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Crow Gulch Road led up into the foothills, then turned into a dirt Forest Service road and continued on into the Salmon-Challis National Forest. It was a popular spot for hunters, who parked along the road, then hiked into the woods.
“And you’ll wait for me before you go after them? You won’t do anything stupid?” Malia pleaded. “I can be there in twenty minutes.”
“Stay away, sis, and let me handle this. Ineedto get these guys.” Then he hung up on her.
That idiot!
She put her car in gear and headed down the ranch’s long driveway. She had to find and stop Rob before he did something stupid and either killed the two men, got himself killed, or outed the existence of shifters.
She turned onto the highway, and started making calls as she sped north.
She found Rob’s old red Subaru Forester parked behind a battered blue Ford pickup about two miles up the Forest Service road.
Malia pulled over, shut off her engine, and grabbed her badge and gun.
When she emerged from her car, she turned in a slow circle, ears straining for any sounds that might tell her which way the three had gone.
Then she heard the roaring of an angry grizzly coming from somewhere to her right, followed by the sound of a shot. She plunged into the woods and ran as fast as she could towards the sound.
Please let me be in time, she prayed as she dodged around tree trunks and boulders.Please!
She emerged into a clearing to find Rob in his bear shape charging Bickham and Silvers. To her relief, he looked unhurt.
The two men stank of panic. That was bad. Armed and desperate never made for a good combination.
“Stop! Police!” she yelled, skidding to a halt.
“Are you crazy?” screamed Silvers. “That bear’s gonna rip us apart!”
“No, he’s not!” Malia said. “No one move. No one shoot. Rob! That means you, too!”
Rob growled at her, but broke off his charge.
Bickham ignored her orders. His face twisted with angry determination, he put his rifle to his shoulder and took aim at Rob. At this close range, he wouldn’t miss.
Malia raised her own gun. “Travis Bickham, drop your weapon. Now!”
“Maybe you should drop yours,” Silvers suggested.
She saw that his rifle was now trained on her.Crap. It’s a stand-off.
Rob yowled with impotent rage. His gaze never left Malia, but he didn’t move an inch.
“Is thisreallywhat you guys want to do?” she asked. “Threaten a police officer with a firearm? Resist arrest for hunting a protected species…again?”
“You’re not gonna arrest me this time, honey,” Bickham sneered. “See, this is how I see things playing out. Silvers and I were just defending ourselves from this bear—that’s no lie. That vicious monster tried to attack us. It needs to be put down. And as foryou…well, I see you’re not wearing a hunter orange vest.” He shook his head in mock pity. “That’s a tragic accident waiting to happen with all these hunters around, shooting at anything that moves.”
His lips twisted in a smile as he adjusted his aim.
Malia stared at the small, deadly eye of the rifle barrel, and swallowed hard. Even with her shifter speed, she didn’t think she could reach him before he squeezed the trigger.
But she didn’t lower her gun, either. “You really think you can get away with it? That I won’t shoot you, too?”
He smiled unpleasantly. “Honey, I’m willing to take my chances.”
That was when a long, lean, golden-furred body sprang out of the concealment of nearby bushes.
A huge cougar crashed into Bickham and toppled him, sending his rifle spinning away, out of reach. Snarling, the furious cat crouched over him, large paws pinning him to the ground.
