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She was spending a lot of time at his place lately while she worked on the Chilkoot case.
“It’s because of the Wi-Fi,” she kept saying. But they both knew better. It was because it felt so good to tuck into bed together at night, and wake up naked together. Make long slow love, or fast hot love, whichever fit the moment. Sip coffee on his porch together while watching the tender spring transform into glorious summer. Take Buttercup for long runs, until Molly left them both behind for an extra ten miles for so.
Life with Molly…it was a gift. Something had healed inside him, and he had to thank the Chilkoots for that, at least a little bit. He’d proven himself, and he’d won the girl. Hell yeah.
Molly wondered what Sam was grinning about, but she didn’t overthink it. They both went around smiling a lot these days.
On the other hand, this was a memorial service. They were standing with several dozen other Firelight Ridge residents next to Daniel’s D9—which turned out to be a bulldozer, who knew?—at its parking place behind the gas station, two weeks after the showdown at the Ice Falls. Friends had adorned it with early wildflowers and wreaths of spruce boughs. Someone had set a freshly rolled joint on the seat, and Gunnar, the young gas station owner, had added moose antlers. Such a quirky Alaska scene, you had to love it. And Molly did.
She held Sam’s hand as they listened to people talk about various times Daniel had come to their rescue with his plow truck, or said a kind word, or made them sourdough pancakes in his red and black plaid long underwear.
Then it was her turn. “You’ll all be happy to hear that I submitted Daniel’s story, “Wild Land, Wild Love,” to a magazine editor I know. They’re going to publish it in their online edition as it’s rather, uh, racy. I’ll let you all know when it’s up.”
Everyone applauded that news. Sam squeezed her hand, his shoulder brushing hers. He thought the story was ridiculous, but she’d insisted on keeping her promise to the AA group.
Elias stood at Molly’s other side, having requested permission to attend the memorial. He was still in the care of a temporary foster home in Blackbear while the legalities were sorted out. Maureen McBride had rushed down to Blackbear as soon as she heard that her son had been located. Their reunion had brought everyone to tears.
She’d asked Elias where he wanted to live, and amazingly, she was now making plans to move to Firelight Ridge if she was granted custody. Molly was going to make certain that happened. But it shouldn’t be in any doubt. Angus McBride sure wasn’t going to get custody; he’d confessed to facilitating Elias’ kidnapping, though at least he hadn’t actually sold him. The money Elias had remembered had been paid to the kidnapper, a local petty criminal, for his silence.
After Toni finished telling a story about how Daniel had taught her how to make kombucha, Elias raised his hand to speak. Everyone went quiet so they could listen.
“Daniel was a good person, and my friend. Before I knew him, I thought everyone outside our land was an enemy. Now I know it’s not true, and now I have even more friends.”
The other residents murmured their agreement. Trapper John tipped his greasy cowboy hat at him. Kathy from the general store offered one of her rare smiles. Lila, who stood on Elias’ other side, squeezed his hand. Ani and Charlie had gone home after barely a week in Firelight Ridge, and Molly already missed them.
All around them, spears of green grass reached toward the light. Summer was almost here, and the birds were celebrating with calls that pierced the heart with their sweetness.
No, Sam was the one who had pierced her heart with his…Sam-ness. With him at her side, all was right in the world, even if things were still a bit wonky elsewhere. Even though the rest of the world felt far away, she still kept up with what was going on. If there was one thing she’d learned from the Chilkoots it was that it did no good to wall yourself off. People needed each other.
“How are you doing?” Sam whispered in Molly’s ear. She turned her face to meet his lips, and they shared a quick kiss.
“Better now,” she murmured.
“Just from a kiss? Just wait’ll we get home.”
“Hey, no sexy-talk at a memorial service.”
“Why not? Daniel would want it this way,” he said virtuously. “He was a horny bastard.”
In the midst of her giggle, she hissed in a breath and nudged him. In the trees beyond the D9, a figure hovered. Ruth Chilkoot. In the next moment, she disappeared back into the wilderness.
Molly said softly, “I think she really loved Daniel. Love is always a wild card. It makes you do unexpected things.”
“Like move to Alaska?”
“I came for my friends,” Molly teased him. “And stayed to start my new career as a child advocate.” Then she slipped her arm around him. “But you’re a very excellent bonus.”
“Let’s go home and I’ll show you just how excellent.”
The gunning of an engine caught everyone’s attention. Still arm in arm with Sam, Molly swung around and stared at the gleaming red convertible bumping along the road from Blackbear.
“Is that my car?” She shaded her eyes from the sun so she could see better. Lila clapped her hands together in excitement. “Is that Charlie?”
It was her, all right, driving Red down the pothole-ridden road toward Firelight Ridge. She wore tortoiseshell sunglasses and a baseball cap, along with a clinging black velour tracksuit. She looked like a celebrity on the run.
She parked the car and jumped out. Then she grabbed a glass tank from the passenger seat, and hurried over to Molly and Lila.
“Goldilocks!” Lila claimed the fish tank, while Charlie, in a rapid-fire whisper, told them she’d explain later, but right now, she had about two minutes to stay out of trouble.
