Free Waking the Dead by Kylie Brant Page B

businesslike. She’d gotten to her feet again and was walking slowly around the area, still studying the ground intently.
    “Water’s great. There’s plenty of room if you want to join me.”
    Zach smirked. As pick-up lines went, it was fairly transparent. And it didn’t even warrant a response from Cait. She was on all fours again, this time with her pack beside her. Pushing away from his stance against the tree, he took a few steps closer to see what she was up to. But the next few moments provided no real answers. Why would she be collecting soil samples from the area?
    Cheesedick was getting out of the tub now and making his way carefully over the rocks to join Cait, still talking. “Whatsa matter, don’t have a suit? I won’t tell. There’s just the two of us, anyway. I promise, if you come in for a soak, it’ll be a whole lot more fun than—what’re you doing there, anyway?”
    “Please stay back.” The authority in her tone had the man pausing, and Zach’s gaze narrowed consideringly. He watched as she swiftly scooped up dirt with what looked like a tiny trowel and placed it in plastic containers, carefully labeling each.
    “You’re much too beautiful to be messing in the dirt. Why don’t you come on over here and mess with me instead?”
    Zach rolled his eyes. But his mood abruptly darkened in the next moment when the man made a grab for Caitlin’s arm. She deflected his grasp easily enough by throwing up a forearm and stepping aside. Pushing away from the tree, he was striding toward the couple before he had the conscious thought to move. “You about done down there, Cait?”
    The guy froze, his eyes widening at the sight of Zach. “Ah . . . I was just asking her if she needed any help.” He gave a weak laugh, his gaze moving between the two of them and back again. “I see now that she doesn’t so I’ll just . . . ah . . .” He jerked a thumb back toward the tub and inched away.
    Zach simply stared until the guy flinched a little. “Yeah. Why don’t you do that?”
    Cheesedick started to turn but got no more than a few steps before he slipped and began to fall backward. Swiftly Cait took a few steps in the stream toward him and caught his arm to steady him, but the momentum of his fall had her losing her balance, as well. She went down hard on one knee, bracing herself with one hand in the water, but managed to keep the guy semi-upright until he regained his footing.
    “Geez, I’m sorry. Really. Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine.” Cait was on her feet again, wiping her hand on the leg of her jeans.
    The guy had turned to her once again, his expression sheepish. “Now you’re wet, after all.” He nodded to her half-soaked pant leg. “I’ve got a towel up by the tub.”
    “I’m okay.” Her tone was polite, but she was already making her way back up the slight embankment.
    Cheesedick looked like he was about to say something else, but then he happened to glance Zach’s way again. “Well, thanks again.” He made his way carefully back toward the tub, where hopefully sheer embarrassment would have him thinking twice before tossing lame lines at the next woman who happened by. Zach wondered if the man was capable of realizing that the female he’d just tried to accost likely could have kicked his ass with very little effort. He’d gotten off lucky.
    Cait appeared to have already forgotten about the incident. She was back on her haunches taking more soil samples and carefully labeling each clear container before moving several feet away to repeat the process.
    Zach found a nearby fir to prop his shoulder against and prepared to wait. And to wonder what hot springs had to do with the skeletons he’d found in that cave.

    “Where to next?”
    “Terwilliger is closest, isn’t it?”
    Without answering he nosed his Trailblazer out of the Springs Resort parking lot and headed out of town. Since there wasn’t a damn thing to do except drive her around and watch her, he kept his mind