by Bill H Myers
Chapter Sixteen
We were driving east on Alligator Alley through the middle of the Everglades. The road was flat and mostly straight. The number of gators was staggering. Every water-filled ditch, every small pond, and every puddle had a least one gator in it. These weren't small gators. These were the large, man-eating variety. At least, that's what they looked like to me.
I asked Lori about it.
“How many people get killed by gators in this part of the state?”
She laughed. “Not nearly as many as you'd think. In fact, it's been three years since anyone in Florida was killed by a gator.”
That didn't sound right. “Are you sure? No deaths? With this many gators?”
She nodded. “It's hard to believe, but FWC keeps track, and that's what they report. Three years since a gator killed a human in Florida.
“People do get bit though. Usually doing something stupid like trying to feed them or keeping one as a pet.”
“Pets? People do that? Keep gators as pets?”
She nodded. “Yeah, they try, but it rarely works out. People stupid enough to keep a gator for a pet usually aren't smart enough not to get bitten. That's why FWC frowns on it.”
“FWC? What's that?”
“Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. They're the agency in charge of everything that crawls, flies or swims in Florida. They're the ones that call me whenever a panther gets hurt. They also decide where injured panthers end up.”
I nodded and changed the subject.
“If I'm supposed to be your boyfriend, there are a few things I need to know. For example, how long have we been together? And how did we meet?”
She smiled. “Good questions.
“Let's see; I broke it off with Kenny three months ago and you and I wouldn't have gotten together before then. So let's say we've been together for two months.
“We'll say we met at a fundraiser for Big Cat Rescue. We were introduced by our mutual friend, Polly. You called me the next day and we started dating.”
I smiled. “Got it. We've been together two months. We met at a fundraiser. Been dating ever since.
“What about your personal life? Have you been married? Any children. Been in jail?”
She laughed. “Have I been in jail? No. And I don't have any children. I was married once, but it didn't work out. How about you?”
“Yeah, I was married once. It lasted two years. No kids. No jail.”
“Good to know. Anything else you need to know about me?”
I smiled. “There is. Since we've supposedly been together for two months, Kenny will assume we've been intimate. In case he brings it up, are there things I need to know about you physically? Like do you have any tattoos? Are you missing any body parts? Is there something unusual or unexpected under your clothing?”
She laughed. “I can't believe you're asking me these things!”
I smiled earnestly. “I'm just trying to make sure I play a convincing boyfriend. What if Kenny mentions something about your physical assets or limitations and I don't know about them? What then?”
She smiled. “I see your point. Guys do talk. So here goes. I don't have any tattoos. I've got all my body parts, and everything under my clothes is where it should be and works nicely. If he asks you anything beyond that, just shake your head and walk away.”
I nodded, thinking about what she had just said about all her body parts working quite nicely.
Chapter Seventeen
We arrived at Oasis Station at five forty-five; more than an hour after the place had officially closed. Lori had me pull into the empty parking lot.
She checked her phone. “No signal. It's almost always like this. Either spotty or no cell service here in the Everglades.”
Pointing to a two-story brick building at the edge of the lot, she said, “I think I can get a signal over there. Wait here.”
She got out and made her way towards the building, holding her phone high up in the air as she walked, continually checking for a signal. She kept going until she reached a small grassy knoll in front of the building. Stepping up on it, she checked her phone and gave me a thumbs up. She'd found a signal.
She made a call, spoke a few words then headed back in my direction. When she reached my window, she said, “Kenny wants us to meet him at the employee gate. I'll walk over there. You follow.”
I gave her a thirty-foot head start then started the motorhome and followed. When she reached a closed gate with a sign that read, “Authorized Personnel Only,” I pulled up and stopped.
The paved lot ended at the gate. Beyond it, a crushed shell road led to a large equipment shed. Kenny hadn't shown up yet, so I sat back and waited.
I didn't have to wait long. A man, who I assumed was Kenny, walked up to the other side of the gate. About six foot, thinly built with dusty-blonde hair. Wearing faded jeans, a black T-shirt and work boots. He wasn't Brad Pitt but could have passed for his younger brother. I could see why Lori had been attracted to him.
After he unlocked and opened the gate, he walked over and gave her a hug. They exchanged a few words; then she pointed over her shoulder in my direction. Kenny looked at me and nodded. I nodded back, the way guys do.
He said something that made her smile. Then he handed her a key. He started to walk off but stopped and turned back towards me. He smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Then he turned and walked away.
After he was gone, Lori signaled me to pull forward. I put the motorhome in gear and slowly pulled through the open gate. When I had gotten through, Lori held up her hand and said, “Wait here while I close the gate.”
After closing it, she got back in the motorhome and said, “That went better than I thought it would. Kenny didn't seem to be too upset that I'd brought you along. In fact, it didn't seem to bother him at all.”
I nodded. “Does that mean I don't need to be your pretend boyfriend?”
“No, you still have to do that. Even when no one is around, you still have to act like you're my boyfriend. You'll be expected to treat me like a goddess.”
“A goddess?”
She nodded then pointed down the dusty road in front of us. “See that big, white building down there? That's where we're going. Drive up to it, turn left and you'll see the parking pad.”
I put the motorhome in gear and followed her directions. As I drove, I noticed the entire area was surrounded by an eight-foot-high chain link fence with barb wire on top. I figured that, being out in the middle of the Everglades, this was probably needed to keep the wildlife out at night.
When we reached the white building, I turned left and saw the concrete parking pad. Lori pointed to it and said, “Kenny said to park there. He said we could hook up using the water and power box on the side of the building.”
I pulled onto the pad, leaving enough space to run the slide room out. Satisfied with my parking job, I killed the motor and turned to Lori. “Now what?”
She smiled. “Now we're going to go check on the panther. Hope you're ready.”
Chapter Eighteen
While Lori was getting her medical bag, I went to the back and checked on Bob. He was still sleeping, curled up on the bed with one paw covering his eye. I knew he'd probably be getting up soon, so I topped off his food and water bowls. Then I joined Lori up front.
Leaving the motorhome behind, Lori led the way as we followed a narrow path around the edge of the building we'd parked next to. As we turned the corner, I noticed a paved airstrip on our right. A row of old mobile homes lined one side of the strip. Eight, maybe ten homes in all. Each had a car or truck parked beside it.
I asked Lori, “Who lives over there?”
“Park employees. There aren't any places close by, so the mobile homes are made available to the staff on a first come, first served basis. Kenny lives in one.”
Lori kept walking until we reached a door on the front building. She tried the door, but it was locked. Instead of knocking, hoping someone inside would come open it, sh
e pointed to the electronic keypad on the door frame. “Don't worry. I've got the code.”
She punched in four numbers, pressed the “Enter” key, and we heard a solid clunk as the door unlocked. She opened the door, and we went inside. I immediately realized the building was a hangar. There were two Cessna airplanes parked wing to wing. To their left, four all-terrain vehicles. Behind them, on the back wall, a long workbench with enough tools and parts to keep the planes and ATVs up and running.
To our right, a row of small offices. Each had a large window overlooking the hangar space. All the offices were dark, except one. That's where Lori headed. I followed.
When she reached the office, she tapped on the glass to get the attention of the young woman inside. A tallish redhead with pale skin, green eyes and a sprinkling of freckles. She was wearing blue medical scrubs.
When she saw Lori, she smiled. She stood and opened the door for her. “Doctor Joy, it's good to see you again. They said you were coming and I was hoping I'd be on duty when you got here. How was your drive?”
“It wasn't bad. Walker here did all the driving. I just sat back and relaxed. So how's our patient?”
The redhead pointed over her shoulder. “She's doing well, considering. When she came in, she had a fractured right femur and minor contusions. She appears to be severely dehydrated and malnourished.
“Doctor Burke from Naples came in and did the work on her leg. He inserted a bone plate and said it went well. You want to check?”
Lori nodded. “I do. But before we go in there, I want to introduce you to Walker here. He'll be assisting me.”
Lori turned to me. “Walker, this is Denise. She's a fourth-year veterinary student at the University of Florida. She's one of the volunteers who works with panther rescue. She's one of the best, and when she graduates, I'm going to try to get her to come work with us.”
I smiled and held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Denise.”
She took my hand and held it, looked me in the eyes and nodded just slightly. I got the feeling she was trying to send a message of some kind. I'm not too good at reading women so it could have been just my imagination.
Lori turned to me. “You ready?”
I nodded.
The office was divided into two rooms. The front room, which we were in, was small. Probably no more than ten by ten. Sparsely furnished, with only a desk, a straight back chair, and a metal shelving unit shoved against the side wall. An old Dell computer and a touch tone phone sat on the desk.
On the back wall, a stainless steel sink sat below a dark-tinted window with a view into the next room.
Lori pointed to the sink. “Time to scrub up.”
She went first. She squirted disinfectant onto her hands and washed thoroughly, taking about twenty seconds. She pulled three paper towels from the dispenser and dried. When she was done, she turned to me and said, “Your turn.”
I didn't want Denise to think I was new at this, even though I was, so I washed as Lori had done before me. After drying my hands, I stepped away from the sink. Denise was standing behind me. So close that I almost bumped into her. She smiled and said, “You'll need this.”
She was holding a green surgical mask, the kind doctors wear on TV. Never having worn one before, I looked over at Lori and watched as she effortlessly pulled hers over her head. I tried to do the same, but the elastic strap on the back got tangled in my hair.
Denise, who was still behind me, reached up and adjusted the straps so the mask would fit properly; in doing so, she accidentally brushed her breasts against my back. She didn't seem to be in any hurry to move away. When she finally did move, she touched my back with her hand, lingering a bit longer than necessary.
Lori didn't seem to notice. Or if she did, it didn't bother her. She just said, “You ready?”
I nodded.
Lori opened the door that went into the back room and walked in. I followed. Denise was right behind, so close that I could feel her breath on my neck.
The room was dark and cold, with a low hum of machinery in the background. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized we weren't alone. There was an animal lying on a table just a few feet in front of us.
At first glance, I thought it was a hunting dog. Maybe a hound. Light tan with close-cropped fur, thick tail, and large feet. But with the head of a cat.
That's when I realized I was looking at a Florida panther. One of the rarest animals in North America. Maybe less than two hundred in existence.
Instead of something large and ferocious, the animal strapped to the table was thin and frail, heavily sedated, with a breathing tube in its open mouth. A smaller tube in its front leg led to an IV bag on a stand behind the table. Its left rear leg was heavily bandaged, evidence of a recent operation.
There were battle scars on its short, tan coat. Some old, some new. Around its neck a leather collar with a small, black box. The dimmed lights along with the presence of such a rare and regal animal stirred an overwhelming feeling of wanting to help this magnificent creature.
After a few moments of silence, Lori walked over and stroked the animal's ears and began her examination. Being heavily sedated, the panther likely didn't know we were in the room. If it did, Lori's soothing touch would surely comfort it.
She started at its neck, moving her hands slowly down the muscled body, looking for possible injuries or points of pain. Even sedated, if the animal felt pain when Lori pressed its flesh, there would be a slight response. A muscle twitch or eyelid flutter.
Denise watched carefully as Lori did the exam. Both looking for indicators that would tell them more. After running her hands over the panther's entire body, Lori looked up at Denise. “No obvious problems. Did the X-rays show anything?”
“Just the broken femur.”
“Good. How much does she weigh?”
“Fifty pounds.”
Lori shook her head. “She's underweight for her age. Malnourished.”
Denise nodded in agreement.
Lori spent another few minutes checking the panther's vital signs and examining the surgical work on the animal's leg. When she was satisfied, she motioned us toward the door, and we headed into the outer office.
Outside, she removed her mask and smiled at me. I smiled back but didn't say anything. I was still in awe of being so close to such an amazing creature.
Lori looked at Denise. “What do they have scheduled next?”
Denise picked up a clipboard from her desk. “For the next forty-eight hours, they want to keep her sedated and on the table. We'll watch to make sure there's no infection and her vitals remain stable. Then we'll make arrangements to take her to a rehabilitation center.”
Lori nodded. “Sounds about right. What about you? How long are you staying?”
Denise yawned. “Three of us flew down from Gainesville this morning in Tom's plane. Another one drove. The four of us will be rotating four-hour shifts watching the panther. When they move her to a rehab center, we'll all go back to Gainesville.”
Lori nodded. “I want to talk to you about a job before you go back. Be sure to see me about it before you leave. Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“Yeah, about an hour ago. Ramen noodles.”
Lori laughed. “I remember them. Ate them every day when I lived in the dorm. So when's your shift over?”
“Eight. Two hours from now. Tom Eastman takes over then.”
Lori nodded. “Tell him and the others that Walker and I will be here through tomorrow. If anything comes up, no matter what time it is, have someone come get me. I'll be in the motorhome parked outside.”
Denise nodded. “Will do.”
Lori gave her a hug and said, “It's so good to see you. I really meant what I said about getting you to come work with us.”
Denise smiled. “When I graduate, you'll be the first place I send my resume.”
“Don't send me a resume. Just pack your bags and show up. The job is yours if you want it.”
De
nise said, “I'll think about it.”
When Lori turned to leave, Denise reached out and touched my arm. She whispered, “Nice meeting you, Walker. See you later?”
Chapter Nineteen
Leaving the hangar behind, we headed back to the motorhome. When we got there, I opened the door for Lori and said, “You go on in. I'm going to hook up to shore power.”
The motorhome was designed so that everything inside except the microwave could run off the battery bank. Since I'd promised to cook dinner for Lori, I needed to use the microwave. To do that, I needed to connect the motorhome to shore power. Fortunately, there was a thirty amp electrical box next to our parking pad.
I opened the utility compartment of the motorhome, pulled out the heavy power cable and plugged it into the electrical outlet. This would give us electricity inside the motorhome, and we wouldn't be dependent on our on-board batteries or gas generator. The shore power would also top off the charge in the batteries so they'd be ready if we needed them.
Back inside, Lori was sitting on the couch waiting for me. She pointed toward the bathroom. “Go wash your hands. I don't want to risk Bob catching anything we may have picked up from the panther.”
I went and washed up. Bob was still on the bed, sleeping. With clean hands, I went back up front where Lori was still sitting on the couch. She patted the space beside her. “Sit down; I want to talk.”
As soon as I sat, she took my hand and said, “Walker, I try not to get emotional when I work with injured animals. It's not professional and not good for me or the animal. But seeing that small panther in there really got to me.
“There are so few of them left. Each one we lose gets us that much closer to extinction. That's why so many people volunteer to help.
“We got lucky this time. It looks like the panther is going to survive. While she's in our care, we'll get her weight back up and take care of any infections. When she's healthy again, we'll release her back into the wild.
