The gleam in his eyes made her think hed noticed her reaction to him. She resisted the urge to put her hand to her warm cheeks. No sense in confirming her initial attraction.
I look forward to working with you.
His smooth-as-silk voice wrapped around her. It took a moment for his words to process. Working with me?
She couldnt imagine what he could do to help her or the work she did. Hed only be a nuisance. A distraction she didnt want.
Instead of answering, he gestured to the man beside him. This is Sheriff Larkin.
Tessa jerked her gaze from the too-handsome Agent Steele to acknowledge the sheriff with a handshake. Sheriff.
Were counting on you to deal with this, the sheriff said.
Have there been any fires in the area recently? The contamination could be chemicals used in firefighting that seeped into the soil or into the water.
Sheriff Larkin shook his head. No. Not for a couple of years.
So much for that theory. Ill need to test samples of the water and the soil along the lakeshore on both sides.
Ill have a boat ready to take you wherever you need to go, Ranger Harris promised.
You have the fish samples? Shed asked that they collect as many different samples as possible from various points along the lakeshore. That way she would have a better chance of figuring out if the contamination was widespread or localized to a specific section.
Yes. I have at least two dozen waiting for you.
Anxiety spurted through her. She was careful to keep her voice even. Two dozen dead fish?
Yes, maam, George stated. From up and down both sides of the lake all the way to the borderline. Each is labeled where on the lake it came from, like youd asked.
Her stomach sank. So much for hoping the contaminant was limited and hadnt had a chance to cover too large a portion of the lake or to settle in the sediment. With that many dead trout turning up, the toxin had spread.
She looked at Agent SteeleJeff. Youll need to alert the Canadian authorities that the lake is contaminated.
Agent Steele exchanged a glance with the sheriff. Weve communicated to the Canadians that there is an issue with the lake water. They are taking appropriate precautions.
Could an oil or gasoline spill cause the fish to die? Ellen asked.
And swimmers to get sick? George added.
Tessa shifted her gaze to the older couple. Has anyone reported a spill?
George shook his head.
I doubt a tourist would report an accident like that. Too eager to save their own bacon than protect the water, Henry shot out.
What happens if it is a spill? Ellen asked.
Wed skim the spill from the surface by using a boom or skimmer device that sucks up the contaminant. Cleaning up even a small portion of the lake wouldnt be an easy task, but it would be doable.
Jeffs intense gaze held hers. And if its not oil or gas? How do we clean it up?
If the pollutant has settled into the sediment, then dredging will be necessary.
How long will that take? George asked.
Looking at the lake, she said, I dont have a definitive answer.
Your best guess? the sheriff interjected.
I dont make guesses, she said.
Try, Jeff prodded.
The weight of his stare pried the words from her. Considering the size and depth of the lake, maybe a week or two. Maybe more.
George groaned.
Summers not over yet. We still have several weeks of good weather. We cant afford to lose the tourism, Ellen said, distress ringing in her tone.
See, I told you, were doomed! Henry interjected in a loud roar.
Tessa held up a hand. I wont know what to do or what were dealing with until I locate the toxin and assess the damage.
What do we do first? Jeff asked, his intense gaze drilling into her.
We dont do anything. Tessa hoped he understood where the boundary line lay. She didnt need him getting in her way. She turned to Ranger Harris. I need to examine the fish.
* * *
Jeff tapped his foot against the linoleum floor of the Glen Lake ranger station as he talked on his cell phone. He stood in the hallway outside the room where the fish doctor was doing her thing. Overhead, the fluorescent lights hummed, loud enough to make it difficult to hear the man speaking on the other end of the phone. Jeffs blood pressure ratcheted skyward. The summer heat invaded the rangers break room, making him sweat. He tugged at the collar of his uniform shirt.
We cant let this turn into an international disaster. Deputy Director Darrin Moores deep voice held an intense tone that never failed to make Jeff think of his father in lecture mode. But for some reason, Jeff accepted his bosss instruction better than his fathers. Contain the situation, Agent Steele. Determine if this is an accident or an attack.
Jeff detected the note of concern underlying Moores words. Are you suggesting this could be an act of terrorism?
Im erring on the side of caution. The deputy director was as buttoned-down as they came. All of the men and women Jeff had met from Homeland Security headquarters were the epitome of professional.
Protecting the great nation of the United States was serious business.
And tough. For all Homeland Security and Border Patrol agents.
The nations security was more than a job. At least to Jeff.
Stationed at the port of entry in Blaine, Washington, Jeff worked to keep the northern border between the U.S. and Canada safe from threats against the American and Canadian people. Hed been honored when his boss tagged him to be a part of the IBETSIntegrated Border Enforcement Teams, a binational task force working to enhance border integrity and security along the shared U.S./Canada line.
The deputy director had told him yesterday to hustle to Glen Lake. Jeff had complied without hesitation. When hed arrived at the Glen Lake ranger station a few hours ago, hed found frightened people wanting answers.
He prayed the woman in the next room would provide them.
Dr. Clearys dissecting the dead fish as we speak, Jeff explained to Deputy Director Moore. Well have answers shortly.
At least Jeff hoped so. Tessa seemed like the type of person who worked methodically and efficiently. Shed certainly turned out to be a surprise.
He wasnt sure what hed expected. Someone older, earthier, less curvy.
Instead, Tessa Cleary, with her striking auburn hair, liquid-amber-colored eyes and smattering of freckles crossing the bridge of her pert nose, was trouble with a capital T. He knew her type. Hed dated his fair share of them.
Smartthe woman was a Ph.D.bossy and demanding. High maintenance.
He could almost hear the sputtering that would happen when Tessa saw the accommodations. The cabins on the edge of the lake used for the Forest Service were barely a step up from a tent.
Hed hazard a guess the doctors idea of roughing it was not having reservations.
Hmm. Okay, they could have that in common. He didnt particularly like sleeping on the ground or a saggy cot but certainly would if needed.
Hed noticed there was no gold band or tan line suggesting a ring recently had graced her slender hand. Not that her marital status was any of his business. He didnt do commitment because commitment equaled heartache, a state of being hed rather not experience again.
Call once you have the doctors findings, Moore said before hanging up.
Jeff walked into the makeshift autopsy room.
The aroma of vanilla from lit candles underscored the decaying-fish stink.
Stopping in the doorway, he watched Tessa. Her hands were steady, quick and efficient as she sliced and diced. Shed already worked her way through one tray and had started on another.
She placed a sample on the slide for the microscope and moved forward to peer into the eyepiece. Her red hair stuck out the back of the hairnet, the tarnished strands vibrant against her green tartan-patterned shirt. With appreciation, his gaze lingered over her trim waist, nice curves and long, lean legs.
She straightened and made some notes on the pad of paper at her side. She froze and then whipped around to stare at him.
How long have you been standing there? Her voice vibrated with indignation.
A few seconds. He stepped fully into the room. Did you figure out what killed the fish? Anticipation knotted his gut.
Yes and no. She stripped off her rubber gloves and tossed them in a wastebasket. It wasnt a spill of oil or gasoline.
Dread tightened the muscles in his shoulders. So then, what? Natural causes? He could only hope.
She slanted him a sharp glance. Hardly. The damage done to these poor fish is indicative of a chemical agent.
Jeffs stomach dropped. What sort of chemical?
I wont know until I send tissue, water and soil samples out for analysis.
How long will that take?
If the lab can rush, I should have the findings by the end of the week.
Running his palm over his jaw, Jeff said, Any chance a chemical could have accidentally polluted the water?
She undid her hairnet, letting her auburn tresses fall around her shoulders. His gaze was drawn to the burnished curls.
I need to find the source, then Ill know, she said,
He dragged his gaze from her pretty hair and met her gaze. George has a boat ready for us.
Her copper-colored eyebrows rose. You are not accompanying me.
But I am. He didnt wait for her to argue. He cupped her elbow to propel her toward the door. My job is to protect this country. I need your help to do it.
Wait! My bag! She jerked out of his grasp and hurriedly packed up her equipment.
Ill get it. He reached for the strap. She sidestepped him and marched out the door.
Shaking his head at her stubbornness, he sent up a silent prayer that God would help them work together, as well. Because if the chemical that had invaded Glen Lake was an act of terror, then they would have more to deal with than pride. Both countries would be at risk and lives at stake.
* * *
By the time Tessa reached the dock, her shoulder ached from the weight of her duffel bag. She hadnt realized how heavy the thing was. Regret for not allowing Jeff to take the bag when hed offered intensified her tension. She didnt like needing help.
Shed decided long ago that relying on others for anything only led to disappointment, because no matter what she did or how hard she worked to please people, she never measured up. Therefore, if she didnt care what others thought and relied only on herself, her heart was safe. She was safe.
Resolute in that thought, she dropped the duffel holding her supplies on the wooden planks at her feet with a thunk and rolled her shoulders. She caught Jeffs gaze from the boat. Speculation lurked in the cobalt depths of his eyes.
She jerked her gaze away and stared into the water, focusing on what was at stake. The forest, the lake and the fish. Human lives.
Shes a beauty.
Jeffs words jerked Tessas attention to the motorboat bobbing gently against the side of the dock. George stood inside the boat, showing Jeff around the helm.
She spied a Zodiac, an inflatable boat with an aluminum floor, lying upside down on the shore. Two black oars stuck straight up out of the sand beside it. She pointed. Thats what were taking.
Jeff followed the trajectory of her finger. Youve got to be kidding me.
Dont think you can handle it? She picked up her bag. Maybe hed relent and not insist on going with her. She preferred working alone.
His lips thinned. I can handle it. He climbed out of the motorboat and stalked down the dock.
She turned to George. Do you have another set of oars?
Amusement twinkled in his brown eyes. Yes, maam. George handed her a map of the lake. Then he unclipped a walkie-talkie from his belt and held it out. Theres no cell service on the north end. Use this if you run into any trouble.
Thanks. She slipped the walkie-talkie into the outside pocket of her bag.
Once they had the inflatable boat flipped and half in, half out of the water, Tessa tossed her duffel inside. It landed with a dull thud.
Whats in that bag? Jeff asked as he climbed inside the boat and settled on the back transom.
My testing kit and ten essentials. Everything needed to survive for a short time in the wilderness.
We wont be getting out of the boat, Jeff muttered as he took an oar in each hand.
You never know what youll need. She threw one leg over the side, then the other, careful to keep the boat balanced by planting her feet wide. Then she sat on the middle bench seat facing Jeff. Tucking the second set of oars George handed her beneath the bench along with her bag, she shrugged. I like to be ready for anything. You never know when disaster will strike.
One side of Jeffs mouth lifted. You sound like an ad for FEMA.
She arched an eyebrow. I attended the Center for Domestic Preparedness training.
His mouth quirked. Me, too. Though it must have been at a different time. Id have remembered you.
She rolled her eyes, not believing she would have garnered his attention at all then or now if it wasnt for this situation.
He cocked his head. Hmm, maybe I should grab a few things.
The teasing tone in his voice grated on her nerves. You should. Ill wait.
He blinked. Thats okay. Well be back here by dinnertime. I ate a big lunch.
She shrugged. So had she. George had brought her a sandwich piled high with ham and cheese, a side of fruit and a soda. But she liked to snack throughout the day. Suit yourself.
She pulled on a pair of silicone gloves and grabbed two test tubes and a plastic baggie from her bag, then leaned over the side of the boat to fill two tubes with water. The boat height was perfect. She then removed two foil packets from the baggie, popped out two tabs, broke them into fourths and dropped a piece into each tube. She shook the water to dissolve the tablet pieces.
The water in one tube turned blue, indicating bacteria, not uncommon, and the other turned red, indicating a chemical component.
Keeping her expression neutral to not alarm either of the men, she used a permanent marker and wrote the ranger station dock on the label along the side of each tube before slipping the tubes into another plastic bag.
Jeff slid on a pair of sunglasses, then picked up the oars. Ready?
Just a sec. Tessa withdrew sunglasses and a hat from her bag and shoved them both on. Now I am.
George pushed the boat off the sand. Soon they were floating. Jeff used the oars to turn the boat so they headed away from the dock. His well-defined biceps drew her attention. The guy obviously worked out. She appreciated when a man took care of himself.