by Sharon Dunn
“We can’t move the bird. It’s just like a regular crime scene.”
Keith rose to his feet, spotted a stick a few feet away and walked over to it. “We can mark the spot and watch from the road.” He pushed the stick in the ground next to the dead eagle. “Hand me your scarf.”
Jenna untied the scarf from around her neck. It fluttered in the breeze as she handed it to him. Keith knotted it firmly to the stick to enable them to sight it from the road.
They walked back to the car and settled on the bumper. Jenna crossed her arms and kicked at the dirt. The wind caught her long hair and it brushed over his cheek. He’d do anything to take her anguish away. “This game warden is pretty good?”
“I don’t know. He’s new. I don’t think we have even had a poaching case since he got the job.” Frustration undergirded her words.
Keith pushed off the bumper and stalked forward a few steps. “Maybe you should let the warden do his job.” The harder Jenna pushed, the more he feared for her safety.
“I will, but I am not going to stop trying to figure out who is behind this.” She shifted slightly on the bumper. “I just hope I can keep the birds at the center safe. Peter’s fundraiser should give us enough to buy a security system. That will help a lot.”
“Who is this Peter guy, anyway? You keep talking about him.” Jenna spoke so warmly of him; Keith’s curiosity was piqued.
Jenna drew back as though she had been caught off guard. “He’s the center’s biggest supporter. Last year his fundraiser allowed us to build the flight barn. You should come to the ball. It’s a lot of fun.”
A fundraiser that could finance a whole security system made his motion sensitive light look like nothing. Keith rubbed the back of his neck where it had grown tense. “It’s a formal thing, huh?” The thought of wearing a tie made him itch.
“The women like to go all-out, but dressed up for a Montana guy means you wear clean jeans and you scrape the mud off your boots.”
The sparkle had returned to Jenna’s round brown eyes and her dimple showed when she smiled. Talking about the birds did that for her.
“You are welcome to come to the event,” she said.
Formal events really weren’t his thing, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
Up the road, a dust cloud indicated that the game warden was on his way. The warden pulled over to the side of the road and opened the door. He was a weathered-looking man with white hair and a silver white beard. Though he had a start on a pot belly, his stride indicated strength.
“Keith, this is Leland Furness. Leland, this is Keith Roland, Norman King’s grandson.”
Leland offered Keith a handshake with a solid grip.
“Been seeing a lot of you in the last couple of days, Jenna.” Leland pulled a toothpick out of his shirt pocket and rolled it around in his mouth.
“Did you check on the bear carcass on Mrs. Ephron’s land?”
“Yep.” Leland crossed his arms over his chest. “Carcass was pretty well consumed, hard to say what killed it. Took what samples we could.”
Jenna filled the warden in on the details about the eagle and pointed to the area Keith had marked. “Do you need us to stay and help out?”
Leland shook his head. “It’s a one person job. ’Bout suppertime. I’m sure you two are getting hungry.”
They talked for a while longer. As Leland filled them in on what he would do, Jenna’s confidence seemed to return.
Jenna thanked Leland before she and Keith got in her car and headed back to the center.
When they pulled into the center, Jenna seemed to sense his reluctance to leave her by herself. She turned to him and said, “Thank you for coming over and doing patrol last night. I see the need for extra security now. I think I am going to ask one of the volunteers to stay with me tonight. She’s older and single and loves the birds as much as I do. We’ll take turns checking on the birds.”
He liked that she was taking steps to stay safer, but Jenna and an older lady wouldn’t be much of a match for an intruder. “Can’t Cassidy stay with you?”
“She’s married, Keith. I am sure she wants to be with her husband.”
“I still might swing by if I can’t sleep.”
“It should be okay. No one bothered the center last night. They must think I backed off.” She took in a ragged breath. “Maybe that is why they felt so free to get back to shooting at eagles.”
If the culprits found out she had called the game warden, they might come back and do more damage, she mused.
Jenna slammed her head against the back of the seat and stared at the ceiling. “What can I do? It’s obvious now that the eagles are being targeted.”
It bothered him that the bad guys seemed to have the upper hand. “Cassidy didn’t say anything about seeing a helicopter. I wonder how that fits in.”
Jenna shook her head. “When we saw the helicopter, it was midday. The trespassers and this shooting happened in the evening and late at night.” After reaching back to grab her dress in the dry-cleaning bag, Jenna opened her door.
Keith got out as well and sauntered over to his truck.
She picked up the box containing the motion sensitive light. “Thanks, this was really thoughtful.”
Keith said good-night and jumped into the cab of his truck. He rumbled down the road back to the ranch. The game warden had seemed hopeful about matching the bullet to a gun just like Jenna had said. But that would mean they would have to have at least one suspect and a reason to search his home for a rifle. So far, the culprits had remained invisible. The warden had said, too, that he could search the area for spent shells to find where the shooter had been. Maybe what he would be able to piece together would put an end to this. Keith wanted to believe that, but he still wasn’t sure.
The whole time they were waiting for the game warden, Keith had that strange sensation that they were being watched. Maybe whoever had shot the bird was waiting for the chance to get his trophy. Once the game warden showed up and took the eagle, that chance had been thwarted. Certainly, that wouldn’t sit easy with the shooter. But what would he do to retaliate?
Would he escalate to hurting people…like Jenna?
NINE
Keith raised the ax above his head and brought it down on the piece of wood. As he stared at the pile of wood he had chopped, a sense of satisfaction filled him. His grandparents would be cozy warm in the winter thanks to his efforts. He had had a productive day helping his grandfather. Though his arms ached some, he could feel strength returning. All in all, a good day. Or rather, it would have been if he could’ve stopped himself from worrying about Jenna. He knew he was overreacting. Certainly, she would have called if something had gone wrong.
Etta came and stood in the door. He knew that look on her face. The crevice between the eyebrows indicated she was anxious about something.
Keith straightened and wiped the sweat from his brow. “What is it, Grandma?”
“Didn’t you say you talked to the game warden yesterday?”
Keith nodded.
Etta touched her fingers to her face. “There was a story just on the news. He was in some kind of crazy car accident. The poor man will be laid up in the hospital for weeks.”
The ax felt weighted in Keith’s hand as a rising sense of panic filled him. He doubted the car wreck had been an accident. Someone wanted to put the warden out of commission for a while. He pulled his cell phone off his belt and dialed Jenna’s number.
His grandmother stepped toward him. “Who are you trying to call, dear?”
“Jenna…I’m just…worried about her.” He squeezed the phone a little tighter. “But she is not answering.”
“She’s probably up at that big shindig at Peter Hickman’s house. Norm doesn’t feel up to going, so we are staying home. Half the town is going to be there, though.”
Half the town. That meant that someone who wanted to put Jenna out of commission might be there, too.
The satin skirt of
Jenna’s gown rustled as she took a sip of her punch. For the third time, she looked toward the door of Peter Hickman’s house, thinking she would see Keith. Apparently he had decided not to come to the fundraiser.
Cassidy bustled up to Jenna holding a small plate piled with hors d’oeuvres. She pointed to a cracker with a dollop of white stuff and green onions on it. “These are really good.”
Jenna took the cracker and nibbled. The smoothness of the cream cheese mingled with spices, making her mouth water.
Cassidy tugged at the waistline of her dress. “Good turn out, huh?”
“Yes, most of the town is here.” Many of the volunteers had come, but she also saw a lot of people she didn’t recognize. They must be friends of Peter’s. Craig Smith stood in a corner leaning close to another man in a cowboy hat.
Again, Jenna caught herself glancing at the door. The fundraiser was fun. Why then did it feel incomplete without Keith?
Cassidy leaned toward her. “I haven’t seen Peter yet, have you?” She adjusted a clip in her blond hair.
Jenna shook her head. Peter’s house was huge and partygoers were spread throughout it. The room they were in was open with large wooden floor-to-ceiling beams and a slate floor. A bubbling fountain served as the centerpiece. The room stretched out into a balcony where more people gathered.
A man with brassy red hair peered at them through the doorway that led to a ballroom where country music and party chatter spilled out.
“Oops, there is my hubby, better go.” Cassidy placed the plate of food in Jenna’s hand. “Are your feet glued to the floor?”
“No.” Jenna took another bite of cracker. She set the plate on a little table. She needed to stop nervous nibbling.
“Enjoy yourself, mingle, remind people that we need donations year-round.” Cassidy scooted away, hooking her arm in her husband’s and disappearing into the ballroom.
Craig Smith raised his voice; his face scrunched up into a grimace as he left the man he had been talking to. He stalked past Jenna.
“How is that new bull working out?” she asked.
He stared at Jenna for a moment as though he were trying to place her. “Fine,” Craig barked and headed into the ballroom.
Jenna sauntered toward the balcony where several couples had their heads bent close together. She set her drink on the railing. A cool evening breeze wafted up to her. Peter had built his house in a high spot so most of the valley was visible. Close by, she could see Peter’s barn and corral that held two horses. Beyond that were the mountain peaks of the King Ranch. The water tower on Craig Smith’s place was visible, as well. But despite the lovely view, she still had the urge to turn back around and see if Keith had arrived.
She leaned on the railing and closed her eyes. She really had to let go of the idea of more than a friendship with Keith. His friendship was wonderful—more than enough for her. She had been so touched by his coming to watch over the center in the middle of the night and getting her the motion sensitive light. It was just nice to know that you were in someone’s thoughts.
“Just the woman I want to see.”
Jenna turned to face Peter Hickman. He was a short, broad-shouldered man with a thinning hairline. Despite his lack of stature, his physique indicated that he did a great deal of physical activity. He had moved to Hope Creek for the camping, climbing and hunting opportunities, hobbies that he had made into a business. Peter owned a corporation that made heavy-duty gear for all kinds of outdoor activities from hiking to camping.
“Peter, I was wondering where you were.”
“Sorry, I had some unexpected business calls.” He touched his thinning hair at the temple.
“Looks like most of the town showed up this year. The turnout is even bigger than last year,” Jenna said.
“You’ll be glad to know we have added up the donations. I think you will be pleased with the total. I’m sure more will trickle in—some people’s consciences don’t get pricked until after the party. We’ll make the announcement in the ballroom in a few minutes.”
“I’ll be ready to receive the check.” Jenna took a sip of her punch. “I’m hoping to get a security system.”
“Oh?” Peter leaned closer. “I thought you said something about a new X-ray machine and medical supplies.”
“Priorities changed.” Even talking about this made her stomach tighten. As a major sponsor of the center, Peter had the right to know the full story of what was going on, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to talk about it. Not tonight. “We have had some…vandalism issues.”
Jenna turned back toward the railing, and Peter sidled up beside her so they were both looking out on the property.
“That’s too bad. I hope the birds weren’t harmed.”
“We lost one of our education birds.” She struggled to keep the sadness out of her voice. “Georgina.”
“The turkey vulture?”
She was delighted to hear he remembered. She had given him the tour of the place over a year ago. “Yes.”
“Georgina had her charm, didn’t she?”
Jenna lifted her head and laughed. “There are few people who would say that about a turkey vulture.”
“And you are one of them, Jenna.” Peter’s voice warmed. “The work you do with these birds is important.” He checked his watch. “It’s about time.” He held up his arm for her to take. “Shall we?”
Jenna turned. Her breath caught. Keith stood in front of her.
Keith tugged nervously at the collar of his stark white button down shirt. He had shaved and trimmed his hair. He patted his very clean jeans. “Dressed up for Montana, right?” Not that he felt dressed up, compared to the guy Jenna was with, who was wearing a suit and tie.
“You look nice,” Jenna said after clearing her throat. She seemed startled to see him. Had she given up on him coming?
“You must be Peter Hickman. I’m Keith Roland, a friend of Jenna’s.” Keith held out his right hand on purpose so Peter would have to let go of Jenna’s arm.
When he had seen Peter and Jenna together on the balcony standing near each other, he’d felt a spark of envy. They were leaning close together, and Jenna had laughed at something Peter said.
Jenna’s affection for Peter must be because he cared about the birds. Peter had to be pushing fifty. All the same, Keith found himself wanting to be the one next to her, engulfed in her laughter and the sweet scent of perfume.
Jenna whirled back toward the railing and grabbed a plastic cup filled with punch, which she gulped.
“Why don’t I give you and your friend a minute?” Peter suggested. “You’ll hear me make the announcement over the PA. I’ll talk for a while before you have to come up to accept the check and do your talk.” Peter excused himself, leaving Jenna and Keith alone.
Jenna gripped her empty plastic cup. “You made it.”
Her cheeks were flushed. She’d piled her hair on top of her head, revealing her long neck. The rich burgundy color of her dress made her tanned skin appear smooth and warm.
His fingers skimmed her bare arm. “You look nice.” He pulled the plastic cup, which she had nearly crushed, from her other hand. His gaze went from her full, round eyes to her lips.
“What made you decide to come?”
It would be better to tell her about the game warden later. This was her special night. “How could I not come? Everybody in town is here.” He just wanted her to be safe tonight.
Peter’s voice, amplified by a microphone, filled the whole house. People migrated from the balcony toward Peter.
“We should go into the ballroom,” Jenna said.
He followed behind Jenna, scanning the room which was full of people. Crowds provided ample opportunity to do harm and remain anonymous. Keeping an ear tuned to the people around him, he stayed close to Jenna.
“I need to go up there.” Jenna pushed her way through the crowd and stood to the side while Peter continued to talk. A cage covered in a cloth rested on a table beside Jenna.
She slipped a heavy glove from the table onto her hand. While Peter talked, Jenna opened the cage door and coaxed a smaller breed hawk onto her gloved hand.
Peter announced the amount of money the event had raised for the center and the crowd clapped. He introduced Jenna as the director of the center. She stood beside Peter while they bantered about the bird she had brought with her and the work the center did. Jenna’s body language toward Peter was friendly, but nothing more.
Still, the sudden surge of jealousy had surprised him.
Jenna finished her talk, the audience applauded and Peter encouraged people to enjoy themselves. Peter and Jenna pressed their heads close together and spoke for a moment.
“Hello, my friend.” A cold hand cupped Keith’s shoulder.
“Craig. How are things with you?”
“Good. Your grandfather raises fine Angus bulls. At least that part of ranchin’ is working out.”
Though Craig tried to keep the tone of the conversation friendly, his voice held an undertone of agitation and he kept glancing around the room.
Keith made small talk a while longer and then disengaged himself from the conversation. He looked at the front of the room where he thought he’d find Jenna, but he couldn’t spot her.
He glanced around the room. Craig had melted into the crowd. He studied each face, not recognizing anyone.
Keith pushed through the crowd toward where Jenna had been. The cage with the bird had been taken. There must be a back door she slipped out of. Mentally, he berated himself for not keeping an eye on her. She didn’t know about the warden. She didn’t know she wasn’t safe.
Jenna placed the bird in the back of the Subaru and closed the hatch. Her stomach was still somersaulting. Speaking in public did that to her. She didn’t want to go back and face the crowd until she calmed down. Instead, she walked down the path to Peter’s barn and corral. Horses didn’t interest her as much as birds, but she knew Peter was proud of his new stable and she had promised to see it before she left. Now was as good a time as any.
From the time Keith had stepped in the room, she had felt like she had been caught up in a whirlwind. She’d been lying to herself. She couldn’t just be friends with him.