On Deadly Ground Read Free Page B

protest on the same day. More often than not, it’s Dr. David Greenbriar and his Escalante Environmental Wilderness Alliance, the EEWA, doing most of the sign-toting. That’s not to say your arrival has gone unnoticed.” She opened the center drawer of her desk and handed Books a newspaper article. “This appeared in the Kane County Citizen last week.”
    Books scanned the story. The caption above the article read, ‘Books Returns to Kanab as BLM’s First Law Enforcement Ranger.’ He folded the newspaper article and stuck it in his pants pocket. “Bedtime reading.”
    â€œSuit yourself.” Runyon gave him a clinical once-over. “I’m going to speak candidly. It’s how I do things.”
    â€œFair enough.”
    â€œI want to be clear with you that I’m one hundred percent behind the notion of having a law enforcement presence here in the Kanab office. In fact, it’s long overdue. That said, you should also know that there are people in the office who believe that bringing a federal ranger into an already tense area is both unnecessary and dangerous.”
    Wonderful, thought Books. He expected hostility from some elements in the community, but he hadn’t counted on it from his coworkers.
    â€œI’m sure I don’t have to remind you that you no longer work in a police department. Most of your fellow employees are botanists, geologists, foresters, and an occasional paleontologist. What they collectively know about law enforcement wouldn’t fill a thimble. So it’s going to be incumbent upon you to be patient. They’ll adjust, but it’s going to take some time.”
    â€œAnd you’re telling me this because…?”
    â€œI’m telling you this so you’ll understand what you’re getting into and because I have some concerns.”
    â€œAnd those would be?”
    â€œIn reviewing your résumé, as well as reading the newspaper coverage of your exploits, I see some things I like and some things I don’t. What I’m most concerned about are the two fatal shootings you’ve been involved in and the cloud that hung over your departure from the Denver Police Department.”
    When Books didn’t respond, Runyon pressed on. “The job you’re about to take on requires far different skills from those in the police department. Here it’s all about people skills, and I’m worried that your background doesn’t lend itself well to the demands of this job.”
    â€œYou ever worked in law enforcement?”
    She shook her head.
    â€œPolice work is really all about good people skills.”
    â€œMaybe so,” said Runyon, “but make no mistake about it, the complexities here are very real. We’ve got environmental groups of every ilk pitted against mining and timber interests and the ATV crowd, while an angry group of ranchers watches its lifestyle disappear. It’s a tinder box just waiting for a match. You’ll see everything from poachers to people harvesting timber to marijuana growers to pot hunters who don’t give a second thought about destroying ancient archeological sites so long as they get their trophy.”
    â€œSounds like a challenge.”
    Runyon regarded him for a moment, “Are you really that understated, Mr. Books, or are you just jerking me around?”
    Books smiled and shrugged his shoulders. In the end, he left the meeting believing that he understood the job and the community a lot better than Alexis Runyon thought he did. She’d made her point though. His homicide investigation skills wouldn’t be his best qualification for this job. Or so he thought.

Chapter Three
    After meeting Runyon, Books attended her Monday morning staff breakfast to meet some of his fellow BLM employees and get a feel for his place in the organization.
    Most people were cordial. A few were not.
    By nine-thirty, Books was driving east on Highway 89