Black Hills

they’d tagged over the years.
    They’d lost some, to hunting season, to other animals, or just to age or accident. But she currently had six cougars who had originated in the Black Hills, tagged by her or one of the staff. One, a young male when tagged, had traveled to Iowa, another had ranged into Minnesota. The female from Baby’s litter had localized in the southwest of the Black Hills, occasionally roaming over into Wyoming during mating season.
    She plotted locations, calculated dispersal distances, and speculated on behavior and choice of territory.
    She thought it was time to buy a new horse, and go tracking. She had time before the spring season to capture and evaluate, tag and release.
    In any case, she wanted some time in her own territory.
    “You should take one of the interns with you,” Tansy insisted.
    She should, she should. Education and training were essential arms of the refuge. But . . .
    “I’ll be quicker in and out on my own.” Lil checked a radio transmitter, then packed it. “I’ve waited until late in the season for this. I don’t want to dawdle. Everything’s under control here,” she added. “Plus someone’s got to check on the camera up there. It’s a good time for me to take a few days, deal with that and maybe get a capture and release.”
    “And if weather comes in?”
    “I’m not going that far, Tansy. We’re losing data with that camera out, so it has to be checked. If weather comes in, I’ll head back, or wait it out.”
    She added a second transmitter. She could get lucky.
    “I’ll have the radio phone.” She swung the tranquilizer gun over her shoulder by the strap, hefted her pack.
    “You’re leaving now ?”
    “Plenty of day left. With luck, I might have a capture tonight or tomorrow, tag it, and be on my way back.”
    “But—”
    “Stop worrying. Now I’m going to go buy a good horse from a former friend. That works out, I’ll leave from there. I’ll stay in touch.”
    She hoped the former friend was in town or at the trailhead, dealing with his rental stock, customers, whatever he did with his days. She could horse-trade with Sam or Lucy, and avoid the annoyance of doing business with Coop.
    Especially since he’d made it clear he wanted her to mind her own.
    And to think she’d made a sincere effort to be friendly, to let bygones be. Well, screw that. If he wanted to be pissy, she’d be pissy right back.
    But she wanted a good horse. Annoyance didn’t mean taking chances on the trail, and her usual mount was getting too old for this kind of trip.
    Odds were, Lil thought as she drove to the neighboring farm, she’d be able to do no more than verify territory and activity on this little trip. She might get a sighting, but an actual capture and tag was a long shot. Worth it though, to add to her proposed ten-year study.
    And it would give her the chance to see what, if any, human activity there might be.
    When she arrived, she noted the ring and buzz—hammer and saw—from the bunkhouse. She recognized one of the trucks parked by the building as belonging to a local carpenter. Curiosity had her heading in that direction.
    A mistake, she realized when Coop stepped out.
    Business, she told herself. Just do the business.
    “I need to buy a horse.”
    “Something happen to yours?”
    “No. I’m looking for one experienced on the trail. Mine’s getting on. I’d be looking for one between five and eight, say. Steady, mature, sound.”
    “We don’t sell horses that aren’t sound. Going somewhere?”
    She angled her head, spoke coolly. “Do you want to sell me a horse, Cooper?”
    “Sure. I figure we both want me to sell you the right horse. Makes a difference if you want one for some pleasure riding on the trail, or one for working.”
    “I work, so I need a horse who’ll work with me. And I want it today.”
    “You’re planning on heading up today?”
    “That’s right. Look, I’m going to try for a quick trap-and-tag. I need a reliable mount who can handle rough ground and has some nerve.”
    “Have you spotted any cats near your place?”
    “For somebody who wants me to mind my business, you sure are hell-bent on minding mine.”
    “My horse,” he said.
    “I haven’t seen anything within the sanctuary. We’ve got a camera out, and I want to check on it. Since I’m doing that, I’m going to set up a live trap and see if I get lucky. I’m planning on two days, three at most. Satisfied?”
    “I thought you took a team