3: Snow

Lucas lowered the radio volume. Cancelled flights became little more than whispered numbers. "Why would you say that?"

"Well," I began, choosing my words more carefully. Flakes rolled off the windshield. "Over the past few weeks we've had a wolf, or something like it, on the property."

"They've been more active lately," he confirmed. "Lotta livestock missing between our borough and Fairbanks North Star. Pets and sled dogs, too."

"Which is exactly what you'd expect of a normal wolf or pack. Apart from being about 500 pounds heavier, this thing's trotted straight into the pasture, right to our birthing stalls, and not taken a single head of cattle. Not even old blind Benny, and you know as well as I do a sick lynx could take him. This wolf's lingering around our cars, always watching from afar."

"They have a natural fear of humans."

"And how do you explain its manners around my ladies? And its size?"

"My cousin moved back east to Connecticut. People there mistake bobcats for mountain lions. As for it's apparent distaste for steak . . ." He shrugged. "You can't leap from that to hunting humans."

"I could've bonked its snout with my shovel this afternoon. I know how this sounds, believe me, but I think it might be trained."

His eyebrows rose. "Someone's trained a wolf to walk around your cabin?"

Not wanting him to whisk me off to a psychiatrist, I kept the ashen prints, volcanic drool and snake tongue to myself. "Almost every time I see it, a hunting horn sounds. A few seconds later, it leaves. I haven't seen it or the person using it, but I'm picturing something similar to those bone-carved horns mounted on the walls of the Staggering Buck."

"Imagination doesn't help me, Tay."

"Sorry. Anyway, this afternoon, same thing happens.  The horn sounds. I look away for a split second and when I look back, poof. Gone."

"Poof," he murmured, fidgeting with the radio. "Anyone else able to back you on this?"

"You didn't hear the hound just now?"

"When?"

"At the cliff."

He shook his head. "I'll admit, you've got me a bit spooked, enough that I think you're building me the foundations of a case, but I didn't hear anything, Tay. Just the wind and Mav. That what you were looking for earlier?"

"Yeah, but I was wrong. There's no mistaking the wolf. This thing is massive like a grizzly, Luc."

"Like a grizzly or actually grizzly, possibly melanistic?"

I crossed my arms. "It's not a bear."

He shrugged. "Why didn't you call in a report?"

"You know how my parents are. Mom had our cattle and water tested for sickness. When the results were negative, she called in a half dozen spiritual experts to smudge herbs over our doorways and wave incense around the fields. Ajax will straight tell you it's a bear, and if it's not attacked the ladies he doesn't give a shit."

"So there's at least one sighting of a bear."

"What he thinks is a bear."

"What you think is a mega wolf."

Aloud, I heard the crazy in my theory. With a resigned sigh I eyeballed the stainless steel coffee mug in the cup holder. "Still take it black?"

"Cream and sugar," he replied, passing it over.

Savoring the lukewarm caffeine, I leaned back against the leather seat. "Remember when the scariest part of Halloween was trick-or-treating at Mav's Fish and Game? How he had Ethan dress up like a troll and hide in the salmon tunnel to scare the pants off any kid who walked inside?"

Lucas allowed himself a smile. "Now that I think of it, it wasn't even that dark with the tank lit up. Just a little eerie."

"I still peed myself when Ajax dragged me in there the first time.  It's a good thing we were in a department store. Instead of candy I walked out to the car with a new pair of pants."

"New pants and candy, as I recall." Lucas went quiet, staring at the dashboard. "I'm not going to sleep for days, seeing Dakota cracked open like that."

It wasn't beer, but I took a swig and passed it back to him. "I won't either," I said. "Hey, I didn't like her, but you know I'd never wish ill of her, right?"

He gave me a funny look. "Yeah, of course. Why?"

"No reason," I said, but as soon as it was out of my mouth added, "Just feeling guilty."

"There's nothing you could've done."

"Nothing you could've done either," I replied.

"I'm not guilty," Luc said. "Sad, mostly. She's not supposed to be laying broken on the rocks with her partially paralyzed father crying over her corpse. She's young and vibrant and a lot like you. Barely got to live. Her headstone should be dated seventy years from now, have husband's name, survived by three children and loved by one and all. It's tragic."

I nodded. "But it's gotta sting, too. When it came to Dakota you carried a pretty big torch."

"Not so big or bright as the one I carried for you."

"Carry." He grunted his dissent. My airport's name crackled across the airwaves—all flights canceled. "Well, New York will wait."

"New York doesn't wait on anyone."

Mom knocked on the glass. Lucas rolled down the window. "Got a storm report for me?" she asked, leaning in.

"I'm stranded," I said, but was sort of glad about it. "How's Ajax?"

"Dislocated shoulder. We're prepped for Mav's extraction. Lily and I are going down now. Ajax will walk under his own power if he's able. Rate this snow's falling, it'll be more dangerous to have him wait for us."

"Can you tell him I'm really sorry about calling out? It stressed the entire situation. Mav could've hurt himself or Ajax."

"It's alright, hun. I shouldn't have brought you. I wasn't thinking. I just wanted you close. I'll tell him. We'll be bringing him and Mav to the veterinary hospital once we get them both stabilized. With the airports are closed, we won't be able to get Mav out until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Gonna be a long night." She thumbed toward another truck that had pulled behind hers. "Mason's arrived. I've already spoken with him. Lucas, mind driving my daughter home?"

Lucas smiled. "Not a problem, Mrs. Wilson."

She nodded at the new, dangerous weight on my hip. "See to it the herd's safe then get your caboose inside. Light a nice fire and have a KitKat. " She paused. "And don't dare burn your art."

Lucas raised his eyebrows.

"Thanks, Mom," I said. "He's gonna drive me to a psych ward after he hears that explanation."

Banging goodbye on the car door, she hurried back down the trail for her husband.

*

After a word with the Sheriff, Lucas drove me home. We pulled outside the cabin. Snow covered the tracks I'd been hoping to show him. I didn't tell him about the scorched earth, wanted him to see the ash and ask for himself. As it was I'd made up a lie about wanting to toss my old art.

"So this Javi guy," I said, scanning the ground. In the distance, the herd ambled toward the wooden shelter they often slept underneath. "What'd he tell you?"

Lucas paced around his car. "C'mon, Tay. It's an ongoing investigation."

"Which I'm clearly part of."

"On the civilian side."

"He got chased by a big black wolf. I saw the big black wolf."

"Allegedly."

I kicked away snow from a promising dip. Cow hoof. Fantastic. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

I turned, grabbing him by the soft leather of his coat. He froze. I searched his eyes, let myself fall into the familiar range of his arms. "It's me, Luc. Whatever you say stays with me. Knowledge is power and I'm terrified. Give me something, please, so I know what to look for."

He brushed my hands off, but his eyes had gone soft. "We've no indication that Dakota felt stalked by man or beast, but it's too early in the investigation to say definitively she had or hadn't experienced similar encounters. From Javi's description, it appears she was forced over the edge. He doesn't know for sure. Apparently several men in skull masks arrived on horseback. One of them slashed him across the chest with a blade of some kind. He escaped and hid in the vehicle. Possibly the weight of several horses caused the ledge collapse, but considering we haven't uncovered anything remotely equine in the rubble, I'm not confident. Forensics and your parents' statements will have to determine whether or not the slide occurred at the time of Dakota's death or when Ajax and Mav tried to rescue her."

I looked at the snowy horizon, at the shuffling herd, then back to Lucas. "Can you stay, just until I'm able to go inside? There's a monster in these woods. I'm feeling a little uncomfortable at the moment. Honestly, I'm not even sure I want to stay here alone."

He rubbed his chin. "My shift ends in an hour, though I'll probably get called back to the station later tonight. Wouldn't be right, leaving you with a wolf."

"And if I see even its shadow in the snow you'll be turning right back around anyway."

"You could come with me if you want. If your parents don't mind."

"They won't," I replied with a smile. "You're too good to me. Tell you what, bring me home and I'll make you something other than pasta for dinner."

"Well, that would be a pleasure." He tipped the brim of his hat. "If I had anything other than pasta in my cabinets."

"Then it's settled. I'll pull some chicken outta the freezer and grab some herbs for the ride. Be back in a second."

With the frozen poultry sitting in a pot of water to thaw, I returned a couple minutes later. Snow fell in a thick blanket, quickly piling along the porch steps. Lucas was nowhere to be seen, but unlike the wolf's prints, his boots were easy to follow to the birthing stalls.

"Breaking an entering? I expected better from a man of the law."

"Thought you had three calves," he mumbled, poking his head around the black and white flanks of Marlene.

"We do," I said, resting my arms across the fence that protected my ladies from the wild. "Clara's always hiding hers around her hind legs. How'd you get in there, anyway?"

"Gate's unlocked."

My stomach bottomed out.

"You know, I really only see two, Tay."

I rushed inside, crouching down to check between their legs  and behind the bales. Little furry body suckling Gracie. Tiny calf stowed away in a soft patch of Marlene's hay. But Clara? Her udders hung swollen and her darling calf was gone. I swore a dozen times. Snow thickened the air. That hoof print I'd found had it belonged to Clara's calf.

We picked up the tracks not more than twenty feet outside the stall, which I securely latched on my exit. Lucas peered over my shoulder at the tiny trail leading into the woods behind the cabin.

"Must've just missed her," he said against my ear.

A lone howl broke through the woods. Instinctively I flinched and grabbed Luc's hand.

"Stay alert," he instructed, eyeing the rapidly vanishing trail. "I've grab the rifle from the trunk."

I knew what I had to do. I returned to the house, put on my heaviest coat and warmest hat. I shoved a good, dry pair of gloves into my pockets, kept a thin, mobile pair on to work the gun.  From there I grabbed two lanterns and flare, and met my partner at the treeline. At the edge of our tamed property, where nature worked through root and vine to reclaim the land we'd taken, Lucas pulled me back. "Snow's getting heavy, Tay. Reports coming in at three inches an hour. If we don't find her quick we've got to turn back."

"I know." I wrenched myself free. "But we'll find her."

If the wolf didn't find us first.