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“So, what are you going to do about it?” She tipped her face up to his.
As he glanced down at her, his gaze briefly dropped to her mouth. Something flared in his eyes, something that felt personal and intimate.
Her heartbeat raced as she waited for his answer.
CHAPTER 2: SET IN STONE
Dragging his gaze from her sassy mouth was one of the hardest things Shep had ever done, especially with the way she was watching him — a little dazed and confused by the new level of awareness surging between them. However, she was a friend, a really good one, and he wasn’t going to jeopardize that by pressuring her into anything she wasn’t ready for. She’d made it pretty clear that she wasn’t ready to date him, and he was okay with that, especially after finding out she considered him to be her best friend. They could build on that.
“I’m going to let you in on a secret, Prim,” he drawled. “Hope it doesn’t scare you off from learning search and rescue stuff.”
The dazed look left, and the sparkle returned to her eyes. “I don’t scare easily. You know that, Shep.”
“Yeah. I do.” Her spunk and bravery was going to make her an incredible partner, one who’d have his back in the coming days. There was no one he trusted more.
“Oh, come on! Don’t leave me hanging,” she begged. “Out with your big honking secret already!”
“One honking secret coming up.” He grinned at her. He couldn’t help it. She was always saying and doing theunexpected. Like the tall gray cat painted to look like he was peeking around her pants leg. He bet her outfit was a real hit with the kids who visited the clinic. “The whole point of putting together a team of volunteers like this is so we can color outside the lines a little here on the rez.” He shot an irritated look at the big yellow tractor whose motor was droning ever closer.
“Oo.” She looked intrigued. “You’re speaking my language. I like coloring outside the lines.”
His gaze briefly dropped to her mouth again. “I was hoping you’d say that, because the sheriff could really use our help with something. And as a member of the Heart Lake Police Department, my hands are tied. I don’t have jurisdiction here. A group of volunteers, on the other hand, won’t fall under the same rules.”
Her expression was rapt as she absorbed every word he was telling her. “Is this one of those need-to-know things, or can you talk about it?”
“I’ll be operating under the same volunteer status as you, so anything the sheriff tells me I can share with you at my discretion.” He bent closer to speak directly in her ear. “He’s worried the Paddocks are muling drugs, and he wants our K-9s to help him sniff them out.”
“So, we’ll be working a real case together?” She sounded awed.
“Yep.” He liked the way she leaned forward to speak directly in his ear as he had done with her. It brought them cheek to cheek.
“Well, I’m ready. What’s our game plan?” She rubbed her hands excitedly.
“Still working on it. Had to put together my team first.”
“A team of two.” She drew back with a chuckle.
“It’s enough.” He reached for her elbow to draw her close again. “At first, the sheriff assumed Mato Paddock was justshmoozing around with some new drag racing buddies. But that was before Tim Getz cruised through the gates of the rez.”
Her eyes widened. “Should that name mean something to me?”
“He’s a member of the Dallas Kings. A nephew of one of the kings, to be more precise.”
She gasped. “You mean the mafia?”
“‘Fraid so.” He liked the way she stepped instinctively closer to him and was almost disappointed when the tractor droned farther away, making it easier to talk again. Because of the seriousness of their discussion, though, he kept their heads together. “Though it’s possible they simply bonded over racing, what’s he doing up here in the mountains? It’s awfully far from his normal stomping ground.”
“I can see why the sheriff is nervous.” Prim pursed her lips. “I would be, too, if I had the mafia slinking like slime around me. He’s wise to keep an eye on them.”
“Yep.” Shep was less than thrilled about it himself. Though he didn’t live or work on the rez, he was an active member of the tribe. They were his people. Naturally, he felt protective of them.
“So, what are you thinking?” she pressed. “That Mato and his pals are growing weed? Building meth labs?”
“Maybe.” Before he and his dogs got down to any actual track and scent work, all he could do was speculate.
“You don’t sound convinced.” Prim studied his expression.
“You’re right. I’m not. Though I respect the sheriff’s concerns, I don’t think meth labs are the Dallas Kings’ style. Or weed, for that matter.” He’d been reading up on them last night and this morning, and that didn’t fit their profile. Sure, some of their lower-level members dabbled in drugs. It sort of came with the territory when dealing with a massive crime syndicate. Word on the street, however, was that two big families running theoperation were eyeballs deep in something else entirely. Money crimes, like loan sharking and insurance fraud.
