by Bill H Myers
“Hopefully, she'll stay deep in the Glades, away from cars.”
When she paused, all I could think to say was, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For taking me in there with you. For letting me see the panther. I can't believe I was able to get so close to such an amazing creature.”
Lori smiled. “You're welcome.”
We sat there for a few moments, not saying anything, just thinking about the panther. Lori was still holding my hand. It felt good.
After a bit of silence, she let go and asked, “What are you making me for dinner?”
I stood, walked over to the fridge and opened the freezer door. “You have your choice of pineapple chicken, orange zest chicken or chicken masala. I have two of each, so whatever you want, you can have.”
She laughed. “So you're on the chicken diet, huh?”
“No. I'm on the four-minute frozen dinner diet. I've tried them all, and the chicken ones seem to be the best.”
Lori nodded. “Okay. If those are my only choices, I'll take pineapple chicken. And a glass of wine, please.”
I pulled two boxes of pineapple chicken from the freezer and popped one in the microwave. While it was heating up, I opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass for each us.
I handed Lori hers and then stood by the microwave waiting for the beep that would tell me her dinner was ready.
After taking a sip of wine, Lori said, “Polly told me you used to work in the corporate world. Is that true?”
I nodded. “Yep, it's true.”
“So what did you do? And why'd you leave?”
“It's a long, boring story. You sure you want to hear it?”
“Yeah, we've got time. Tell me what happened.”
Just as I was about to tell her, the microwave beeped. Lori's dinner was ready. I pulled hers out and popped the other one in and set the timer.
Her meal was steaming when I pulled off the plastic cover. I set it on the counter to let it cool for a bit. Her wine glass was empty, so I refilled it then went back to the microwave. I was hoping she'd forget the question she'd asked me. But she didn't.
“Walker, you were going to tell me about your job. I'm waiting.”
I hesitated then said, “Here's the short version. I worked for a Fortune 100 company and was in charge of network security. My job was to find weak points in the corporate computer network.
“Every once in a while, I'd try to break into the system using the same methods hackers used. If I found a weak point and was able to get in, I'd poke around and try to gain access to sensitive documents.
“Then I'd report what I found and suggest steps needed to fix the problem.”
Lori nodded. “So they paid you to break into their network? That must have been interesting.”
“It was. But it had its risks. Sometimes I'd find things I wasn't supposed to see. Secret memos, falsified billing reports, things like that. One of those finds led to me being unemployed.”
“They fired you?”
“No, not just me. They fired everyone.”
“They fired everyone? How many people?”
“Just under six hundred. Everyone who worked at that one location.”
“You're kidding, right? They fired everyone just because you found an incriminating document?”
“No, I didn't find the document until later. See, they closed the plant and moved it to Mexico. I was sent in to close out the computer systems. That's when I found the document. I wasn't sure corporate management knew about it, so I turned it over to them.
“After they saw it, they said they no longer needed my services. Then they buried the document.”
Lori nodded. “So you got fired for doing your job too good. Have you had any luck in finding another job?”
I laughed. “As a matter of fact, I have. I found a job today as your pretend boyfriend. It doesn't seem to pay much, but I hear there may be some fringe benefits.”
I didn't bother telling Lori about the cash settlement I'd received from the company that had fired me. That settlement would let me live well for a long time without worrying about a job or money. But I figured the fewer people who knew about it the better.
Lori continued with her questions. “So you're really unemployed? Not even looking for a job? Just living in your motorhome and letting the world pass you by?”
I nodded. “Yep. That's me. Unemployed and homeless.”
The microwave beeped again, signaling my dinner was ready. Before I pulled it out, I grabbed a clean fork and took Lori's dinner over to the table and placed it in front of her. She looked up and smiled. “I like a man who brings me food. What else can you do?”
I shook my head. “Probably not nearly enough.”
I went back to the microwave, got my dinner and took it to the table. While we were eating, Lori continued to ask me questions.
“Why are you living in a motorhome?”
I smiled. “Because I can. And because I want to. It gives me a sense of freedom.”
“So do you plan to eventually live like the rest of us—you know, get a job, buy a house, pay bills—or are you going to keep doing this? Living in a motorhome with your cat, traveling around with no worries about what the rest of the world is doing.”
Before I could answer, she said, “Wait a minute. Now that I've said it out loud, it actually sounds pretty good. No job, no house. Traveling around whenever you want. Maybe I should be doing that.”
I nodded. “Maybe you should.”
During the rest of our meal, we made small talk. Nothing important, just simple conversation to pass the time. It went well at first, but as the meal continued Lori seemed to be distracted. She'd ask a question, and when I was answering, she'd drift away. A look on her face suggested she was thinking about something else.
After a particularly long lapse, I asked, “Lori, what's going on? You seem distracted.”
She put down her fork. “It's the panther. I think I missed something important. I need to go back and check.”
She stood and headed for the door.
I grabbed a flashlight and went out after her.
Chapter Twenty
It'd only taken me a few seconds to find a flashlight. But in those few seconds Lori had already headed out. If I hadn't gone with her earlier, I wouldn't have known where she was headed or how to find her.
But I knew where she'd be. With the panther.
I followed the same path we'd taken earlier, around the hangar to the door that had been locked. It was now wide open. Apparently, she had unlocked it and left it open for me.
I went in and closed the door behind me. We were in the Everglades and it probably wasn't a good idea to leave doors open at night. I figured anyone who was supposed to be in this building probably had the same access code Lori had. They could use it to get in if they needed to.
I crossed the hangar floor and made my way over to Lori, who was standing with Denise. Denise winked when she saw me. The wink didn't seem to faze Lori. She just kept talking to Denise.
“So you've still got the X-rays, right?”
“Yeah, over there in the file cabinet.”
“Could you get them for me?”
Denise opened a file drawer, pulled out a large manila folder and handed it to Lori. It contained several X-ray images. Lori looked through the folder and pulled one of the X-rays out. “Here's the one I was looking for.”
She moved it close to the desk lamp and pointed to a spot on the film. “See this? Know what that means?”
Denise leaned in to get a closer look. After a moment, she said, “Yeah, I see it now. It's faint, but it's definitely there. We need to check her to make sure.”
Lori headed for the sink in Denise's office. She washed her hands as before and grabbed a face mask. Denise and I did the same and followed her into the room with the panther.
She walked over to the still sedated cat and pulled back the blanket covering its midsection. She gently tugged t
he panther's skin just below its ribcage.
“See that? See how it sags?”
Denise nodded. “Yeah, she's lost a lot of weight.”
Lori replaced the blanket, stepped to the right and lifted the cat's tail.
“Look here. What do you see?”
She was talking to Denise.
“Slight swelling. Maybe some bruising.”
Lori nodded. “Let's go outside and talk.”
Apparently, Denise knew what the X-rays, sagging skin and swelling meant. I didn't but would soon find out.
Back in the outer office, Lori removed her mask and explained. “Our patient has recently given birth. Probably within the past three weeks. That would explain why she is so underweight.
“After giving birth, the mother panther stays in the nest with her kittens. She doesn't leave to hunt or eat. She just nurses and protects her babies. She'll get extremely dehydrated and hungry. Only then will she leave the kittens to go hunt for food.
“She was probably out hunting this morning when she was hit. That means her babies are still in the nest awaiting her return.”
Denise shook her head. “They won't survive long without her.”
Lori nodded in agreement. “Do you have the tracking records?”
“No, not here. They keep them in the main office. Under lock and key.”
Lori nodded. “We need to get those records. They're the only way we can find the nest.”
So far, I'd kept quiet. But I had to ask. “What are the tracking records and why are they so important?”
Lori looked at Denise. “You tell him.”
Denise turned to me and said, “You probably noticed the panther in there has a collar. We put those on all the adult panthers we find. It has a radio that transmits a signal that can be monitored by a low flying plane. Our plane goes up every other day and records the location of each signal.
“That information is logged and used to monitor panther movement. The tracking information only shows where the panther was when the plane flew over. If the panther moves after that, we won't know where it is until the plane goes up again.
“But if the tracking data shows the panther stays in the same location for several days in a row, we know it's either hurt or, in this case, nursing kittens.
“The tracking data has GPS coordinates for each signal. We can use those to locate the nest and rescue the kittens. Assuming we're not too late.”
Lori nodded. “That's why we have to get the tracking records. We need the GPS data to find the nest. If the kittens are just three weeks old, they won't last long by themselves. We have to hurry if we want to save them.”
Lori looked at Denise. “Who do we have to talk to get the records?”
Denise hesitated then said, “Kenny. He's the only one on site tonight who has access to the records. But he said not to disturb him unless it was a matter of life or death.”
Lori asked, “Why would he say that? Why doesn't he want to be disturbed?”
Denise blushed. “I'm not supposed to say.”
Lori put her hand on Denise's shoulder. “Denise, whatever the reason, it can't be more important than rescuing the kittens. I'm going to go talk to him. He's in his trailer, right?”
Lori headed for the door, but Denise stepped in front of her. “Doctor Joy, there's something you need to know. Kenny has a girl with him tonight.”
Lori smiled. “Good for him. I'm glad he's found someone. But I'm still going over there. We need those tracking records and I'm going to get them. You stay here.”
Denise was still standing in front of her. “Doctor Joy, it might be a good idea to leave Walker here. With me.”
Lori looked at me. “You coming with me or staying here with Denise?”
It was an easy decision. “I'm coming with you.”
***
As we made our way across the hangar floor, I asked Lori, “Can't we just call Kenny? Won't that be easier?”
She shook her head. “There's no cell phone reception in his trailer.”
“Are you sure? You were able to reach him earlier.”
“Yeah, but that was when he was in his office. He has a land-line there. But in his trailer all he has is his cell phone, and there's no cell signal out here.”
“How do you know for sure?”
She turned and looked at me. She wasn't smiling. “I know because I've spent time in his trailer. There's no cell signal there.”
She wasn't happy with my questions, but I had another one.
“Why can't we use the computer back in Denise's office to gain access to the records?”
She had a quick answer. “The GPS tracking data is never stored on a networked computer. Too risky. If someone hacked into it, the data could be used by hunters or tourists to track down panthers. Wouldn't be good.
“So they keep the GPS data in paper logbooks. The originals are kept at Oasis and duplicates at FWC. But never online.
“Our only option is to go down to Kenny's trailer, explain the situation and get him to open the main office. He can make us copies of the log pages for FP224. The tracking number of our girl back there.
“After we get the records, Kenny can go back to his date and we can try to find the nest and the kittens.”
Chapter Twenty One
“Walker, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. You didn't sign up for this kind of thing. So if you want to stay here, you can.”
We had just left the hangar building and were standing outside letting our eyes adjust to the night.
“It won't bother me a bit if you don't go to Kenny's trailer with me.”
Kenny was Lori's ex-boyfriend. My going over to his place at night with her might get complicated. On the other hand, this whole trip had gotten complicated. Going to Kenny's with Lori wasn't that big a deal.
“I'm going with you.”
“Walker, stay here. I can do this by myself.”
“Lori, it's starting to sound like you don't want me to go. Is that it? You don't want me to go with you?”
“No, it's not that. I just want you to know you have options. You don't have to go if you don't want to.”
“Okay, Lori. I choose the option where I go with you. Got it? I'm going.”
She smiled. “Good. Give me the flashlight, and I'll lead the way.”
I handed her the light, and she said, “Follow me.”
She led us out onto the landing strip in front of the hangar, and we headed down the runway toward the trailers.
“Walker, you know why we're walking on the runway?”
I made a guess. “Because it's the only thing that's paved around here?”
“Yeah, that's part of it. The other thing is out here on the runway we're less likely to walk up on a gator or a python. Usually, they stay off the runway but not always. With the flashlight, we'll be able to spot them if they're here.
“Of course, if we didn't have a flashlight, we wouldn't be able to see anything. I'll show you what I mean.”
She switched off the light and we were immediately swallowed up by darkness, unlike anything you've ever experienced in the city. Out in the Everglades there are no street lights, no car lights, no lights from office buildings or houses. It was dark. Really dark.
Even without the flashlight to guide her way, Lori kept walking. I couldn't see her but could hear her footsteps. When they stopped, I stopped.
She whispered, “Walker, you ever been in the Glades at night?”
“No, never.”
I took a step toward her voice; my right arm stretched out in front me trying to find her. She wasn't there.
I took two more steps. My hand touched her shoulder, and I felt her jump. She wasn't expecting me to be so close.
She whispered again, “Walker, stand still. Listen.”
We stood in the dark listening to the sounds of the Everglades. Mostly a low buzzing sound, made by the billions of flying insects that feasted on the abundant vegetation in and around the waters
that flowed through the Glades.
The buzzing was pierced by the occasional shriek of nighttime birds as they chased their quarry or announced the arrival of intruders into their territory.
As we stood listening, the constant buzzing was interrupted by a low rumbling sound. Like distant thunder. Lori immediately switched on the flashlight and swept it around us.
She whispered, “That's a gator's mating call. Sounds like he's pretty close. We need to get going.”
She took off walking, sweeping the flashlight in front of her. I stayed close behind. While we walked, the low hum of the night was pierced again by the loud bellow of another gator. Or maybe it was the same one. It sounded like it was getting closer.
Lori said, “We're almost there. Stay close.”
No problem. After hearing the mating calls of nearby gators, I was definitely going to stay close. Back when Lori was saying I had the option of coming with her or staying behind, there should have been a third option. One that involved me carrying a gun.
Lori slowed as we reached the row of trailers parked on the side of the runway. Most had turned their lights off for the night. From what I could see, there were no street numbers or any way to know who was in which trailer.
This didn't seem to be a problem for Lori. It was clear she knew which one Kenny was in. She'd been there before and knew the way.
As we approached his trailer, she stopped and said, “Here's the plan. I'm going to knock on the door and tell him what we need. You stay behind me and don't say anything. Just stand there.”
The lights were off in his trailer, but we could hear soft music coming from inside. An old Chris Isaak tune, “Wicked Game”. Classic seduction music. I had it in my own collection.
As we got closer, we could see movement inside. Two people standing close, slow dancing. Kenny and his date.
We would be interrupting them, but Lori didn't care. She walked up to the door and knocked four times. Bam, bam, bam, bam.
The sound echoed throughout the trailer. There was no doubt whoever was inside would know someone had come to visit.
We could hear footsteps and whispers and then nothing. No one came to the door.
Lori knocked again—bam, bam, bam, bam—followed by, “Kenny, I know you're in there. I hate to disturb you, but this is about the panther.”
