by M. S. Parker
Thirty
Lexi
I usually hated Wednesdays, especially when I had to work. I always went in later for my shift that day and had to stay to close up. It made for a long, boring day this time of year.
But today, it wasn’t getting to me.
I still had a job.
I’d talked to Hawthorne on Monday, and he’d informed me that he’d gone to bat for me, so my job was safe. Don’t do anything stupid like that again, though, you hear me?
I’d assured him I wouldn’t, and that I’d be more careful in the future.
When I’d asked him about the snare, he’d given me a look of frustration and admitted that he’d had several people going out there over the past week and checking that area, plus the surrounding forest, but nobody had found anything.
Then he’d given my hand a quick pat. “If those damn poachers are at it again, we’ll find them, Lexi. Just be patient.”
He’d believed me, I realized.
That alone had taken so much weight off my shoulders, I almost felt like I was floating through the day.
I pulled the federally marked Jeep I was using for patrol over to the side of the road and got out. Several cars were there, and a small cluster of hikers stood gathered at a trailhead.
“You guys doing okay?” I asked, moving to meet them.
We talked for a few minutes, and one of the hikers confessed some nerves about the trail they were going to take, so I went back to the Jeep and got out a map.
It was more detailed than some of the ones provided by any of the park’s visitor’s centers, and waterproofed. We used maps like these on SAR missions, and mine was starting to show signs of wear as I opened it up and put it on the trunk of the sedan closest to the trailhead.
“This is where you’re going,” I told them, tapping at a spot on the map. “It’s an easy enough trail for this area, and when you get there, you’ll have a fantastic view of one of the park’s waterfalls.”
They asked a few more questions, and by the time I had folded the map back up, the girl who’d looked a little less certain now showed signs of excitement.
They all started down the trail, and I returned to my Jeep, map in hand.
I started to climb back in, but stopped, looking down at the map in my hand thoughtfully. An idea formed in my mind, and I went to the back of the Jeep, opening the back hatch.
I found my handheld GPS and a marker that I could later erase from the map’s slick surface. Using the folded-down seats as a work surface, I opened the map up.
Digging through my pockets, I found the small sticky note marked with coordinates. Using the coordinates and the GPS, I began my search. By the time I hit the fifth one, I had a bad feeling in my stomach.
Each of these spots were fairly remote areas not often patrolled by the rangers, especially this time of year.
I came to the sixth, and as my eyes located it on the map, I fumbled with my GPS, accidentally dropping it. The rugged device was developed to handle drops and falls with ease, so instead of picking it up to check the function, I continued to stare at the point on the map.
My gut started to tangle in hot, slippery knots as I acknowledged what I’d just found.
It was the area where I’d gotten tripped up by the snare.
I’d swear it was almost the exact location too.
Sweat started to break out on my forehead as I continued to mark the locations. Seven in all, and every last one of them were located in an area known to be heavy with wildlife.
There wasn’t really anywhere in the park that didn’t have its fair share of animals, but there were some, like these seven sites, that were particularly known for it.
I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to admit to myself what I’d likely found.
But logic, and a slow-burning anger, wouldn’t let me dismiss it.
I’d already given some thought as to whether the poachers might have somebody on the inside.
As much as I disliked him, I hadn’t wanted to consider that it might be Stilwell.
But this was more than enough to make anybody with a brain suspicious.
On my way back to the visitor’s center, I weighed my options.
The thought of just outright confronting Stilwell wasn’t high on my list of choices.
If I was wrong, it would just give him more fuel to use in this stupid vendetta, and he could possibly turn others against me too.
If I was right, he could always just destroy the evidence before I could convince anybody that he was involved.
I couldn’t put off doing something, though. Stilwell wasn’t working today, and if he was involved, he might be out in the park with the poachers even now.
I decided I’d talk to Hawthorne and see if the two of us could go out and check some of the sites. There was one a few miles farther out than the spot where I’d gotten hurt that seriously had me concerned. If the numbers I suspected to be dates actually were, then something was going to happen today at that site.
Once back at the visitor’s center, my plan fell apart.
“Hawthorne had to go out to Fall River,” Amy said, mentioning the park’s newest visitor’s center.
“Any idea when he’ll be back?”
“Tomorrow.” She rolled her eyes. “There’s some sort of meeting with the supervisors – the park superintendent is attending and wants all the hotshots there.”
“Damn.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, my mind racing.
“Everything okay?” Amy asked.
I forced a smile and nodded. “Just had something I wanted to ask him.”
The visitor’s centers had free public Wi-Fi, and I found a secluded area where I wasn’t likely to be overheard. After connecting to the Wi-Fi, I pulled up my contacts and found the number Roman had just given me Monday morning. While cell phone service was notoriously unreliable out here, some phones could function just fine if there was a solid Wi-Fi connection. I’d made sure I’d have that option when I purchased my latest one.
Roman answered with a gruff, “Hello.”
The sound of his voice made my heart flutter. I rubbed the heel of my hand over my chest, trying to pacify the suddenly excited beat I found there.
“Hey, it’s Lexi.”
“I know who it is,” he said. His tone went all dark and sexy, and once more, my heart started fluttering wildly.
“I was wondering if I could ask for a favor.”
“Just name it.”
“Don’t you want to know what it is?” I asked, unable to resist the chance to tease him.
“As long as it doesn’t involve me breaking the kind of laws that could land me in prison, I’m all yours.”
All mine. I liked the sound of that.
Refusing to melt at the very thought, I cleared my throat and continued. “I think I might have found the root of the problem. I want to go check it out.”
“You’re not going alone,” he said, his voice hardening.
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you think I’m calling you?”
He was quiet for a couple seconds, then said, “Give me forty-five minutes.”
He was gone before I could say anything else, and I checked the time as I lowered my phone.
That should work out just about perfectly.
I was on the clock for another half-hour, and if we made good enough time, we might be able to get to the spot and back before night fell.
Thirty-One
Roman
The moment Lexi showed me the scrap of paper, I knew what it held. I’d seen too many GPS coordinates to not know when I was looking at another set of them. Tapping the other series of numbers crammed in next to one particular set of coordinates, I asked her, “Think they are out there now?”
“I don’t want them to be, but…yeah.” She rubbed the back of her neck, looking down at the map she’d spread out on the hood of her Jeep. “It makes sense. All of those coordinates point to sites that have high levels of wildlife, especially this time of
year.”
Tucking my tongue into the corner of my cheek, I pondered the first site she’d shown me – the one that was likely marked with today’s date.
“We’ll have to be prepared to camp out if we’re going out.”
“I’m always prepared for that.” She rolled her eyes. “You know how many SAR missions could be avoided if people would just pack basic essentials?” She cocked her head. “Have you got your pack on you?”
“I’m always prepared for that.” I grinned at her as she smacked at my arm. “Yes, I’ve got my pack. You want to get on this now?”
“If we don’t, I’m worried we’ll miss them.” She shoved her hair back and gathered it into a ponytail. I knew she’d worked today, but at some point before I’d arrived, she’d changed out of her uniform and into civilian hiking garb. The day was warmer than the previous ones had been, and under the short sleeves of her top, her arms were winter-pale and toned.
“Let’s get to it, then.”
It took almost two hours to close in on the site Lexi wanted to investigate.
For the past ten minutes, Lexi and I had been moving in silence, neither of us speaking.
I’d seen the tracks on the faint path, and some searching around revealed a cigarette butt that was still damp on one end. Whoever had tossed it down had passed by sometime recently, and the site couldn’t be more than another quarter mile away.
The trees were starting to thin out, and for the past few minutes, the sound of running water had grown increasingly louder.
We were close.
The tree line loomed just ahead, and I gestured for her to follow me off the path, into the protective cover of the trees around us.
I heard voices now, and judging by the look on Lexi’s face, she’d heard them too.
Once I felt we were relatively safe from the risk of somebody in the camp seeing us, I eased around the tree and stared out in the small clearing.
It took only a few seconds to ascertain one simple thing.
Lexi had been right.
We were staring out at the poacher’s base camp. There were tents and other various indicators, including what looked like a stone circle for fires. I could see six different men. With the exception of one, they were all dressed in gear designed for hunters, camouflage marked with patterns that resembled leaves and trees.
The one who wasn’t in hunting gear was Stilwell, and he stood with his arms crossed over his chest. The clothing he wore was something I called Yuppie Hiker, consisting of khakis and a windbreaker that looked like he’d bought for appearance more than comfort and a backpack that still had that shiny new look to it.
“Look, I know you all aren’t happy about this.” Stilwell’s voice was flat, the tone arrogant.
I glanced over at Lexi, but she had all of her attention focused on the hunters and the asshole who was betraying his badge.
“I’m pretty sure we’re in the clear, but we’re going to have to avoid a few areas until I’m sure everybody has written this off.”
“Why didn’t you take that trail to search?”
I couldn’t see who had asked it, but he sounded pissed.
“Because that trail wasn’t in the grid we planned to search,” Stilwell said. It sounded like he was talking through clenched teeth. “The stupid bitch went off with some nutjob, and they were operating on their own.”
“Then why the hell ain’t she been fired?”
It was yet another new voice. I’d already memorized their positions, and as I took in the very hostile attitudes of the men, I touched my hand to the gun I’d tucked into a holster at my side. I was hotter than hell because I’d decided to opt for discretion and had covered my t-shirt, the holster, and the weapon itself with a flannel shirt that was definitely too heavy for the current temperature.
If I had to draw that weapon, it meant things were getting ugly, and I really wanted to avoid that.
Lexi shifted next to me, and from the corner of my eye, I saw her aiming her phone in the direction of the men and the base camp. We’d already discussed what we’d do if we found them, but still, I was nervous and all but held my breath as she took several shots.
When she put the phone away, I breathed a sigh of relief and jerked my head, indicating we needed to fall back.
We didn’t move directly to the trail, making our way through the underbrush instead.
It was harder to be quiet, and that had us moving slower than I liked.
We were almost in the clear when a man appeared in front of us.
He had a roll of toilet paper in one hand. In the other, he held a gun.
Of all the fucking luck.
Some guy goes out to take a shit, and we had to stumble across him.
He immediately jerked the gun up. Although I was damn fast with a weapon, mine was still in its holster.
The roll of toilet paper fell to the ground. His gaze flicked from Lexi to me, then back.
“You’re the dumb bitch that got tripped up by my snare,” he said, voice calm.
Lexi didn’t respond.
“That’s you, right?” He raised the gun menacingly, and I watched as he leveled it right at Lexi’s head.
I wanted to charge him, right then, right there.
But it took only a second to pull the trigger. Rushing him would take far more. Even if I crossed the distance between us in under ten seconds, it would be nine seconds too late to save her.
For the same reason, I couldn’t risk pulling my weapon.
Slowly, I moved forward, placing my body partially in front of hers.
“Who are you?” the poacher asked.
“We’re just passing through,” I said, even though I knew he wouldn’t believe it.
“Yeah, right.” He spat a mouth full of tobacco onto the ground, then jerked his head toward the clearing we’d been watching. “Go on out there. You wanted to nose around, so by all means, let me give you the grand tour.”
Thirty-Two
Lexi
I’d found myself in sticky situations before, but I knew without a doubt, this was the worst.
I was acutely aware of the man walking along behind us. Not too close, though. I had a feeling he was keeping his distance just in case one of us tried to pull something.
My gut had drawn up into tight knots, and I tried not to let the fear I felt show. I had no doubt it would just amuse the man who held the gun on us.
We broke through the tree line, and all discussion stopped as, one by one, the group of men turned to look at us.
Stilwell was the last.
As grim as the situation was, the look of utter shock on his face was satisfying.
His eyes went ugly and dark, while his face mottled with rage. “What the fuck is this?” he demanded, striding up to Roman and me. Unlike the man at our back, Stilwell didn’t stop until he was almost close enough for me to reach out and touch him. And if I could almost do it, I had no doubt the silent man at my right could do it.
Stilwell was either more stupid than I realized, or more arrogant. I wasn’t sure which.
Neither Roman or I spoke, and Stilwell, his face contorted with anger, snapped, “Well?”
“Roman and I decided to go for a walk,” I said blandly.
“Bullshit,” the man behind me said. “They’ve been spying on us.”
I didn’t respond.
“Who the hell knows you’re out here?”
“Your boss, Hawthorne,” Roman said before I could even figure out how to respond – or if I should.
The group of men was suddenly gathered around us in a loose circle, all of them talking at once.
I sidled closer to Roman.
I was just barely able to hear him as he muttered under his breath, “Follow my lead, okay?”
I had no idea what he meant.
“We can’t let them go telling people what they’ve seen here!” one of the men argued.
The man who had been standing behind us shifted away to join in on the fray, but
kept his gaze, and gun, locked on us. “I’m not going to have some mouthy, stupid park ranger go and cause trouble for me, boys. We need to deal with this.”
“Deal with it?” That came from the youngest member of the group, and he gave everybody around him a wide-eyed look. “Please tell me you’re not talking about what I think you’re talking about.”
Nobody responded to him directly, and the conversation became more and more heated.
In a lull in the conversation, Roman spoke up.
His words had me balking.
“I know you guys aren’t dumb enough to kill a federal employee – on federally protected land,” he said, although his tone implied he very much believed they might be stupid enough.
What in the hell was he up to?
I was afraid to even consider his motivations, but his softly whispered, urgent demand from just a moment ago stuck with me. Clearing my throat, I said, “It would take a lot of stupidity to pull something like that, especially since I told Hawthorne where I was heading and why.” I flicked a look to Stilwell and added softly, “Maybe you should be more careful about the notes you leave laying around.”
His eyes widened in understanding, but as two of them turned on him, he pasted a confident smile onto his face. “Nice try, Alex. You and me both know the real reason you’re here.”
“Oh?” I don’t know how I managed to speak in such a calm, easy tone when there was a man pointing a gun at me. “And please, enlighten the rest of the group.”
“You’ve been following me.” He shrugged, managing a passable attempt at being unconcerned. “You know it’s just a matter of time before everybody realizes I was right about you, and you’re trying to find a way to throw me under the bus before it’s too late.”
Wow. The man’s ego was enormous.
A smirk curled his lips.
I somehow found it in me to laugh. “You think I’m threatened by you, Stilwell? Please. A wet, hungry kitten is more threatening to me than you are.”
His mouth went tight.
