Shadow Bones. Colleen Rhoads

The path to the meadow was always dangerous, as it narrowed to only a foot wide at its steepest, most treacherous part, and in her state of mind, it was hard to take the care she should.

      As she neared the rocky outcropping, she could hear the murmur of voices. The man’s deep voice sent an odd thrill up her spine, a reaction that made her grit her teeth.

      She paused to assess the enemy before stepping around the final boulder barring her way.

      Jake Baxter stood with his feet planted on the ground as though he owned it. A red denim shirt and well-worn jeans outlined his tall, rangy form. Skye’s gaze traveled from his scuffed boots to the Indiana Jones-style hat that topped his shaggy black hair. The man had to be at least six-four.

      He stood tossing a rock from hand to hand like a quarterback would play with a football. The woman on his left wore the same determined expression, and her dark hair matched Jake’s. The other woman was blond and blue-eyed, the antithesis of the other two, and Skye recognized her as Becca Duncan, who frequented her shop.

      The three stood deep in conversation, then Becca turned and saw her. “Skye, I’m glad you’ve come out. You’ve never met my brother and sister.”

      When Jake turned and his dark eyes focused on her face, Skye wanted to run. Even from here, she could see the determination in his jaw and the piercing expression in eyes the color of the walnut trees that grew in the forest.

      He wouldn’t intimidate her. She lifted her chin and stepped from behind the rock. “Hello, Becca.” Her tone measured, she advanced to the stone outcropping.

      Jake’s gaze swept her and rested on her face. “You’re Skye Blackbird? Somehow I’d pictured someone dressed in gauzy skirts and wearing crystals around her neck.”

      “Oh?” At least her linen slacks were still spotless. She smoothed her red jacket over her hips.

      “I’ve heard you’re the island medicine woman. You look too much like a modern woman to believe in herbs and roots.”

      “A typically uninformed comment. God created everything in this world for a purpose. If we give our bodies the natural substances God made for us, we’d all be a lot better off. Even an Indiana Jones-type like you.”

      Instead of the comment irritating him as she’d planned, he grinned, a lazy smile full of self-confidence. “I’m glad you noticed.”

      Skye gritted her teeth but managed to keep silent.

      “You look mad enough to kick a boulder in two,” Jake said. “Was it something I said?” His grin widened.

      Becca’s smile faltered. “You okay, Skye?”

      “No, no, I’m not.” Skye folded her arms over her chest. She narrowed her gaze and glared at Jake. “I’ve brought the lease, but only under duress. I’d like to persuade you to abandon the idea of digging here. You’ll disrupt my mining and destroy the environment in this area. There are other, less fragile, places on the island to dig. I suggest you look around.”

      She tossed out the final comment with a challenging tilt to her chin.

      Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, and the amusement in his eyes died. “It’s not that easy.”

      His deep drawl raised Skye’s hackles even more. “Sure it is,” she said. “You pack up this equipment and saunter off to some place that wants you.”

      “I have a feeling about this spot,” Jake said. “If I’m right, it could be a huge discovery. I’m sorry you don’t approve, but your mother has given her permission. She owns the land, so I don’t think you have anything to say about it.” The final sentence was uttered with a gentleness that didn’t quite extend to the grim look in his eyes.

      Heat rushed to Skye’s cheeks, and her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. “Don’t get in the way of my workers,” she snapped.

      “I don’t intend to. Now if you’ll give me that contract, I can sign it and get to work.”

      “Mother made a change.” She dropped her backpack, flipped it open and then pulled out the lease. She wanted to crumple it into a ball and toss it over the cliff, but she forced an impassive glare and handed it to Jake.

      Skye pointed out the crossed out clause. “The lease is for the summer only with no extension.”

      Jake sighed. He took off his hat and rubbed his forehead. “That’s not acceptable to me. We had an agreement.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. “Mrs. Metis? Jake Baxter here. I really need that clause in the lease. I can’t jeopardize the dig with time constraints, and you gave me your word.”

      As soon as she heard his cajoling voice and the way he reminded her mother of her promise, Skye knew her mother would cave. Mary Metis prided herself on being a woman of her word. Besides, Jake had a way of presenting his view that seemed so plausible.

      He handed her the phone, and she listened while her mother told her to reinstate the clause. Skye knew better than to argue. Nothing was more important to her mother than her word.

      She clicked off the phone and handed it back to Jake. She crossed out the correction her mother had made, though it pained her to do so.

      “May I borrow your pen?”

      For a moment she was tempted to tell him no, but that would just delay the inevitable. She held out a pen without saying anything.

      Jake took it and signed the lease with a flourish. “Thank your mother for her willingness to advance science.”

      “So you’ve won,” she said, her voice clipped.

      Jake shrugged, and Skye felt her temper rise.

      “I’d like to think we’ll all win,” Jake said, with a disarming smile. “I’m not your enemy. Your mom makes a little money, and we might all discover something to benefit mankind.”

      “What benefit is a bunch of bones?” She knew she was being argumentative, but the man’s confidence needed shaking up.

      “What benefit are garnets?”

      “Are you always so condescending?” Skye couldn’t hold back the words.

      Becca gave a nervous chuckle. “Jake, be nice.”

      Jake gave his sister a wounded look. “I’m being nice. But how are gems worth more than the history of life on earth?”

      With Jake’s gaze on her, Skye couldn’t muster a single one of the arguments she’d thought of on the way out here. For the first time, she questioned the value of her determination to find diamonds in her mine. At the end of life, they really would be worthless. Was she chasing something that held no real value?

      But even Jake’s vaunted scientific discovery would be nothing when standing before God’s throne. And her motives weren’t about money anyway.

      She pressed her lips together and stuffed her copy of the lease back into her purse and handed Jake the other copy. “It looks like I have no choice.”

      The petite, dark-haired woman smiled and held out her hand. “No one seems disposed to introduce us. I’m Wynne Baxter. Becca was a Baxter before she married, but it seems we’re still stuck with Jake. Kidding aside, he is actually very conscious of the environment when he works a dig. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how little he’ll disturb the area.”

      The knot in Skye’s stomach uncoiled a bit by the young woman’s friendly manner. In different circumstances they might be friends. “I find that hard to believe.”

      Wynne fell into step beside her, and they walked toward Skye’s truck. “It’s going to be okay, Skye. Jake will be careful. You’ll see.”

      Skye felt near tears and wasn’t sure why. She felt as if Jake had made her appear to be a willful child. “Why did he have to pick this spot?” She didn’t want to see the beauty of her favorite meadow