Wild Men of Alaska Collection - By Helmer, Tiffinie Page 0,83

store so that she could reach the phone. She didn’t take her eyes off Lucky, afraid if she did, his image would dissolve. Blindly, she reached behind her for the receiver.

“Chinook Books,” she answered breathlessly.

“Oh, thank goodness I reached you,” Rosie said. “Siri’s been arrested.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Gemma drove to the police station mad at herself for being so dang distracted that she hadn’t realized what day it was and how her mother would celebrate the spring equinox. Siri had, no doubt, demonstrated some pagan ritual naked.

How many times had she bailed out her mother?

Rosie had apologized profusely for not watching Siri closely enough. The clever, conniving woman had begged off dinner, saying she was feeling poorly and needed some sleep. Rosie had bought it and got lost in her favorite BBC TV series.

That’s all it took. A few minutes and Siri was gone, stripping down to her birthday suit in the middle of the Bentley Mall. At least she was inside and not baring all outside in cold enough temperatures sure to cause frostbite.

Gemma pulled into the Troopers Station off Peger Road. “Lucky?”

“I’m right here,” he said in the seat next to her.

She didn’t know if she should feel relieved or more stressed that he’d insisted riding shotgun. The fabric of her life seemed to be unraveling thread by thread.

“It will be all right, Gemma.” He took her hand in his and squeezed before releasing her.

She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. The brisk air helped to clear her head. As she reached to open the door to the building, it swung open presumably by itself.

“Maybe you should stay in the car,” Gemma said.

“There is no need for you to handle this alone.”

“I have many times before,” she muttered under her breath. “If you’re going in there with me, no more opening doors. We’re talking Alaska State Troopers here. They’re a suspicious lot, and magically swinging doors are going to produce some questions.”

“Got it.”

Gemma managed the second door in the Arctic entryway and walked up to the desk where a young trooper, who looked to be just out of the academy, sat on the night shift. His badge said Trooper Cooper.

“Hi, I’m here for Siri Star.”

“Good. The woman is driving us batty. I almost called the psych ward.”

Gemma blanched. Not the psych ward. The last time had been rough. Lucky placed a supportive hand on her back, and knowing that she wasn’t alone in this situation felt so good that tears popped to her eyes.

“Stop right there,” Trooper Cooper said, his voice stern but lost its effect with his baby face. “I don’t do tears.” He jumped to his feet and hurried to usher Gemma back where her mother was being held.

Siri sat completely naked in the middle of the cell in the lotus position, her arms out to the side, thumbs and forefingers together as she hummed some incoherent mantra.

“Holy Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” Trooper Cooper threw up a hand to shield his eyes. “We gave her something to wear. The woman was fully dressed last time I saw her.” He shook his head as though that would help wipe Siri’s image out of his memory banks.

There was one thing about her mother, she left an impression.

“Mom?” Gemma walked up to the bars, her hands wrapping around the cold metal. The concrete floor had to be freezing. “Mom,” she called again, but Siri continued with her mantra. Then she abruptly stopped.

Her eyes flew open and nailed Gemma on the spot. “You brought your Dreamweaver.”

How did she know Lucky was here?

Trooper Cooper unlocked the cell, holding it open for Gemma to enter, keeping his back to Siri the whole time. “Get her dressed, and I’ll speed up the paperwork.”

“Thank you.”

Gemma entered the cell. “Mom, we need to get you dressed.”

“You need to get your Dreamweaver the hell away from me.”

“Mrs. Star,” Lucky said besides Gemma. “I come in peace.”

Siri stuck her fingers in her ears and began chanting louder.

“Mom.” Gemma knelt on her haunches in front of Siri and put her hands on her shoulders, giving her a hard shake. If she didn’t get her to stop the trooper was bound to call in the guys with the straight jackets. “When was the last time you took your medication?”

Siri stopped chanting and glared at Gemma. “I don’t need any medication. I’m not crazy.” She narrowed her eyes in Lucky’s direction. “And it’s Ms. Star.”

“Right.” Gemma redirected Siri’s attention. “Then tell me why you are naked in a