Page 64 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

“Can you?” Echo asked. “Oh, yeah… I guess I can get you to prepare some slides I’m behind on.”

“As long as you don’t send me out in the field today, I’m good doing just about anything,” Keeley said.

“Why don’t you want to go out to the field?” Echo asked as he unlocked his lab.

“I got my period this morning, and I feel like shit,” she said. “I’m not in the mood to go wading knee deep through marsh muck collecting samples.”

“Is that what you’resupposedto be doing today?”

“No. I was supposed to help Diego. I called Jenny after he called out, and she said if you had work for me, I could stay. If not, I’d be out in those salt marshes.”

“I’ll keep you busy here,” Echo said as he flipped on the lights.

“Yay!”

“But don’t expect this to be a cushy day.” He paused, remembering she wasn’t feeling well. “Iwillbe a little easier on you since you’re not feeling great, but please don’t take advantage of it.”

“I’mnota slacker,” Keeley said. “I promise.”

Echo wasn’t accustomed to having much help in the lab. He had the occasional intern but preferred when they went to Diego instead. He liked the quiet of the lab. Keeley didn’t understand the word quiet, though. Yet he had to admit that it was nice having some company. Even when she prattled on about this or that, she didn’t bother him or make him lose his focus like other people usually did. Not only that, but she made it completely through the slides he’d been putting off. They were for sets for local schools throughout Washington State to use in biology classes that would be distributed over the summer break. He’d still had some time but having her do it saved him the bother.

“So, does this new look have anything to do with tall, dark, and handsome who had you against the wall Friday night?”

Echo eyed Keeley. “How much of that did you see?”

“I’m the one who suggested Diego check in on you. I couldn’t tell if you were into it or not.”

Echo paused, eyeing her.

“Then I saw you walk out all mad and Diego looked upset, too.” She winced. “Don’t blame him. Blame me.Iwas the one who put him in the middle of that.”

“Diego and I are fine,” Echo murmured. “Don’t worry.”

“And the guy?”Keeley asked, trying her best to look casual when her tone and vibe screamed the opposite.

Echo smiled softly. “He’s… a new friend. And if I’m honest, I suppose this look might be because of him.”

Because he makes me feel safe to be me.

Echo smiled to himself after that thought whispered through his mind.

“I heard Diego mention the word orca while he was back there. Is this guy an orca shifter?”

Echo tensed.

Keeley frowned. “I thought dolphins and orca don’t speak to one another or something? Some war that happened forever ago?”

The humans in Dolphin Bay had a basic understanding of dolphin shifter issues, but they weren’t members of the pod or always privy to details. It seemed to Echo that the older he got, the less they understood about them, especially humans Keeley’s age and younger. If they didn’t keep the humans more in the loop, he feared they’d one day expose the pod—be it simply misunderstanding or perhaps even maliciouslybecausethey’d been left out.

“The pods were much closer once. There was a difference of opinion—over what we can never seem to get a straight answer about—and they stopped cooperating. Things turned ugly, they say.” Echo eyed Keeley. “The treaty stopped the violence that had gotten out of hand. It keeps them out of our waters and us out of theirs… but it doesn’t specifically mention our towns. It’s not illegal for him to be here. Even so, orca rarely come here or we there, so… it’s an unwritten rule for some. If some in the pod heard he was here with me—it could cause us problems.”

Keeley grinned. “Oh, so he’s your downlow boyfriend?”

Echo snorted trying to hold back his laughter. “I guess youcouldcall him that. For now.”

“Does it feel like it could be serious?”

Echo nodded. “We just need time to figure out how we handle this.”

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