The call connected and he heard her faint Hello.
Hi, Tandy, its Wyatt. Im ready to run into town. Is there anything I can pick up for you, or if Mannys with you, anything I can get for him?
Its nice of you to ask, but were on our back forty, so Im not able to give you a list or money.
No problem. Tell me what you need. We can settle up later.
Mainly I need milk, eggs and dog food. She named the kind of kibble she bought for Mr. Bones.
Wyatt heard her ask if Manny would like him to pick up anything.
Liniment, she said a moment later.
Okay, got it. If you think of anything else, give me a ring. Say, I just had a thought. I know a pizza place that sells premade, uncooked pizzas. How about I grab a couple and feed you and Scotty tonight? What toppings?
You dont have to do that. Hes asking me to remind you about a library book on wolves. And he wants to know if you found your wolf pups?
Tell him I wont forget the book. And I didnt locate my wolf packs. I picked up a faint signal once on my tracking device, but it didnt prove to be solid.
Wyatt would have to find out if Tandy knew of any hybrids in the area. Or maybe hed ask Manny first. He didnt want to cause her any concern about wolf dogs, which could be meaner than wild wolves.
I hope to be back before dark. About those pizzas...do you want me to choose toppings?
If you insist on picking some up, wed love that. Scottys favorite is pepperoni. I like any form that passes for Hawaiian with pineapple and pork. But I could eat whatever you like. Really, Im not fussy. Oh, can you hear Scotty chanting pizza, pizza, pizza? Its truly his most favorite food. I should make him do veggie.
Tandys laughter was the exact melodious sound Wyatt had imagined about earlier. Tell him itll be a while. Wyatt chuckled. Ill see you both later. I actually know what toppings Manny likes. Tell him Ill bring him a small sausage, mushroom and dried tomato. He heard the man call out his thanks. Still smiling over the exchange, which gave him an inclusive feeling like hed enjoyed with Curt before hed passed, Wyatt said goodbye and drove away.
Hed reached the outskirts of town where most locals shopped when he decided hed rather buy Scotty a book that he could keep instead of getting one hed have to return to the library. He recalled passing a bookstore during the many times hed taken Curt for chemo treatments to the next larger town.
He figured he could go there and still have time to come back for groceries and pizzas.
Once he reached Safford, he went straight to the bookstore. He actually wasnt sure if hed find any childrens books on wolves or wolf families.
Much to his surprise, there was one with great photographs. Heading to check out, he spotted an endcap of posters. One jumped out: three wolves lying under a tree. Two adults and a pup. From their coloring and the high mountains rising in the background, they could be Mexican grays from the Arizona project or New Mexico. Hoping Tandy would let Scotty hang the poster, he added it to the book. While in line, he saw a new mystery by an author he liked and grabbed it.
As his work was so solitary, most evenings he read. Usually he had agency material or wildlife magazines. But he did like intrigue mixed with adventure.
As he paid for his purchases, Wyatt wondered if Tandy liked to read, and if so, what she preferred? He hadnt met any women whod been in the military. And according to Curt, shed commanded a combat support team. What made her choose that life? It seemed harsher than most careers.
He knew quite a few women who worked with wildlife. That could be hard, too. Hed dated a park ranger until shed transferred to a job in the Northwest.
After pocketing his credit card, he collected his package and left the store. He hadnt thought about Kylie Porter in a while. Their relationship hadnt stood up under long distance. His job came first. Still, it bothered him when Kylie accused him of being like his parents whod never owned a home and were always off on wilderness digs. During his younger years, hed lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with his maternal grandmother.
Now the closest thing he had to a permanent residence was the cabin he often stayed in on a cattle ranch near Silver City. His best friend, Loki Branchwater, owned the ranch. Wyatt was so steeped in thought he drove straight past the general store. When it dawned on him, he made a U-turn and went back. He breezed through the store, loading his cart with items Tandy and Manny had requested. Then he added things from his list.
He didnt pass anyone in the aisles he knew, which was fine since Tandy had said he wasnt popular. He checked out quickly with his mind on picking up the pizzas.
The minute he unlocked his vehicle he noticed a series of deep gouges through the paint on his front and back doors. The strips tore jaggedly through the Game and Fish logo.
For a moment he only gaped at the vandalism. Then he glanced around to see if the person or persons responsible lurked nearby. Hed heard of automobiles being keyed, but until now hed never seen what damage it could do. There were a few cars in the lot, but no one visible.
It couldve been kids. A check of his watch showed it wasnt quite three, so the high school and junior high wouldnt be out.
As he unloaded the cart, he had little doubt that hed been deliberately targeted. Possibly by an irate rancher.
After returning the cart to the front of the store, he drove to the sheriffs office. In the past, local authorities partnered with Game and Fish to back teams if anyone instigated mischief of the type that had just occurred.
Sheriff Doug Anderson manned the office alone. He looked up from his computer when Wyatt walked in. The silver-haired man immediately stood and extended a hand. Say there, Hunt, I heard you were going to spend time with us again. Ill tell you what I told a contingent of ranchersmy deputies and I have enough to do. We dont need a hullabaloo blowing up over you wildlife guys.
Wyatt disengaged his hand. Ive only been back one day. I stopped at the general store for supplies. While I was inside, someone raked a key to hell and gone across the drivers side of my government SUV. I came straight here, so Im guessing it happened between half an hour and forty-five minutes ago.
The sheriff sank back in his swivel chair. Dammit all. Were there any eyewitnesses?
There were maybe four cars and a couple of pickups in the lot. That pretty much matches the number of shoppers I saw in the store. No one I knew or who acted as if they knew me. The parking lot itself was empty of people except for me.
Anderson yanked open a drawer and pulled out a pad of preprinted pages. He tore one off and passed it to Wyatt. This is an official complaint form. While you fill it out, Ill go take pictures of the damage. Are you parked in front of my office?
Wyatt nodded. Ill fill it out, for all the good itll do. No witnesses and probably no fingerprints. Thats the thing about key damage, hard to identify who held the key. His face turned sour. If you want my best guess, itd be Preston Hicks or Jim Haskell.
The sheriff paused. Why them? Both have been pillars of this community for decades.
Yeah, well, they and a few others deviled my team last year. If you recall, we never were sure who left a dead wolf on the hood of my SUV.