Free Hold Me by Susan Mallery

hand-to-hand stuff. Most movies don’t even try, but he’s into the details.”
    Madeline leaned close to Destiny and lowered her voice. “Consuelo used to be in Special Forces or something. She teaches the most amazing classes at the bodyguard school here in town. She started with self-defense, but now she does these killer exercise classes. I’ve been taking them since the first of the year, and I now have muscles in places I didn’t know you could have muscles. But every now and then she scares me. I swear, she could kill someone with a paper towel.”
    “I’m impressed and intimidated,” Destiny admitted.
    “Tell me about it. Let me know if you ever want to go to class with me. It’s hard, but it’s fun.”
    “Thanks. I will.”
    Jo arrived with two big platters of nachos. Starr laughed at something Larissa said. Conversations at the other tables in the bar flowed just as freely.
    Destiny had to admit that she was more than a little surprised by Fool’s Gold. She generally had a good time on her assignments, but she’d been worried about this one. Mostly because of Starr. But from everything she’d seen so far, Fool’s Gold was welcoming and an easy place to live. She already felt as if she’d been here for months instead of only a week. There was a sense of connection she wasn’t used to. Belonging. She liked the women she’d met and was grateful they were being so nice to her and Starr. Not that she was looking for permanent, but it would be nice while it lasted.
    * * *
     
    F AMILY M AN A IR C HARTERS was housed in a hangar by the airport. Finn Andersson, a tall man in his midthirties, leaned back in his chair while Kipling explained about Miles and the helicopter. Aidan Mitchell sat in the other visitor’s chair and listened.
    “Helicopter time isn’t cheap,” Kipling explained. “But it offers a unique perspective.”
    Aidan and Finn glanced at each other.
    “Interesting,” Aidan said. “Finn and I have been bouncing around the idea of getting something permanent going for the tour company. A helicopter would offer some interesting advantages.”
    Finn nodded. “Right. We could take people up into the mountains, and they could hike down. Or into the backwoods that are too remote to reach any other way. How long is Miles around?”
    “Two months,” Kipling told him. “The mapping should be done by mid to late July.”
    “Enough time to see if there’s interest,” Aidan said. “Because if we move forward with a helicopter, that’s a big investment.”
    “I could get my helicopter license.” Finn sounded excited by the prospect. “It would have to make business sense, but that would be a fun challenge.”
    Aidan chuckled. “Any excuse to fly.” His expression turned thoughtful. “You know, we could talk to Mayor Marsha about the city going in on the helicopter with us. You and I could buy it, and then the city could contract with us when there was an emergency.”
    “I can talk to Destiny about how a helicopter fits in with the STORMS project,” Kipling offered.
    “This is good,” Aidan said.
    “I agree,” Finn added. “We should have thought of this ourselves. We’ll be in touch with Miles and see if he wants some extra work while he’s in town.”
    “Happy to help,” Kipling told them. “I hope it works out.” Because he enjoyed solving a problem when he encountered one.
    When the meeting finished, he walked toward his Jeep. The mountains seemed closer today, which wasn’t possible. But he felt them all the same. Looming. Insistent. Taunting.
    He hurt. The places where the bones had shattered were the worst. Most of his joints knew when it was going to rain two days before the local weather guy. He reminded himself he’d survived. That he was walking, and the odds had been against him ever getting out of a wheelchair. He should be grateful.
    When he reached the Jeep, he glanced up at the mountains and imagined them covered in snow. If there was snow, he could