Kimberly stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing.“Steak?On a deserted island?No.But I know where there’s a patch of raspberries.Care for some fruit?”
I opened my eyes and sat up, letting a smile curve the corner of my lips.“Woman, right now I’d be happy with anything that doesn’t bite back when I eat it.Where is this raspberry patch?”
“Just this side of the clearing.”She grinned.“You know.The one where we just about tripped over those guys?”
I scrambled to my feet, and we started back the way we’d come.The walk was much more enjoyable this time, the tension dispelled.We still needed to find a way off the island, but at least no one was shooting at us.
“So, who do you work for?You must be some kind of conservation officer, what with chasing poachers and all.”She flicked a sideways glance at me.
“I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.”I favored her with a cheerful grin.“Oh no, wait.That’s James Bond.Me, I belong to an international organization and right now our mandate is to stop the trade in illegal animal products before some of these species become extinct.”
Kimberly frowned.“Is it getting worse?I know there’s always been a market, but awareness has grown over the years.People care more and are less likely to ignore the problem.The risk of them getting caught should make them think twice.Canada isn’t so bad, but I’ve heard horror stories about jails in other countries.”
“The market is huge, and they get plenty of money for the parts they harvest off the animals.”I narrowed my eyes, remembering some of the horrific scenes I’d witnessed.“It’s worth enough for them to commit murder.”
“Yeaaahh.”She shuddered.“Do you get shot at a lot?”
I shrugged.“Occupational hazard, but I’m usually fast enough to get out of the way.And I try not to put myself in the line of fire.These guys were shooting blind and just got lucky.Not so lucky for me.”
“Occupational hazard?Wow.Maybe you’re not someone I want to stick too close to.Still, with those killer abs and that delicious ass, I might be persuaded to make an exception.”She clapped a hand across her mouth, her eyes going wide.“Forget I said that.PTSD or something.”Her face turned an adorable shade of crimson, and she quickly turned away from me.
I felt my spirits lift.She thought I had a delicious ass.I couldn’t help the grin on my face, but I decided to give her a break and ignore the remark.“Are you sure you saw raspberry bushes out here?We’re almost back to the clearing.”
“Yes, we should be just about on top of them.”She peered at the thick brush on either side of the path.“Maybe a little bit further?Oh, I see them!”
We rounded yet another corner on the meandering path and there they were.Thickly fruited bushes lined both sides of the trail, the berries so plump and juicy they were literally falling off the bushes.
“I told you so.”Laughter twinkled in her gorgeous eyes as I stuck my tongue out before plucking a handful of the ripe fruit and cramming it into my mouth.
She shook her head when I offered her the second handful.“It’s okay.I can pick my own.Watch out for bears though.They tend to like the berries too.”
I paused, another handful of berries halfway to my mouth.“It might sound crazy, but right before I passed out earlier, I could have sworn I saw a spirit bear looking down at me.It didn’t look scary or anything, almost like it wanted to help.I know they don’t live this far south, but it seemed so real.”
A strange look crossed her face.I’d interrogated enough prisoners in my military days to know she was hiding something.When she spoke, her voice sounded forced.“The mind can play funny tricks on you sometimes.If you ever manage to get up to Haida Gwaii you should make a point of looking them up.They’re quite amazing to see, and the cub is adorable.”
I moved a few feet off the path to where the raspberries were growing in thick bunches.What could she be hiding?“You’ve seen them, then?”
* * *
Kimberly
I turned my back so he couldn’t see my face.I really wasn’t good at lying.I tended to look guilty.“Yes, a mother and a cub.I can still picture them, fishing salmon out of a river.”
“That would be quite a sight.”
I couldn’t tell if he was suspicious.Then again, why would he be?It made sense.He probably thought he’d been hallucinating, and maybe he had been.The spirit bear usually kept a good distance between itself and humans.She definitely had survival instincts.
“It was.”Time to change the subject before I got myself in too deep.“So where exactly is your boat?Is it big enough for both of us to get to the mainland?”
“It’s toward the south end of the island.I tied it up to one of those big cedars to make sure it didn’t float away if the tide came in.It’s not fancy but it’s plenty big enough for the three of us.”He nodded at Diego.“We wouldn’t want to leave your bodyguard behind.”
I laughed.“Just try it.He’d probably swim the entire way if we didn’t let him on the boat.”
Ryland nodded.“I imagine he would.He seems like the loyal type.”
Unlike most of the men I knew.I thought it best to leave that particular thought unvoiced.“He is.”
We picked and ate in silence, filling up on the sweet fruit.The juice stained my hands a rather unappealing shade of red.Oh well.At least my belly was full.
