Page 67 of Bear Creek Valentine
He scaled the tree first, climbing higher to leave the lower branches for the cubs. Aiden was surprised that the little ones showed no fear or hesitation in their quest for every bear’s favorite. Acorns were an extremely important food source for black bears, and adults could easily eat eleven pounds per day, shell and all. The instinctive drive to pile on the weight each fall meant eating almost constantly, even in human form. Aiden loved the filled-out look Dash was sporting, giving him even more man to love.
Eventually, Orrin called to his charges with a series of snorts and growls, letting them know it was time to move on. Dash followed them to the ground, heading deeper into the woods along a trail that led them back home. They sighted plenty of wildlife along the way, including a skunk family who took their time wandering away from the parade of bears and a lone human. When they reached the house, Aiden went to fetch the Bear Brownies and Snaxs. As always, they were well-received and devoured in a flash.
Aiden sat on the ground and was soon surrounded by the cubs. He petted heads, rubbed bellies, and scratched behind ears while they licked and sniffed to their heart’s content. When it was time to go, Orrin led them back to the porch, where everyone shifted and dressed. With a little prodding, the cubs thanked their hosts for a fun afternoon and climbed back into the van. Orrin gave both men a farewell hug.
“This was great—thank you! Isolation isn’t good for them, and I keep trying to find ways to expose them to new people and places. Let me know if you think of things we can do together. Stop in and see us soon, all right?”
Dash slipped an arm around Aiden’s waist, waving goodbye as the van headed down the long driveway. He turned to give Aiden a kiss, but then stopped abruptly to growl.
“Somebody smells like cub spit. You need a bath. Come on.”
Dash’s growls and Aiden’s laughter followed them into the house.
####
Two days later, Halloween night
Bear Creek, like every other community on Halloween, kept a careful watch for those who liked to celebrate in a destructive way. In years past, the Sheriff’s department dealt with more mischief than crime, such as tombstone tipping, pumpkin smashing, or papering the courthouse lawn. Obviously, they couldn’t be everywhere at once and focused on patrolling the main thoroughfares.
This year, they were well aware of the troubles atDeliciousand made a point to drive past the shop often—including the back alley. Fortunately, all remained quiet, and no one paid particular attention to a dark blue, late-model Cadillac cruising slowly past and then turning at the next cross-street. In fact, no one knew anything was amiss until early the next day, and by then, it was far too late.
####
Tuesday morning, November 1st
Leo Park sang along with the radio on his way to work, tapping the steering wheel of his beat-up chevy in time to the music. He loved to sing, despite his inability to carry a tune, or so he’d been told. Leo confined his off-key warbling to the interiorof his automobile or the shower, thus sparing himself the good-natured criticism of family and friends.
It would be another busy day. Skip, Hudson, and Cooper had all agreed to come in early to get caught up from Halloween. By all accounts, Serena’s marketing efforts were a tremendous hit, and they’d broken yet another sales record. Unfortunately, the uber-busy Christmas season would be upon them in less than a month. Leo put off worrying about it and turned into D2’s back parking lot.
The sight before him immediately drove other thoughts from his head, and he hit the brakes. Their beautiful new delivery van had been demolished overnight—flat tires, broken glass everywhere, and huge dents marring the once-smooth paint job. Thinking fast, Leo remained in the car and called the Sheriff first as he’d been told to do. No, he didn’t see anyone on the property. No, he wasn’t in any danger. Yes, he would be there when the officer arrived. Yes, he was about to contact the owner.
Leo’s hands shook so badly, it took three tries to punch in a call to Aiden. His sleepy boss finally answered on the sixth ring.
“Leo? It’s early; what’s going on?”
“Aiden, someone vandalized the van last night. An officer is on the way, but you better get down here.”
Leo heard Aiden’s frustrated groan, along with Dash’s angry growls.
“On our way. Don’t touch anything or try to go inside until we know it’s safe.”
####
An hour later
The security system caught only part of the incident, revealing something no one expected—a dark-colored vehicle and blurry images of a tallish man with a mustache. When thenew carport was installed, no one thought to reposition the security cameras or floodlights. Only a portion of the parking area and the driver’s side of the van could be seen, mostly in shadow. The unknown man in the images moved quickly and with purpose, wielding what appeared to be a short-handled sledgehammer.
The deputy took notes and photographs but believed it was a random act of vandalism on an otherwise quiet Halloween night, andnotthe person responsible for all the other damages. Dash assured him that his bear picked up the scents of a mananda woman, but the officer had already made up his mind.
“I can’t verify your claim, Mister Hawthorn, and the evidence we have is inconclusive. Even if the same person was involved, the damage is done and they’re long gone. I’ll include your comments in the official report, but without a traceable fingerprint or license plate, the investigation isn’t going anywhere. We’ll be in touch if something turns up.”
Before leaving the scene, the officer checked out the building and found nothing damaged or missing. Aiden was grateful and encouraged Leo, Hudson, and Cooper to continue as usual while he and Dash arranged for a tow truck and made some calls. Aiden notified his insurance agent, left a detailed message for Glen Wahl, and then asked Dash to drop him off atDeliciousto begin the day’s work.
Dash refused to leave him until they’d inspected both the shop and the new building site. Here, too, they found nothing out of order and Aiden sagged in his mate’s arms when the adrenaline rush abruptly ended. Dash held him tight, reassuring him of his love, support, and protection. Aiden wasn’t afraid; just angry, frustrated, andso damn tiredof this shit. Would it ever end?
Aiden explained things to Blanche and Serena when they arrived. As before, they were understandably angry, yet refusedto let the enemy drag them down. Aiden appreciated their loyalty and determination, knowing he was blessed with a great team. Meanwhile, Dash contacted Ryder and asked him to rent a delivery van and have it delivered to D2. When the body shop called with the repair estimate, Aiden was left speechless by the cost. Insurance would cover most of it, but some of the damage was psychological—just as Heather intended, no doubt.
Around one o’clock, Glen Wahl arrived to examine the scene, view the security tapes, and look at Aiden’s photos of the damaged van. Unbeknownst to Aiden, he’d been conducting a stakeout of Heather’s apartment complex during the attack.
