake. I apologize.”

      “It’s probably not as bad as all that. Shall we just get this transportation business over with, then?”

      Susannah nodded. Alex lifted her easily. He carried her up the few steps and through the screened porch to the front door. He set her down, holding her until she regained her balance.

      “I don’t have my keys. They’re in my desk.” She always locked her valuables in her office when she went to the quarry, just taking the truck’s keys and her driver’s license with her. She kept an extra house key hidden, but she didn’t like to broadcast where.

      Alex looked around the darkened porch. Two wicker chairs sat at the far end, separated by a round wicker table. “I’ll pull a chair over so you can get off that foot while I look for a way in.”

      Susannah hesitated, then pointed toward the wall of the house. “There’s a spare key behind one of those boards.”

      “One of these?” Alex touched several of the wide cedar planks. One responded, just barely moving inward. He hooked his fingers underneath and pulled. It came away in his hand revealing a small cavity, and a key. He unlocked the front door, felt for a switch and flicked it on. Soft light filled the living room.

      Most of the house—the living room, the shadowed kitchen and dining area beyond and the bedroom loft above—could be seen at a glance. Light sandy walls, hardwood floors and a few patterned rugs in shades of burnt sienna and ocher repeated the colors found in the layered stone of the badlands. Through the living room’s large window, distant pillars and giant toadstools of rock glowed in the moonlight. The house’s interior had a soothing effect, but the view outside was eerie and unsettling.

      “Thank you for all your help, Dr. Blake. Again, I’m sorry about the meeting.”

      “Will you be all right now?”

      “I’ll flake out on the sofa. Anything more complicated can wait till tomorrow.” He was standing just inside the house, and she couldn’t shut the door. Shutting it would be tricky, anyway—her one good hand was clutching the crutch and her one good foot was keeping her upright.

      “I think I should stay until you’re settled. You could fall—”

      “Dr. Blake,” she began, making an effort to keep her voice civil, “I appreciate your help. But I managed to deal with life before you arrived today, and I can continue to do so.” Her voice started to rise. There didn’t seem to be anything she could do about it. “James could have helped me out of the sinkhole and taken me to the hospital and brought me home, and when I said good-night, he would have known that meant he should leave—”

      She stopped abruptly. Part of her wanted to keep going; part of her wished she hadn’t said a thing. She sank onto the sofa’s soft cushions.

      “I’m not sure what’s going on here,” Alex said slowly. “Is this about the job? I heard you were short-listed—”

      “I was more than short-listed.”

      He nodded as if he understood. “It was down to the two of us, was it? Well, that would be a disappointment.” He stared at her, frowning. “I can see I should have let James take care of things tonight. I tend to jump in headfirst, and find out later whether or not it’s a good idea. Like you, I suppose.”

      Susannah’s sudden anger faded, leaving her more tired than before. She didn’t bother explaining that she almost never jumped headfirst into anything. This had been the least typical day of her life. “We’re letting bugs in.”

      Alex shut the door, leaving himself on the wrong side of it. “Look, Dr. Robb, it’s clear you’re going to need help. Why don’t you just give me directions? After you’re settled in, I’ll get out of your hair.”

      It was past midnight. She couldn’t call anyone else to help her. If she only needed to sleep, she could manage, but she was filthy and hungry, too. “I’d like to wash. While I do that, would you mind finding something for me to eat?”

      “No