The Last Dig Read online

  “Thank you, Your Honor,” Caroline said quietly.

  As they walked out of the court room, Rand smiled broadly. “Let me take the tether off your ankle.”

  “Okay.” Caroline smiled at Rand. They sat down on a bench in the hallway of the courtroom and Rand unlocked the tether and removed it from Caroline’s ankle.

  * * * *

  Caroline called her parents immediately and told them the good news. She told them they didn’t need to come up from Florida to be with her, but they insisted they were going to come anyway, to celebrate with her. The flight was scheduled to be in Billings on Saturday, at 3:00 PM.

  Caroline called her boss, Patty, and told her the good news. After she talked to Patty, she called the team in to discuss the events with them. They all gathered around in her room at the motel as she said cheerfully, “Good news! I’m cleared of the murder charge!”

  Everyone jumped up, gave a hoot and holler and high five.

  “Way to go, Caroline!”

  “We’re so glad!”

  Everyone was happy and ready to get back to the dig.

  “My parents are still going to come here to visit me, so I’ll have to go to Billings on Saturday to pick them up. Um, we still have tomorrow that we can go to the site and excavate, but I think this weekend will be problematic for me to get there with my parents coming.”

  “Caroline, we could work the site without you for the weekend.” Jody put a hand on Caroline’s shoulder.

  Caroline thought for a few minutes. “Would you guys rather work the site or have the weekend off?” she asked.

  “I’d rather work the site,” Ryan said, and the others agreed.

  “Okay, I’ll get a rental car for the weekend and you guys can drive my SUV back and forth to the site. You’re are the best group ever!” Caroline said with enthusiasm.

  * * * *

  Everything happened so fast that Caroline didn’t have a chance to think about anything. Rand took Caroline to his house and made dinner for the two of them. As the lasagna baked in the oven, Rand went to the bathroom, got some Band-Aids and ointment, and came back to the living room. Caroline sat down on the couch, and he sat on the stool in front of her. He lifted her leg and put her foot in his lap. After he’d applied ointment to her ankle, he bandaged it. He then moved over to the couch and sat down next to Caroline and started kissing her.

  The kisses became urgent and exploratory and they started to take their clothes off in a rush. She loved that his shirt had all snaps. She just took the two ends of the shirt and pulled in a ripping motion, and all the snaps came undone and she could admire his beautiful chest. He eased the lacy cup of her bra aside so he could feel her breasts. Finally, he moved his hands around to her back and unhooked the bra and tossed it aside. He helped her pull her pants and panties off. He got his pants off and laid down on the couch next to her.

  She looked in amazement at the size of his fully engorged shaft. She was ready for him to take her, but he had other things on his mind. His hands worked their magic in her most vulnerable area and she squirmed from the rise of intensity and pleasure that she felt all through her body. She reached down and stroked him lightly and he drew in a hiss.

  “You do that again and I’m doomed,” he whispered into her ear.

  He sat up and gently widened her legs so he could get between them. He brought his lips and tongue right down to the most sensitive area of her being. She still couldn’t believe the shock and pleasure that he gave her when he did this. She squirmed and took in huge breaths as she felt the waves of ecstasy running through her veins. His tongue trapped her in the most pleasurable way possible and continued to send her to higher levels of ecstasy until she broke forth and reached nirvana.

  He came up and situated himself on top of her and entered her. They started rocking into a tempo that bound them together. Harder and harder they rocked, and it felt like the couch moved under them.

  Rand let out a moan, and then he sputtered, “Oh... Car...o...line,” as he spilled himself inside her. She met his release then squeezed and held him in her. They collapsed on the couch naked, their bodies moist from the lovemaking when the clock on the stove chimed, indicating that their dinner was ready.

  Caroline had a sense of peace and contentment thinking about Rand and their lives together. He rescued her from her ex-husband and got her name cleared. She knew now, the answer to his question about whether she loved him enough to stay in Jordan and make a life with him. Her answer was an unequivocal “yes”. She hoped she hadn’t waited too long, and she hoped he hadn’t decided he didn’t want to make a life with her. She would be devastated if he had.

  As she thought back on everything, she realized that Rand really had done the case by the book, even when he personally doubted that she had committed the crime. Now was the time to put things in perspective and enjoy life with him.

  Rand pulled the lasagna out of the oven and set it down on the table, along with the garlic bread and a salad. He poured two glasses of wine and sat down with Caroline.

  “Caroline,” Rand said before they started their meal.

  “Yes, Rand?” she answered, looking dreamily into his eyes.

  “You keep looking at me like that and we won’t eat a thing I’ve fixed here.” He let out a low chuckle. “I have a question to ask you.”

  “Okay.” Caroline continued smiling.

  He handed her a small ring box.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  “Open it and find out.”

  She unwrapped the paper that was around the box and opened it. Inside was a red velvet ring box. She pulled it out and flipped the top open. It was a beautiful diamond solitaire set in a gold band.

  “Will you marry me?”

  Caroline gasped as she looked at the beautiful ring, and then looked up at Rand.

  “Oh…Rand.” She couldn’t think of anything to say at the moment.

  “I hope you’ll say yes,” Rand finally said.

  “Oh, Rand, yes, yes, I’ll marry you.” She started to get choked up as she responded to him. She got up and sat down on his lap, then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

  Chapter 24

  Caroline waited for her parents near the baggage claim area. As they came into the area, they spotted Caroline. She ran up to them and threw her arms around her mother then her father.

  “Oh Caroline, I’m so glad to see you,” her mother said as she gave her a hug and kisses.

  “I’m glad to see you too, Mom, and you too, Dad. I’m so happy you’re here. How was the trip?”

  “The trip was fine,” her father said as he held her tightly.

  They walked around to get their luggage.

  “So, Dan was behind all this?” her father said as he settled into the front passenger seat of the rental car.

  “Yes, apparently he’s with the mafia, and was a hit man for the John Bosso crime family in Florida.”

  “Yes, we’ve heard of him,” her mother said from the back seat.

  “Why did he set you up to take the fall for the crime he committed?” her father asked.

  “He said he did it to get back at me for filing charges against him and making him serve time for it. He spied on me, and when I wasn’t at the dig site, he went out there, grabbed some of my things, and brought them in to plant evidence, making me look guilty of murder.”

  “What made the police change the focus on the case from you to him?” her mother asked.

  “Actually, I think Rand was doing some thinking about it. He wondered what Dan was up to and did some checking. So there was that, and a few things like the voice on the computer that threatened to kill the victim didn’t sound like me at all. Apparently, Dan actually heard an argument taking place at the man’s apartment and he recorded it.”

  “I’m just flabbergasted by all this evidence and technology.” Her father shook his head as he looked out the car window.

  “Sometimes I am too, Dad.” Caroline lo
oked quickly over at her dad. “How is Robbie doing?”

  “He’s doing fine. He’s going to come over next weekend, while we’re here to visit with us. Do you think we can get him a room at the Jordan Motel?”

  “Oh, I’m sure we can, Mom.” Caroline smiled back at her mother through the rearview mirror. “When is he graduating?”

  “He says next spring. But I’m a little concerned about him right now. He’s gotten himself into some trouble this past year and lost a couple of semesters,” her mother informed her.

  “Trouble? What kind of trouble?”

  “Well, apparently, he and a bunch of his friends went to a wild party, and he got caught drunk driving.”

  “Oh no, Mom, he should have known better than that,” Caroline protested.

  “Yes, he should have,” her father agreed.

  “He says he learned his lesson and won’t do it again. I imagine spending a few weeks in jail did the trick,” her mother said.

  “Why didn’t he call me?” Caroline wondered.

  “Probably the same reason you didn’t call him about your situation,” her mother said.

  “By the way, Bobbie and Dave invited us over for dinner tomorrow,” Caroline told her parents.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful. I haven’t talked to Bobbie in ages.”

  “Do they still own Callahan’s Diner?” her father asked.

  “Yes, they do. Dave and Bobbie do the cooking most of the time, and Penny and Debbie do most of the waitressing.”

  “How is the team working out at the dig site?” her father asked.

  “It’s working out great. In fact, I’m renting this car this weekend to take you guys around town while my team is using my SUV to get back and forth to the dig site for me. We’ve unearthed an adolescent T-rex and a young T-rex. It appears they died together.”

  “Really?” her father exclaimed, surprised.

  “Despite the setbacks we’ve had this summer, we have actually done pretty well. I think I’ll probably have to come back next summer to finish it, though, as we still have a long ways to go unearthing it.”

  * * * *

  They arrived at the Jordan Motel and Caroline’s parents checked in and went to their rooms to get settled in. Rand came by later that day and picked up Caroline and her parents to take them out for dinner.

  “Rand, it’s nice to see you again.” Her father shook Rand’s hand.

  “Yes, it’s great to see you, Rand. How have you been?” Her mother gave Rand a hug.

  “I’m doing fine,” he answered, smiling. His gaze drifted over to Caroline and he gave her a wink. “I’ve stopped by to take you all out to Leon’s Roadhouse for dinner.”

  “Oh, that sounds wonderful,” her father said.

  “Now, Albert, you know what the doctor says about eating too much meat,” her mother warned.

  “I don’t remember the last time I had a steak,” he said gruffly.

  “They have other food besides steaks, Dad,” Caroline added with a slight grin.

  “Well, let’s go then.” Her father gestured with his thumb over his shoulder.

  “Okay, let me check in with my team first. I’ll meet you at the rental car.” Caroline walked out of the room toward the room on the other side of her.

  She knocked at the door and Ryan answered. “Hey, how’s it going?”

  “It’s going fine, Ryan. How did the dig go today?”

  “It went great. We got the young one’s ribs.”

  “Oh, cool. Are there any problems or issues I need to address?”

  “Not any that I can think of. It looks like we’re doing pretty well.”

  “If there are any problems or questions, just give me a call.”

  “Okay, will do.” Ryan smiled and closed the door.

  Caroline left the room and walked over to the rental car. Rand and her dad sat in the front seat so she got in the back seat beside her mom.

  From the time they got in the rental car to the restaurant then back to their rooms that night, her parents talked with Rand and Caroline almost non-stop about Montana, Florida, Robbie, and everything else under the sun. Caroline gave her mother and father hugs as they went into their room for the night then she and Rand went to her room. She opened the door and they walked inside.

  “Do you want me to stay?” Rand asked quietly.

  “Oh, yeah.” Caroline looked up at Rand dreamily.

  “We’ll have to be careful and quiet. We don’t want any banging on the walls,” Rand said sheepishly.

  Caroline smiled wider and then said coyly, “What about this chair?”

  “Hmm, now that’s got some possibilities.” Rand smiled as he drew Caroline into his arms.

  * * * *

  The next morning Albert looked out the window and saw Rand get into his truck. “I think there’s more to this relationship between Rand and Caroline,” Albert remarked to his wife.

  “Why do you say that?” She gave him a puzzled look.

  “Well, he just left.”

  “They are consenting adults. Just because they sleep together doesn’t really mean they are together again,” she replied matter-of-factly.

  “Young adults take sex too casually nowadays,” Albert mumbled.

  “It would be wonderful if the two of them hooked up again. I always thought they were good together.”

  “Yes, I think Rand would make a good son-in-law,” Albert said.

  Chapter 25

  Rand and Caroline decided that Sunday would be the day they would tell their parents they were engaged to be married.

  When Caroline and her parents arrived at Bobbie and Dave’s place, Rand was already there and came out to greet them. They walked into the house and Bobbie and Dave hugged Caroline’s parents, welcoming them back to Montana. Dave got everyone something to drink, and they all sat down in the great room visiting as long-lost friends do. They then shifted their attention from each other to Caroline.

  “Caroline, I’m so glad Rand got those charges against you dismissed. I knew you didn’t have anything to do with that murder,” Bobbie said.

  Caroline smiled. “Yes, I’m glad he was able to get them dismissed too.”

  “So, do I understand this right...the man that set you up was your ex-husband?” Bobbie asked.

  “Yes, it was,” Caroline answered.

  “Mom, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, we, um, we have something to tell you,” Rand said haltingly, unsure how to really broach the subject.

  “Yes?” Bobbie looked at Rand and then to Caroline with a hopeful face.

  “Caroline has agreed to be my wife. We’re getting married.”

  Bobbie brought her hands to her face joyfully and uttered, “How wonderful!”

  “Well, it’s about time,” Dave said as he came up and shook Rand’s hand.

  “Yes, we were commenting this morning that we thought you two should be together.” Caroline’s mother hugged her, and then her father did the same. “My little girl is getting married again,” he whispered in her ear. “So, when is the big day?”

  “Um, we haven’t set a date yet, Dad.” Caroline smiled at her dad.

  * * * *

  Caroline didn’t know what she was going to do about her work. Seriously, if she was to get married and start a family, she would not be able to do field work. Were there any options or compromises that could be worked out? She loved working in the field and hated to do paperwork. Would she be able to adjust to working in the lab? She scheduled a phone conference with her boss for Monday morning at eight o’clock to discuss that and any options that might be available.

  Caroline called in for her telephone conference with her supervisor, Patty Durham.

  “Hello, Caroline. How are you?”

  “I’m doing fine, Patty.”

  “So, what do we need to talk about?”

  “Well, I’m engaged to be married and we’re interested in starting a family soon after we get married. I don’t think I’ll be able to do any more field work.”<
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  “We’d love to have you come in and work in the lab then, if you’d be interested in that.”

  “Is there an opening for a paleontologist in the lab?” Caroline asked.

  “Yes, there is. In fact, we could set you up so you could work three days in the lab and two days out of your office at home. Would that work for you?”

  “I think I may be interested in that. However, I need to discuss this with my fiancé and see what he says.”

  “Okay, why don’t you talk to him about it and think on it yourself. Give me a call later this week or next week.”

  “I’ll do that,” Caroline said.

  When she hung up the phone, she felt much better about the new job possibility she just received.

  * * * *

  In the meantime, Rand was having problems with the FBI and the US Attorney General. They wanted him to release Dan Priest to their custody so he could face the charges pending against him in Florida. The US Attorney General cited that a federal case superseded a state case. Rand was concerned that Dan would escape from their clutches again and not pay for the crime he committed in his jurisdiction or for trying to frame Caroline for the murder. If nothing else, Rand wanted justice for Caroline.

  Rand and the district attorney decided they would let the judge decide if Dan Priest should stay and face the trial there first and then return to Florida or if the FBI took precedent. They secured a hearing date for the next week.

  As the middle of the week approached, it became more and more evident that they were not going to be able to hold Dan Priest in Montana to stand trial for the murder of Marc Baker. The federal court had jurisdiction over the county court. The judge ruled that Dan Priest be released to the FBI, and when they were through with their federal trial case, he would be returned to Montana to stand trial for the murder charge against him. The FBI said it would honor the judge’s order.

  Chapter 26

  Caroline’s parents met up with another couple they hadn’t seen in a long time and they went out to dinner with them, freeing Caroline for the evening to be with Rand. She went to Rand’s house and made spaghetti for dinner.