Page 51 of Capture the Moment

“Not sure.” He hated to think so, but it was starting to look that way.

Sally’s gaze softened, betraying a mix of emotions. “I sure hope that big darlin’ made it through.”

“Me too,” Coop said.

Sally shook off her sentiment. “If there’s any sighting of 399, I want you to let me know immediately. Day or night. Let me know if any of those wildlife watchers catch sight of her. How many photographers have you counted so far?”

“At least forty.” Forty-one, if he counted Kate.

“Do you recognize them from last year?”

“Most.” Kate was new.

“Any one photographer who might be ... seem to have questionable motives?”

Still thinking of Kate, Coop coughed a laugh. “No. They’re all ... dedicated to 399’s well-being. Their livelihood depends on her.”

“Well, if they see the bear first, you’re to let me know,” Sally said in a firm voice. “Did you happen to pass anyone on the trail?”

“Nope. No one’s up there.”

“I’ve decided to extend the area along Pilgrim Creek to be closed to public access. All the way down to the road.”

“But what about the photographers waiting for 399?”

“Unaffected. They can stay along the road.”

“Sally, the whole park is going to be restricted soon.”

“It’s just temporary, Ranger Cooper.” She gave him a look, as if to say,Don’t forget that I’m the boss here.She cleared her throat. “One more thing.” Her face softened. Even her voice grew tender. “Tim might seem to feel a little...”

“Tim?” Coop leaned forward. “Feel a little ... what?”

“Maybe a little ... put on the back burner—” But a knock on the door made Sally put an abrupt end to that sentence. “Come in.”

A very tall ranger entered Sally’s office. Coop couldn’t help but notice how Sally’s demeanor shifted. Tense. Stiff.

“Ranger Feldmann, come in. Ranger Cooper was just leaving.”

I was?Apparently he was. Coop rose from his seat and reached out to shake the man’s hand. “Are you new to the park?”

Before Feldmann could respond, Sally answered. “He’s on loan from Yellowstone.”

“Really?” It was only then that Coop noticed his Yellowstone badge. “I’ve never known Yellowstone to have enough staff to loan out.”

“The parks,” Sally said, “have been working on a way to better support each other. I met him at the conference I attended recently, and he volunteered to help us out during opening season. That’ll be all, Ranger Cooper. There’s a bear jam over at Moose-Wilson Road that could use your expertise.”

As Coop left Sally’s office, he felt unsettled. The bear jam at Moose-Wilson Road had plenty of rangers to cover it. He’d driven by on his way to Sally’s office and knew it to be so. Sally wanted him out of her office when that super tall ranger came in. Or maybe he just seemed tall because he stood next to Sally and she was so small.

A lingering sense of curiosity gnawed at him. There was something else behind Sally’s questions, something beneath the surface. How could she think that any wildlife photographers could be potential poachers? Especially the ones dedicated to 399.

Something struck Coop as odd about that Ranger Feldmann too. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

And then it dawned on him. When he shook Feldmann’s hand, his palm was smooth. Unusually soft.

Wade couldn’t believe it when Feldmann told him details about the turncoat. A chief ranger. A woman. He didn’t know which was worse. “What were you thinking?” Wade practically spat out the words, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.

Feldmann’s nonchalant demeanor faltered slightly. “I thought I told you. She’s our best bet.”

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