Fool's Gold Collection Part 2. Susan Mallery

do. I wish you could let it go.”

      Before Finn could say anything, one of the production assistants called for Sasha to get ready for a lighting check. His brother waved at him and followed the girl toward the hotel.

      Finn checked his watch. He had a group of tourists to take on a flight in a couple of hours. They would be the second ones this week. The previous group had been a family, including a thirteen-year-old boy who’d been fascinated by the idea of flying a plane. Finn had talked to him about taking lessons.

      “You’re looking serious about something.”

      He glanced up and saw Dakota walking toward him. She carried a clipboard in her hands and stopped in front of him.

      “For once, not the usual,” he told her.

      “Your brothers?”

      “Work stuff.”

      “Everything okay back in South Salmon?”

      “As far as I know.”

      She stood there, as if waiting for him to explain more.

      “I was thinking about the tour I have later and the one I had a few days ago,” he said slowly. “There was this kid. He was really into flying. Sometimes I think about opening a flight school, focusing on kids.” He shrugged. “Who knows if it would work.”

      “Don’t you have to be a certain age to get your pilot’s license?”

      “You can solo at sixteen, but training could start before that. Teaching a kid to fly gives him, or her, the ability to sense possibilities. You need math skills to do some of the calculations. There would have to be a way for them to raise money to pay for the lessons, or grants or something.” He shook his head. “It’s just something I play around with.”

      She tilted her head. “You should talk to Raoul. My boss. His whole thing is helping kids. His camp focused on bringing inner-city kids here to the mountains to get them out of their environment. He might have some ideas about how to get started.”

      “I will. Thanks.” It beat worrying about the twins.

      She gave him the contact information. “I’ll let him know to expect your call.”

      He wondered if what he’d thought about doing was possible. There weren’t a lot of inner-city kids in South Salmon. Of course, his cargo business was there.

      But the thought of doing something a little different excited him. Cargo was paying the bills, but taking tours around was a lot more interesting. And doing something useful with kids appealed to him, as well. While he worried about his brothers, there was also a sense of satisfaction, of knowing he’d been the one to shape them into grown-ups. Of course, he had no idea yet if he’d done a decent job.

      Dakota glanced around at the decorated pool area. “San Diego would have been a lot warmer. It’s eighty there. I could have lain by the pool, ordered little drinks with umbrellas.” She sighed.

      “I thought you loved Fool’s Gold,” he teased.

      “I do, but I love it more when it’s warmer. It’s spring. There should be plenty of heat.” She shivered in her coat. “I had to dig out warmer clothes.”

      “It seems fine to me.”

      “You’re from Alaska. Your opinion doesn’t count.”

      He chuckled. “Come on. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”

      “At Starbucks? A mocha latte would really help me feel better.”

      He took the hand that wasn’t holding the clipboard. “You can even have whipped cream on it, if you want.”

      She leaned against him. “My hero.”

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      A SHARP, INSISTENT RINGING called Dakota out of a dream that involved a panda, a raft and ice cream. She rolled over in the bed and picked up the phone.

      “Hello?”

      “Dakota? It’s Karen.”

      Dakota glanced toward the clock, wondering why the production assistant was calling her. “It’s one in the morning.”

      “I know.” Karen’s voice was muffled, as if she were trying to be quiet. “I’m out by the pool at the lodge. There’s a Tahitian dancing team here. Or maybe it’s not a team. I don’t know what they’re called.”

      Dakota flopped back on the bed and closed her eyes. “I appreciate the news flash, but I’m really tired. I can catch the dancers tomorrow.” Which was technically later today, she thought.

      “I don’t want you to see them. Sasha is here and so is Lani. I think she knows some of the dancers. Geoff’s filming the whole thing.”

      “Then I can see it on the show broadcast. I’m sure Sasha and Lani are great dancers. Thanks for telling me, Karen.”

      “Don’t hang up. I called to talk to Finn.”

      That got Dakota’s attention. She sat straight up and clutched the phone tighter. “Why would you think he was with me?”

      “Oh, please. Do you know how small Fool’s Gold is? Everybody knows you’re sleeping with him. Which isn’t the point. I need to talk with him. I’m afraid this is gonna get out of hand. Sasha is dancing with Fire Poi.”

      Dakota wanted to go back to the “everybody knows you’re sleeping with him” remark, but the words “Fire Poi” got her attention.

      “Fire, as in flames?”

      “They’re lighting them right now. Geoff thinks it will be great for the show. I’m scared Sasha will get hurt.”

      Dakota was already getting out of bed. “Finn’s at his hotel. Do you have his cell number?”

      “No.”

      Dakota gave it to her. “Tell him I’ll meet him at the hotel.”

      “I will. Hurry,” Karen said.

      There might have been more, but Dakota didn’t bother to listen. She shoved the phone back on the base and turned on the light. Seconds later, she’d pulled on jeans and shoved her feet into athletic shoes. After grabbing her car keys and her cell phone, she was out the door and heading for her car.

      DAKOTA DROVE AS FAST as she could up the mountain and pulled into the parking lot. A car jerked to a stop next to her, and Finn got out of his rental. He was already swearing.

      “I’m going to kill him,” he growled, taking off toward the back of the hotel, where the pool was located.

      Dakota raced after him. “They’re filming. Just so you know.”

      Finn scowled as he grabbed her hand. “Meaning Sasha will resist any attempts to help him.” He swore under his breath. “I want to blame Geoff for this, but my brother is the real idiot.” He looked at her. “They don’t call it Fire Poi because it only looks like fire, do they?”

      “Karen said there were actual flames.”

      Finn picked up the pace. By the time they got to the pool, he was almost at a dead run. She had no way to keep up with him and arrived a few seconds later, barely able to breathe.

      Note to self, she thought as she gasped for air. In the morning, she was really going to have to consider some kind of exercise program.

      Any other thoughts on the exercise issue disappeared the second she stepped onto the patio area by the pool. About a half dozen Tahitian dancers stood by the water. Two of the guys were spinning balls of fire at dizzying speed. Sasha held a single ball of fire, connected to a chain. As she watched in horror, he raised his arm level with his shoulder and began to turn the fire.

      What should have been darkness was illuminated by the lights from the