“Nope.” Mick carried the scent of pine and cold morning air.
“Good.” With steady hands, she clipped the trailing hooks, advanced the barb slightly, and then backed it out cleanly. A thin line of blood followed. “All done.”
Mick exhaled. “That’s it?”
“You need a tetanus shot.” She pressed gauze to the site.
“Just got one a month ago.”
Good enough. “This is just a small puncture wound that you want to keep clean. Watch for redness, swelling, fever, and drainage. Basically perform standard wound care.”
He nodded. “About that property. We didn’t see any signs posted.”
“Mr. Naluk isn’t big on posting.” May studied the lure now resting in the tray. “Also, that’s the wrong lure choice for a pond like that.”
Mick blinked. “It is?”
“You’d want something smaller. A size six Panther Martin would work better. There are several local ponds that are state run you can fish at legally. Drop by the city center for a map,” May said.
He grinned. “Thanks for the tip, Doc.”
“My best tip?” May peeled off her gloves. “A, stay off private land. B, stay out of your brother’s casting radius.”
Mick laughed. “Noted. Do I check out up front?”
“Nancy will take care of you on your way out.”
He hesitated while drawing his flannel on over his T-shirt. “So… I couldn’t help noticing you’re not wearing a ring.”
May glanced at her hand. “I’m not.”
“How about dinner tonight? As a thank you.” He was charming. Confident without being pushy. Attractive. Relaxed.
“That’s kind of you,” she said gently, “but it’s really not necessary.”
Ivy watched him and then looked at May with a slight jerk of her head. An encouraging one to take the handsome guy up on his offer. With his beard and lighter eyes, he was good looking.
“I know it’s not necessary, but I think we’d have a good dinner. I saw a restaurant called the Green Plate that looks pretty good. I’d love to take you out,” he said.
“Thank you, but no,” May said.
He winked at Ivy. “Maybe I’ll see you both at Sam’s Tavern.” Then he walked out.
Ivy nudged May’s shoulder. “Why not? He’s cute.”
“I’m not dating a tourist.”
“I would.”
May started to clean up. “Then you should’ve said yes when he winked.”
Ivy grinned. “I can’t go out with him after he asked you out. Plus, I took Jack Jones all night fishin’ up the river the night before last. We had a good time. For a city guy, he can fish.”
May stilled. The younger guy who worked for Kyle? “Ivy, I’m glad you’re having some fun. Also, that’s the night that the college student was killed. Did you see anything when the two of you left town?”
Ivy sobered. “No. Nothing. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, and we didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. We were at Sam’s Tavern that night before leaving to fish. I already gave a statement to the troopers, and I’m pretty sure that girl was still at the bar when we left? But I’m not a hundred percent on that.”
Before May could respond, Nancy called down the hallway. “Doc? We’ve got a walk-in.”
