Black Hills

that’s where he’s holding the advantage right now. My mind can’t be eased. But we have work to do here. We’ll keep doing it. I’ve got six interns who need to finish our program. There’s a group of eight- to twelve-year-olds coming in this morning, in about two hours, to take the tour and a session in the education center. If you tell me you don’t think those kids will be safe, I’ll cancel.”
    “I’ve got no reason to think a man who kills a wild animal’s going to start taking potshots at kids, Lil.”
    “Okay. Then we’ll all just do whatever we can do. You should go,” she said to Coop. “You have your own business, your own animals to see to.”
    “I’ll be back. You may want to make up that list.”
    She looked blank for a moment, then shook her head. “That’s not my top priority just now.”
    “Your choice.”
    “Yes. It will be. Thanks, Willy.”
    Willy pursed his lips as she went back in the office. “I have a feeling the two of you were talking about something other than a dead wolf. Since I do, I’m thinking you’ll be staying here tonight.”
    “That’s right.”
    “I feel better knowing that. Meanwhile, I’m going to have some men scout around the area, check the other gates, look for weak spots. He’s holed up somewhere,” Willy muttered, looking out toward the hills.
     
     
     
    LIL KNEW word would spread, and quickly, so it didn’t surprise her when her parents arrived. She walked away from the immobilized tiger to the habitat fence. “Just an ingrown claw. It’s a common problem.” She reached up to touch the fingers her mother slid through the fence. “I’m sorry you have to be worried.”
    “You talked about going down to Florida for a couple weeks, working with that panther refuge. You should do that.”
    “For a few days,” Lil corrected. “Next winter. I can’t go now. I especially can’t go now.”
    “You could come back home until they find him.”
    “Who do I put here in my place? Mom, who do I tell I’m too afraid to stay here, so you do it?”
    “Anybody who isn’t my baby.” Jenna gave Lil’s fingers a squeeze. “But you can’t, and you won’t.”
    “Cooper stayed here last night?” Joe asked her.
    “He slept on the living room sofa. He wouldn’t leave, and now I’m forced to be grateful he wouldn’t let me kick him out of my own house. I have any number of people pushing to stay. We’re taking all the precautions we can, I promise. I’m going to order more cameras, use them for security. I’ve looked at alarm systems, but we just can’t afford the type that would cover the place. No,” she said even as Joe started to speak. “You know you can’t afford it either.”
    “What I can’t afford is anything happening to my daughter.”
    “I’m going to make sure nothing does.” She glanced back to where Matt worked on the tiger. “I need to finish up here.”
    “We’ll go back to the compound, see if anyone can use some extra hands.”
    “Always.”
     
     
     
    FROM HIS POSITION on high ground, through the lenses of his field glasses, he watched the family group. Observing prey was essential, learning the habits, the territory, the dynamics, strengths. Weaknesses.
    Patience was another essential. He could admit that the—occasional—lack of it was one of his weaknesses. Temper had been another. Temper had cost him eighteen months inside when it had pushed him to beat a man half to death in a bar.
    But he’d learned to control his temper, to remain calm and objective. To use the kill for personal satisfaction.
    Never in heat, never in rage. Cold and cool.
    The cougar had been impulse. It was there, and he’d wanted to know what it was like to kill the wild thing eye-to-eye. He’d been disappointed. The lack of challenge, the lack of the hunt equaled no personal satisfaction.
    It had, he was forced to admit, brought him a mild sense of shame.
    He’d had to offset that by letting his temper out—just a little—and destroying the camp. But he’d done so precisely, and that was important. He’d done so in a way that sent a message.
    Lil. Lillian. Dr. Chance. She was so interesting. He’d always thought so. Look at her with her family unit—there, a definite weakness.
    It might be satisfying to use that against her. Fear added to the thrill of the hunt. He wanted her to fear. He’d learned how much more it meant when the fear came with it. And he believed it would be more exciting to scent hers, as he’d