Murder at Sunrise Lake

“You don’t climb, Bruce,” Denver pointed out. “We’d have to rescue you.”

They all laughed, including Bruce. He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, I’d try.” He looked down at Zahra, clearly sincere.

“It’s a good point Bruce is making though,” Bale persisted. “Helicopter crews have to make that call all the time.”

“It’s true,” Vienna agreed. “More and more that’s a question that’s going to be considered, even if we don’t like it. The risk to how many others when one person has been so careless.”

“I’ll admit I was an idiot once,” Edward muttered. “Decided to ride out a hurricane. Man, was that a bad idea. Because I do search and rescue, I realized what a risk it was going to be for anyone coming to rescue me and I got myself into big trouble. Fortunately, I was able to get out of it, but it was touch-and-go there for a while.”

“You were an idiot once?” Bruce teased, nudging him. “If that’s all you got, you haven’t lived long. I’ve managed plenty of times.”

“Bruce, getting back to your problem with the business getting too big,” Stella said, “what are you going to do? You have a good manager. Will he be able to help you keep up?”

Bruce shook his head. “I need a partner. Genesis doesn’t have that kind of know-how and he doesn’t want it bad enough. I need someone with skills.”

“An anesthesiologist fits that bill?” Harlow teased.

Bruce grinned at her. “Denver can do just about anything if he puts his mind to it.”

“Told you, buddy, not interested,” Denver declined. “As much as I’d like to help you out, I’d be crazy in a week.”

Bruce nodded toward Bale and Sean. “Jason Briggs is an engineer and a darn good one. He’s got the mind for it and his kind of work can be scarce up here, especially during winter months. You know him. He’s a hard worker. I’ve been taking a hard look in his direction.”

Stella was shocked, to say the least. Jason was the last person she expected Bruce to name. He would take one of the mean boys as a partner in his brewery? She looked at Denver, her eyebrow raised, hoping to convey to him that he might need to talk to his friend. Denver sent her a look that said he’d already done so to no avail. He felt guilty, but he wasn’t going to make matters worse by taking a partnership he knew he’d end up screwing up.

Sean and Bale broke into smiles. “Jason is one of the hardest-working men you’ll ever find, Bruce,” Bale said. “Ask anyone he’s ever worked for.”

“I have,” Bruce said. “I’ve been doing background work on him. He knows it. I didn’t tell him I was asking around because I was looking for a partner. He thinks I need work done.”

“No, seriously, Bruce,” Sean said. “You’d never regret having Jason work with you. He’s smart. He loves it here and wants to stay and settle down. He’s got his eye on some property to purchase.”

If she didn’t know Jason was firmly entrenched with Bale, Sean and Edward, Stella would almost have been convinced to have Bruce give him a chance, but the four men were really horrible when it came to the way they treated women. She didn’t want Bruce to be anywhere around them, especially since Zahra was from another country, and for some reason that was a trigger for the four men. She couldn’t imagine that they would influence Bruce, but it would be a tragedy if they did.

Denver seemed to know what she was thinking, but they’d been friends for several years. He shook his head slightly, as if to say it was impossible. He nudged Zahra with his foot. “What’s going on, shrimp? You’re looking sober this afternoon.”

“Some of us work,” Zahra said. “You docs just pretend to. I’m heading back over to the hospital. Go right ahead and pickle your brain.”

“You’re just jealous, sweetheart.”

She flashed him her killer smile. “You know I am.” She looked up at Harlow. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.”

“I’m texting Raine.”

“Have at it,” Zahra approved and waved at the others as she moved out of the circle.

Bruce trailed after her. “I’ll walk you over to the hospital, Zahra.” He fell into step beside her before she could protest.

“Are you really looking to change jobs, Denver?” Stella asked. “It isn’t like we have too many anesthesiologists around here. You’re kind of a big deal.”

“It isn’t like I’d quit my day job,” he answered. “But Martha’s work is fascinating.”

Stella gave a delicate little shudder. “You sound like the vet tech, Vincent, when he talks about doing surgery with the vet. He gets all enthusiastic. Spare me the details.”

“I always forget what a baby you are about certain things,” he teased.

Stella wasn’t a baby about most things. She had to deal with bloated, dead bodies in her lake when partiers insisted on drinking too much and falling into the water when no one was around. Still, she wasn’t the person dissecting them. She hadn’t been great at dissecting frogs. She’d done it, but she hadn’t liked it. She certainly wasn’t going to dissect human bodies.