The Hunted Read Free Page B

don’t know how long. I’m glad the officials brought you in to help figure it out, Dr. Landon.”
    â€œCall me Olivia. Have you tracked any mother that still has her cubs?” Olivia leaned forward so that she could look the ranger in the eye.
    Jane pushed her ranger hat back on her head. “I saw one in the area a while back with two cubs, but then all of a sudden the mom showed up alone. Early spring, I saw another sow with one cub. The mom had an odd coloration, something like a rugby stripe, so for fun I named her Polo and her little baby Marco. Anyway, I’ve seen her a couple of times since, but Marco’s been missing. Then there’s a ginger-colored mom with two babies, but I haven’t seen them in ages. Hold on, just one minute.” Jane’s head disappeared, then reappeared with a map and a key. “Figured I’d better get your stuff, since it’s getting close to dark and you’ve got a camper to set up.”
    Pointing to the road beyond, she said, “Up ahead, where the road makes a T, take a right. You’ll be going through a burn area, then it’ll green up again. Quartz Creek Campground’ll be about ten miles south of here, on your left. The camp is officially closed until the first of July, which means the entrance is chained—you’ll need to unlock it to get in. When you leave, just chain it up again.”
    â€œNo problem,” Steven told her, taking the key from her outstretched hand.
    â€œOne more thing. There’s a ranger station farther south from where you’ll be staying, maybe four or five miles past. Other than that, you’ll be all alone.”
    â€œGreat—exactly what we want,” Steven nodded.
    â€œAlone as in people, but not alone as in bears. Adult grizz are still in these parts, so be careful.” Holding up her hand, she ticked off the points on her fingers: “Don’t leave food anywhere they can get at it. Keep your garbage locked inside your car at all times. Always walk in pairs, even when you’re going to use the outhouse. Make noise when you hike. I’m sure you know all of this, but I’ll feel better if I tell you one more time. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?”
    â€œI’d like to interview you to find out more about what you’ve observed with those mamma bears and their cubs,” Olivia told her.
    â€œSure. I’ll be here tomorrow if you need me.” She touched the brim of her hat and said, “I hope you can solve this mystery, Dr. Landon. For us, the grizzlies are like family.”
    As their car bumped along the road, Jack watched the land change in the waning twilight, not gradually like a suburb changes into a city, but suddenly, like the sea to a shore. Gone were the cottonwood trees and the endless lodgepole pine; gone were the islands of wild grass that bent their stalks to the wind and the clusters of wildflowers that dotted the meadows as if they were buttons on a silk dress. In their stead were the remains of charred trees, lifeless and silent. It felt to Jack as though he were entering a cemetery. Blackened spikes reached into the air, some erect, some broken into crazy angles, others toppled one against the other like fallen tombstones. There was a hush in the car as they stared at the charred emptiness.
    â€œWhat happened?” Ashley breathed.
    â€œA lightning strike.”
    â€œWhy didn’t the park people put it out?”
    â€œYou know, they used to put out every fire they could,” Olivia answered, “but the truth is, it’s a lot better for the environment just to let it burn.”
    â€œI don’t get it,” Ashley protested. “Why is it OK to let trees get killed?”
    Steven quickly glanced over his shoulder and told Ashley, “I know it seems bad, but letting the land take care of itself is the best way to preserve it in the end. It’s better for the trees, the other