Call of the Wilds (22 page)

He put the flask away. He still had a lot to do and no time to waste. The hunting cabin could have been a problem. Nobody used it anymore, but some nosy asshole might stumble into it and get curious about all the blood.

It had been Glenn’s idea to burn down the cabin after they removed the bodies. It was a dumb idea. They could have started a forest fire. Even if he contained the fire, the smoke might attract attention. At first, he couldn’t think of another option, but he got lucky on the way over and spotted a dead deer. It gave him the idea to use the carcass to muck up the crime scene. He had a deer drag and a plywood ramp in the truck, so moving the carcass didn’t pose a problem.

Once the deer was out of the truck, he went back for Glenn’s body. He didn’t want to touch it, but he had no choice. Surprised to find Malcolm’s clothes, he took them too. They might prove useful down the road. He couldn’t imagine why they weren’t ripped or bloody. It appeared he removed them himself, along with the rope. Glenn was no Boy Scout. He should have checked the knots himself.

He dumped the deer where he found Glenn and left the cabin door open to encourage scavengers. He needed another drink before he started the truck.

Glenn had a nice spot in the gorge waiting for him, and he needed to get him there before the sun came up. In a day or two, he would discover the body and everyone in town would be out with their hunting rifles. Traps would be set, and, one way or another, they would catch the wolf. He wanted to be the one to shoot the bitch and avenge Glenn’s death.

* * * *

It seemed like Frank had just gotten to bed when the phone rang. He looked at the clock. Shit, only six a.m. Exhausted, he almost didn’t answer. It surprised him to hear Karin’s distraught voice. Was she looking for her missing boyfriend already? Why else would she call so early? Something sure as hell bothered her. He heard it in her voice. Well, he had to go and do damage control. Connor must have told her about the interrogation, and he didn’t want her to think he had him locked up. No, Malcolm got caught in the woods, and Karin’s wolf had him for dinner. By tomorrow or the next day, he’d organize a search party for him and Glenn. Of course, he would be the one to find Glenn’s body—because he knew exactly where to look. Malcolm could be anywhere, and he really didn’t give a shit. Everybody would be out hunting the wolf and someone was bound to find his remains. Karin would feel guilty about it and realize she made a mistake by not letting them kill the wolf when they had the chance. Then he’d show his generosity by taking all the responsibility for the wolf on his shoulders and console her. He hoped she wouldn’t play the grieving girlfriend too long. Pleased with his story, he told her he’d meet her at the refuge for breakfast.

On the way, he picked up coffee and breakfast sandwiches. She never ate much and she could use a little meat on her bones. He liked a curvy woman with a good-sized butt and breasts.

He arrived at the refuge before her and opened up.

“Morning, Frank.” She looked haggard when she walked into her office. “Sorry to get you up so early.”

“Not a problem.” He gestured at the bag and two Styrofoam cups on her desk. “I picked up breakfast. Sit down and eat.”

“I’m really not hungry.”

“Well, I am. And I don’t want to eat alone.” He unwrapped the sandwiches. “Eggs and cheese on muffins. Mine is the one with the sausage.” He looked at her until she picked it up and nibbled at the edge.

When he didn’t say anything, she took a bigger bite and made a big deal out of chewing it.

“Good girl.” He eyed her thoughtfully. “So, what’s on your mind?”

“Did you question Malcolm yesterday?” she mumbled around a mouthful.

“I did,” he answered truthfully.
Here we go. Malcolm told her where he was going, and she’s wondering where he is.

“Why?”

“Karin, I really shouldn’t be telling you this.” He considered his words carefully. “You can’t discuss this with anyone.”

He waited until she nodded and then continued. “Glenn told me he saw Malcolm around the refuge the night the wolf went missing. I had to check it out. Malcolm denied everything, and I don’t have any other evidence. I had nothing to hold him on so I let him go. Why are you asking?”

She swallowed hard and put the food down. “How long did you hold him?”

“What difference does it make?”

“I just want to know.”

He thought for a second. “Twenty minutes at the most,” he said decisively. “Now what is this all about?”

“I saw him late last night—”

He choked on a mouthful and disguised it with a cough.

“Are you all right?”

“Went down the wrong way.” He took a sip of his coffee, wishing he had something stronger. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how the son of a bitch had done it. He must have come to while the she-wolf fed on Glenn and took off. Or else the bitch had her fill and left before he came to. He had to be the luckiest bastard on the face of the Earth. But why leave his clothes?

“Saw him where?”

“At his house.”

“What were you doing at his house?” He didn’t like where this was going.

“I uh.” she stammered lamely.

“Karin, you really need to stay out of this.”

“I should have listened to you.”

“Well, did he tell you any more than he told me?” Shit, did he have to pry every word out of her?

“He was with a woman,” she said bitterly. “I’m surprised he showed up at your office at all.”

He wanted to shout with joy, but he kept a straight face. That son of a bitch had another woman. He’d been right about him all along. Things turned out okay after all. Karin looked like she’d been crying, but it wasn’t from grief. Now she knew what kind of man Malcolm really was. All the better to appreciate him. Yep, everything had worked out for the best.

“A local woman?”

“I don’t think so. She said she just got into town.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. I always knew he played around,” he added with unconcealed contempt. “I thought I had a lead on the wolf for you, but this puts us back to square one. I’m sorry.” He stood and pulled her up from her chair. “I think you need a hug.”

She let him hold her for a second, then moved away.

“I’ll stop by later to see how you’re doing. I want to talk to Glenn, see if he can tell me anything else.”

“I have an errand later. I’ll stop by your office before I go home.”

“Okay.” He kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry. It’ll all work out.”

Chapter Twenty-three

She felt better after Frank left. It was just like before—before Malcolm came into her life. Whenever she needed someone to talk to, she called Frank. There was nothing he could do or say, but he was a comforting presence for her, someone she could always turn to. Right now she just needed a sympathetic ear, and even though she couldn’t tell Frank everything, it still felt good to lean on him. She had no one else.

Malcolm had played her, and she fell for it. She wasn’t the first woman to be lied to by the man she loved. Somehow, she would get through this. She had no choice.

Her belly gurgled again. After Frank left, her queasy stomach protested and the greasy eggs came back up. Nausea might be normal, and she knew she could live with it, but she had other questions and she wanted to start prenatal care and vitamins. She had to be both mother and father to this baby, and she wanted to make sure her child had a good start. This morning, she’d picked an OB/GYN from the Macon phonebook, and the doctor squeezed her into the schedule.

* * * *

Dr. Lyndale Clark had been a good choice—pleasant, professional, and reassuring.

“We’ll do an ultrasound now.”

“Do I really need it today?”

“I like to do one early on to make sure everything is okay, plus I can measure the fetus and give you a good estimate of the due date.”

A technician came in and applied gel. Then Dr. Clark moved the transducer over Karin’s abdomen. Images formed on the video screen, and when she got a clear shot, she freeze-framed the picture and took measurements.

“I’d say three months.”

It took a minute before the doctor’s words sunk in. “I’ve only just missed my period.”

“Oh, your last one probably wasn’t a real period. Sometimes women bleed in the first month or two. It’s probably nothing. The exam and the ultrasound are both fine.”

“I’m pretty sure I had a real period.”

“I don’t think so. If you bleed again, call me. I’ll want to see you right away.” She put something on Karin’s stomach. “Listen, this is your baby’s heartbeat. The Doppler instrument amplifies it.”

Her baby’s heartbeat. She couldn’t believe it. It made everything so real. If only she had Malcolm here to share it with her, her life would be perfect. She resolved to stop feeling sorry for herself and put him out of her mind. She’d concentrate on the baby and enjoy every minute of her pregnancy.

She left with a bottle of vitamins and the first picture of her baby. The euphoria wore off as soon as she walked out the door. Shell shocked, she sat on the ATV and looked at the ultrasound image. It didn’t lie. She started crying. There must be something wrong with the baby. She heard of a disorder that caused rapid growth in the prenatal period. Maybe she should go back in and talk to the doctor again. No, it was very rare, and Dr. Clark would think she was crazy. Next month, she’d be far enough along for an amniocentesis. In the meantime she would take good care of herself and find whatever she could on the Internet.

She headed back to Black Wolf and Frank’s office wishing she could confide in him. She wanted to share her picture with someone, but Frank wouldn’t welcome the news, and right now, the last thing she needed was a fight with him. She needed to see a friendly face, someone she could trust not to lie to her.

The drive back seemed longer. Glad to finally reach the lockup, she got out and stretched her legs.

She greeted Frank’s secretary and waited while Trudy called him.

Frank came out to greet her immediately. “Karin, you should have called me. I would have waited and taken you to lunch.”

“Oh, I already ate.”

“You have to start eating better. You look like hell,” he chided her.

“Thanks a lot.”

“I’m not kidding. You have more bags under your eyes than the luggage compartment on a 747. I know you’re not sleeping.”

“It’s this business with the wolf.” It felt good to have someone so concerned about her, even if it was the wrong someone.

“You gotta put it to rest. Come in the back, and I’ll make you a cuppa joe.”

She didn’t want coffee, just the friendship. He looked so sympathetic, just what she needed. She followed him into the connecting apartment.

The small living room had a backcountry rustic feeling. The wool plaids were more campy than campsite but clean and comfortable, like Frank himself. The hunting mementos put her off, but she brushed it aside. She knew he hunted.

“Make yourself at home. It’s more comfortable than the office. Coffee or tea?”

“Just water please.” He disappeared, and she heard the sound of cabinets opening.

It felt strange being here, but everything about the last twenty-four hours had been strange. She made herself comfortable on the couch.

When she looked up, Frank stood there with two steaming mugs in his hands. He set them down on the camp footlocker in front of the sofa.