Unexpected Love (White Oak-Mafia #2)

by Liza O'Connor

  Suddenly a panicked boy’s voice spoke from the man’s waist. “John, you okay?”

  The guy yanked the comm unit from his belt. “Yeah, no thanks to you.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t see him come back.”

  “He never left, asshole. He was hiding behind a tree.”

  After a long pause of silence, a contrite voice spoke, “Sorry. Maybe we should call it quits. That bear is huge. I don’t think the sanctuary can deal with him.”

  Grams and Tess laughed in unison. The man on the phone had insisted they could handle a six-hundred-pound bear. It was too late to change their minds now.

  “This isn’t going to work.” He sighed heavily. “Can you drive up next to the truck so I can get back into the cab?”

  Tess turned around in her seat, outraged by his request. “Once you have Grumpy safely inside, then you can walk back. But I’m not risking my life on you again.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? You risked my life by making me come back here to order you to leave.”

  Tess shook her head. “That makes no sense. You thought Grumpy had run off. It’s far more likely you were coming back here to tell me I’d ruined the trap and you were taking your female bear and going home.”

  “So what if I was?”

  “Well, since Grumpy didn’t run off and the trap is not yet ruined, your arrival at this car endangered us all when you chose to jump inside. I warned you the bear was still here, but you refused to listen.”

  He kicked the back of the seat. Grams turned to face him. “You listen here, young man. You have made some serious errors of judgment today, but it’s not too late to still turn this mission into a success. And if you do, I will not call your superiors and let them know what happened today.”

  John huffed but made no more demands.

  “Now,” Grams continued. “Does Steve know how to operate the back door so that he can close it before Grumpy escapes?”

  “Yes, but the bear won’t go near the truck now.”

  “Of course, he will. Damn thing hasn’t had a female in three long years. If you had stayed in your truck and driven off, he’d have probably followed you back to Minnesota on foot.”

  Grumpy returned to the back of the truck and sniffed about. Then he viciously swiped the plank with his paw, knocking it into the woods.

  “That does it. I’m having Steve close up and drive off.”

  “Without you?” Tess challenged. “Because I’m not driving down this road at this hour.”

  “That’s kidnapping!”

  Grams chuckled. “We didn’t kidnap you. You jumped in my Rover to avoid being eaten. Now stop being such a baby. Grumpy can climb into the back of the truck.”

  To prove her right, Grumpy hopped into the back with ease.

  John spoke into the com unit. “Steve, lower the back.”

  Tess thought he’d made the call too soon, but evidently the scent of a female made Grumpy lose all sense of preservation.

  Once the door closed, Steve’s shaky voice came over the unit. “John, the bear has broken apart the female’s cage and he’s fighting with her.”

  “I’ll be right there,” John stated and hurried from the Rover, failing to close the back door. Tess cursed him and pulled it shut. She was about to pull away when a young boy came around the truck, ran to the Rover, and jumped in. “Can I stay here until it’s over?”

  He was such a cute and presently terrified kid that Tess nodded.

  To be honest, the truck did look in danger of going over.

  “I thought you guys had tranq guns.”

  “John does, but I didn’t want to risk my life on him hitting the right bear before the truck tumbles.”

  “Smart boy,” Grams said. “How long has John been working at the sanctuary?”

  “His whole life.”

  “Really? Now that does surprise me.”

  “Our parents founded the place.”

  Grams turned around and faced him. “I hope you have more experienced staff members as well.”

  “We did. But donations have slacked off due to the economy, so now me and John are expected to do everything.”

  Tess turned to express her outrage. “How old are you?”

  “Thirteen.”

  “And how long have you been trapping bears?”

  The boy scrunched up his face. “This is my first one.”

  “And what about John?” Grams asked.

  “Until a month ago, we had a really good bear catcher. But Bob refused to take John with him anymore to catch bears, so Dad fired him. That pissed off our other worker, and he quit, too.”

  “I thought you said the employees were let go due to the economy,” Grams challenged.

  “Well, it was, really. Dad would have never fired Bob if we were still getting requests to capture bears. Twenty thousand a bear is good money.”

  “Certainly is, and for it I expected experienced bear catchers.”

  Steve’s eyes rounded. “Please don’t tell my dad I told you John wasn’t experienced. He did go with Bob five times before Bob declared him more trouble than the bears.”

  That caused both Tess and her grams to laugh.

  “Does that mean you won’t tell? John’s first born, so he gets by with all sorts of stuff, but Dad makes me walk the straight and narrow.”

  “I won’t be calling your parents at all,” Grams assured him. “However, if that damn fool doesn’t manage to tranq Grumpy soon, the truck is going to roll.” She then smiled. “You were very wise to get out of the vehicle.”

  Steve sighed. “I’ll probably get a beatin’ for it, but at least I’ll be alive to get it.”

  Tess had heard enough. “Listen, if you need to run away when you turn sixteen, come back here and I’ll hire you in the summer to work as a ranger and give you room and board so you can finish school in peace.”

  “School…I’d like to go back to school.”

  Tess turned to him. “Your parents took you out of school?”

  His eyes rounded like white saucers. “Of course, I attend school. I just meant school here sounded cool.”

  Tess knew he’d just lied to her, but she let it slide…for the moment. She didn’t want to make the poor kid’s life harder than it apparently was.

  “What work at the sanctuary do you normally do?” she asked.

  “I give tours on the weekend and make sure none of the little kids squeeze through the fences. Our bears are pretty tame, but the tourist platform is about fifteen feet high. If a kid slipped through, he might be hurt in the fall, and the bears might think him new food and give him a taste.”

  Grams snorted. “I expect that is true. Couldn’t you just put chicken wire on the wood fence?”

  Steve smiled. “That’s a good idea. Okay if I claim it as mine? It might impress Dad enough to let me go back to sch—”

  The boy clamped his hand over his mouth.

  Grams sighed heavily. “If it has any chance of getting you back in school, I gladly give you ownership of my suggestion.”

  “So what do you do during the weekdays?” Tess asked.

  “Feed the bears. That’s kind of scary work. Dwayne, that was our bear feeder, never let me follow him into the bear pen, but he’d let me watch him from the platform. It looked kind of fun from up there, but the bears don’t stay back when I yell at them, so half the time they pull the bag of food from my arms before I can pour it into the pans.” He sighed. “Then I get yelled at for wasting feed.”

  “There should be a test before people can become parents,” Grams muttered.

  “I didn’t say my parents were bad. I didn’t. I would never say that,” the boy declared in a high-pitch panic.

  “Calm down. I don’t plan to talk to your parents at all. Looks like Son Number One managed to either kill or tranq Grumpy. You best be returning to the truck before he leaves without you.”

  Steve chuckled. “He can’t. I found his keys here in the back seat.” He held out his hand. �
��It was a pleasure meeting you both.”

  “Same here,” Grams assured him and patted his hand.

  Tess gave him a solid handshake. “Don’t forget my offer when you turn sixteen.”

  He chewed his bottom lip. “Please don’t call Child Services about me. They never help, but the last time they came and questioned my parents, I couldn’t sit for a month.”

  Tess met his stare. “I won’t. If they failed you once, they’ll do it again. Just remember my offer.”

  Steve smiled and ran from the Rover to his side of the truck.

  A moment later, the truck roared to life and lurched forward.

  Grams sighed. “I was thinking I’d wasted my money on this foolishness, but if that boy takes up your offer, assuming he can survive to turn sixteen, then it was money well spent.”

  Tess carefully turned the Rover on the barely two-lane road and headed home. “I’m going to research to see if something more can be done before Steve turns sixteen…but carefully. I will not be the trigger that kills the poor boy.”

  When they returned to the house, Steel wasn’t there. As dusk set in, Tess decided he needed help. She gathered up her emergency pack, lights, flares, and a portable carrier that would enable her to transport an unconscious body along the trail.

  “He probably just lost track of time,” Grams said.

  “I hope that’s all it is,” she replied.

  Grams gripped her hand. “If you need me to call rescue, send a flare. I’ll be awake to see it, I promise.”

  Given how tired her grams looked, she knew that was a hard promise for her to make, but she also knew she could take it to the bank.

  She kissed her grams on her forehead and hurried out.

  Tess ran full speed toward the mounds, not because she believed Steel was hurt, but because Grams wouldn’t rest until they were home.

  There was no moon tonight, so dusk gave way to pitch blackness. Fortunately, her flashlight had a bright and wide beam, enabling her to continue her run.

  As she came around a curve, her light revealed a large dark mass on the side of the trail. Her panicked mind had yet to identify it, when Steel spoke.

  “When I get back to the cabin, I’m going through every damn pocket on my vest, my hip belt, and my backpack. I’ve been sitting in the dark, feeling about for my flashlight for what seems to be an eternity.” He then stood and hugged her. “I am very glad to see you.”

  She shined the light in his face.

  “Okay, I’m blind now,” he complained.

  Tess chuckled. “Sorry, I just needed to make sure you didn’t have a head injury.”

  “Because I stupidly forgot to locate my flashlight before it turned dark?”

  “That, and the fact it appears you did locate it since it’s in the pile of items at your feet.”

  He looked down and picked up the flashlight. After staring at it, he closed his eyes and frisked the large metal box. “Damn it! I thought it was the lunch box.”

  “It does vaguely resemble one, only it’s a bit heavier since the casing holds two long-life batteries inside. It also has a metal handle. Still, the round flashbulb area should have been a giveaway.”

  “I never got to it. I groped a metal box and declared it lunch.”

  Tess laughed heartily at his admission and, a moment later, he joined in.

  She helped him put all the items into his backpack and vest.

  “When is the sanctuary coming for Grumpy?” he asked, shining his light about.

  “Came and gone…with Grumpy, thank God.”

  “Then why do you seem to be in a panic?” he asked.

  “Grams…she’s really tired, but she won’t close her eyes and rest until we get back. She’s watching for a flare in case we need rescued.”

  He stopped shining his light into the woods and assisted her. She was going to chide him for putting items into the wrong pockets, but this was his vest now. He’d need to figure out his own system.

  He finally noticed the poles jutting from her back, possibly because she’d almost clocked him with the roller ends.

  “What the hell is that?”

  She stood. “Can you run in the dark?”

  “With a light, yes.”

  “Then let’s run,” she said and took off.

  She didn’t need to turn around and verify he was there. His poorly placed tools clanked and complained so loudly that he sounded like a donkey loaded with skillets.

  When they entered the house, Tess said between gasps, “We’re…home…safe…and sound.”

  “Then I’ll rest some,” Grams muttered and closed her eyes.

  Not wanting to disturb her grams, she headed straight to Steel’s room and dropped her backpack and poles to the floor.

  Once he entered, she rolled open the poles exposing the fabric carrier. “You asked about the poles. In case you were unable to walk, I could pull you back with this.”

  He studied it. “Which explains the big rubber wheels. How does a person not slide off?”

  “Get on, and I’ll show you.”

  He looked like he was going to refuse, then sighed and lay down. Only he put his head down by the wheels.

  Tess burst into laughter.

  “What?” he demanded.

  She shook her head, unable to talk yet. Every time she tried, her laughter would intensify again. Finally, she pantomimed that his head was the tip of her finger and then bounced it on the wood surface of the bed stand. Then she motioned for him to turn around.

  “Oh,” he muttered and laughed at himself.

  Now that he was properly aligned, she tightened a shoulder harness on him then adjusted the support straps so they gripped the pins drilled into the top of the poles. She located the Velcro strap sewn on the backside of the fabric mid-way down, pulled it around the polls, and secured it tightly at his waist.

  “The shoulder harness keeps you from sliding down and the belt keeps you from falling off.”

  She moved to his head, turned with her back to him, knelt down, lifted the poles to her shoulders, latched them to her harness with more Velcro straps, and stood. She then rolled him about his room.

  “I would have said it was impossible for you to carry me anywhere.”

  “Well, it is a bit more challenging going uphill over rocks or pulling you through wet marshland, but for you, I’d do it.”

  She then knelt down and released him.

  “This is very clever. Where’d you get it?”

  “Grams and I designed and made it.”

  Steel sat beside on the bed. “I’m impressed.”

  “When you get a moment of spare time, I’ll show you some additional stuff you need to know, but we’ll need to be on actual trails for that lesson.”

  “How about tomorrow?”

  “Don’t you want to work on your mounds?”

  He expressed his frustration with a heavy sigh. “Tom has forbidden me from further digging until we get the carbon dating results back. So until the GPR equipment is purchased and two strong backs are employed, I’m just being tortured up there.” He looked at her. “Although I did make a lot of notes of things we have to do, which I’m hoping you can turn into a plan.”

  She stood and offered her hand to help him up. He took it, but she knew he didn’t need her assistance to stand. Maybe he just wanted to hold her hand. And while she liked the physical contact, she knew they shouldn’t have enjoyed it so much because they had to keep matters platonic.

  Chapter 11

  Tess and Steel returned to the kitchen where she worked on converting Steel’s scribbles into a proper plan while he cooked dinner. She had grave doubts the food would be edible, but he was the first man she had ever known who wished to cook, so she had to let him try. If it was truly wretched, she’d cook Grams something else.

  He’d just declared his masterpiece almost done when the phone rang. Tess grabbed the phone before it rang again, hoping the first ring hadn’t woken her grams.

  “Tes
s Campbell,” she said.

  “Tess, Tom Barkman. Is Steel available?”

  She chuckled and covered the mouthpiece to reply. “He’s cooking dinner.”

  “I know how he gets about that. So will you tell him once he’s finished his masterpiece that the lab prioritized his project, and they say the soil tube had dates from 14,000 BC to 500 BC.”

  Tess smiled at that news. “That’s wonderful.”

  “Better yet, the bone fragment is from a human foot dated around 8000 BC. This site is going to be changing what we know of Paleo-Indians. Tell him I’ll be bringing a ground-penetrating radar device, electrical resistance meters, and two magnetometers, plus four strong men from the Harper Ferry site.”

  “Are you sure they won’t sabotage things?” she asked.

  “I hope my judgment of the people who work for me is better than that, but it’s a reasonable concern. This site will undoubtedly lessen the interest in Harper Ferry. I believe the four I have chosen will prefer working with Steel than their current boss, and I think he’ll like them as well. If it works out that way, I’ll authorize the move and hire some less expensive men for the other site.”

  “Sorry for questioning you. It’s a great solution.”

  “After the draft plan you threw together in four hours, you may question anything I do. The governor agreed it was the best first-year plan he’d ever seen.”

  “You did tell him it was just a draft, didn’t you?”

  “No…the governor doesn’t like drafts. I told him we’d make improvements to it as we flushed out the details in the later time frames.”

  Tess chuckled. “That was brilliant.”

  He sighed heavily. “Well, phrasing things appropriately for the audience at hand is a major part of my job.”

  Tess sensed it wasn’t a part he was proud of. “That’s a really important skill you have. And I’m very glad you have it because you are a great head of parks.”

  “You might want to wait until you hear the favor I’m going to ask you to do.”

  “No, I’ll stand behind that statement. What can I do for you?”

  “I need you to help Steel make a plan as good as yours for the archeological dig. I can tell you right now he’ll probably give you a notebook of illegible script and think that’s sufficient, but that’s not going to fly with the governor after he’s seen yours. You need to dig into details and flush it out.”