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Once he’s gone, I turn back to April to say goodbye, but she cuts me off with, “Did that young man just suggest I’m ‘playing’ at being a doctor?”
“No, no. He’s just… I’ll explain later.”Not if I can help it.“Breakfast?”
“I eat at seven.”
“I’ll be here.”
Storm is out on the back deck waiting for me, and I walk over to pat her head as she stands up.
“What have you got for me, Gunnar?” I say.
He leans against the railing. “Would you agree that I am a valuable member of this crew?”
“I have no idea. Yolanda is in charge of construction. Is there a problem?”
“But I have proven myself to be valuable, right? To you? I’ve brought you tips. I keep my eyes out. I helped with that lady’s body, and I haven’t told anyone thereisa dead lady.”
“Thank you…” I say.
“I want to stay,” he says. “And I’m not on the list.”
“Ah.” I lower myself into a chair. “Yolanda has scheduled you to leave early.”
“Your husband did. He doesn’t like me.” Gunnar flexes, muscles rippling. “It happens. Especially with guys who marry up.”
“Marry up?”
“In looks. You’re hot. He’s…” A shrug. “Averagely decent. I don’t know what the deal is there. Maybe the money.”
“The money?”
“I know this is his town. I’ve heard things. You two built it, which means your guy must be loaded, even if he sure as hell doesn’t look like it.”
I open my mouth to protest. Then I just shut it and shake my head.
“Point is that I don’t blame him for feeling threatened,” Gunnar says.
I bite the inside of my cheek. “Eric doesn’t feel threatened. Yolanda made the initial lists, and they discussed it, and Eric finalized choices. If you’re not on the list, it isn’t personal.”
“If you say so.…”
“Eric is head of security. That means that he’s only going to notice you if you’re a threat to security. If he decides you’re trouble. In that case, he wouldn’t ship you off without a conversation. Have you had that conversation?”
“Conversation? The guy hasn’t said two words to me.”
“And I’ll bet that’s exactly what most people in this crew would also say. He’s here to work, and he’s focused on his work.Even if you were in his bad books—which you are not—that wouldn’t interfere with whether or not you’re on ‘the list.’ Getting this town finished is his priority.”
“I’m a damn fine worker.” He rests his hip against the railing. “Yeah, I don’t bring specific skills to the table, but I pull my weight and I do what I’m told and, hell, if you just need someone to haul shit around, play workhorse…” He flexes his biceps. “I’m your man.”
“I will have a talk with Yolanda and Eric, but if they’ve already made the list public, it’s hard to swap you out without an explanation. Maybe if there’s someone who didn’t want to stay…?” I rise from the chair. “Let me see what I can do.”
“You mean that? Or are you blowing me off?”
“Fifty-fifty.”
He snorts a laugh. “At least you’re honest.”
“I try. The problem is that we have a time crunch, and I have two dead bodies, and I am not unsympathetic, Gunnar, but I really do need to get back to work.”
