this the line you give all the visitors that come into the park?”
“The gullible ones.” He took a drink from his water bottle and continued up the trail.
“Now you’re calling me gullible?” she teased. Walking behind him, she got another nice view of toned body and powerful leg muscles. If she did more hiking maybe she’d get into better shape.
“No, just messing with you.” He glanced over his shoulder and gave her a wink.
“Most of the visitors get a laugh and are a little more cautious about the wildlife after that story. You’d be surprised how many hikers and campers approach wildlife like a raccoon or fox. They think they’re cute.”
“Well, they are but it’s common sense not to handle wild animals,” Amy said.
They walked along the trail a little farther and Jake stopped. “Deer. This is pretty fresh.”
Sliding off her backpack, she dug inside for a screw-cap container, a specimen bag, spatula and latex gloves. After slipping on the gloves, she labeled the container with the animal type, location and date and used the spatula to scoop a sample into the cup. She sealed it and placed the container and spatula in a Ziploc bag. Then placed that in another larger plastic bag. “All set. That makes six different animal types and fifteen specimens so far.” She stood and they continued up the trail. “Next time we go hiking I hope it’s to enjoy the scenery and not to collect animal scat,” she said in a teasing tone.
59
Kathy Kulig
He glanced over his shoulder and the look he gave her sent a thrill to the pit of her stomach. “Let me know. I’d be happy to show you a few trails with the best views.”
“That sounds great.” Was he being nice, treating her like any other tourist, or did he really want to spend time with her? She rolled her eyes to the crystal blue sky. Stop reading things into his words.
“Damn it.” Jake stopped abruptly and Amy almost ran into him.
“What is it?” She saw a brown mass of fur under a spiny, greenish yellow palo verde tree.
“Deer.” He pulled out a notebook and jotted a few notes. “That makes a dozen in two weeks,” he said as he rubbed his forehead.
“Did an animal get it?”
“Doesn’t look like it.” He studied the animal closer. “No visible marks, so it wasn’t attacked or shot.”
“You’re keeping a log of the animal deaths?”
“It’d break your heart if I read off the list. I’ve not seen anything like this before and I’ve worked in the park for ten years.” He left the deer behind and continued up the trail. No doubt predators would eventually get to it. “I can’t tell you what this park means for people around here, especially my grandfather,” he continued. “He’s lived here all his life. It’s a constant fight to protect the land.”
“The park wouldn’t close because of this, would it?”
A moment of anger flashed in his eyes, then he softened. “Not likely.” He frowned.
“Animals get sick and die but it’s rarely harmful to humans. Rumors of an unknown deadly disease might keep visitors away without the park closing. Understand what I’m saying?”
“Of course, Jake. Confidentiality applies to patients and clients. I can’t discuss this project with anyone outside the lab who isn’t working directly on this project.”
He sighed in obvious relief. “Good. Don’t need the media getting a hold of this.” He stood and continued up the trail.
After several hours, she had to admit watching how Jake moved with ease, confidence and pride up the trail was a hell of a lot more interesting than the breathtaking scenery. They had about all the specimens they needed for an initial study but she didn’t say anything, and she didn’t want the day to end.
As a park ranger, he probably knew every inch of these trails, had traveled them a hundred times and could name every plant and prickly thing they passed.
He’d been walking at a steady pace for the last hour and didn’t look out of
“The gullible ones.” He took a drink from his water bottle and continued up the trail.
“Now you’re calling me gullible?” she teased. Walking behind him, she got another nice view of toned body and powerful leg muscles. If she did more hiking maybe she’d get into better shape.
“No, just messing with you.” He glanced over his shoulder and gave her a wink.
“Most of the visitors get a laugh and are a little more cautious about the wildlife after that story. You’d be surprised how many hikers and campers approach wildlife like a raccoon or fox. They think they’re cute.”
“Well, they are but it’s common sense not to handle wild animals,” Amy said.
They walked along the trail a little farther and Jake stopped. “Deer. This is pretty fresh.”
Sliding off her backpack, she dug inside for a screw-cap container, a specimen bag, spatula and latex gloves. After slipping on the gloves, she labeled the container with the animal type, location and date and used the spatula to scoop a sample into the cup. She sealed it and placed the container and spatula in a Ziploc bag. Then placed that in another larger plastic bag. “All set. That makes six different animal types and fifteen specimens so far.” She stood and they continued up the trail. “Next time we go hiking I hope it’s to enjoy the scenery and not to collect animal scat,” she said in a teasing tone.
59
Kathy Kulig
He glanced over his shoulder and the look he gave her sent a thrill to the pit of her stomach. “Let me know. I’d be happy to show you a few trails with the best views.”
“That sounds great.” Was he being nice, treating her like any other tourist, or did he really want to spend time with her? She rolled her eyes to the crystal blue sky. Stop reading things into his words.
“Damn it.” Jake stopped abruptly and Amy almost ran into him.
“What is it?” She saw a brown mass of fur under a spiny, greenish yellow palo verde tree.
“Deer.” He pulled out a notebook and jotted a few notes. “That makes a dozen in two weeks,” he said as he rubbed his forehead.
“Did an animal get it?”
“Doesn’t look like it.” He studied the animal closer. “No visible marks, so it wasn’t attacked or shot.”
“You’re keeping a log of the animal deaths?”
“It’d break your heart if I read off the list. I’ve not seen anything like this before and I’ve worked in the park for ten years.” He left the deer behind and continued up the trail. No doubt predators would eventually get to it. “I can’t tell you what this park means for people around here, especially my grandfather,” he continued. “He’s lived here all his life. It’s a constant fight to protect the land.”
“The park wouldn’t close because of this, would it?”
A moment of anger flashed in his eyes, then he softened. “Not likely.” He frowned.
“Animals get sick and die but it’s rarely harmful to humans. Rumors of an unknown deadly disease might keep visitors away without the park closing. Understand what I’m saying?”
“Of course, Jake. Confidentiality applies to patients and clients. I can’t discuss this project with anyone outside the lab who isn’t working directly on this project.”
He sighed in obvious relief. “Good. Don’t need the media getting a hold of this.” He stood and continued up the trail.
After several hours, she had to admit watching how Jake moved with ease, confidence and pride up the trail was a hell of a lot more interesting than the breathtaking scenery. They had about all the specimens they needed for an initial study but she didn’t say anything, and she didn’t want the day to end.
As a park ranger, he probably knew every inch of these trails, had traveled them a hundred times and could name every plant and prickly thing they passed.
He’d been walking at a steady pace for the last hour and didn’t look out of
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