Cut and Run 6 - Stars and Stripes

Tish asked.
    “I was . . . trying not to,” Ty said. He gaped at Zane, silently asking him to do something .
    Zane patted his shoulder. “We think he got too close to her babies or she was defending her territory.”
    “Yeah, or he just wasn’t hungry cause he’d already eaten a dude right before me.”
    Tish practically bounced. “This is just awesome, we don’t see many bite marks that nicely preserved. I mean, not on living things. You were lucky she was just playing with you.”
    “You were actually bitten by a cougar?” Mark asked.
    Ty grunted, and Zane squeezed his shoulder to keep him from saying anything more.
    Tish let his hand go and smiled. “Anyway! How can we help you? Were you here for a tour? It’s a little unorthodox on a weekday on such short notice, but it can be arranged, especially for neighbors who’ve been so kind to us.”
    Zane smiled and shook his head as he pulled out his badge and showed it to her. Ty did the same, although more grudgingly. “Actually, we’re here in an official capacity. We were wondering if you’ve had any break-ins. Any animals go missing recently?”
    Her eyes widened as she looked at the badges, and she nodded. “We have. Two residents are unaccounted for. Have you found them? We’ve been worried sick about them.”
    “I’m sorry, no. Were they reported?”
    “Oh, of course. We reported them to the local animal registration agency and local law enforcement, as per the state statute—”
    “Okay,” Ty interrupted. “How do you know they’re missing?”
    “Well, they’re not in their enclosures anymore.”
    “That’s . . . really?” Ty asked.
    “What my partner means is, um . . . do you tag them in any way? So you can track them?”
    “No, the residents are never intended to be off the property. Tagging them would be costly, traumatic, and redundant.”
    “So, they’re in cages, you said? How does a lion or tiger get out of its cage?” Ty asked.
    “We call them habitats or enclosures. Each one has a double gate, where we can lock the cat in one section and clean the other safely. We believe one of the interns may have improperly latched the gates after cleaning or feeding, but . . . we take such precautions, I just don’t see how that could have happened. I mean, both gates?”
    Ty and Zane shared a look. It was looking more like Ty’s theory might be correct. Ty’s eyes strayed past Zane to the wall behind him, and he began to drift toward it to look at a large, colorful map of the preserve grounds.
    “The preserve has a perimeter fence?”
    “It does. A backup measure for this very thing. We searched for days, but we have over one-hundred acres. I’m sure the tigers are still on grounds; we simply don’t have the manpower for a concerted search. We’re still looking.”
    “Ma’am, we don’t believe that to be the case,” Zane said.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “A week ago, the owner of the C and G, the ranch that borders the preserve, was shot just a mile or two from one of your boundaries.”
    “Oh, dear!”
    “We think he witnessed a catnapping.” Ty managed to say that with a straight face. Zane had to fight back a snicker.
    “You think someone came in and stole our cats?”
    “Have you found any perimeter breaches?” Ty asked.
    “No.” Tish brought a hand to her neck. “Really, we just thought they’d come home once they got hungry. We’ve all been on the alert.”
    “Yeah, ’cause tigers are completely helpless when they want food,” Ty muttered as he looked back at the map.
    “How tight is your security?” Zane asked.
    “Well . . . our security is more for the safety and containment of the animals, not to keep people out. The border fences are electrified. Each habitat has a lock on it that requires a key.”
    “What about this building?”
    “A standard alarm system.”
    “Are there any night guards? Caretakers for the animals?”
    “There are six to eight interns on staff throughout the year. They all stay in the dormitory area. I can show you. Someone took the cats, didn’t they? To sell them? Oh my God.” Tish clapped her hands to her face, looking so distraught that Zane wished he had better news for her.
    Annie patted her shoulder. “If anyone can find them, it’s my brother.”
    Zane’s breath caught at the flow of surprise and warmth filtering through him. Ty brushed his elbow, a discreet showing of pride or support.
    “Can you tell us what species are missing?” Ty