Wolf Stalker Read Free

live in Minnesota,” the man answered.
    Smiling, the woman asked, “So did you come to Yellowstone just to watch Old Faithful?”
    â€œNo, we’re here to help the wolves. My mom’s a wildlife veterinarian.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œUh-huh. She works at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, but sometimes she gets a call and she has to help the national parks in emergencies…”
    That Ashley! Jack thought. As a baby, she’d always smiled at everyone she saw. Now here she was, almost 11, and still acting as though each person who crossed her path was a new friend just waiting to be discovered.
    Jack wasn’t as trusting. Whenever they were out together, he made it his job to keep an eye on his sister, trying to prevent her from spilling the entire life stories of all the Landons into the ears of total strangers. This couple looked harmless enough—the man wore the usual tourist camera slung around his neck, and a floppy-brimmed hat on his head; his wife had on a pink sweatshirt that said Save the Whales. It matched the sun-tinted pink of her cheeks.
    â€œWell, my husband and I love wolves. They have every right to be here in Yellowstone,” the woman told her.
    â€œThat’s what my mom thinks. It’s not their fault if a dog tries to mess with them.”
    â€œAshley—” Olivia began.
    â€œIt’s true! Isn’t that why we came here, Mom? Because that dog got killed yesterday by the wolves?” Turning back to the couple, Ashley said, “My mom’s investigating to find out what really happened when the dog got eaten, but it might be hard to tell if there’s not much left of him.”
    â€œGoodness!” the woman said. “So you’re the one who’s investigating?” she asked Olivia.
    Giving Ashley a look, Olivia hesitated before she answered, “I’m mostly here to gather some information. I hope to handle it quietly, so people won’t hear about the killing and become upset at the wolves.”
    The man said, “Well, if you wanted to keep it a secret, you’re too late. I already heard about that wolf attack on the national news.”
    Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh, no.”
    â€œAnd I ought to warn you—you’re going to be right in the middle of a big mess. When we came into the park this morning, demonstrators were picketing. Right outside the west gate. The news people were all over the place with TV cameras and everything.”
    The man and woman took turns interrupting each other as they told the story: “People were carrying signs and yelling—”
    â€œâ€˜Get rid of the wolves, or we’ll do it for you—’”
    â€œâ€”and, ‘The only good wolf is a dead wolf.’”
    â€œWho were these people?” Steven asked.
    â€œLooked like a bunch of ranchers to me. From what their signs said, wolves have been eating their sheep and they don’t like it.”
    â€œNo, no, no,” the woman interrupted. “Ranchers were there, too, but most of the people were some kind of militia group. There are a lot of baldhead militia groups in this part of the country—”
    The man laughed. “They’re called skinheads, Louise. Not baldheads.”
    â€œWhatever. They kept yelling that bringing wolves to the park was government interference, and citizens’ rights were being trampled on—”
    By then they’d all reached the Landons’ jeep in the parking lot. Troy lounged against the tailgate, looking bored, while Olivia and Steven extracted every bit of information they could from the Minnesota couple. As they parted, the woman called back, “We believe the wolves should be in Yellowstone, particularly since they were here first. But I think you’re going to have a real battle keeping them in the park.”
    â€œThey’re worth fighting for,” Olivia answered. She unlocked the door and