LITMIR.BIZ

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know what happened to your wife in Desolation Canyon, but I am not her.”

      He closed the space between them. Hissing in a breath, Kit went rigid, leaning back so far she could easily topple over the sofa with the slightest movement. Through clenched teeth, he muttered, “Don’t you ever bring my wife up again.”

      Her chin went up another notch. “Oh, I see. It’s okay if you play unfair, but not me.”

      He thrust his face close to hers. Panic flared in her eyes, but he didn’t back down. Too much was at stake. “This isn’t a game. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

      She brought her hands up and fisted them against his chest, then shoved him back a few feet. Scurrying to the side, she rounded the couch. “I’m very aware of the stakes. My career is on the line.”

      “So you would risk your life for your career?”

      “Life is a risk.” She shrugged, all the earlier tension evaporating. “What if you and Zach hadn’t taken a chance last year? You all would never have found the Aztec codices. He can write his own ticket anywhere now because of that discovery.”

      Her words threw him back four years to his last argument with Pamela. She’d practically said that very same thing to him. She’d wanted him to take a big corporate fraud case that he’d wanted nothing to do with. In fact, he’d brought her to New Mexico in the hopes of convincing her to relocate here. If they had stayed in New York, she would be alive today. He would have to live with that the rest of his life.

      “This isn’t about Zach or me. It’s about you.” Balling his hands at his sides, he fought to keep his temper in check, but it boiled in his stomach.

      “You are not my keeper. My work is very important to me, but I assure you I won’t take unnecessary risks.”

      There was nothing reassuring about what she said. His gut twisted into a huge knot. “Do you even know what an unnecessary risk is?”

      “I’m a highly educated woman. I’ve lived in New Mexico for half my life.” She pulled herself up tall.

      “So you’ve hiked in places like Desolation Canyon?”

      “Well, not exactly. If I had, I wouldn’t need you.”

      Need you. Those words stuck terror into his heart. “Where have you hiked?”

      “In Chaco, Mesa Verde.”

      He choked back a laugh. “I can see you are prepared.”

      Her glare returned. “I’ll do what it takes to be prepared. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m suddenly not hungry. I’m sure you can explain to Zach and Maggie why I left early.”

      The slamming of the front door echoed through Zach’s house and brought his cousin inside.

      “Obviously, the discussion didn’t go as I had planned.”

      Hawke rounded on Zach. “What did you think I was going to do? I don’t back down. You know that.”

      “You do when you’re wrong.”

      “You think I am?”

      “The information she has gathered is good. There just might be a Lost City of Gold out there or some other significant archaeological find.”

      “Then you take her.”

      “I would if I knew the area like you and hadn’t already committed to an expedition this summer. Besides, I’m not a real archaeologist.”

      “You’re the best amateur I’ve seen. And don’t forget you’re used to fieldwork as an anthropologist.”

      “This is probably a piece of cake after our adventure last year. At least there are no people trying to kill her and get the information she has.”

      “If she keeps going around telling people about it, there will be.” Hawke curled his hands into fists, remembering vividly how close he, Zach and Maggie had come to dying last year. He’d never been concerned about his own life, just his cousin’s and Maggie’s.

      “She’s smart. She knows when to keep her mouth shut.”

      “What’s for dinner? I’m starved.”

      Chuckling, Zach threw his arms up in the air. “I won’t mention it again—tonight. Let’s go eat.”

      Kit stormed up to her porch and plopped down on the glider where she always liked to sit and work out her problems. The Guardian had been surprised when his GPS tracking device he’d planted under her car had indicated she was returning home. She hadn’t been gone long.

      Even in the dimming light, he could see her face clearly through the binoculars. Someone had made her angry. Who? The man who had come to her house earlier that evening. He’d left clearly displeased. Had he found Kit? Had he upset her?

      He would have to find out what was going on with her. He didn’t like her unhappy. Whatever it was, he could fix it. Although it was getting harder, years ago he had made it his purpose in life to protect her and give her what she needed. After all, he owed her.

      It was a shame, though; sometimes she didn’t know what was best for her.

      But that’s why I’m here.

      The following week the door to Hawke’s office crashed open. Kit filled the entrance in all her anger. She stormed toward him as if a tornado swept through the station and planted her fists on his desk, leaning across it.

      “What gives you the right to ruin my life?”

      He met her fury with calm, folding his hands on his calendar blotter with his fingers interlaced. “I thought we had this little discussion last Saturday at Zach’s.”

      “This isn’t about Lester.”

      “Then what’s it about?”

      “I hired James Harrison to be my guide, and now he has disappeared. No one has seen him. What did you do to make him leave town?”

      “Who is James Harrison? I don’t know anyone by that name at Santa Maria Pueblo.”

      “After Lester, I got smart. I looked elsewhere for my guide. So how did you find out about Mr. Harrison? I didn’t even say anything to Zach in case he let it slip to you.”

      “Where in the world did you find this Harrison?”

      She straightened, waving her hand in the air. “That’s not important. He lives in the area.”

      “He does? At the pueblo?”

      “Well, no. Albuquerque. He assured me he knew what he was doing. He had references.”

      “Ah, references are important.” Why hadn’t he noticed how cute she was when she was angry? Her full lips formed a perfect little pout, and her eyes sparked with blue fire. But she was definitely trouble. He had to remember that.

      “They are. He’s led several groups through various canyons in the state.”

      “Any to Desolation Canyon?”

      “No, but isn’t one canyon like another?”

      “No, not at all.” Hawke lounged back in his comfortably padded chair. The day had turned interesting after a rather dull start. “And if you have to ask me that, then you have no business going in there.”

      “You’re just saying that to keep me away.” She sank into the seat across from his desk.

      “To put your mind at rest, I did not say anything to Harrison because I didn’t know about him.” His elbows on the arms of his chair, he steepled his fingers. “Contrary to what you may be thinking, I’ve not been following you around to see who you’ll contact next. I’ll tell you, however, that I’ve let it be known I wouldn’t be too happy if someone from the pueblo was your guide.”

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