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But he was playing it cool. Yep. That was what he was doing.
“Then who the hell called?” Van was pacing in front of the big wooden doors that led out to the front lot of the Lodge. He looked up and caught sight of Hale. He slid his cell into his pocket and started walking his way.
Hale put his cell away. “I have no idea. I don’t know why anyone would want to get us both here at the same time. Actually, they couldn’t have known I would be here. So this must be about you. Do you know anyone here? Do you think it might have been that lawyer?”
“Well, it was a man on the phone. Specifically you, according to Micky. I don’t get it. Why bring me to a public place? It’s not like someone’s going to try to take me out in the middle of the lobby.” Van glanced around as though looking for threats.
“Boys, I’m glad you’re here,” a booming voice said.
Hale looked over as the big doors were closing again after admitting two new visitors to the Elk Creek Lodge. Elisa looked surprisingly hot in her uniform. Not surprising. He thought she looked hot in pretty much everything. That was not the sight that worried him. It was Mel Hughes walking beside her. The man was tall and lanky and even weirder than Hale considered himself. It was a big plus that Elisa seemed to not mind weird, though she did seem surprised at what her father had said.
Elisa strode over to them. “Hey, I didn’t know you would be here. I’m interviewing a witness. Is everything okay?”
“Someone impersonating Hale called Trio and told me I needed to get here ASAP.” Van couldn’t quite hide the way he looked at Elisa. Like he was ready to eat her up, but he held himself back.
Did the uniform trigger something in Van? Or did it remind him of all the ways he thought he wasn’t good enough? He shoved that problem aside for the moment since they had other things to worry about. “I’m here to work on the heater on…”
“The third floor,” Mel finished. “It goes out every time those damn Neluts show up to use our forests for their mating rituals. I bet they didn’t even bother to get a license.”
Elisa ignored her father’s banter. “Who would want you here at the same time?”
“Me, of course.” Mel gave them all a friendly smile as he settled a big bag over his shoulder. “Are there or are there not circles and lines in the snow in the east field that are likely a landing map?”
Hale frowned. “Lucy’s pretty sure it’s a prank. She’s going to have maintenance smooth it all over.”
That got Mel moving. “Well, we better hurry then. Come along, boys. We’ve got some aliens to hunt.”
“But the heater…” Lucy had been worried about it. Guests tended to get upset when they didn’t have hot water.
“Will just bust again when the Nelut ship flies overhead,” Mel insisted.
Van looked to Elisa. “Do I have… Yep. I’m going to go make sure he’s okay.”
Hale caught a hint of the look Elisa had sent Van. It was intimidating to say the least, and he remembered what Max did when Rachel was obviously irritated. It was simple. He did whatever Rachel wanted and with a smile.
Hale forced a smile on his face. “Let’s go. It’s going to be fun.”
Van’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” He must be getting better at this because Van followed right behind him.
Chapter Twelve
The days kept getting weirder.
Van stepped out of the lodge’s door. It was at the back of the main building and led to the ski section of the lodge. Cold blasted over his skin even as the sun was almost too bright. He pulled his sunglasses over his eyes as he followed behind Hale, who was still carrying his tool kit.
If the aliens crashed and needed a tune-up, Hale would be there for them.
If Mel didn’t kill the fuckers first.
He was going to miss this place so much.
“Why?” He rushed to catch up because Mel might be pushing seventy, but the dude could move. Now that he watched the man, he had to admit there was an oddly predatory grace to his movements. Like an old tiger moving through the snow, looking for prey.
“Well, the atmosphere is right for fertilization. See the Neluts lost their own planet centuries ago. They tried to invade way back in 79 AD. But the Atlanteans defeated them. Had to blow up Pompeii, and from what I’ve heard they were never the same. Guilt can kill whole cultures,” Mel was saying as he left the nicely shoveled path and started walking on the snow. “Anyway, the Neluts became a space-faring people, and now they only leave their ships to mate. Fertilization requires specialized conditions they can’t replicate on a ship. Also, they have some fairly detailed religious beliefs that require the touching of Earth for first life.”
