Page 102 of Hidden Nature

“That’s a given. He won’t be able to stop himself.”

They walked out together as Sloan put on her hat.

“Have a good day, Sergeant Cooper.”

She intended to, and didn’t intend to worry about the newcomers—as the Littlefields would be for about five years—learning about her incident.

She’d worry a bit about her sister falling for Theo. So she’d run a background check, and justify it as he and his brother would be in her house when she wasn’t.

She’d run that after work, and because Janet Anderson still pushed into her mind, she’d do a search for like crimes in the area. Maybe in the state. She’d include West Virginia, Pennsylvania.

Probably wouldn’t hit anything, but as she saw it, you couldn’t hit if you didn’t aim and fire.

But now, like the mountains, the day spread out before her.

In her duty as sergeant, she assigned her teams, then reported to Travis.

“Cap? I got a report of a poacher off the Sky Hill Trail. I’m taking that with Elana.”

He looked up from his own paperwork. “The hiker report of a bear trap?”

“Loring’s on it.” She ran through the other assignments. “I know you want the evaluation on Elana after a full three months, but I wanted to tell you I’m finding her a quick study, eager, and smart.”

“That’s good to hear. Before you go, let me give you an update on your arrest of the tree killer. Paul Jacob Moseby has refused legal representation. All lawyers are liars and cheats. His mandatory psych eval found him competent to stand trial. You’ll be called on to testify.”

“Understood.”

“It’s not his first run-in. He’s been fined for poaching several times, skipped out on bail after assaulting the owner of a hunting cabin where he’d decided to squat. He’ll be squatting behind bars for some time.”

“He earned it.”

“That he did.”

She stepped out. “We’re up, Elana.”

They put on their outdoor gear, walked to the truck. Elana hopped in.

“Another day of adventure!”

“Bound to be. Poachers carry weapons, so stay alert. They’re usually not aggressive, and more likely to run or make excuses. But you still handle with care.”

“Officer First Class Loring and I fined one my first week here. He was pissed off—not like Chainsaw Tree Killer—but pissed off. Didn’t put up a fight or anything, just argumentative.”

“That’s pretty standard.”

“He went on a bitch rant about how man was made to hunt. Loring was really polite, suggested he get a hunting license, which he didn’t have anyway, and follow the posted hunting seasons.”

“That’s how it’s done.”

As they trooped up Sky Hill Trail, Elana marveled. “Everything just sparkles. It’s warmer today. Warmer and sunny. The snow’s melting some.”

“February thaw. It won’t last long, but we’ll take it while it does. There’s the deer stand.” She pointed up the trail and to the east. “Fiftyfeet more, two o’clock. He’s tried to camouflage it so anyone using the trail won’t see it.”

“You sure did. Now I do.”

Sloan’s eyes went narrow and hard. “He’s baited the ground around the stand. Not enough for him to hunt off-season, but baiting on top of it.”

That infuriated her, but she reeled it in.

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