It was Sunday morning, and most of Lake Lumin’s citizens were sleeping in or hungover from the raucous after-party at the rodeo, when the horses were put away for the night and Harrison and Tammy Ward brought in their traditional half dozen kegs to celebrate the occasion, as they had done since the sixties.
News of a killer on the loose had tainted the festivities, though, and neither Jake nor Annie had had the chance to enjoy the afternoon as they worked their way through the crowd, warning anyone who would listen to be on the lookout for Justin Grimes.
Annie felt terrible about leaving Daniel alone on the checkered blanket while she spread the word, and he had left early on his own, complaining of a headache. She’d need to find a way to make it up to him, and she smiled at the thought of setting up a picnic at their favorite lakeside spot, but that was for later. Right now, there was work to be done, even on a Sunday. There would be no weekends off until Justin Grimes was found and put into custody.
Annie pulled up to the curb and killed the engine. As she steppedinto the station, the phone rang, and Jake, already seated behind the desk with an open map spread before him, answered.
“Hello?… Yeah, she just walked in, hang on.”
Jake passed the phone to Annie.
“Hello?”
“Guess what?”
Annie smiled at the sound of Daniel’s voice. “What?”
“We’ve got a cougar.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No, he’s in one of the snares, I found him this morning. I won’t be able to help you with him though. The Wards had so many lights and speakers going at the stable yesterday that something blew and they want me down there to fix it.”
“That’s fine, I’ll take Jake, just leave the gate open.”
She hung up, grinning, and filled Jake in.
Annie drove them up to the boathouse in the Jeep, heart pounding as she parked. Together, they loaded the gear into the skiff, and Jake rowed steadily toward the southern shore while she loaded the gun and checked the radio collar for a signal, limbs humming with adrenaline. It was always this way when coming face-to-face with something wild and deadly. It was truly the best part of the job.
The skiff slid onto the shore, and even before she set foot on the bank, Annie heard the cat in the woods, growling and hissing in frustration. Bright-eyed, she lifted the tranquilizer gun and walked into the trees to meet it.
She caught sight of his back first. Broad and golden, facing away from her as he curled around his ensnared foot in the shadow of the trees. Annie lowered the gun, gazing at him in awe. He was huge. The biggest cat she’d ever seen, muscles rippling as he worked at the trapped paw with his teeth.
Annie lifted the gun again and nestled it into her shoulder. She took a deep breath and let it out, stilling the muscles in her body as she took careful aim.
Pop!
The dart whizzed through the air and struck the cougar in the neck. A perfect shot.
The cat’s ears flattened. His powerful golden body twitched violently, and a feral growl of annoyance rippled through the trees, sending a chill down Annie’s spine.
For several seconds, he tried to swipe at the dart with his free paws, then angled his head downward to nip at it with his teeth, but it was too well placed under his jaw, and he was unable to free it.
Hauling himself to his feet, he hobbled in an unsteady circle around the snare, large yellow eyes hunting the trees. Annie stayed where she was. When he saw her, he froze, and they stared unblinkingly at each other for several seconds as the dart’s sedative worked its way into his system. Abruptly, he stumbled on his feet, regained them for a moment, then slumped sideways onto the ground.
His limbs twitched as he fought the drug, then stilled at last.
Annie turned to Jake, who was waiting far behind in the trees. “He’s safe.”
They made their way to the snare, Jake trailing Annie as she came to a stop over the imposing predator.
He was beautiful. Well-fed and well-muscled, with a sleek coat and clean teeth. Young, but mighty; the king of these woods.
Annie knelt beside him and ran a hand over the tawny fur of his torso.
“Hey there, handsome,” she murmured.
His eyes were half-open; massive irises the color of lamplight with dilated pupils that bounced her reflection back at her.
