Wolf Dance

by Wolfdance(Lit)

  Chapter Four

  Laura’s emotions were in turmoil as she made the drive back to her cabin. What was it about him that touched her emotions in ways she had never known before? The desire he aroused in her was frightening to say the least. She’d had lovers in the past, but none had come close to affecting her in the way that he did.

  Thoughts of the past couple hours jumped to the front of her mind and Laura wondered if it had all been some kind of hallucination, like that woman in the middle of the road. She had just come to this conclusion when she glimpsed something to the side of the road in the woods.

  Laura hit the breaks so hard that she nearly skidded into the trees. By the time she brought the car to a stop, she wasn’t even sure what it was that she had seen. It had been something different--something that didn’t quite belong. Had it been a movement she’d seen or something else?

  Leaving the car, she started into the woods. Right away she noticed the flattened brush and broken trees. Maybe this had been what caught her attention? Her subconscious had alerted her to the differences in the landscape.

  It appeared as if someone had driven right through the woods. Laura followed the path of destroyed brush until she came to a large beaver pond. With a deep sigh, Laura started back up to the road. The sun was nearly down and she didn’t want to get caught out here in the dark.

  This was probably no more than a party site for local kids. The path had been made by four-wheelers, and there was probably no more to it than that. No mystery here, she concluded.

  From the corner of her eye she noticed something in the brush and she stopped to examine it. The object was so severely damaged, that at first it was unrecognizable. As she looked at it more closely, Laura saw that it was a briefcase, at least what was left of a briefcase. The leather had been torn to bits.

  The path may be explained by kids, but Laura doubted there were many kids who would have a need for a briefcase. She bit down hard on her lip, turning the problem over in her mind. It was then that she noticed the torn and scattered paper in the tall weeds. The paper looked as if it had been put through a shredder.

  Somewhere behind her a twig snapped. Laura brought her hand up to stifle a scream. She quickly started moving up the path, taking the briefcase with her.

  * * * *

  A thick blanket of darkness covered Brantic City. There was no movement, no sound, just complete darkness. Laura downshifted into second, taking the dirt road slowly. The Bronco’s headlights barely penetrated through the blackness and dust. After coming to a stop in front of the saloon, Laura waited--watching and listening. All was still.

  Leaving the car running, Laura walked to the pay phone and quickly dialed the sheriff’s number. It rang twice before dispatch picked it up.

  "I need to talk with Sheriff Moss." Laura spoke softly into the receiver.

  "He’s not on duty. Can someone else help you?"

  "No, but will you please let him know that Laura Ellison needs to talk with him as soon as possible? It’s urgent." Disappointment came through in her voice.

  "Sure will! He’ll get your message first thing in the morning, ma’am," the woman assured her.

  Laura hung up the phone. The wind had picked up, bringing with it a chill to the night air. Walking back to her car Laura’s thoughts were in a whirl. She was convinced that there was something very wrong here. The darkness had never really bothered her before, but tonight it did. She made the drive back to her cabin in record time.

  Not until she was safely inside the cabin, did she feel secure again. The only thing to do now was wait and talk to the sheriff in the morning. Not that it would do any good, but it was better than doing nothing.

  After running a bath, Laura stripped off her clothes and sank into the soothing hot water. Closing her eyes, she let the tension flow from her body. She had run up against dead ends since her arrival and was beginning to think her presence here was accomplishing nothing.

  The wind still howled outside the windows, but Laura could hear something distinctly separate from the wind. She kept her eyes shut, not moving a muscle. There it was again, just outside the window, a low angry snarl.

  Laura rapidly finished her bath and left the room. Wrapped in an oversized towel, she padded barefoot across the hardwood floor to the living room, slipping a tape into the portable stereo that she’d brought with her. The comforting sound of a hundred harmonizing instruments floated through the cabin.

  In the bedroom she picked up a comb and ran it through her wet ringlets. Removing the towel, she gazed into the mirror at her thin shape. Feeling a little whimsical, Laura found herself wishing that she possessed just a few more curves.

  Bending down to retrieve a pair of panties from the dresser, her eyes caught movement just outside the window. Cautiously, she went to the window and pulled back the thin, transparent curtains.

  Furious yellow eyes stared back at her from the darkness beyond.

  Laura screamed, and in her panic to get away from the window, she tripped, falling to the hard floor. Sharp pain coursed through her arm and she could taste blood where her teeth had gone through her lip. It took several moments before she could get back to her feet. Movement was painful and she found it difficult to get into her robe.

  Laura left the room as quickly as she could. At this very moment, she wished that she had opted to stay in Acton. Did she dare leave the safety of the cabin and try to get to her vehicle? Even if she made it to her office, who would she call in the middle of the night? Jessup might come and take a look around, but he would be none too happy about being woken up to comfort a hysterical woman--even if she had seen a wild animal creeping around her cabin. No, she decided it would be better to just wait until morning and call someone then.

  Having made the decision to wait, Laura went back to the bedroom to slip into a flannel nightgown. She made a point to double check the windows and doors just to be sure they were secured.

  * * * *

  The cheerful chirping of birds managed only to irritate her. Laura carefully dabbed makeup on her sleep-swollen eyes, hoping to take on the appearance of some normality. What little sleep she had managed to get had been filled with that woman’s wicked, accusing voice.

  Laura made sure all the doors of the cabin were locked before leaving. The last thing she needed was for the creature to get inside.

  Jessup was busy with someone on the phone.

  While Laura waited for him to end the call, she straightened the paperwork on her desk. Several moments later, he hung up. Laura noticed he seemed little agitated this morning.

  "Did those guys from Rock Springs show up?" she asked.

  "Yeah ... about an hour ago. I take it you couldn’t get anyone from Acton?"

  She shook her head. "Nobody there wants anything to do with working out here."

  "Figured as much," he muttered.

  "By the way, where is the work site? I haven’t seen it yet."

  "About two miles north of Beaver Creek. They’re not cutting there yet. We are still in the process of moving from the B.L.M site that they have been working on."

  "I haven’t been that far up there yet, but I wanted to try and get there today."

  "If you do get up there, tell them they are to start cutting the Beaver Creek land on Monday and they need to be ready." Jessup brought a hand up to rub his tired eyes.

  "Before we settle it with the Sungmanitu?" Laura was surprised.

  "Yeah, big man Duccini’s orders. It’s costing him too much money to sit around and wait." Jessup’s disapproval was evident in his voice.

  Laura shook her head. "He better hope he doesn’t end up with a big mess out of this. I can’t even find out who’s in charge up there."

  "All we can do is follow orders, so just keep trying," he told her as he stood up and walked to the window. "I’ll tell you one thing though; if things get too messy I’m pulling out of this one. Something about this whole situation stinks."

  "What do you mean?" Laura knew
how he was feeling, but wanted to hear his ideas.

  Jessup squinted his eyes against the bright sun outside the window. "The man that negotiates the contract is gone. The man that signs the contract is gone too. I smell a rat."

  "I have been thinking the same thing since I arrived," Laura commented.

  "Yeah, and we’re just the dumb suckers caught in the middle." He walked back to his desk and sat down.

  "What about that Injun friend of yours? Why don’t you try working through him?" Jessup didn’t notice the way Laura had stiffened at his reference to Justin.

  "I’m part Navajo," Laura told him, letting him know that she didn't appreciate his reference to Justin.

  "No disrespect intended," he told her in a voice full of apology.

  Laura smiled to let him know that she understood. "It’s okay."

  "Well at least I know why they sent you up here to talk to the Sungmanitu." He smiled.

  Laura’s smile vanished. "I think they may have made a mistake. From what I can tell, they are Native American, but different from any I have ever come across. As far as Justin goes, he is barely an acquaintance. I have only talked with him a few times." Laura hoped he didn't notice the blush that spread to her cheeks.

  The phone rang and Jessup snatched it up from Laura’s desk. "Duccini, Jessup speaking."

  He was silent as he listened to whoever was on the other end. "Yeah, she’s in. One moment please." He covered the mouth piece with his hand. "It’s the sheriff," he said as he held out the phone to her.

  "This is Laura."

  "I received your message this morning. What’s going on?" His voice was smooth and professional.

  "I found a briefcase that I think may have belonged to Mitchell. Can you come out and take a look at it?"

  "What makes you think it belonged to Mitchell?" he wanted to know.

  "Just a hunch." Laura found the amusement in his voice grated on her nerves.

  "I see. Well, I will get out there as soon as I can, Miss Ellison."

  "And when might that be?"

  "I really don’t know. Right now I have other cases which take precedence, but it won’t be much longer," he reassured her.

  "There is one more thing." Laura spoke quickly before he could end the call.

  She told him about the animal outside her cabin on the previous night. At this Jessup looked up from the books he had been going over.

  "Hmm ... well, I’ll inform Wildlife Management. They might have a bear that’s been stirring up trouble."

  Laura sat quietly thinking about what the sheriff had told her. Jessup cut into her thoughts. "Said it was probably a bear, huh?"

  "Yeah." She nodded.

  "You’re not the only one. Several of the men have reported seeing things in the woods after dark."

  "Really? Do you think it is a bear?" Laura’s uneasiness was turning to real fright.

  "I don’t know, but that’s what Wildlife has been telling us. I think you just better be taking extra care," he warned.

  "You can bet on it, that thing about scared the life out of me last night." She rubbed her still sore arm and smiled as she remembered her foolish reaction the night before.

  The day passed too swiftly for Laura. She dreaded going back to the empty cabin.

  Just before leaving the office for the weekend, she decided to make a quick call to the Glass Mountain Trading Post in New Mexico. The Trading Post had the closest phone to where her grandfather lived.

  "Glass Mountain." The gentle male voice traveled over hundreds of miles of phone line, and again a wave of homesickness overtook her.

  "Kenny, it’s me, Laura."

  "Laura, it’s been a long while." The pleasure in his voice was obvious. "How have you been?"

  "I’m doing okay, how have you been?"

  She gave Kenny the phone number and he promised to have her grandfather call her first thing Monday. Laura hung up feeling a little better and by the time she left the office her spirits were higher than they had been in days.

  Hearing Kenny’s voice had been like reaching out and grabbing a lifeline. They had been childhood sweethearts, but after high school they’d drifted apart, taking separate paths. Kenny had chosen to stay on the reservation and she had chosen to leave its poverty behind.

  For the first time since she was eighteen years old, Laura wondered if she’d made a mistake. The native ways of her people were seeded much deeper in her soul than what she had realized. She felt a yearning to return to her homeland, where they knew who Laura Ellison really was.

  After a quick dinner, Laura went over all the notes she’d taken in the past few days. Everything seemed to dead end with Mitchell’s disappearance. In deep thought, Laura unconsciously tapped the end of her pencil on the small table. If the local police didn't do something soon, she might have to go to the FBI.

  Laura had a bad feeling that the Sungmanitu played a significant role in the problems Duccini was coming up against. Somewhere deep inside of her was the hope, no not just hope, but a need for Justin not to be responsible for any wrong doing.

  Time had passed without Laura realizing it and soon the room was deep in shadows. After putting her supper dishes in the sink, Laura opened the kitchen window to let in the cool evening breeze.

  Laura tossed around the idea of returning to the pond where she’d discovered the briefcase. Making up her mind, she searched the cabin until finding a flashlight, probably put there in case of a power outage. There was no doubt that she would need it-- before long the sun would be completely down.

  * * * *

  Laura pulled to the side of the road and parked. As she peered into the darkening woods, doubt tugged at her. Steeling herself to ignore the voice of hesitation, she took the flashlight and started into the trees.

  It was quiet ... too quiet. Her own breathing sounded as if it were amplified. Once in the trees, the shadows deepened, making it necessary to switch on the flashlight. As she walked, dried leaves crunched beneath her feet. The noise only served to make her even more aware of the unusual stillness.

  Once reaching the clearing by the pond, the flashlight was no longer needed and she switched it off. The ghost of a nearly full moon hung in the darkening horizon. Not even sure of what she was looking for, Laura began to examine the banks of the pond.

  Circling the pond, she looked for anything out of the ordinary. After several moments she gave up when there was no evidence of even an old campfire. If this place had been used for camping or parties there should have been some kind of evidence to corroborate this.

  Giving up for the time being, Laura sat at the edge of the pond. The evening had descended into darkness now, but the moon cast its bright light on the small clearing. The stifling heat of the day had made her feel sticky with perspiration and the rippling, cool water beckoned to her. Stripping down to her white cotton bra and panties, Laura stood motionless, staring into the shimmering moonlit water.

  Bracing herself for the shock of the cold water on her heated skin, she waded in until the water was waist deep. The frigid water was numbing, but she dove in regardless. Laura found that the pond was much deeper toward the middle.

  She lay on her back, floating, letting the water wash away the tension of the past few days.

  Laura couldn’t remember the last time she had gone for a swim. Water had been scarce when she was a child and if one found enough water to swim in you enjoyed it immensely.

  Sometime later, Laura emerged from the pond, her wet skin glistening in the moonlight. Her undergarments clung to her like a second skin. She removed them and found a grassy place in which she could let herself and her clothes dry.

  Feeling more relaxed than she had since coming to Wyoming, Laura lay back in the cool grass to enjoy the summer night. Stars hung like jewels against black velvet. Laura never grew tired of staring at the night sky.

  She let her thoughts drift back to her childhood, and visions of playing hide and seek with Kenny brought a smile to her lips.

>   Though she heard nothing, Laura’s senses picked up a change and her eyes flew open, but it was not until she sat up that she saw what had caused her alarm. Only five feet from where she had been lying, Justin reclined in the grass and had clearly been observing her.

  Gasping, she grabbed for her clothes and at the same time attempted to cover herself.

  A slight smile played on his lips.

  "If you don’t mind, I’d like to dress." She spoke through clenched teeth, angry that he found her position amusing.

  "Not at all." He smiled wickedly. Laura became sure that the arrogant swine would give her no privacy at all, but he rose and turned away from her.

  Laura dressed with as much haste as was humanly possible.

  "What are you doing out here alone?" Justin asked when he was again facing her.

  "Swimming, but I think the more appropriate question would be what are you doing out here spying on me?" Laura spat out her angry words.

  Laura was more than just a little irked by the laughter in his eyes. "Saw your car on the road, but you were nowhere around. I thought I'd better look for you." By now he stood very close looking down into her furious eyes.

  "How very considerate of you, but it would have been nice if you would have let me know you were around, instead of sneaking around so that you could gawk at me." Her words came out in tiny gasps, his nearness sending her thoughts into confusion.

  His eyes reflected the light of the moon, telling her more than he possibly could have with words. He brought his hand up to gently caress her cheek. "I could not resist the view."

  His lips took possession of hers. His tongue began an eager exploration of her mouth. All thought ceased and with a will of its own, her body responded to his primitive hunger.

  Justin’s hand sought her breasts and with one liquid smooth movement he had freed her from the wet bra. He teased her nipples between his fingers, until he had quickly brought them to full erection.

  Leaving her mouth, his lips traveled to her graceful neck. Laura trembled with the need that Justin had awakened. Her skin tingled wherever his warm fingers touched.