Rocky mountain lion, p.11
Rocky Mountain Lion, page 11
Absently, Koenig plucked a speck of lint from his expensive suit and made a decision. It had been a while since he had personally gotten involved, but he had never abandoned the hunt. He would oversee this personally. There was too much at stake, and the competition was intense. Koenig knew that even within his organization, some ambitious individuals were just waiting for a moment of weakness to pounce.
He couldn’t afford to take that risk.
For Hollister, the news was bad, as it rendered his role obsolete. Koenig smiled and picked up the phone again to take the necessary steps.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Quinn awoke, blinking at the bright streaks in the sky. It was nearly eight o’clock, and they didn’t have to rush to the wildlife station. They had decided to start their day with a visit to the diner, a plan she especially liked, considering the hot coffee and French toast.
Taking a moment, Quinn realized she felt good. There was a slight pain in her ankle, but it was to be expected. Turning to face Archer, who was still asleep, she noticed how his features, often sharp during the day, appeared much softer when he slept. He hadn’t shaved the previous day, and dark stubble adorned his cheeks and chin. She couldn’t resist the temptation and traced the shadows with her fingertips. Her fingers seemed to have a life of their own as they moved across his skin, from his prominent cheekbones to his jaw, down to his carotid artery, and then over the sinewy muscles of his shoulder.
When she reached his left pectoral muscle, she paused and noticed a tattoo below his shoulder—a deer, an eagle, and a desert fox united in a circle, connected by an intricate pattern. Just below was a scorpion, its stinger raised to attack. She carefully stroked it, thinking it might be from his time in the Army, perhaps when he was in Iraq.
Suddenly, his hand closed around her wrist, stopping her.
She felt a blush rise to her cheeks, feeling as though she had intruded into his soul without asking for permission.
To her relief, he didn’t seem to mind her close scrutiny. With a sleepy smile, he pulled her closer. “Good morning,” he said.
“Likewise,” she replied.
“I could get used to that kind of wake-up call.”
Quinn smiled mysteriously. His words brought her thoughts back to her earlier exploration. Where might it have led if he hadn’t stopped her? Why had he interrupted her?
“You interrupted my exploration,” she teased.
“I know. I just wanted to make sure you were okay before there was no turning back,” he replied, pressing against her thigh, making his desire evident.
“I’m very well,” she responded, sliding her free hand under the covers.
Archer closed his eyes and was lost in the sensations Quinn’s hands evoked. They still had some time before they needed to head to the diner. Why not use it?
Irritated by the morning activity, the two Siamese kittens fled to the living room. They needed their beauty sleep.
Freshly showered and with her ankle tightly bandaged, Quinn limped into the diner behind Archer. Inside, she stopped, stunned. “It looks like a whole sleigh of Christmas elves exploded in here,” she commented.
Santa Claus in his sleigh, pulled by his eight faithful reindeer, adorned the walls in various colors. A ninth reindeer stood at the front, leading the group, with Rudolph and his red nose rightfully included. The entire place was wrapped in red and gold paper, decorated with fir greenery, red tinsel, and white fairy lights. Bowls of Christmas cookies and small wrapped gifts were on the tables.
“Shh,” Archer cautioned. “I’m guessing the Diner Sisters are responsible for this. Can we hold off on insults until after we’ve eaten?” He led Quinn to a seating nook by the window and helped himself to a cookie.
Quinn sat down and tucked her bandaged ankle under the table. “Hungry?” she asked, watching him devour the pastry.
“Of course,” he replied, his gaze suggesting something more than just food.
Quinn felt a stirring from his gaze and smiled. She pushed away the enticing thoughts and tried to regain some normalcy.
“Early morning exercise can do wonders,” she commented.
“With you, it certainly loosens the tongue.”
“I recall a time just a few hours ago when you seemed to appreciate the agility of my tongue,” she retorted. Pausing for a moment, she selected an almond cookie with chocolate icing.
Archer chuckled and was about to respond when Miss Minnie approached the table.
“Coffee?” she asked, her pot ready to pour.
Quinn and Archer turned their cups right side up.
“Please,” they both said in unison.
“Breakfast?” she inquired.
“Bagel with cream cheese for me,” Quinn answered.
Archer was taken aback by her choice. “A bagel? We might not have time for lunch. Forget the bagel.”
Miss Minnie, seemingly amused, shifted her attention to Archer.
“Two real breakfasts with all the fixings,” he told her.
Miss Minnie’s lips twitched, and Quinn couldn’t help but recall the humorous exchange. Miss Minnie was known for her candid remarks.
“How’s your foot, by the way?” Miss Minnie asked.
“My foot?” Quinn looked perplexed, glancing at Archer, who was equally bewildered. They hadn’t anticipated the story circulating so quickly.
Archer decided to explain. “We’re looking for a man—he punctured my tires.”
Quinn coughed on her cookie. Miss Minnie immediately patted her back forcefully, nearly sending Quinn’s head into the table. She eventually caught her breath, wiping her watery eyes.
“Are you okay?” Archer inquired.
“Oh, just shut up and don’t complain if I start to look like a bear about to hibernate.”
“Teddies are cute,” Archer retorted.
Quinn couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Teddies, maybe. Grizzlies, not so much.”
“You mean you’re about to develop ambitions to turn into a grizzly?” Archer asked with a sly grin.
She looked at him, her mouth twitching. “If you’re going to do it, do it. What’s the plan, anyway?”
“Food,” he replied simply.
Quinn chuckled and inquired, “And then?”
“By then, I’m sure everyone will know the story of your foot.”
Miss Minnie returned with their breakfast, and they couldn’t help but laugh at the amusing and slightly awkward exchange they’d just had.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“The next position is the Cobra,” Jaz instructed her students. Since several startups had moved their business headquarters to Independence at the initiative of the local council and the mayor, the session was always bustling at noon. She even suspected that Marley, the founder of a company that developed computer games, had made attendance mandatory among her employees. Otherwise, the presence of the four men could hardly be explained. Even though she had tried to convince the male residents of Independence of the health benefits of yoga practice, she had had little success so far.
Downstairs, the front door banged against the wall. Several students were startled, while others gratefully accepted the distraction and abandoned their poses.
“No need to get excited. Probably the wind snatched the door out of someone’s hand,” Jaz reassured.
Rambo, who had been lying in his corner and had looked up at the loud bang, seemed to be of the same opinion. At least he had put his head back on the blanket. Only the tip of his tail was wagging. While she was still wondering about the tail wagging—he actually only did that when two- or four-legged friends were around—loud footsteps sounded on the wooden stairs.
The next moment, Jake rushed into their exercise room. No wonder Rambo hadn’t reacted. Ignoring her students, he rushed to her with long strides and grabbed her around the waist.
“Is it true?”
“Is what true?” she asked, slightly annoyed that he was rushing into the middle of her lesson. What was wrong with her husband? Was the sleep deficit already so bad that he was hallucinating?
“Well, that we’re having another baby!”
“I see. That.”
That, of course, explained his strange behavior. Relieved that she had found an explanation, she smiled. “Could be.”
“Can be? What kind of answer is that? I didn’t realize there were shades of gray. You’re either pregnant or you’re not. I heard you were pregnant.” He lifted her up and twirled her around. All of her students had abandoned their yoga poses and were watching the spectacle with wide eyes. Jake only had eyes for Jaz. “Anyway, this is wonderful news.”
Amused, she shook her head. “You heard it. Then it must be true. Rumors are known for their truthfulness, after all.”
“In my experience, that’s certainly true in Independence.”
Jaz laughed. “There’s something to that. I’m delighted you’re so happy, of course.”
“Happy? I’m ecstatic!”
She buried her face against his neck so he wouldn’t see her roll her eyes.
“Do you think I could still continue with my lessons then?” she murmured.
“Class?” He glanced around and reluctantly put them back on the floor. “Oh, right. Sure. Class.”
Anabelle Stone, who sat in the front row, waved it off. “You don’t have to stop because of us. Better than cinema.”
Approving murmurs sounded from all sides. Jaz’s blood rose to her cheeks, but then she thought, What the heck. After all, it was not every day that one became pregnant. If it was actually true.
“I’m not sure yet,” she whispered in Jake’s ear. “It’s just a guess from Paula so far.”
“My sister is usually right about these things.”
“Still. Let’s go to Breckenridge on the way home. Buy a test.”
“Crap. There’s nowhere nearer? I really hope someone opens a pharmacy in town soon.”
“That would be nice,” Jaz admitted, thinking of her large stash of cough syrup and other essentials that were mandatory with toddlers and certainly never had at home when needed.
“Shall we meet at two o’clock? After your last class? Cammie’s having a sleepover at Brenda’s. I swapped my duty with Toby.”
“You sure?” muttered Jaz.
“Yes, we have something to celebrate, after all.”
Jaz grinned from ear to ear. “How nice. Finally a night’s sleep.”
Jake laughed. “That, too. Later.”
He waved to the assembled student body and headed for the stairs.
Jaz looked dreamily after Jake. Suddenly she knew again why he was her hero. That was forgotten all too quickly in everyday life with sleepless nights and teething toddlers.
“Wow,” Anabelle said, waving her hand to catch her breath. “When I grow up, I want a man like that.”
Jaz grinned. “Yeah, right? But then you’d better hurry up. You’re not that much younger than me.”
“I’m trying hard. So far, though, I’ve only caught a bunch of frogs in my bedroom and a bear in my car.”
“Seems to me you need to change from being the prey for once.” This suggestion came from one of Independence’s oldest residents, Eve Lartimer. She was ninety-five, had never married, and never missed a yoga class. Every day she showed up at the same time in a tight gym dress from the eighties and silver ballerinas. Anna Merck, who would open the spa in a few days, made regular house calls to the old lady, so her nails sparkled in a different shade every week. It was rumored that despite her advanced age, she still had a lover. A younger one. Logical. All in all, a formidable lady. Jaz hoped that at ninety-five she would still be as fit and full of life as Eve was.
But now it was time to focus on yoga again. She clapped her hands. “There. The show is over. Where were we?”
“On the Cobra,” someone called helpfully.
One of the computer geeks groaned loudly. His boss two rows behind gave a warning look while she gracefully struck the pose.
He ducked his head slightly and dutifully lay down on his stomach.
The corners of Jaz’s mouth twitched as she walked through the rows, speaking words of encouragement and adjusting posture here and there.
Life was beautiful.
“I need to buy a few things for dinner,” Nate said to the girls he had just picked up from school. “Do you all want to come?”
Leslie and Shauna looked at each other. Shauna wrinkled her nose, while Leslie raised an eyebrow knowingly and nodded imperceptibly. Through the rearview mirror, Nate could observe the wordless communication between them—they were quite the couple! No one would guess that they hadn’t grown up together.
“We prefer to wander the streets a bit. Now that new stores are opening every day, there’s a lot to see,” Leslie explained. Paula’s adopted daughter was the more diplomatic of the two. For that reason, she was usually the one doing the negotiating. “May we?”
“Alright,” Nate agreed. “Then I’ll meet you at the diner in half an hour.”
“Half an hour?” grumbled Shauna, undoing the effect of Leslie’s polite question.
Nate gave his biological daughter a warning look. “Half an hour. Or go shopping with me instead.”
Leslie elbowed Shauna in the ribs.
“Yeah, alright. I was just asking.” Theatrically, she rolled her eyes.
Nate watched the two of them. Although Shauna had just turned nine, she often acted as if she were already in the midst of puberty. He consoled himself with the fact that she would already have her moods behind her when she was actually a teenager.
“You better believe it,” he muttered to his reflection.
After a brief stop at the arcade and a round on the pinball machine, they left the restaurant and continued on their way. Behind many of the windows of the formerly vacant stores, people were busy hammering, sawing, and decorating. Leslie and Shauna pressed their noses against one of the windows. There wasn’t much to see yet.
“I wonder what’s coming in here?” wondered Shauna aloud.
“Grandma Brenda told me they were able to convince the woman with the bookstore to move to Independence.”
“Cool. How come I didn’t know about this?”
Leslie glanced at Shauna. “Probably because you were busy posting something on Facebook?”
Shauna’s face brightened. “That’s right. That’s when I had just heard about the attack on Quinn.”
They strolled on.
“I wonder if they’ll find that guy,” Shauna mused.
“I hope so,” Leslie replied. “Imagine if more animals got caught in those nasty traps.”
Leslie, like Shauna, was a big animal lover. To Jaz’s delight, the two had started giving up meat in recent weeks. Paula was less pleased. After all, she raised cattle and made a living selling meat.
“What does it look like when my own daughters don’t eat meat?” she had asked.
“Bad,” Shauna had said succinctly.
Leslie had tactfully suggested training more horses and raising fewer cattle.
Paula then preferred to change the subject. She knew from experience that the two of them were difficult to deal with as a pair. Both were very clever and knew how to present their arguments eloquently. She picked her battles very specifically.
“Look,” Shauna exclaimed, grabbing Leslie by the arm.
“What is it?”
“Over there. The black, shiny SUV.”
“What about it?”
“He’s not from around here.”
Leslie shrugged and turned away.
“He’s probably just a tourist.”
“What if he’s the poacher? Or some other shady character?”
“What makes you think that?” Leslie inquired.
“Well, Miss Minnie did post on Facebook today that everyone should be on the lookout for strangers.”
Doubting, Leslie took another look at the SUV. “I don’t know. He’s probably just a harmless visitor.”
“What if he’s not?” insisted Shauna. “Let’s take cover behind the corner of the house there and wait to see if we can figure out what he wants here.”
Leslie had a bad feeling in her stomach. But Shauna had already sprinted ahead and ducked into the shadow of a dumpster. So she gritted her teeth and followed her sister. She couldn’t leave her alone; after all, she had only recently acquired a sister. Leslie planned to keep her for a while longer.
Bradley Koenig parked his car in the town square and stretched. His GPS had guided him here, and a look around told him that Independence was a typical small town in the mountains. On the opposite street was the bed-and-breakfast. He would spend the night there tonight before paying a surprise visit to his co-workers tomorrow. He grinned. If Hollister knew that tonight was his last night on earth, he’d probably spend it somewhere other than the old hunting cabin they’d rented on his instructions. But thanks to his control call a few hours ago, they were certainly out shooting everything in sight now. He’d made it clear that he was far from satisfied with the yield so far. How dissatisfied he was, they would soon realize. He was confident that the other two would track as soon as they learned of Hollister’s fate. Such measures had the effect of massively increasing the willingness to cooperate of those who had been spared.
A movement in the shadows of the houses caught his attention. He squinted his eyes to see better. Children, he realized. They were probably playing cops and robbers. So no need to worry.
In general, he did not expect to encounter any problems. For the locals here, he was just one of many winter tourists passing through. He’d even strapped a pair of skis to the roof to reinforce that impression. The fact that he had to take care of business during his vacation was unfortunate, but there was nothing that could be done about it.
