Reckless Read online

  He must notice my scan and shrugs. “Not much of a budget for the office, I’m afraid. Things still run pretty much the same way they did fifty years ago, but we’re not in the office all that much anyway. I prefer to be outside if I can. I’m sure you can relate.”

  I nod and smile. “I do. I grew up in Virginia, so the outdoors I’m used to are slightly different, but it’s gorgeous out here.”

  “Oh, I thought you came here from San Francisco.” He looks confused.

  Jeez, there really are no secrets in small towns are there? “Yeah, I worked as a liaison with customs enforcement and the US Coast Guard on international trade violations of endangered species.”

  “Well, that’s an impressive mouthful,” he smiles, and we go on to exchange stories from our personal highlight reels.

  He’s got the sort of serious, earnest air to him that has no trouble earning my trust. In a way, he reminds me a lot of my brothers. We chat for a while and go over what they get called in for most: lost hikers. I make a note to study the local trail maps, eager to avoid that humiliation.

  “It’s especially precarious now we’ve had so much weird wildlife activity,” Jasper adds.

  “Weird? How so?” I ask, my curiosity perking up.

  “Well, we’ve had a lot of strange predator behavior lately—animals wandering into areas they normally avoid, aggressive like they haven’t been before. Makes me think someone is messing with them. One woman insists she saw a wolverine, but heck those haven’t been spotted in twenty years out here.” He lifts his brows to suggest the ridiculousness of the idea.

  “Well, wolverines are pretty reclusive creatures. Even in areas where they’re definitively known to reside, sightings are incredibly rare,” I point out, scribbling into my small notebook.

  “Yeah, true, but it was just the one lady and she was out of her mind, claiming there were green-eyed aliens chasing her, so I’m not real sure I trust her judgment. What does concern me, though, are the carcasses that have been showing up. Someone’s poaching, both inside and outside of the park, taking only a few choice organs and leaving the remains. Personally, I’d like to keep this investigation in my office, but we’re just too busy with the routine lost hikers and trail closure issues that crop up this time of year from mud slides and such.

  “I don’t have the manpower and the Troopers don’t consider it a priority. Which brings me to this,” he pauses and rifles through a drawer, pulling out a map. “When I heard F&W was sending someone out here, I started keeping track of all the carcasses that have been called in. I hate handing it off, but I figure you’re in a better position to look into it.”

  My pulse leaps as I take it, the familiar rush of excitement at the possibility of a case. I look at the map reverently. “This is great. Much more than I was expecting to get out of a meet-and-greet, thank you.”

  We chat for a bit longer, but my mind is already racing, so I take the first chance I get to excuse myself.

  “Check out the bulletin board on your way out. Doesn’t hurt to have a few hardcopy maps on you. Cell service and GPS aren’t always the most reliable out here,” Jasper adds, as I walk out the door and I thank him.

  I break into a giddy smile, thrilled at this unexpected turn of luck. Spotting the bulletin board, I nearly skip over, checking out the fliers of missing people, local services, and a plethora of maps. I’m going through it all, grabbing copies of useful stuff when I hear a deep male voice chuckling from around the corner. It slithers under my skin. My arms are suddenly peppered with alert goosebumps.

  “Oh, trust me, I’ve got much dirtier jokes than that. In fact, if you come on down and grab a drink with me tonight at Gracie’s, maybe we can drum up inspiration for a few new ones.” I roll my eyes at the pick-up, but there’s something exciting about listening to the exchange.

  Cripes, how long has it been since I’ve been on a date? Clearly too long if my face is getting warm listening to a cheesy pick-up.

  “I think I know better than that,” Lexi laughs in a perfectly melodic and feminine way.

  My laugh could never sound like that. I never learned to measure it or fake a polite, charming giggle. I grew up with four older brothers, so when I laugh, there’s nothing particularly girly about it. It’s a loud, body-wracking event that sounds more like a gremlin with strep throat, at least to my own ears.

  “You sure about that?” the deep voice presses on. “I’d show you a real good time, scout’s honor.”

  “First off, you weren’t ever a boy scout, and second, I think I know a bad call when I see it,” Lexi counters.

  Velvet Voice laughs. “I might be ill-advised, but don’t we all need a bad decision now and then to prove we’re really alive?”

  Oh, for criminy’s sake, what is this God’s gift to women?

  I hear Lexi say something just a bit too quietly to interpret. Apparently, her mystery suitor won out.

  “See you later, Lex.” Narf, how does everything this guy say sound like he’s smiling while he says it?

  I shake my head and clear it. What kind of creep am I, sitting here listening to this two-bit schmooze prep a one-night stand? Ugh! They’re probably making plans to go do it in some grimy, mildew-laced bathroom. Meanwhile, I’ve got a case to chase.

  Grabbing my maps and notebook, I walk around the corner and right into a wall of man. My forehead connects with a rock-hard jaw. The collision sends me backwards. Muscles reach out to catch me, probably, but I instinctively block him from grabbing me and end up falling back and landing with a painful thump.

  Setting my jaw and huffing, I look up as he kneels down and asks, “Sorry, you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I start to say, but my mouth goes strangely dry and stops working. It’s that guy Carla pointed out… Baywatch. No… Deric! Yeah, that’s it.

  Woooo-eeeee!

  Carla wasn’t joking about him being a golden god. From across the bar, I could tell he was good-looking, but up close, studying him, it’s clear he’s perfection. It’s like an assault of male beauty between the dimples, the square jaw, those massive arms… my god, those hands. They’re like man-paws…

  And they’re on my maps. My maps!

  “Hey! Don’t touch that!” I come to my senses and bat his hands away.

  He leans back on his haunches and surveys me as I desperately scramble to gather my stuff up and get the hell out of here.

  I’m trying not to look, but I can hear the grin in his voice. “Well, well, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing with all these trail maps?”

  Oh, gross, he’s going to take that tone with me after he just slobbered over Lexi?

  “None of your business, that’s what. Give me that.” I try to swipe the marked map that Jasper gave me from him and miss.

  He glances at the map. “You’re heading awfully far off the beaten path. Sure hope you’re not heading out there alone. Slip of a thing like you is bound to run into trouble.”

  ‘Slip of a thing.’ Seriously? Gag me. Gag me now!

  Okay, honestly, as hot as he is, that image is turning me on. Oh god, he can probably tell…

  He pauses, assessing me. My face grows red with resentment as I can practically see all the assumptions flitting through his mind.

  His voice gets a deeper, his gaze raking over me as he adds, “Gets dangerous out there, you know. If you don’t know what you’re doing, and not many do…” One of his dimples deepens as he grins, “It’s your lucky day, though. I’m one of the few who does. I’d be glad to help you out… with anything you might require. My name is—”

  Unbelievable!

  The gall on this guy.

  I snatch the map, irritated, and stand up. “Spare me the stump speech, He-Man. This slip of a thing knows exactly who you are. The only thing you can do to help me is to check your conflated male ego so I can fit past.”

  For a half second I relish his confounded expression as I brush past him. Wouldn’t surprise me if I was the very first girl to shut h
im down and clearly his ego has swollen to ungodly proportions. As unnaturally pretty as he is, no one deserves to be that cocky.

  That knowledge puts a smile on my face and a bounce in my step.

  Looks like it’s a gonna be a good day, after all.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  DERIC

  Well, that was weird. I breathe into my hand to check my breath. Nope, smells wintergreen fresh as usual. There’s no obvious sign I can see that explains little miss tight-ass’s huff.

  I hear a giggle and turn around to see Lexi grinning wildly.

  “Something about that funny to you?” I look at her darkly.

  She gives me a cheeky look, completely unintimidated. “Guess she knows a bad decision when she sees one.”

  I roll my eyes. “Jesus, it’s not like I put any effort into it. If I wanted, she’d have been putty in my hands.”

  “Whatever you say, He-Man.” The sound of her perky giggle follows me down the hallway towards Jasper’s office. Lexi and I have our little flirtation, but it’s Dex she’s gunning for, so it’s no skin off my nose if she had to be witness to the rare and mythical event of my rejection.

  I knock on Jasper’s door and swing it open, not waiting for a response. Like most of the locals, we’ve known each other our whole lives. There’s no need to bother with formalities. “Man, she was a piece a work, huh?” I laugh, dropping into a chair on the other side of his desk as he rifles through papers, not looking up. “That right there is why I’m glad I own my business. Don’t have to deal with harpies like that.”

  “You think so, hmm?” he says, writing something down.

  “Hell yes, and hey, if you ever want to escape this thankless job, just let me know. At least what I do, people who come to us know they’re in over their heads… unlike the crap you gotta deal with, chasing after idiots who wander off into the woods with a cheap cereal box compass and child-sized flashlight.” I prop my arms behind my head and lean back in the chair.

  Jasper starts chuckling. “Crap we gotta deal with, my friend.”

  “Uh, no, whoever little miss independent woman was, she made it clear she doesn’t need my help or professional services,” I inform him, even though it grates a at my ego. I’m not so blockheaded I can’t admit that it feels like shit to get shot down, but whatever. When you bat 1000 every other day, there’s bound to be a blue moon strike-out.

  “Yes, I’m sure she doesn’t. Anyway, do you remember a couple weeks ago I mentioned we’re finally getting a US F&W agent out here?” he says, still not looking up.

  “Yeah, and about fucking time. How long has it been now since ol’ Marv retired? Four, five years?” I try and think back.

  Jasper shakes his head. “Six, actually. Your new girlfriend there is his replacement.”

  My feet slip and the chair slams back down on fours with a thud.

  “No. Fucking. Way.” I’m stunned and not in a good way. “What does she weigh? Hundred pounds? She’ll get blown over the side of a fucking waterfall. No, you’re screwing with me.”

  “Uh, it’s none of my business how much she weighs, nor is it yours. What does matter is that she’ll be working the area now, so… like I said, crap we gotta deal with.” He pauses and finally looks up with a surprised expression. “Although, she seems perfectly nice to me, and as far as being in over her head, I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. She came here from San Francisco where she was busting international illegal species trade cases, so I wouldn’t be so quick to write her off. She’s gotten into some shit.”

  “Yeah, well she’s got a pretty obvious chip on her shoulder,” I answer, thinking back to the way she snatched the maps away from me like I was toddler pestering her.

  “I’m sure being a female in this line of work isn’t the easiest,” Jasper responds in a way that has me narrowing my eyes and thinking back to her tight little body.

  “You sweet on her?” I ask, not sure why the idea irks me.

  He laughs. “Me? No. Unlike you, I know how to keep my dick out of my work.”

  “Whatever. I don’t have to pretend to like this bullshit like you for the sake of some governmental agency bureaucratic diplomatic hoopla.” I pop a mint into my mouth and take out my irritation on it, grinding it to minty dust.

  “Bravo for you stickin’ it to the man, hippy,” he says dryly.

  I grin. Only to someone so tight-assed as Jasper would I be considered a hippy.

  “Anyway, what’s up? I’m sure you didn’t come out here to bitch about Edie.”

  Edie. Hmm, it’s a cute name for someone so prickly.

  I sigh and roll my shoulders, trying to shake off my annoyance. “I ran into a bear yesterday on a climb out on Peregrine Ridge. It’s outside the park, I know, and no one got hurt, but all these incidences… they’re starting to get more frequent. I’m wondering what you guys are doing to figure out what’s going on. If one of these run-ins ends in an attack, people are going to start getting spooked, and I can’t afford to lose business right now when I’m hoping to attract investors.”

  “And I sympathize with you. But, as you said, your run-in was outside the park. And even if it wasn’t, look, there are bears out there… I mean, what do you want me to do? Chase away all the wildlife so your tours can run smoothly?” He lifts an eyebrow.

  “If it was just the usual wildlife, it wouldn’t be a problem. A bear sighting used to happen once a year. Now it’s happening four or five times a month. That’s nothing to say of Martha Ray running into the wolverine—”

  “Allegedly running into the wolverine,” he smirks. “Come on, you really think she got chased through the woods by aliens too?”

  “Whatever, all I’m saying is someone needs to look into this, man.” To be fair, Martha Ray has always been an oddball, so he’s probably right about that. But still, I’m losing my patience.

  “And someone is.” He flashes a grin and goes back to his work.

  I let out a sigh of relief and laugh. “Jesus. Jasper, you were getting my blood pressure up for nothing. You’re a cruel man. So who has the case? You?” I pull a face as I ask, “Brody?” I hate that asshole. He’s always been a little shit, but then he went and turned into a racist fuck. He’s a cautionary tale of what too much inbreeding and Skoal chewing tobacco does to an already small brain.

  “Nope.” He keeps writing.

  “Steve?” My face is even more screwed up… Steve is practically hours away from retirement.

  “Nope.” The fact he’s not meeting my eye is starting to make me nervous.

  “Okay… who?”

  “I think you know,” he smiles, writing.

  It hits me. The fuck.

  “No… come on,” I protest. “What the hell? She’s been here all of two minutes… You can’t be serious!”

  He laughs then. “Oh, yes I can. You want information on the case? Guess you’ll have to go kiss and make-up for whatever dumbass thing you’ve done already to make her hate you.”

  *

  “This is shit. Total and complete shit!” I clench my hand in a fist and resist the urge to slam it on the table.

  Ava looks at me with confusion. “I fail to see the problem. What? Because she’s a woman you think she can’t do a good job? I knew you were a Neanderthal, but I didn’t know you were quite so sexist.”

  I roll my eyes at my sister. “No, fartface,” I retort. Is it juvenile? Yes, but she’s my little sister. It’s practically mandatory. “It’s the fact she has no idea what she’s doing here. I don’t care what experience she’s had before, you and I both know Hell’s Bitters isn’t for amateurs. Look at your husband for chrissakes. A black bear made him his bitch and he’s lived here practically his whole life.”

  “Excuse me, but I was defending your sister’s life and the only person in this room who is a bitch is you, if you’re going to piss and moan like this.” Dean walks into the kitchen where Ava and I are sitting having a beer. “Also, keep the volume down, unless you want to rock y
our niece back to sleep for the next hour.”

  “Yeah well, I’d rather rock Talisa to sleep than deal with some clueless girl from the East Coast who thinks she can walk in here and be She-Rambo,” I grumble into my beer.

  Ava laughs. “He-Man and She-Rambo. A match made in eighties cliché heaven. Oh, Deric, you dumb, sweaty oaf. You know why this girl bothers you so much, don’t you?”

  “Uh yeah, because she’s a pain in the ass who has no idea what’s out there.” I resist the urge to say ‘duh,’ but my expression does it for me.

  “Noooo, because she doesn’t want your help. Ever since we were kids you liked being in charge. Don’t you remember? You were always the banker in Monopoly?”

  Dean laughs. “Nerd.”

  “Fuck off,” I toss back.

  “Seriously, you like to be the one in control, the person who fixes things and looks after everyone. It’s not a bad thing. I mean even though you have this whole relaxed, carefree vibe, you really do care. But you can’t always be the one who rushes in to save the day, and you definitely shouldn’t assume that this Edie is helpless or can’t handle herself. Unless you want to start some kind of unnecessary feud with US F&W, I suggest you put your ego aside.”

  “Thanks for the psychoanalysis, but that’s not the problem. I just don’t like the idea of the future of our business being jeopardized by the fact that someone who has no clue about the area is in charge of resolving our wildlife issue,” I fire back, even though the irritation I’m feeling probably has something to do with the fact that Ava isn’t entirely off base.

  “The future of our business? Dude, I barely have time to breathe between all the tours we’ve had booked lately. We’re not exactly struggling. What are you talking about?” Dean grabs a beer out of the fridge and leans against the wall facing us.

  I turn to him. “Okay, so Dex found out by accident and he’s pissed about it, but I’ve been getting some interest from an investor about looking into expansion ideas for our guide service. There’s a lot of options on the table. It could mean a resort, or a second office, I don’t really know.”