Black Hills

visit. You can imagine the surprise we got when we heard him, then opened the back door and saw him sitting on the porch.”
    “He followed your scent.”
    “For miles, and he shouldn’t have been able to, he shouldn’t have wanted to.”
    “Love adds to ability, I’d say, and desire.”
    “Unscientific, but . . . The second time, he tracked me back to the refuge, and the last, I had Tansy and an intern take him. That was guilt on my part. I didn’t want to let him go, but felt I had to try. He beat them back. He came home. His choice. Good night, Baby.”
    She moved back to the path. “The other night I dreamed I was being hunted. Running and running, but he kept getting closer. And when I knew I was done, when I had to turn and fight, a cougar leaped out of the grass and went for my throat.”
    She leaned into him when he put his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve never dreamed of being attacked by a cat. Never. Not even after I’d been bit, or come out of some dicey situation. But this has done that. I can’t keep being afraid. I can’t keep being locked in here.”
    “There are other ways to get out.”
    “What? Going into the city to shop?”
    “It’s out.”
    “Now you sound like my mother. It’ll do me good, take my mind off things. That’s when I’m not hearing how Tansy wants her best friend and maid of honor with her when she picks out her wedding dress.”
    “So you’re going.”
    “Of course I’m going.” But she sighed. “Tansy’s mother flew in today, and tomorrow we’re off on our safari. And I feel guilty about being irritated about it.”
    “You could buy new sexy underwear.”
    She slanted him a look. “You’ve got a one-track mind.”
    “Stay on track, you eventually reach the finish line.”
    “I need the hills, Coop.” Her fingers went back, tugging and twisting the strings of the hoodie. “How long can I let him take them from me?”
    This time he leaned down, pressed his lips to her hair. “We’ll take the horses down to Custer. We’ll ride the hills all day.”
    She wanted to say those weren’t her hills, but it would have been petty and pouty.
    She looked toward their silhouette, blank and black under the night sky. Soon, she thought. It had to be soon.
     
     
     
    LIL REMINDED HERSELF, again, she liked to shop. Geography and circumstances meant she did a lot of that online, so when she had the chance to really dig into the colors, shapes, textures, smells of shopping in three dimensions, she did so with enthusiasm.
    And she enjoyed the company of women, particularly these women. Sueanne Spurge had charm and a sense of fun, and got along like a house afire with Jenna and Lucy.
    She liked the city, too. Usually. She enjoyed the change of pace, the sights, the stores, the crowds. Since childhood a trip into Rapid City had been a special treat, a day of fun and busy doings.
    But now the noise annoyed, the people just got in the way, and she wanted nothing more than to be back at the refuge—which only the night before had begun to feel like a prison.
    She sat in the pretty dressing room of the bridal boutique, sipping sparkling water garnished with a thin slice of lemon, and thought about what trails she would take if she had the opportunity to hunt Ethan.
    She’d start on the flat, where he’d disabled the camera. The search had covered that area, but that didn’t matter. They might have missed something. He’d killed there, at least twice. A human and her cougar. It was part of his hunting ground.
    From there, she’d cover the ground to the Crow Peak trail, where he most likely had intercepted James Tyler. From there to the river, where the body had been found. From that point—
    “Lil!”
    Lil jolted back so fast she nearly tipped the water into her lap. “What?”
    “The dress.” Tansy spread her arms to model the off-the-shoulder ivory confection of silk and lace.
    “You look gorgeous.”
    “All brides look gorgeous.” A hint of impatience edged into Tansy’s tone. “We’re taking opinions on the dress.”
    “Um . . .”
    “I just love it!” Sueanne clasped her hands together at her heart as her eyes filled. “Baby, you look like a princess.”
    “The color’s lovely on you, Tansy,” Jenna put in. “That warm white.”
    “And the lines.” Lucy rubbed her hand up and down Sueanne’s back. “It’s very romantic.”
    “It’s a spectacular dress,” Lil managed finally.
    “And it’s an outdoor country wedding. Doesn’t