Internet,” Nick admitted.
River nodded again. “A fascinating subject to have over dinner and my own personal favorite. Even though I liked working in the lab, it wasn’t for me. Give me field work any day over sitting inside four walls. Plus, I love to get my hands dirty, merge what I take for fact about the area, any area where Native people lived and thrived.”
“Will you take soil samples?”
“Sure. We’ll take whatever we happen to come across down in that hole and send it to the lab for testing. I get the results back, I come up with a theory. I can sustain that theory because I believe it will more closely resemble the truth rather than some of these crackpots who go on and on about cannibalism and human sacrifices occurring in this part of North America.”
“But the Aztecs did practice human sacrifice,” Nick reminded her.
“And I concede there’s proof of that but certainly not all tribes did, not the ones who lived along the coast, not the Chumash.”
“You’d make a great host for one of those programs on the National Geographic Channel ,” Jordan decided.
River laugh ed at that. “I just love what I do. I want you guys to know I’m going to miss this place when I check out. You’ve made me feel incredibly welcome.”
“ That’s the idea. I know your reservation is up Monday but we hoped you’d extend it,” Jordan said. “We enjoy having you here.”
“ If only I could. I’d love nothing better than to do that but the budget won’t allow it. Once Julian and Laura, my crew, get here and bring the RV to town, I’ll have to give up the full-size shower and rough it. God, I’m going to miss that luxurious queen-sized bed and all the comforts of home like we’re doing now, sitting around a regular table instead of that tiny thing in the RV. Having all these amenities are a little slice of heaven for me. Not to mention having to give up your cooking.”
“Any time you or your team needs a place to stay, feel free to come back. We’d love to have you.”
“Believe me , if I could work it into my budget, I’d prefer staying right here to sharing an RV with a couple of goofy lovebirds.”
“ Hmm. What if we dangled a better price in front of you?” Nick prompted. “We’re approaching the off-season.”
“Better price? Now you have my attention.”
Nick threw out a figure.
“I could definitely work with that using my allowable per diem. Add in a little of my own money and I think it might work for me. We may have ourselves a deal, Mr. Harris, because living in that tin can gets old really fast. Besides that, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with Promise Cove. I’m pretty sure I understand why Scott is so reluctant to give it up.”
“Is it true Marcus Cody isn’t all that keen about this dig?” Jordan asked.
“You heard right . Marcus may not trust me yet but the rest of the family seems like a sure bet.”
Chapter Five
A t the Cody house in Santa Cruz, Marcus stood in the kitchen helping his wife of forty-three years load the dishwasher after supper. While he might not have been sure about River Amandez his wife, Lindeen, was showing the first signs of total adoration. She’d already talked the woman’s ear off all the way down the 101 on the trip from Pelican Pointe to Santa Barbara. Lindeen liked what she’d learned from the pretty archaeologist.
And she wasn’t above sharing how she felt with her husband. “They’d make a perfect couple. She’s unattached. She seems sweet. And she’s cute as a button. What could Brent find wrong with any of that?”
Marcus , however, remained stoic. At sixty-seven, the man still wore his long hair, albeit white, tied back in a ponytail. He’d been far less charmed with the vibe he’d gotten from River than Lindeen had been.
He c almly poured himself another glass of iced tea and stated flatly, “She’s hiding something.”
Lindeen fluffed her graying mane of black hair and waved him off. “So was Hayden
River nodded again. “A fascinating subject to have over dinner and my own personal favorite. Even though I liked working in the lab, it wasn’t for me. Give me field work any day over sitting inside four walls. Plus, I love to get my hands dirty, merge what I take for fact about the area, any area where Native people lived and thrived.”
“Will you take soil samples?”
“Sure. We’ll take whatever we happen to come across down in that hole and send it to the lab for testing. I get the results back, I come up with a theory. I can sustain that theory because I believe it will more closely resemble the truth rather than some of these crackpots who go on and on about cannibalism and human sacrifices occurring in this part of North America.”
“But the Aztecs did practice human sacrifice,” Nick reminded her.
“And I concede there’s proof of that but certainly not all tribes did, not the ones who lived along the coast, not the Chumash.”
“You’d make a great host for one of those programs on the National Geographic Channel ,” Jordan decided.
River laugh ed at that. “I just love what I do. I want you guys to know I’m going to miss this place when I check out. You’ve made me feel incredibly welcome.”
“ That’s the idea. I know your reservation is up Monday but we hoped you’d extend it,” Jordan said. “We enjoy having you here.”
“ If only I could. I’d love nothing better than to do that but the budget won’t allow it. Once Julian and Laura, my crew, get here and bring the RV to town, I’ll have to give up the full-size shower and rough it. God, I’m going to miss that luxurious queen-sized bed and all the comforts of home like we’re doing now, sitting around a regular table instead of that tiny thing in the RV. Having all these amenities are a little slice of heaven for me. Not to mention having to give up your cooking.”
“Any time you or your team needs a place to stay, feel free to come back. We’d love to have you.”
“Believe me , if I could work it into my budget, I’d prefer staying right here to sharing an RV with a couple of goofy lovebirds.”
“ Hmm. What if we dangled a better price in front of you?” Nick prompted. “We’re approaching the off-season.”
“Better price? Now you have my attention.”
Nick threw out a figure.
“I could definitely work with that using my allowable per diem. Add in a little of my own money and I think it might work for me. We may have ourselves a deal, Mr. Harris, because living in that tin can gets old really fast. Besides that, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with Promise Cove. I’m pretty sure I understand why Scott is so reluctant to give it up.”
“Is it true Marcus Cody isn’t all that keen about this dig?” Jordan asked.
“You heard right . Marcus may not trust me yet but the rest of the family seems like a sure bet.”
Chapter Five
A t the Cody house in Santa Cruz, Marcus stood in the kitchen helping his wife of forty-three years load the dishwasher after supper. While he might not have been sure about River Amandez his wife, Lindeen, was showing the first signs of total adoration. She’d already talked the woman’s ear off all the way down the 101 on the trip from Pelican Pointe to Santa Barbara. Lindeen liked what she’d learned from the pretty archaeologist.
And she wasn’t above sharing how she felt with her husband. “They’d make a perfect couple. She’s unattached. She seems sweet. And she’s cute as a button. What could Brent find wrong with any of that?”
Marcus , however, remained stoic. At sixty-seven, the man still wore his long hair, albeit white, tied back in a ponytail. He’d been far less charmed with the vibe he’d gotten from River than Lindeen had been.
He c almly poured himself another glass of iced tea and stated flatly, “She’s hiding something.”
Lindeen fluffed her graying mane of black hair and waved him off. “So was Hayden
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