name.
She sighed, wondering what Mr. Campbell could want with her this time. “Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all. On the contrary, it’s absolutely wonderful.”
Ohmygod, she was getting the animal keeper job. She’d be working with the big cats. Okay, technically, Mr. Campbell didn’t do the hiring and firing, but he was aware of what was going on, so he made recommendations all the time. He called them recommendations, but it meant you had the job. Really, who was going to say no to the boss?
This was fantastic, the best thing that had ever happened to her…
Calm down. Wait for him to tell you the good news.
“Have you seen this morning’s paper?”
Huh? “No, I haven’t.” She rarely read the paper. It was usually too depressing.
He opened it on his desk, running his hand down the crease. She walked closer, then swallowed hard when she saw the picture of Rogar with Sheba. The jaguar was rubbing against his legs. Above the article it read:
Mysterious Man Hypnotizes
Jaguar and Saves Child
“You can’t buy PR like this!” Mr. Campbell grinned from ear to ear. “This is just great. Exactly what we needed.”
She instantly deflated. So much for getting the animal keeper job. It couldn’t be much longer, though. Mr. Campbell had practically promised the job to her.
She raised her chin. “How is the boy, by the way?”
He frowned. “Bruises, that’s all, and a mild concussion. We’re taking measures so that something like that won’t happen again. Our lawyer said we were clearly not at fault. Even the newspaper article favored us rather than the kid.”
“I’m glad he’s recovering.”
“Yes, but that’s beside the point.”
Mr. Campbell could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. “What is the point?”
“The public loves a hero. We all want more John Waynes, but these days they’re few and far between.”
“And that has what to do with me?” If he expected her to go into the cage with Sheba, he’d better think again. At least, not like Rogar had done. She had to admit, Rogar had a very special quality. And why shouldn’t he, since he was part jaguar.
Part jaguar? Shared his body with one? She mentally shook her head. So confusing.
“I want you to find him,” he beamed.
Her pulse began to race as dread filled her. “And why would you think I’d know where he was staying?”
“Because he took you home last night when your car wouldn’t start.”
Did everyone at the zoo know her personal life? “We met again purely by coincidence. He saw my car wouldn’t start, and offered me a ride home. That’s all there was to it.”
Mr. Campbell’s shoulders slumped. Good, let him feel what she felt when she realized she wasn’t here to get the job she’d been wanting forever and ever.
“Why did you need to find him?” Surely a few photos wouldn’t be that big of a deal. It had to be more than that.
Mr. Campbell puffed his chest out, regaining some of his excitement. “Picture this, Rogar working with the big cats.”
There was a moment of silence. Enough for her to know she didn’t like where he was taking her.
“You were there. You had to have seen the way he handled Sheba. The whole zoo is buzzing. Everyone tells me he was hypnotic, that he had the cat worshipping the very ground he walked on.” He rubbed his hands together. “And they want more.”
She could feel the color drain from her face. “But…but I was promised that job.” She’d been passed over so many times, and yet, they would give it to a stranger?”
“There will be another opening, and I’ll make sure you get that one, but think of what he could do in the way of PR, the extra funding for the zoo…”
And a substantial raise for Mr. Campbell from his father who still controlled the purse strings.
She squared her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where he is,” she lied.
Mr. Campbell frowned, it was quickly replaced by a devious glint in his eyes that she had a
She sighed, wondering what Mr. Campbell could want with her this time. “Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all. On the contrary, it’s absolutely wonderful.”
Ohmygod, she was getting the animal keeper job. She’d be working with the big cats. Okay, technically, Mr. Campbell didn’t do the hiring and firing, but he was aware of what was going on, so he made recommendations all the time. He called them recommendations, but it meant you had the job. Really, who was going to say no to the boss?
This was fantastic, the best thing that had ever happened to her…
Calm down. Wait for him to tell you the good news.
“Have you seen this morning’s paper?”
Huh? “No, I haven’t.” She rarely read the paper. It was usually too depressing.
He opened it on his desk, running his hand down the crease. She walked closer, then swallowed hard when she saw the picture of Rogar with Sheba. The jaguar was rubbing against his legs. Above the article it read:
Mysterious Man Hypnotizes
Jaguar and Saves Child
“You can’t buy PR like this!” Mr. Campbell grinned from ear to ear. “This is just great. Exactly what we needed.”
She instantly deflated. So much for getting the animal keeper job. It couldn’t be much longer, though. Mr. Campbell had practically promised the job to her.
She raised her chin. “How is the boy, by the way?”
He frowned. “Bruises, that’s all, and a mild concussion. We’re taking measures so that something like that won’t happen again. Our lawyer said we were clearly not at fault. Even the newspaper article favored us rather than the kid.”
“I’m glad he’s recovering.”
“Yes, but that’s beside the point.”
Mr. Campbell could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. “What is the point?”
“The public loves a hero. We all want more John Waynes, but these days they’re few and far between.”
“And that has what to do with me?” If he expected her to go into the cage with Sheba, he’d better think again. At least, not like Rogar had done. She had to admit, Rogar had a very special quality. And why shouldn’t he, since he was part jaguar.
Part jaguar? Shared his body with one? She mentally shook her head. So confusing.
“I want you to find him,” he beamed.
Her pulse began to race as dread filled her. “And why would you think I’d know where he was staying?”
“Because he took you home last night when your car wouldn’t start.”
Did everyone at the zoo know her personal life? “We met again purely by coincidence. He saw my car wouldn’t start, and offered me a ride home. That’s all there was to it.”
Mr. Campbell’s shoulders slumped. Good, let him feel what she felt when she realized she wasn’t here to get the job she’d been wanting forever and ever.
“Why did you need to find him?” Surely a few photos wouldn’t be that big of a deal. It had to be more than that.
Mr. Campbell puffed his chest out, regaining some of his excitement. “Picture this, Rogar working with the big cats.”
There was a moment of silence. Enough for her to know she didn’t like where he was taking her.
“You were there. You had to have seen the way he handled Sheba. The whole zoo is buzzing. Everyone tells me he was hypnotic, that he had the cat worshipping the very ground he walked on.” He rubbed his hands together. “And they want more.”
She could feel the color drain from her face. “But…but I was promised that job.” She’d been passed over so many times, and yet, they would give it to a stranger?”
“There will be another opening, and I’ll make sure you get that one, but think of what he could do in the way of PR, the extra funding for the zoo…”
And a substantial raise for Mr. Campbell from his father who still controlled the purse strings.
She squared her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where he is,” she lied.
Mr. Campbell frowned, it was quickly replaced by a devious glint in his eyes that she had a
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