“You’re laying it on too thick, Prince Charming.”
“The point is, I heard him talking to himself, and I confirmed he was alone when he stepped out to go to supper and zipped his tent closed behind him.”
“Did he see you?”
“What good am I at sneaking around if I’m that easy to catch?”
She shook her head. “Parker, you need to be careful. I don’t want you to get shot again.”
Shot? For eavesdropping? This wasn’t Bronko’s Colombian cartel headquarters.
“You think Fernel is dangerous?” he asked.
“No, but I think you are a bit of a trouble magnet.”
He winked. “That’s how I caught you, boss lady.”
“I caught you, Parker. Not the other way around.”
“You always have to be on top, don’t you?”
She winked back. “You like me on top.”
“God, I do.” He thumbed toward thesacbe. “You want to sneak back to the tent with me and I’ll show you how much.”
“Of course, but I have this silly dig site to run.”
“Just my luck. Where’s mykimiwhen I need him?”
“Probably off gallivanting on your unicorn.” She turned to stare at the wall, her forehead lining. “So, Dr. Fernel was alone talking to himself in his tent. That’s not really that odd, Parker. I do it all of the time.”
“I know, but it’s cute when you do it. Plus, you don’t tap your fingers together while peering evilly down at a map as you froth at the mouth in your malicious glee.”
She turned back to him, the furrows in her brow nice and deep. “Dr. Fernel was doing that?”
“No, but it makes him sound more sinister and adds some excitement to my tale.”
“Parker!” she growled.
He laughed. “Now you look like your spirit dog pal. We should give the dog a name, don’t you think?Ok-the-dog is not very catchy. I’m thinking about calling my Death buddy ‘Jones.’It rhymes with bones.”
She sighed. “What was Dr. Fernel saying?”
“I thought you frowned on eavesdropping, boss lady.”
“Parker,” she growled again.
“It wasn’t what he was saying, rather what he was holding.”
She cringed slightly. “If this is going to take a perverted turn, I don’t want to hear it. I have to work with that guy.”
He laughed. “You have to work with me, too, and I’m often thinking perverted thoughts about you.”
“Yeah, but those are mutually shared fantasies.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him again.
“Really? What fantasies are you having about me? We should put our bodies together and compare notes.”
“The naked kind, Parker. What was Dr. Fernel holding?”
