You got an evidence kit in that backpack? Brent asked. I left mine in the car. He stood and flashed his beam around where they stood, hooking his rifle up on a shoulder.
Always. Taking a pair of black latex gloves out of the backpack, Joe collected the two metal shell casings and put them in a plastic bag he usually used for collecting marine specimens from boats docked on lake shores. Hed seen the two bullet holes in the hitching post by the fire pit.
That the first bullet had nicked Skylars ear told him someone did not want her dead. Whoever had pulled the trigger had skills similar to his brother Jason. To come so close without harming her? Such a shot required nerves of steel and perfect timing.
The second shot must have zinged within a foot of her body. Enough to scare the hell out of anyone. Any womanor manwould have fainted or run screaming. Hed figured Skylar had taken it calmly, until hed seen her falter beside the fire pit. Hed left her sipping brandy with Stella curled at her feet. Shed insisted she didnt want protection overnight, but Joe considered sending out a patrol officer to park down the long drive that led to her property.
Or he might do that himself. Hed been up since five, had hit the lake at six and had spent a hot day out on the water. It was late now, and he was exhausted, but he knew he wouldnt sleep if he left Skylar alone. Hed park at the end of the drive, and shed never be the wiser. There were worse ways to spend a summer evening.
As he stood up from collecting the casings, his gaze caught something that was neither flora nor fauna. Brent took a step forward, his attention focused across the lake, and
Joe swore and lunged into a kick that caught the officer on his hip, hitting none too gently and throwing him off course.
What the hell, man? Brent had dropped his flashlight and rifle, and splayed his hands in question before him.
The flashlight rolled and stopped with a clink. Both men looked to the spot where Brent had almost stepped. Joe cautiously approached the oak tree. His flashlight swept the ground, taking it all in, watching for a steel trap. But he knew he wouldnt find it, because the set snare wasnt usually used in tandem with such a trap.
The flashlight beam fell over the snare trapa light wire cable anchored to the base of the oak. If any animal stepped on that, the loop would tighten about their leg. Or worseif they sniffed the bait peeking out from under some wet aspen leaves, it would become a noose and string them up, likely breaking their neck. In a worst-case scenario, the noose would not snap and the animal would be suspended, alive, left to slowly suffocate until the poacher returned.
Bastards, Joe muttered.
I almost stepped on that. Brent eased a hand down his hip where Joe had kicked him. You could have just called stop.
I owed you one for that upper cut in the gym a few weeks ago.
Brent chuckled. Yeah, that was a good one. Pretty rare I get the upper hand with you.
Joe picked up a branch and used it to nudge the snare. The trap sprang and released the snare in a flutter of leaves. Joe would disassemble the entire thing and take it in to the county forensics lab for a thorough study. With any luck, theyd find fingerprints.
You got wire snips in that backpack? Brent asked as Joe sorted through his pack. When he proudly displayed just that, Brent shook his head. Never mind. Mowgli knows what hes doing.
Yeah, he didnt care for the moniker so much from people who werent family. Joe snipped the cable and, latex gloves still on, untangled it from around the tree trunk. Brent gathered it into a loop.
The disturbance uncovered a few bits of bait meat. The smell was rancid, but Joe bagged it as well. The forensic lab could determine a lot from testing bait meat, such as the animal it had come from, and possibly even pick up some fingerprints. Briefly, he wondered if the meat was poisoned. It was an important detail that he wouldnt have proof of until tests had been run.
Stuffing the evidence bags into his backpack, Joe stood and looked out over the chrome-and-hematite-sheened lake. His investigation into the poaching hadnt taken him quite this far south. Now hed expand that range. First, he needed to check whose land this was. Hed thought it was state owned, but he couldnt be sure until he checked a map.
The poachers werent even sneaky; they seemed to be growing bolder every month, leaving traps everywhere. And the thing that had tipped Joe off initially had been an ad on Craigslist. Selling deer antlers and bear claws online? Blatant.
Yet he hadnt run into the poison that had been found in Maxs system, even with the samples hed sent in to the lab. He could be way off course in trying to connect the mans death with the local poachers, but Joe sensed he was on the right track. Every bone in his body pushed him to continue with the search for Maxs killer. The man had not been accidentally poisoned. No one handled strychnine without taking precautions.
And now there was a new twist to the investigation. Could the one who had set this snare have been the one whod shot at Skylar? It couldnt be coincidence that the shooting site was so close to a trap.
Joe narrowed his gaze across the calm dark waters. A small light showed from what was probably Skylars living room. He hoped she would sleep well, with the wolf keeping guard outside. But he didnt guess Stella would provide protection, and he wouldnt expect it. The animal seemed skittish and hesitant to approach strangers, and that wasnt a bad thing. But that meant Skylar was not safe.
And yet, why would a poacher shoot at her? It had to have been some kind of warning. Did she know something that someone wanted her to keep silent about? And if it had been a warning, whoever had fired would have known his target would take it as a warning.
Which meant Skylar might know more than she was letting on.
Lieutenant Brock said something about finding illegal guns in an Ely residence. Brent looped the coiled cable over his forearm.
I found a cache of guns with the serial numbers filed off last week, Joe offered. They were in a shed with a dozen illegal deer racks.
Brent shook his head. You need help with any of it?
Joe nodded. Always. You can take this in to the county forensics van, for a start.
Im heading toward Ely. I think Elaine Hester is on shift tonight. Smart chick. What are you up to now?
Headed back across the lake.
He neednt tell Brent he had decided to stand vigil outside the targets home because he feared losing her more than his heart could stand.
STEPPING OUT OF the shower, Skylar dried off, then reached for the brandy goblet on the vanity. She downed the last two swallows. Whew! That burned. But she instantly felt the calming effects ease through her muscles, and the need to close her eyes and drop into a heavy sleep.
Come on, Stella.
She padded naked down the hallway to her bedroom, followed by the three-legged wolf. Stella generally slept outside, but she would never ignore an invite to stay indoors. The security panel for the entire house was positioned at eye level in the bedroom, by the door. She turned on all the door locks and the perimeter alarm, which was set only for the weight of a vehicle since she had so many animals wandering around at any given time.
Stella jumped onto the end of her bed. Her spot. And let no man try to prove otherwise.
Pulling on a long T-shirt that hung past her thighs, Skylar crawled onto the bed and lay on top of the sheets across the middle of the mattress, so she could smooth her palm over Stellas fur.
She hadnt seen Joseph Cash inmust be a year. He got more handsome every time she saw him. He had the tall, dark stranger thing going on full force. Except he wasnt a stranger, andshe wanted to see him again.
Under better circumstances than getting shot at.
It was a warning, she whispered, tracing the top of her ear, which felt tender from the bruise. She caught a swallow at the back of her throat, followed by a single teardrop slipping down the side of her face.
Shed walked into a warehouse on Davis Trucking land, and before calling out for her uncle, shed glanced around. There were crates everywhere, marked with company names. Standard inventory for a trucking outfit, she figured. But the freezers, six of them, had stood out. They were the large white chest kind, probably close to twenty cubic feet in volume.
What had been in them? With a trucking business, it could be anything. And while shed always assumed they didnt store goods on-site, she didnt know enough about the operation.
A man standing over one of the opened freezers hadnt noticed her, so shed cleared her throat. Hed lifted his head and swung a look over his shoulder, focusing his gaze on her. She hadnt recognized him, and hed immediately slammed down the freezer cover and grabbed a rifle. The feeling of utter dread had overcome her. Skylar had turned and run. As she had, hed called after her, Dont tell, bitch! This is none of your concern.
Shed run straight to her truck, past a few truckers who had called out to her and whistled. The stranger hadnt followed her. Forget talking to her uncle. Shed been creeped out, and had put her truck in gear and gotten the hell out of there.
She hadnt told anyone. Because she wasnt sure what she had seen. But it had been something. Because tonight they had warned her.
And yet, shed dared to call the police. Because she would not be scared off by some idiot assholes who thought they had a right to threaten a woman. Hell, the shooter could have killed her.
Now, dare she ask Joseph Cash to protect her?
Chapter Five
Joe woke and winced. He was sitting at an angleah, hell. Hed fallen asleep in the truck parked at the end of Skylars driveway.
The rapping noise that had woken him thumped again on his window. Sliding upright in the drivers seat, he moaned at the tug to his aching back muscles, then managed a blinking glance to his left. And then he opened his eyes wide and took in the view.
Could a woman look more beautiful in a cowboy hat, no makeup and plain denim shirt unbuttoned to just there? He voted no. She was like sunshine and all those pretty things guys liked to look at but were always afraid to touch for fear of smearing them with dirt or breaking something delicate.
Skylar Davis was not a delicate woman. Shed made that clear to him over the years hed known her. And he expected some stern words to follow the admonishing look she was giving him now.
Turning the keys in the ignition, Joe pushed the window button, which slid down slowly. Mornin, Skylar.
Really, Joe? Did you sleep out here all night?
Most of the time? Nope. Wasnt sleeping. I was on watch. Must have fallen asleep a few hours ago. He wasnt sure what time it was and glanced at the dashboard. Seven oclock. He may have gotten two hours sleep at most. The night had been spent with the radio turned low to the 90s top hits, his eyes half-closed, as hed kept an eye toward the Davis house.
I told you I didnt need looking after.
Just doing my job, Skylar. You were in danger last night. Its not clear that danger has passed. I wouldnt be a very good law enforcement officer if Id walked away and left you vulnerable. Howd you sleep? Wheres Stella?
Shes playing with Becky. And Im headed into town on errands.
Right. Pink yarn, wasnt it?
Red. That, and groceries. Will you move your truck so I can drive through? Or are you now a permanent fixture that I have to learn to live with like some kind of skin growth?
Someone was not a morning person. Still, her pretty eyes made up for that touch of rancor. Listen, Skylar, I know you dont care for me
My feelings for you have nothing to do with whats going on right now, so dont bring that into the situation.
She had feelings for him? Joe raked his fingers through his hair and sat up a little straighter.
I appreciate you investigating the shooting, she said. And I understand youll have further questions for me. Ill cooperate as much as I can. But I already gave you my statement.
As much as you can? Joe opened the car door and stepped out. Another tug at his back muscles reminded him how little time he spent sitting all night in a car keeping a vigilant watch for intruders. Whats going on, Skylar? I feel like you know something youre not willing to tell me. Or are you afraid? Is that it? Is someone threatening you?
Of course I was threatened!
Yes, but why? If it was a threat, then generally the person being threatened has an idea about why.
She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, paced to the front of his truck and then swung out her arms in surrender. Its not what you think, Joe. I just Did you find the place where the shooter may have been positioned?
I did. As predicted, I found a couple shell casings. Sent them in to forensics for analysis.
Now she gave him her full attention. Sunlight flashed through the tree canopy, gleaming on her smooth skin. That someone had wanted to hurt her, or at the very least threaten her, tightened Joes resolve to find the culprit. No woman, especially Skylar, should ever be put in such a position of fear.
I found a snare, set and waiting to spring.
Skylar nodded subtly, taking it in. She didnt seem surprised. And for as rampant as poaching was in the Superior Forest, it wasnt as if most people ever encountered such a situation unless they went looking for it, as a conservation officer would.
You ever catch poachers on your land, Skylar?
Catch them? No. Id be a fool to go after an idiot with a gun and the mentality that animals are there for the taking, no matter the pain they cause the poor creatures.
Joe nodded. They were of the same mind regarding treatment of animals. All animals. Not just the ones society had designated as pets.
Most of the land owners around here carry a gun, he said. And while the majority are law-abiding and only hunt with a license, there are those idiots, as you call them, who think they can do as they please. Ive been investigating a poaching ring close to this area for months.
Is that so?
He nodded. She was interested, but she was also holding back on the conversation. She knew something. He sensed it. Could she have information that might lead him to whoever had poisoned Max?
You know its your duty to report poaching activity, Skylar.