Tean couldn’t say anything.
“And I know,” Karli said gently, “you understand the mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources.We have a sacred stewardship, Dr.Leon.It’s our responsibility to care for all of God’s creatures.That’s what He said to Adam and Eve, to care for the animals, and that’s what we’re doing here.That’s God’s work.That’s why it’s so important for the Division of Wildlife Resources to be above reproach.Do you know what I mean?”
“No,” Tean said.
But a part of him did know.And knew what was coming.
“What I mean is,” Karli said with a tiny frown—not enough to wrinkle her forehead—“if people don’t trust us, don’t trust our judgment, then they won’t trust us to make the decisions that are best for everyone.When that happens—when people think we’re playing favorites, or we’re not being fair, or that we have a political agenda, well, that’s when we can’t do this important work.”
It was like hearing Jem’s voice, the smartassery of it, because he knew what Jem would say.And Tean was only half-surprised when it came out of his mouth: “The Lord’s work.”
“Exactly!”She brightened.She straightened in her seat.She even gave a little clap of her hands to show how pleased she was.“I knew you’d understand.”
“This is about Joe Neff.”
“Oh, Dr.Leon.”Disappointment.A hint of hurt.“Not at all.”
“He wants to kill that wolf because he likes killing things, and wolves are on the endangered species list, and now he’s finally got an excuse to kill one.”
“That seems awfully harsh.And I don’t think you’re considering the impact to the local ecosystem.”She said the words like she was reading them off a page.“Did you know that when a pack of wolves move into an area, coyotes are displaced?”
“They’re displaced because mesopredator populations were too high to begin with.It’s a good thing, Karli.Other species, the ones that those mesopredators prey on, actually recover.The whole ecosystem is stronger.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Karli said with a laugh.He remembered high school, and embarrassing himself with some nerdy fact while other, cooler classmates stared at him.
When silence came again, Tean simply waited.
“So,” Karli said, “I’m sure you can understand how complicated this situation is.”
“I’m sorry,” Tean said.“I’m exhausted.I had a horrible fight with Jem.And I actually can’t do this right now.So, whatever you’re trying to say, just say it.”
Karli blinked liquid eyes at him.She shifted, as though she might pat his hand again.“Oh honey.I’m so sorry.I thought you knew.You’re being investigated for murder.”
Somewhere down the hall, a door shut.
“No,” Tean said.
“I’m sure it’s all a great big old misunderstanding, but you’ve got to understand how it looks.”
“No,” Tean said again, more strongly this time.“That was a misunderstanding.They have a real suspect now.”
Karli made a distressed noise.She fluttered her fingers.Her nails were orange with black cats on them.For Halloween.“I’m sorry, honey, but there wasn’t any mistake about it.They talked to Ed.And Ed was shocked—shocked—and so he wanted them to talk to me.And they were plain as day: they think you killed this man in South Jordan.”And then, as though Tean might simply have a bad memory, and she was trying to jog him, she prompted, “To help your friend.”
“This is ridiculous,” Tean said.“Call them right now, and they’ll tell you that I’m no longer a suspect.I was never a suspect, not really.They didn’t like me poking around and asking questions, and they wanted to scare me off.”
“It must be so hard,” Karli said.“You’re being very brave.”
“Call them!”But Karli just blinked at him, so he took out his phone.He was surprised to see messages from Jem on there—they registered at the haze clouding his brain, and he could only gather the impression that they were apologies.
As Tean dug around in his wallet for Trevino’s card, Karli said, “I want you to think about this with me.Think about what’s best for everybody—for you, for the division, for all the people in our great state who count on you to do a good job.A job that isabovereproach.What’s the best thing for everybody right now?Think about that with me for a minute.”
The call went to voicemail, so Tean disconnected and tried again.When he got voicemail for the second time, he said, “This is Teancum Leon.I need you to call me back immediately, or call my supervisor Ed Collins or executive director Karli Walker at the Division of Wildlife Resources.You need to explain that I am not a suspect in your investigation.”
He caught himself about to say it all again, to keep saying it, as though if he repeated it enough times, Trevino would pick up the phone.
When he disconnected, Karli was giving him doe-eyed sympathy across the desk.“It’s okay, sweetie.It’s a paid leave of absence.It’s not disciplinary.You’re not being punished.”
That voice that sounded like Jem said,Like fuck.
