Shadow Bones Read Free

workers,” she snapped.
    â€œI don’t intend to. Now if you’ll give me that contract, I can sign it and get to work.”
    â€œMother made a change.” She dropped her backpack, flipped it open and then pulled out the lease. She wanted to crumple it into a ball and toss it over the cliff, but she forced an impassive glare and handed it to Jake.
    Skye pointed out the crossed out clause. “The lease is for the summer only with no extension.”
    Jake sighed. He took off his hat and rubbed his forehead. “That’s not acceptable to me. We had an agreement.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. “Mrs. Metis? Jake Baxter here. I really need that clause in the lease. I can’t jeopardize the dig with time constraints, and you gave me your word.”
    As soon as she heard his cajoling voice and the way he reminded her mother of her promise, Skye knew her mother would cave. Mary Metis prided herself on being a woman of her word. Besides, Jake had a way of presenting his view that seemed so plausible.
    He handed her the phone, and she listened while her mother told her to reinstate the clause. Skye knew better than to argue. Nothing was more important to her mother than her word.
    She clicked off the phone and handed it back to Jake. She crossed out the correction her mother had made, though it pained her to do so.
    â€œMay I borrow your pen?”
    For a moment she was tempted to tell him no, but that would just delay the inevitable. She held out a pen without saying anything.
    Jake took it and signed the lease with a flourish. “Thank your mother for her willingness to advance science.”
    â€œSo you’ve won,” she said, her voice clipped.
    Jake shrugged, and Skye felt her temper rise.
    â€œI’d like to think we’ll all win,” Jake said, with a disarming smile. “I’m not your enemy. Your mom makes a little money, and we might all discover something to benefit mankind.”
    â€œWhat benefit is a bunch of bones?” She knew she was being argumentative, but the man’s confidence needed shaking up.
    â€œWhat benefit are garnets?”
    â€œAre you always so condescending?” Skye couldn’t hold back the words.
    Becca gave a nervous chuckle. “Jake, be nice.”
    Jake gave his sister a wounded look. “I’m being nice. But how are gems worth more than the history of life on earth?”
    With Jake’s gaze on her, Skye couldn’t muster a single one of the arguments she’d thought of on the way out here. For the first time, she questioned the value of her determination to find diamonds in her mine. At the end of life, they really would be worthless. Was she chasing something that held no real value?
    But even Jake’s vaunted scientific discovery would be nothing when standing before God’s throne. And her motives weren’t about money anyway.
    She pressed her lips together and stuffed her copy of the lease back into her purse and handed Jake the other copy. “It looks like I have no choice.”
    The petite, dark-haired woman smiled and held out her hand. “No one seems disposed to introduce us. I’mWynne Baxter. Becca was a Baxter before she married, but it seems we’re still stuck with Jake. Kidding aside, he is actually very conscious of the environment when he works a dig. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how little he’ll disturb the area.”
    The knot in Skye’s stomach uncoiled a bit by the young woman’s friendly manner. In different circumstances they might be friends. “I find that hard to believe.”
    Wynne fell into step beside her, and they walked toward Skye’s truck. “It’s going to be okay, Skye. Jake will be careful. You’ll see.”
    Skye felt near tears and wasn’t sure why. She felt as if Jake had made her appear to be a willful child. “Why did he have to pick this spot?” She