Take Only Pictures (26 page)

She glanced again at the whole scene before relying on the scope, making sure Kristine was well out of harm’s way, and saw what had given the bear pause. Kristine had her finger on her shutter and was firing off shot after shot with her flash popping with each image. The light temporarily stumped the bear, long enough for Gloria to aim and fire.

The large brown form crumpled in front of the boulder, harmless. She fell back onto her butt rigid with fear. Kristine peeked over the boulder at the mass beneath her.

“Gloria?” She still hadn’t seen her. Of course, she’d been too absorbed by the bear to see her hauling ass across the trail. Behind her, she heard the couple she’d been talking to.

“Over here!” she called.

Kristine scrambled down the rock and ran in their direction. As she reached Gloria, she threw her arms around her, shaking with fear. “Holy crap, I’m glad you made it.”

The enormity of the situation, knowing what would have happened had she not made it, settled in Gloria’s throat making it impossible to talk. Instead, she held on to Kristine, just closed her eyes and held on. Her mind whirred all the faster since her tongue was stuck. She couldn’t do this anymore, couldn’t be in the backcountry tracking bears and trying to intervene like she just did. She’d been right, she knew it without needing the forensics lab in Sacramento to confirm her diagnosis, though she’d see through with the necessary decapitation for analysis of the bear’s brain. But no one had listened. She needed a job where people
did
listen.

Finally, she pulled away from Kristine. “Stupid risk,” she managed.

“I don’t think Ida would say the same,” Kristine responded, ever stubborn.

“What would have happened if…”

“Shhh. It didn’t. I’m okay.”

For a moment, it was just her and Kristine. She was lost in Kristine’s eyes, eyes that no longer held fear and only held her. She couldn’t believe how fast it was all over, couldn’t bring herself to think about the fact that she could have lost Kristine. They hadn’t had enough time. She realized then how little of the summer they had left. How was she going to tell Kristine that she couldn’t stand to lose her? Too soon, Ida and the brothers crossed the clearing, slowing as they neared, still wary of the bear. “I need to check him, make sure…”

“Oh, he’s done. You got a real clean shot. And I got it all on film,” Rob said, beaming, his bald head shining with perspiration.

“You took pictures?” Kristine gasped.

“Well, when I saw you get out your camera, I figured this was another lesson you set up special for us,” he kidded, a wide grin on his face. “I gotta hand it to you. This was an awesome subject. Can’t wait to see what you got on those frames you were firing off.”

“I can’t look,” Kristine said, handing off her camera to him.

“The flash,” Gloria said, finding Kristine’s eyes. “Brilliant.”

“So I’m stupid and brilliant.” Kristine beamed. “All in the span of minutes. I’ve outdone myself. Well, folks. I’m sorry to say we’re in for a hike. I’m sure Nard and Trish are worried about us. Come back to camp with us?” She reached for Gloria’s hand.

Gloria took and squeezed her hand. “I’ve got to stay here with the carcass. I can’t have anything getting to its head before I get it out of here.”

“Tell you what,” Kristine said. “I’ll get my crew settled back at camp, pick up your gear and meet you back here.”

Gloria nodded. “I’ll take you up on it. After running all that way, my legs are jelly. I can’t move.”

“You don’t have to.” Kristine wrapped her arms around Gloria. She whispered for only her to hear. “Thank you for rescuing us. I owe you big-time.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“She was awesome,” Bill exclaimed to a wide-eyed Trish back at the camp. “First she distracts him with the horses, and when he came back and went after Ida…” he and the rest of the group all looked to Kristine.

“I couldn’t let him up that tree.”

“Still, I couldn’t believe it when you started running and screaming in the opposite direction,” Marilyn said. “We thought you were toast.”

“That’s nice,” Kristine laughed, trying to deflect their concern. Her body still hummed with the adrenaline, and the piercing look Nard kept trained on her didn’t do anything to calm her nerves. All she wanted to do was get back to Gloria.

“She’s a keeper, that’s for sure,” Bill said, putting an arm around Kristine’s shoulders.

“You guys don’t get to keep me tonight. I’m headed back over there to Ms. Fisher’s camp.” She felt funny calling Gloria by her last name, but she wanted to emphasize the professional relationship in front of Nard. She took her leave to gather her own things. She wasn’t surprised to hear Nard’s voice as she hauled her gear over to the stock.

“You have time to head back to camp after you take her gear over there,” he said.

“I’ll help her protect the carcass tonight. She’s making arrangements to have the head picked up tomorrow, so she can get it tested.”

“Guarding a dead bear isn’t your job.”

“I’ve done my job today, Nard. There’s nothing more for me to do with the group tonight. I’ll be back on duty tomorrow. You do your job. I’ll do mine.” And then we’ll call it a summer, she thought.

“Still sneaking off to get laid.”

A dozen comebacks buzzed around in her head, but she bit her tongue and kept on saddling the two animals she would take with her to the meadow. She would not let him bait her. She held her ground as he moved closer to her.

“Don’t think you can run away from me again. Go have your fun tonight. But your girlfriend won’t be at Thousand tomorrow night.”

His voice echoed in Kristine’s mind as she packed up her camp, as she rode back to Shadow and as she shared the exchange with a very serious and pissed off Gloria. Even after she’d convinced Gloria that she really didn’t think it was a good idea for her to storm over to the camp and have a chat with Nard and instead pulled her into bed, Nard’s threat kept her awake. She felt Gloria shift next to her.

“You don’t owe this trip anything more, you know,” she said. “Why don’t you pack out with me tomorrow? You came back, you faced Nard. Let this place go. I love your loyalty, I really do. Even though it made me steaming mad when you weren’t agreeing with me, I admire how you stand by them, but can you say that Leo has done the same for you?”

As tempted as Kristine was to simply leave the backcountry with Gloria, she couldn’t run again. “I can’t let him win again. I have to finish this trip. The whole pack station sees me as a quitter. If I come back in with you, I reinforce their idea that I can’t see it through.” Nard had been challenging and taunting her from the beginning of the season, and she realized that in avoiding his trips, she continued to let him lead. To take control of her own life, she had to see this trip through.

Gloria stroked her hair. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

“You’re the one who said I’m stubborn.”

“I’ll be worried about you.”

Kristine wrapped her arms around Gloria. “I’ll be fine. I stared down a crazy bear today.”

“If I’d been a minute later…” Gloria shuddered in her arms. “You really scared me.”

“You think you were scared? Try staring down a bear. I was freaking terrified, but you know what? I faced it. I faced that huge thing with a front row seat to all those huge sharp teeth, but I knew I’d be okay. Whatever happens tomorrow, I can do it. I don’t feel scared to face him, not after what I did today.”

“I care about you, you know.”

“Me too,” Kristine whispered. “I’ll be careful.”

Gloria snuggled down and fell asleep. Kristine could feel her relax, her breathing deepen. Kristine lay awake thinking about what the next few days might bring, surprised that she felt no anxiety. She was ready to face Nard in the backcountry confident that she had followed the trail that she had set out on at the beginning of the season. Under the great expanse of the star-filled sky, she felt at peace. If she held her breath, she could hear the bell mare’s bell carrying on the gentle breeze. Looking down at the woman next to her, fast asleep, the phrase Gloria had used to talk about short-term affairs, words she read every time she took the River Trail, slipped into her mind: Take Only Pictures; Leave Only Footprints. She knew that this summer, she would be taking so much more away from the backcountry.

Chapter Thirty-Two

The two days that Kristine remained in the backcountry flew by for Gloria with the responsibility she had for shipping the bear’s head to the pathology lab in Sacramento and dealing with the aftermath. Scott required a briefing on the kill and had a mountain of paperwork for her to complete. When the Ontario office shared this second bear incident with the director of the state office, wheels were finally set in motion. They requested intricate details of her field notes from before the incident, as well as with whom she had discussed her concerns and how many people witnessed the attack in the meadow. Her calls were no longer met with sluggish promises to review the problems she encountered. She was now speaking directly with the State Director of Fish and Wildlife.

With nothing left to do but wait for the lab results in Mammoth, she used the opportunity of having clear cell reception to call her mother.

“This is a surprise,” her mother said when she picked up. Gloria smiled hearing the delight in her voice.

“I had some business calls to make and thought I’d check in.”

“Wrapping up?”

“Not quite. I’ve had quite an exciting week with two pretty major incidents. This last one might turn out to be a rabid bear. Sacramento didn’t back me up on it, and now they’re tripping over themselves to make things right. It might parlay into the promotion I’ve been wanting.”

“Wait, back up. To test for rabies, don’t you need the animal’s brain?”

“Yes,” Gloria answered simply.

“So in the last few days, my daughter has taken out a rabid bear. Any help with that?”

“Kristine was out there. She was protecting her guests, and I made it in time to neutralize the animal.”

“I see. So that’s why you’re calling. You want to talk about love, not business. Let me get comfortable.” Gloria had heard her mother puttering and knew the phone was tucked between her chin and shoulder as she completed some task as she talked. Now she heard water running, her mother pouring a glass of water, and the squeak of the back door which led to the swing she loved to sit on for long conversations. “Ready.” Gloria had her full attention.

Gloria wanted to argue that it wasn’t Kristine, but the promotion that she wanted to talk about. But she hadn’t slept the night before, and while she’d tried to tell herself that it was the dreams filled with images of the bear running after Kristine, she knew it had more to do with how empty her bed felt without Kristine in it. They had shared a bed for a total of three nights, and each morning, it was Gloria who wanted to linger next to Kristine longer, Kristine who was up and out of bed jumping to work, leaving Gloria wanting to lure her back again.

“Since you’re having your own personal conversation in your brain, let me see if I can help kick start you here,” her mother said. “You’re thrilled that you’re finally in the position to take over the Eureka field office which you’ve had your eye on for years, but suddenly, there’s Kristine, and what if living behind the Redwood Curtain isn’t her dream of dreams.”

“How do you do that?”

“Years of practice and a daughter who is gracious enough to share what’s happening in her life with her boring old mother.”

“But I haven’t said anything about wanting to ask Kristine to come live in Eureka.”

“You haven’t said a thing about your work in any of your letters. It’s all about Kristine. A mother knows what that means. Are you going to marry this girl?”

“Mom!” Gloria yelped. “I’ve only known her a few months.”

“I know all about the U-Haul date, honey. Is that where you are?”

Her tone was serious, forcing Gloria to actually consider the question. She was used to being the one pulling away, not the one wanting more. “I have no idea where we are. This doesn’t feel like anything I’ve done before.”

“That’s because you never met your forever before.”

“She’s got her own professional dreams. How can I ask her to follow me to Eureka?”

“What you mean is what if I didn’t take the field office in Eureka where I can keep an eye on my sick mom. Well, factor me out. What does your heart say?”

“How can I just factor you out?”

“I’m dead. Now what does your heart say?”

A wave of nausea swept over Gloria. “Take that back. You’re not allowed to say things like that to me.”

“I’m not allowed to speak the truth? I’m not going to live forever. So you move back here, don’t invite this lovely girl you’ve found to come with you. She’s off pursuing her career and meets someone new while you’re stuck wishing I would die…”

“Enough with the dying. I get it. How about the reverse? This is the time I can be there with you. I choose to go, you get worse, and I resent her for making me choose to be away from you.” She knew she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if she left and her mother’s health worsened. Just because her mother gave her permission to leave didn’t mean she, herself, could, or even wanted, to do it.

“That’s not very nice. Were you raised by wolves?” she said, humor in her voice.

“Mom, I called you because I’m stuck.” She heard her mother sigh. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine if you don’t count being annoyed with you.”

Gloria bit her lip, fairly chastised for how she automatically jumped to the conclusion that her mom wasn’t being honest about her health at the slightest change in her tone. “Sorry.”

“You want to be worried about me. You need to be worried about me because you’ve never taken a risk before, but the fact is, love is always a risk. And it’s always worth it.”

“Love?” Gloria said, surprised again.

Her mother laughed. “When you’re with Meg, you’re only thinking about what will make you happy. Now you’re thinking about Kristine’s dreams and what will make her happy. Time to ask her if you’re part of what will make her happy.”