Page 13 of Capture the Moment

Tracking the prey was half the thrill of these hunts, but the other half came from outsmarting the law. And Wade Schmidt was a master at playing this game.

Four

In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over it.

—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer

It was already past seven o’clock. Ranger Tim Rivers knew he was late closing up the Jenny Lake Visitor Center for the evening, but he’d been chatting with folks who arrived with all sorts of questions about the park. He enjoyed these initial chats with excited visitors—knowing how much effort it took to get here. Grand Teton National Park was remote, far from most everywhere. It made him happy to think that these same people would leave feeling like they stumbled upon a beautiful piece of God’s creation that was even better than they expected.

The door swung open with an energetic jingle and Tim did a double take. In walked his stepdaughter Thea and her whirlwind of exuberance—Maisie. A beaming smile stretched across Maisie’s face as she darted toward him, her enthusiasm contagious.

“Pops!” Maisie exclaimed, enveloping him in a tight hug.

Returning the embrace, Tim gazed at Maisie, still beaming with excitement. “To what do I owe this surprise?”

“I’ve missed youso much,” Maisie said, her eyes sparkling with genuine affection. She had a way of injecting boundless energy into any space.

Thea approached more reservedly, giving her stepfather a peck on the cheek. “Hi, Tim. Um, can we talk in private for a bit?”

Oh boy.Tim raised an eyebrow, noting the seriousness in Thea’s tone. “Sure, sure. Of course.” Through the window, he spotted Coop out on the patio in front of the visitor center. “Maisie, you remember Coop, don’t you? Why don’t you go out and surprise him? I know he’d like to see you.”

Maisie turned to look out the window, then did a double take. “Pops! Who’sthat?” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Tim squinted to see who she meant. “That’s Frankie. He’s interning with Coop for the summer.” It occurred to him that he had yet to share that news with Coop. Soon.

“He’s a hottie,” Maisie said.

Tim’s head jerked around. “He’s awhat?” But Maisie had darted outside. “Since when did she start to notice boys?”

“This year,” Thea said. “She turned thirteen on her last birthday.”

“No. Thirteen? Really? I thought she was eleven.”

Thea laughed. “Last year, you thought she was eight. I think you just don’t want her to grow up.”

Tim sighed inwardly, his thoughts swirling with a mix of concern and curiosity about this Frankie character. How old was he, anyway? Fifteen or sixteen? Watching him through the window, Tim’s eyes narrowed. He was going to keep a close eye on that boy.

“So, Tim, there’s a retreat in Park City that sounds like it’s made for me.”

A retreat. “What about your job?”

“Well, you see, I’m between jobs right now. And then this came up. It all worked out, timing-wise.”

Tim was starting to put the pieces together. “So you thought you’d drop Maisie off with me and head off to this retreat.”

She stiffened. “Just for a little while.”

Tim’s eyebrows practically jumped off his face. “So, uh, how long exactly is this ‘little while’?” Last summer, what began as a “little while” turned into a three-week stay for Maisie. Thea just kept calling to extend her visit. Now, he adored his granddaughter and cherished every moment with her. But sometimes he wished Thea would check in with him first before making plans. Actually, come to think of it, there were quite a few things he wished Thea would do differently.

“Not long. Really. No matter what Maisie tries to talk you into.”

“How long is not long?” Tim said.

“Maybe a week, tops. A week-ish. I might stay on a few days and see what the art scene is like. I’ve heard good things about Park City.”

Tim quickly translated: Thea was leaving Denver behind to move to another city. Uprooting Maisie yet again. But that would have to be a conversation for another day. In as calm a voice as he could manage, Tim said, “You should’ve called and let me know. This isn’t a good time, Thea. The park is just opening.”

“Right! I know. That’s why I said yes to this retreat, because it was in May. You’ve always said that July and August are the busiest months.”

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