Perfect Specimen: Brietta by Kate Donovan Read Free Book Online Page B

the canopy, where he was finishing a bowl of oatmeal.
    To her chagrin, he jumped to his feet as soon as he saw her.
    He probably expects you to collapse . . .
    “Good news,” she announced. “The amoxicillin has vanquished all germs, and I’m ready to dig. In other words, I’m not a mess anymore.”
    “You look great.” He motioned for her to join him. “I still want you to take it easy today. There’s a storm coming in, which will probably mess you up again, right? Air pressure and all that. So don’t overdo it.”
    “Okay.” She glanced around. “Where’s everyone else?”
    “Hannan’s grooming Kasha. And the potheads are still in the honeymoon suite. I’m beginning to wonder if I made a mistake with them.”
    “Leave them alone. They work for me now, remember?”
    “Whatever you say,” he said with a laugh. “I’m heading out in a few minutes, so remind Mel about the walkies, okay?”
    “We might have some surprises for you when you get back. We’re mostly going to grid, but if there’s time, I might let them do a little sifting, just for practice.”
    He stood up and grabbed his baseball cap from the far end of the table. “I already know what you’ll find. Skeletons and not much else.”
    Brietta winced at the pessimistic prediction. He had gone to a lot of trouble to arrange this expedition and to hire security guards to protect it, hadn’t he? Why do all that if he was so sure it was lackluster or anticlimactic?
    Not that she shared his attitude. Every instinct in her body told her the cemetery had amazing secrets to share.
    “Just because you didn’t find anything doesn’t mean we won’t,” she said finally, arching an eyebrow for emphasis. “I predict you’ll be sorry you didn’t stick around.”
    “Yeah? Well, I hope you’re right,” he murmured, his attention drifting northward as he studied the scrub-covered hills.
    She felt a shiver of excitement. “What do you expect to find up there?”
    “Huh?” He coughed lightly. “Not up there. More likely to the south. And frankly, I’m not sure what to expect. I just know there has to be some reason those guys were buried here, and that reason wasn’t buried with them. It’s out there somewhere. And,” his tone turned brisk, “I’d better get going if I want to find it.”
    “Have fun.”
    “You too. But take it easy, right?”
    Before she could respond, he strode over to Hannan’s horse and swung himself up into the saddle as he’d done the day before. Then with a tip of his cap, cowboy-style, he was gone.
    Brietta had to admit he looked great—the perfect outdoors guy, as comfortable on a horse as he was in a business-class seat. She even suspected he had chosen the horse over the SUV for the drama of it rather than the practicality. He was having fun, his green eyes twinkling with excitement and anticipation for what he might find.
    And for some reason, he’s already sure he won’t find it in the graveyard , she reminded herself wistfully. No wonder he thought a paleontologist would be good enough. Just bones—no artifacts .
    Returning to her tent, she found her binoculars then stepped outside again and looked for Taggert and Kasha in the distance. They were galloping westward, determined to find something amazing.
    “Unless we find something first .”
    “Who are you talking to?” Hannan asked her from the shadows.
    “Oh! Good morning.” She gave him a warm smile. “Taggert keeps stealing your horse.”
    “Yes, it is annoying,” he said with a chuckle. “But he can go farther into the hills with Kasha than with that old jeep. And if I need to rush you to the hospital, a horse would be impractical. Yes?”
    “Haven’t you noticed? I’m completely cured.” She motioned toward the canopy. “Keep me company while I eat breakfast. Then we’ll start the preliminary gridding. I’m determined to find something exciting today. Something that justifies my existence. And you’re going to help me do