White Dragon

by Regina A Hanel

  "You are definitely one of a kind," she said to Jake. "I'm one lucky person to have found you." She petted him on top of his head. Sam moved next to Sugar and stroked her slow on the side of her neck several times, talking to her in a calming fashion. Then she unclasped the solid brass scissor snap from the bridal bit below the attachment for the cheek pieces. She clasped the scissor snap to the loop at the other end of the rein and held the now circular rein against her shoulder to see how far it draped below her elbow. After adjusting the strap to shorten it with her teeth, she lifted the makeshift sling over her head with her left hand and pushed the strap under her right elbow, wincing as she did so. A slight measure of relief followed, as the sling did its job and took pressure off her damaged shoulder. Satisfied the temporary fix would hold, she addressed Jake. "Let's go get Coco."

  Ten minutes later, the first raindrops fell. Sam was afraid the rain might wash away Coco's scent, and along with it, their chances of finding him. The throbbing in her shoulder and arm remained intense, and Sam noticed numbness in her fingers. She opened and closed her fist several times in an effort to regain feeling. Still, she was more worried about Coco than herself. As they marched on, the rain fell more steadily. One loud thunderous rumble or flash of lightning, no matter how far away, and Sam resolved they'd have to call it quits and try again tomorrow.

  Although the nightmares of losing her friend Tina on Grand Teton three years ago to a lightning strike hadn't haunted Sam since Halie found her way into her life, the stark reality of Tina's death and the unpredictability of lightning's power hadn't escaped her memory. She'd run into enough trouble for one day. She'd not take a further risk. It wasn't only her life she had to think of now.

  Jake shook the rain from his soaked coat and barked as he sprang up and down in place on his front paws.

  "What is it boy?" Sam asked. Hopeful anticipation returned as she leaned over and petted Jake with her good arm. Water streamed off the rim of her Stetson as she bent over. Then Sam heard it, the snorting and neighing of her pal Coco. She tied Sugar's remaining rein loose to the branch of a young tree as her heart raced with the anticipation of seeing her friend. She moved as fast toward Coco as her bad shoulder allowed.

  Coco stood alone, thirty yards away, with his reins tied into a tight knot around a tree trunk, unable to move his head more than a few inches, and unable to lie down. "Oh, God," escaped Sam's lips. She hoped he hadn't stood like that for long. Coco's eyes were open with fear. Sam touched him. He felt heated. "It's okay boy. It's okay. Mama's here," she reassured him, stroking his side. She scanned their surroundings. Unable to comprehend who would take Coco and mistreat him as they did, Sam struggled with her anger. For a brief moment, her thoughts shifted to doing serious harm to this person before she regained control and refocused on Coco and their current situation.

  Certain they were alone, Sam walked Coco to where Sugar was standing. She ran her hand down Coco's legs and across his smooth coat, checking him over, searching for signs of injury. He appeared okay, other than the sweat still covering his coat. The rain would help cool him. For that she was thankful. She grabbed a water bottle from its holder and pulled open the top with her teeth. She took a short swig, then streamed some in Coco's mouth, though most of it fell to the ground. Jake and Sugar were next. Coco nudged her in the chest for more, coming dangerously close to her arm, but she ran out of water. She remembered the apple she'd brought with her and snatched it from Sugar's saddlebag. She held it out to him. Coco stomped his hoof and swooshed his tail before wrapping his lips around the tasty treat.

  "Yeah, looks like you'll be okay mister," Sam said, stroking the side of his neck. "But we better get back while the going's halfway decent and get you rehydrated." Coco walked next to Sugar and Jake took the lead, head held high.

  Sam shivered in her wet T-shirt, angry she hadn't grabbed her raincoat from the Expedition earlier. Her shoulder ached. The rain brought with it cooler temperatures as afternoon morphed into evening. The air was invigorating for Coco, but did Sam no favors. Still, she knew she'd soon be home and once again in the arms of her lover, and that vision alone helped warm her.

  FIVE MINUTES BEFORE seven o'clock in the evening, the phone rang. Halie raced to pick up the receiver. "Hello, Sam?"

  "Hi Halie, no, it's Charlie. I wanted to give you a heads up that Sam's at the ranch with me and she found Coco. She'll be on her way home soon," Charlie said.

  "Thank God. I was so worried. Are they okay? How's Sam?"

  Charlie hesitated. "Coco's fine. She's resting in her stall. And you know Sam. Nothing can stop her when she puts her mind to it. She's relieved to have found him, that I know for sure."

  "Yes, Coco's like family. Thanks so much for calling Charlie, and have a good night, what's left of it." Relieved, Halie hung up the phone. She ran upstairs and pulled a large, terry bath towel off the shelf in the linen closet for Sam. Downstairs, she grabbed one of Jake's bath towels off his stack of towels and rags from the closet floor and then anxiously waited for them both.

  As soon as Jake bolted in the house through the garage door, Halie stopped him in his tracks. "Oh no you don't. You stay right here mister," she said. She covered him with a towel and rubbed him dry. But before she finished with him, he squirmed from her grasp. First he shook himself, then continued his bolt through the kitchen, around the corner, into the dining room, and out of sight.

  "Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Sam said. "Oh, never mind. I see the wet towel on the floor."

  "Samantha Takoda Tyler. Look at you. What happened to you, or shouldn't I ask?"

  Sam smiled and shrugged with her left shoulder. "I had a little accident--may have dislocated my shoulder--but it's no big deal."

  "No big deal! You're kidding, right? Only you would say something like that. On top of it, you're a soaking, filthy mess. I'm taking you to the emergency room as soon as we get you cleaned up," Halie said as she embraced Sam with the bath towel.

  "Ouch!" Sam yelled. "Careful with the shoulder."

  "Oh, don't be such a baby. I am being careful. What happened anyway?"

  "Sugar got spooked by a rattlesnake and knocked me over. Luckily I wasn't on her when she reared or I'd probably have a broken my arm instead of walking away with only a dislocation."

  "Oh, God," Halie said, already having loosened her grip. "Why am I not surprised? Trouble seems to have a way of finding you." Halie held Sam close until she stopped shivering. "We'd better get you upstairs and into the shower."

  "Sounds like a plan."

  Chapter Three

  "BUT WHO WOULD do something like that?" Halie asked, after finally hearing the details behind Sam's rescue of Coco. "And why?"

  Sam sat across the table from Halie at Molly's bar, her right arm in a sling. The emergency room doctor confirmed Sam's diagnosis of the shoulder dislocation and x-rays revealed no bones were broken. Since much of the evening already escaped them and Sam knew Halie couldn't wait to eat much longer, nor could she, considering the loud growls that emanated from her stomach. She had declined anesthesia before the doctor relocated her shoulder into its normal position. In hindsight, she decided the decision was not one of her better ones, the pain being greater than she'd imagined. Plus, the move didn't save her much time since another x-ray was needed to reassess the bones after relocation. On the bright side though, she suffered no artery, nerve, or other damage, and for that she was thankful. She could handle a few days in a sling to keep her arm immobile.

  Sam reached for her glass of wine with her left hand and took a generous sip before answering Halie, the smooth, fruity liquid warming her insides. "I have no idea. I've been wondering the same thing. Whoever tied him up like that though must be one heartless person."

  "Or angry."

  "Here you go ladies," Molly said. She winked as she brought over two plates of veggie burgers with special house sauce, sweet potato fries, and two side salads.

  Molly T. Moose was the owner of The Wandering Moose, a local fav
orite. The outside of the bar was not nearly as inviting as the inside, a fact which kept away most of the tourists and filled the bar with local clientele instead. Molly was family. She lived with a woman from town, and together they served what Sam thought were some of the best meals in town. Molly was the one who helped bring Sam and Halie get back together when it appeared their relationship was in trouble near the end of Halie's stay last summer. For that, Sam was eternally grateful.

  "Anything else I can get my two favorite customers?"

  "Nope, we're good Mol, thanks," Sam replied for them both since Halie had already taken her first bite--a large one at that--and was unable to answer.

  "What? What's so funny," Halie managed after swallowing.

  Sam enjoyed watching the extent to which her partner relished her food. "Nothing," she replied. "Except for I love the fact that some things never change."

  "I was thinking the exact same thing this afternoon when you left, but for a different reason."

  Before Sam could ask what the reason was, Molly swung around, retracing her steps. "By the way ladies," she said, "I've got a juicy piece of information hot off the gossip chain that I thought you two might have particular interest in."

  "Spill it," Sam said.

  "I heard Felice Lohan was released from jail two days ago."

  "What?" Sam said. "Already? Time flies, doesn't it?" She glanced at Halie who appeared as surprised as she was. "I'm glad you told us. We hadn't heard. What's she been up to? Is she working yet?"

  "No idea. Tim Jr. was in for dinner earlier and told me he'd seen her in Jackson yesterday. He used to have a crush on her you know."

  For a second Sam thought it a strange coincidence that Felice, who'd shown interest in Halie last summer, wasn't out of jail two days, far as they knew, and Coco went missing. "I know. I'd suspected he took a liking to Felice years ago when she and I'd been dating. Thanks for the info Mol," Sam said.

  "No problem, enjoy your dinners."

  Once Molly was out of earshot, Halie said, "You don't think Felice took Coco today, do you?"

  "You read my mind. It's possible I guess, but somehow I don't think so. I think she's learned her lesson. Plus, in the end, she did cooperate with the Game and Fish Commission and Fish and Wildlife with regard to fingering David Reingold."

  "She did, but probably only to cut short her own time behind bars."

  "True. I wonder where she'll find work now. I'm sure the park won't rehire her," Sam said before taking a healthy bite from her char-grilled veggie burger.

  "I'm sure they won't either. They'd be crazy to. I think no matter what she tries to do she's going to have a hard time, at least around here. Most everyone knows what she did. Maybe she'll move."

  "Maybe. A move might be the best for everyone."

  "Agreed. I have a feeling that whether she had anything to do with what happened to Coco today or not, she could still be harboring bad feelings toward us--me for rejecting her, and you for uncovering the truth about her involvement in the trading. Do you know who took care of her son while she was in jail?"

  "The chief said her sister took him in. I just wish Felice had gone to see the chief earlier with her troubles, before she let herself get roped into the whole fur-trading thing with Reingold. The guy was such a sleaze. He must have smelt the desperation for money on her. If she hadn't crossed the line with him, I'm sure all the rangers at the park would have helped her get back on her feet. We could have held a fundraiser for her. There's no doubt we would have raised enough money to get her on her feet again. None of this had to happen. I don't know why she didn't ask for help."

  "Only she knows that. Let's not talk about her anymore though, at least for now. This is our night and our anniversary weekend. Let's celebrate us instead."

  "You're right." Sam reached for Halie's hand and held it across the table. "You know, I still remember what you were wearing, the first day I saw you in the chief's office."

  "You do?"

  "I do. You wore a cognac colored lambskin leather jacket and jeans, a sexy, light tan, cashmere sweater, and sparkling diamond-studded earrings that glistened as brilliant as your eyes did. I, on the other hand, recall walking in with dirt and blood on my uniform. God only knows what you were thinking."

  "I remember that too, but I thought you were so handsome. The only things I noticed were the strength you commanded by your stance, how fit you appeared, and those unbelievable emerald green eyes that still melt me today. I don't think I even noticed the blood on your clothes at first. If you hadn't been so against my being there and thrown out that "˜having to babysit' me comment after finding out you were supposed to be my guide, you'd have captured my heart from day one."

  Sam felt her cheeks warm. "And if I had my life together a little better at that time, you'd have captured mine too. Regardless, I admit I wrestled with not falling for you. I'm thankful every day that you came into my life, and that things worked out like they did. I don't know what I'd have done if I'd lost you in that helicopter crash. Right now, I feel like the luckiest woman on the planet."

  "I do too. I love you immensely."

  "I've got a surprise for you."

  Halie's eyes sparkled as she reached for a fry and bit off the tip. "What is it?"

  Sam extracted two tickets from alongside her forearm in the sling. "I was going to give these to you later, but I'm finding I can't wait that long. It's nothing major, but how would you like to go see Andréa and his orchestra at Whitman Hall on Saturday night?" Sam bought the tickets months ago as part of her anniversary present to Halie because she knew how much Halie would enjoy it, though she personally didn't have an ear for fine music. Watching a football game was more her style.

  "Oh my god, yes, yes, ten times yes. I don't know how long it's been since I've gone to a concert."

  "Good, I'm glad you like the gift. One more thing though." Sam watched as Halie's expression appeared to turn from joy to concern and back to joy again. "Would you do me the favor of wearing this to the concert when we go?" Sam placed a thin long object wrapped in tissue paper on the table in front of Halie. "I had to take it out of its box, or it wouldn't fit in my sling," Sam said with a grin. "Not exactly the way I planned on giving it to you, but the day hasn't worked out like we'd planned either."

  "You are something else, you know that? Before I open this, is there anything else stashed in that sling of yours?"

  "Nope, that's it. I'm clean," Sam said.

  Halie removed the tissue paper and uncovered a diamond tennis bracelet, one that was an exact match to her diamond studded earrings, the same ones Sam said she'd remembered her wearing the first day Sam met her. "It's...it's beautiful Sam. Yes, I'd be honored to wear it."

  Moments later, Molly swung by with dessert. "You sure two pieces will do it?" she asked.

  "Believe it or not, I'm not actually that hungry for cake anymore," Halie said.

  "Not hungry?" Molly replied with a baffled expression.

  "Well, not this minute. If Sam's okay with it, I'd like to take the cake to go," Halie said.

  Sam leaned in, face flushed. "And what exactly are you proposing?"

  HALIE WOKE NEXT to Sam, her head resting on Sam's healthy shoulder. She thought about how lucky she was to have this warm, loving, and kind woman lying next to her, to love for as long as God willed it, which she hoped was a very, very long time. She felt bad that she hadn't realized how much her prior inattention to Sam caused a plethora of unnecessary hurt. She only wanted happiness for them both. She watched Sam's chest rise and fall, and listened to the beating of her heart. She breathed deep, grateful for her good fortune. Then she gently ran her fingers through Sam's long, dark hair.

  Sam's eyes opened slowly as she stirred.

  Halie propped herself up on her elbow and studied her. Tears of joy welled up inside. "What is it about you that makes me feel like I can't get enough of you?" She asked as she stroked Sam's arm and ran her fingers playfully over her chest.

  Sam pu
lled Halie closer to her side. "I don't know, but I feel the same way about you. I love you more than I can say."

  "You don't have to say it. You show me every day, and every time you make love to me," Halie said.

  "Oh, yeah? Then I think I'd like to tell you again how much I love you," she teased. Sam kissed the side of Halie's neck and traced her fingers down her side.

  Chills coursed through Halie's body as her own center warmed. She slid lower next to Sam and swung her leg between Sam's thighs. "Mmm, please do," Halie managed before Sam's kisses met her lips, and melted away the world around her once more.

  A CRASHING NOISE, followed by Jake's barking, startled Sam awake. She wasn't sure what she heard, but Jake's barking told her something wasn't right.

  Halie awoke seconds later. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

  Sam sat up, winced from the pain in her shoulder. "I'm not sure. I thought I heard a noise, and Jake definitely did. I heard him barking downstairs a few seconds ago."

  "What time is it?"

  Sam glimpsed at the clock. "It's twelve-thirty." Before Sam had a chance to say another word, Jake was at the side of their bed.

  "What's up fella? Something spook you?" Sam whispered.

  Jake sat with his paws up on the side of the bed. Sam stroked the top of his head, which helped calm him down, but he didn't leave. "I guess I better go see what's up."

  "Don't you think you should call the sheriff first?" Halie added in a frightened tone.

  "I don't think it's anything to worry about, or I doubt Jake would be up here with us." Sam put on her sweatpants and sweatshirt and then slid into her moccasin slippers. "My guess is an animal wandered too close to the house and he heard or smelled it and got excited. Just in case though, you stay here. If you hear anything unusual, give the sheriff a call. I'll be right back."

  "If there's nothing to worry about, why are we whispering?"