Page 19

NINETEEN

Merritt’s heart raced as she paced the hotel room, her mind reeling from the revelations of the day. The late evening sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting an eerie glow on the disheveled state of the room.

She glanced at her phone, checking for the hundredth time if Tiikaan had texted that he had made it to Fairbanks. The low hum of the air-conditioning unit filled the room, a constant drone that did little to soothe her frayed nerves.

A soft knock at the door made her jump, her heart leaping into her throat. Peering through the peephole, relief washed over her at the sight of Tiikaan’s impatient face. She opened the door, her hand trembling slightly as she ushered him inside.

His brow furrowed as he took in her appearance, his gaze sweeping over her.

She brushed a hand over her skin to make sure the tears that had refused to stop falling were dried on her cheeks. Glancing in the mirror over the desk, she cringed at her red-rimmed eyes and chaotic hair sticking out from a lopsided, messy bun.

She probably should’ve made an effort to hide her turmoil.

“Merritt, what’s going on?” His voice was tinged with an undercurrent of urgency.

The words poured out of her in a rush. “I think my father was murdered.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and oppressive. Tiikaan’s eyes widened, but he remained silent, allowing her to continue. Merritt’s heart ached with her suspicions, the grief and anger and fear all tangled together in a knot that threatened to choke her.

“I met with Dr. Erikson, the geologist my father hired to investigate the mine’s safety. He had evidence, Tiikaan. Evidence that the mine’s plans for mitigating acid mine drainage are inadequate, that the risks are far greater than what’s been publicly disclosed.”

She began to pace again, her hands gesturing wildly as she spoke, the rough texture of the hotel carpet beneath her feet grounding her in the moment. “My father was supposed to meet with Dr. Erikson, but he never showed up. And then the plane crash happened, and I just… I can’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t an accident.”

Tiikaan stepped forward, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders, the warmth of his touch seeping through her blouse and calming her frayed nerves. “Okay, let’s take a breath. What exactly did Dr. Erikson say?”

Merritt took a shuddering breath, the scent of fresh air and spruce that always surrounded Tiikaan filling her nostrils. She recounted her meeting with Dr. Erikson, the evidence he’d shown her, and his suspicions about a cover-up.

As she spoke, Tiikaan’s intense focus on her both unnerved and reassured her.

“He thinks someone didn’t want my father to meet with him. Someone who had something to hide.” Merritt’s voice broke, the reality of her words hitting her like a physical blow.

Her father’s death being anything other than a tragic accident was almost too much to bear, but she couldn’t ignore the evidence that stared her in the face.

Tiikaan’s jaw clenched, his eyes hardening. “We need to be careful who we trust with this information. If your suspicions are correct, then whoever is behind this will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.”

Merritt nodded, her mind racing with the implications. She knew he was right, but the thought of keeping this secret made her feel like she was suffocating.

“I know. But I can’t just sit back and do nothing. I have to find out what really happened to my father.”

His grip on her shoulders tightened. “And we will. But we need to be smart about this. Who do you think we can trust?”

Merritt considered the question, her brow furrowing in concentration. She thought of her family, of the people who had stood by her side at her father’s funeral, their faces etched with grief and sympathy.

“Uncle Nolan,” she said after a moment, her voice barely above a whisper. “He’s always been there for me, and he and my father practically raised each other. But I don’t think we should tell him everything, not yet. He’ll be heartbroken if Dad was murdered. There’s no way I can trust the rest of my family.”

Tiikaan nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Okay, that’s a start. What about Dr. Erikson? Can he be trusted?”

Merritt hesitated, the doubt that had been gnawing at her since their meeting rising to the surface once more.

“I think so,” she said, though her voice wavered with uncertainty. “He seemed genuinely concerned about the safety of the mine and the people living downstream. But he’s also scared. Scared of what might happen to him if the truth comes out.”

Tiikaan grimaced. “That’s understandable. But we can’t let fear stop us from doing what’s right.”

Gratitude rushed through her toward the man standing before her. She reached out, her hand coming to rest on his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palm.

“Thank you. For being here, for believing me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

His hand came up to cover hers, his calloused fingers intertwining with her own. “I’m not going anywhere, Merritt.”

The words hung between them. The heaviness of them settled over her like a warm blanket, chasing away the chill that had seeped into her bones.

Merritt’s breath caught in her throat as his hand slid up her arm, his touch leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. His eyes, dark and intense, bored into hers, and she drowned in their depths. The air between them crackled with tension, a magnetic pull that drew her closer, until the heat radiated from his body to hers.

Her heart raced as his hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip. She parted her lips, a soft gasp escaping as he leaned in, his breath warm against her skin.

Time seemed to stand still, the world narrowing down to this moment, to the feel of his touch and the anticipation building in her veins.

When his mouth finally met hers, a flood washed over her. His kiss was gentle at first, a tender exploration that made her toes curl and her heart ache with longing. But as she melted into him, her hands fisting in his shirt, the kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more demanding.

Merritt’s hands slid up Tiikaan’s shirt, her fingers tangling in the soft hair at the nape of his neck. She poured every ounce of gratitude and longing into the kiss, trying to convey with her actions what she couldn’t put into words.

In this moment, with Tiikaan’s arms around her and his lips on hers, all that had consumed her mind during the last several weeks quieted. There was just him and her.

When they finally broke apart, both of them breathing heavily, Tiikaan rested his forehead against hers, and her eyes fluttered closed. She savored the feeling of his arms around her and the way his heart raced beneath her palm.

“So, what’s our next move?” he asked, his rough voice breaking through her thoughts .

Merritt took a deep breath and pushed back just enough to see his face.

“We need to find out more about the geologist’s report, see if we can corroborate his findings. He’s meeting us at the hangar tomorrow morning. I’m thinking we’ll drop him off at the mine, get him set up, then head up to Barrow. Uncle Nolan is still there, but he’s planning on heading back to Texas tomorrow afternoon.”

Tiikaan nodded, his expression determined. “You’ll want to put security on Dr. Erikson, just to make sure nothing happens to him.”

Her eyes closed on a swallowed sob, and she went to step away. Tiikaan held her hand tight against his chest and wrapped his free hand around her hip, anchoring his fingers in her belt loop.

“Hey. What’s running through your head?” he whispered.

“I hadn’t thought of security for him.” She shook her head and rested her forehead against Tiikaan’s shoulder. “I feel like I’m throwing him into the lion’s pit. What if I’m dragging him into something that gets him killed, too?”

“We’ll make sure he’s safe.” He leaned his cheek against her head. “Besides, if he didn’t want to help, he would’ve stayed hidden.”

“Yeah.” She sighed, but the reassurance didn’t ease her worry.

“I can reach out to some of my contacts, see if they’ve heard anything about the mine or your father’s death. My sister was a trooper in the investigation unit. Maybe she can dig a little. And I’ll keep a close eye on things at the mine site, see if I notice anything suspicious.”

“Okay.” But even as they made their plans, a nagging fear tugged at the back of her mind.

She straightened, fiddling with the soft collar of his t-shirt. “Tiikaan, what if… what if we’re wrong? What if my father’s death really was just an accident, and we’re chasing ghosts?”

His grip on her hand tightened, his gaze unwavering. “Then we’ll know the truth, and you can put this behind you. But if we’re right, if there is something more to your father’s death, then you owe it to him to find out what really happened.”

Merritt nodded, the lump in her throat making it hard to speak. She knew Tiikaan was right, that the truth was worth fighting for, no matter how painful it might be.

As if sensing her unease, he wrapped both his arms around her, his embrace strong and steady. Merritt melted into his touch, the warmth of his body chasing away the chill that had settled over her.

For a moment, she allowed herself to forget about the danger that lurked just beyond the door, the secrets that would tear her world apart even more than it already was. At the moment, she felt safe… protected.

“I should probably try to get some rest.” She sighed. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

He nodded, his hand coming up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “I’ll stay here tonight, keep an eye on things. Make sure you’re safe.”

Merritt’s eyes widened and darted to the one bed in the room, her heart skipping a beat at the thought of Tiikaan staying with her.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, even as a part of her longed for him to stay, to keep the monsters from crawling out from under the bed.

“I want to,” Tiikaan said, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll sleep on the floor. You just focus on getting some rest.”

“But––”

“Merritt, I’m used to sleeping outside on the ground.” His mouth tipped up on one side, making her stomach flip like a fish on a line. “Trust me. I’ll be fine.”

Merritt nodded, but she wanted to argue. She watched as Tiikaan grabbed a spare pillow and blanket from the closet, setting up a makeshift bed on the floor beside her own, and pushed the guilt aside.

The king bed was more than big enough for both of them. But she also knew that she’d long for the comfort of his arms, and she just didn’t have the strength at the moment to fight the desire.

As she climbed into bed, the soft mattress enveloping her like a cocoon, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Tiikaan, his form illuminated by the soft glow of the midnight sun finding its way through the spaces between the heavy drapes he’d pulled shut.

He looked so peaceful, so at ease…capable.

Yeah, but Dad had been, too.