her throat. “I know. We’ll
try to be back before her shift starts. Joe can go to the gaming fl oor and play the role of drunk white man while he watches out for her.”
Joe approached as she explained her idea. Even though she’d just
come up with it on the fl y, he nodded like it was a well-considered plan.
“Yup.”
Boom nodded as well. “Th at could work. Lily should be safe as
long as she’s at school. But to be sure, I’ll stop by. I teach a session on our traditional ways each semester. My presence there won’t draw any interest or surprise.”
“Does your seminar include dream catchers?” Aroostine asked
the question before she could stop herself. It was rude, but the
dream catcher seemed so out of place, she really wanted to know.
His eyes shifted to the feathered decoration hanging in his win-
dow. “Eh, that. It’s nothing—you know, before you were born, that
was a symbol of pan-Indian unity, Aroostine. A way for the tribes to reach across our diff erences. But now? It’s just tourist crap. Hanging it there was Lee’s bright idea. He treats me like some curiosity to display to his investors, but he also funds my cultural board generously, so I choose my battles.”
“Oh.” She felt a sudden wave of sympathy for the old man. She
waited a beat and then continued, “Speaking of the cultural board,
is it okay if we stay in the cottage for a few more nights? We’d be happy to make a donation to the board,” she asked.
“Nonsense. You’ll stay as long as you like, as our guests.”
88
CHILLING EFFECT
“Th ank you.”
Behind her, Joe shuffl ed his feet in the dust. “We should get
going, Roo, if you want to be back before six.”
Joe was right. Th ey had a good distance to cover.
“Th ank you, Boom.” She turned to leave.
“No, thank you, daughter. And Aroostine—?”
“Yes?”
She turned back, and he pierced her with a meaningful look. “Be
open to your spirit guide. You may get another message. Trust it.”
She nodded, trying to shake the feeling that Boom was himself
trying to give her a message, and fell into step next to Joe. Th ey headed toward the Jeep. She glanced over her shoulder. Boom stood
watching them from his doorway.
89
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Joe unlocked the passenger door for her and held it open. Th en, as he did every time they’d gotten in a car since college, he leaned over and kissed her. It was part of their routine, as natural as breathing after all these years. She smiled, her lips parting against his warm mouth, and leaned in close to him.
Th en she sniff ed the air twice and pulled back.
“Jeez. I’ll grab a shower at the hotel,” he said in mock indignation.
She shook her head. “No. Do you smell that?”
He turned his nose toward the front of the car and inhaled.
“What?”
“Cleaning supplies.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or maybe pool
chemicals?”
He took another deep sniff .
“Nope, sorry. It’s probably just rental car detailing.” He dis-
missed it with a shrug.
“I guess.”
CHILLING EFFECT
She slid into the passenger seat, but unease had lodged itself in
the pit of her stomach. Joe walked around the front of the Jeep. Th e sunlight glinted off his blond hair turning it gold.
He settled into the seat beside her and put the key in the igni-
tion. She sniff ed again. Th e smell seemed even stronger. Her eyes were watering.
“Wait—you really don’t smell that?”
He gave her a careful look. “I really don’t. What are you think-
ing?”
Her mind fl ashed to Lee Buckmount standing beside the vehi-
cle when they’d walked back from their stargazing in the meadow.
“What if somebody tampered with the car?”
His blue eyes darkened. He removed the key from the ignition
without another word and popped the hood release.
He stepped out of the car and she followed. He lifted the hood
and stared down at the engine and at—whatever the other parts
were. As a nondriver, she wasn’t sure what they
try to be back before her shift starts. Joe can go to the gaming fl oor and play the role of drunk white man while he watches out for her.”
Joe approached as she explained her idea. Even though she’d just
come up with it on the fl y, he nodded like it was a well-considered plan.
“Yup.”
Boom nodded as well. “Th at could work. Lily should be safe as
long as she’s at school. But to be sure, I’ll stop by. I teach a session on our traditional ways each semester. My presence there won’t draw any interest or surprise.”
“Does your seminar include dream catchers?” Aroostine asked
the question before she could stop herself. It was rude, but the
dream catcher seemed so out of place, she really wanted to know.
His eyes shifted to the feathered decoration hanging in his win-
dow. “Eh, that. It’s nothing—you know, before you were born, that
was a symbol of pan-Indian unity, Aroostine. A way for the tribes to reach across our diff erences. But now? It’s just tourist crap. Hanging it there was Lee’s bright idea. He treats me like some curiosity to display to his investors, but he also funds my cultural board generously, so I choose my battles.”
“Oh.” She felt a sudden wave of sympathy for the old man. She
waited a beat and then continued, “Speaking of the cultural board,
is it okay if we stay in the cottage for a few more nights? We’d be happy to make a donation to the board,” she asked.
“Nonsense. You’ll stay as long as you like, as our guests.”
88
CHILLING EFFECT
“Th ank you.”
Behind her, Joe shuffl ed his feet in the dust. “We should get
going, Roo, if you want to be back before six.”
Joe was right. Th ey had a good distance to cover.
“Th ank you, Boom.” She turned to leave.
“No, thank you, daughter. And Aroostine—?”
“Yes?”
She turned back, and he pierced her with a meaningful look. “Be
open to your spirit guide. You may get another message. Trust it.”
She nodded, trying to shake the feeling that Boom was himself
trying to give her a message, and fell into step next to Joe. Th ey headed toward the Jeep. She glanced over her shoulder. Boom stood
watching them from his doorway.
89
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Joe unlocked the passenger door for her and held it open. Th en, as he did every time they’d gotten in a car since college, he leaned over and kissed her. It was part of their routine, as natural as breathing after all these years. She smiled, her lips parting against his warm mouth, and leaned in close to him.
Th en she sniff ed the air twice and pulled back.
“Jeez. I’ll grab a shower at the hotel,” he said in mock indignation.
She shook her head. “No. Do you smell that?”
He turned his nose toward the front of the car and inhaled.
“What?”
“Cleaning supplies.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or maybe pool
chemicals?”
He took another deep sniff .
“Nope, sorry. It’s probably just rental car detailing.” He dis-
missed it with a shrug.
“I guess.”
CHILLING EFFECT
She slid into the passenger seat, but unease had lodged itself in
the pit of her stomach. Joe walked around the front of the Jeep. Th e sunlight glinted off his blond hair turning it gold.
He settled into the seat beside her and put the key in the igni-
tion. She sniff ed again. Th e smell seemed even stronger. Her eyes were watering.
“Wait—you really don’t smell that?”
He gave her a careful look. “I really don’t. What are you think-
ing?”
Her mind fl ashed to Lee Buckmount standing beside the vehi-
cle when they’d walked back from their stargazing in the meadow.
“What if somebody tampered with the car?”
His blue eyes darkened. He removed the key from the ignition
without another word and popped the hood release.
He stepped out of the car and she followed. He lifted the hood
and stared down at the engine and at—whatever the other parts
were. As a nondriver, she wasn’t sure what they
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