static faded. He reached a wide mesa without seeing any evidence of wolves, for which he was thankful. Next time out he’d climb higher to where helicopter spotters had last seen the pack during the winter. Newly released wolves often traveled a great distance from where they were let go. Being smart animals, it was thought they could smell the cage long after it’d been removed. Mostly they steered clear of the smell of man, too.
He circled back toward the ranch. He’d only gone a hundred yards or so when, out of the corner of one eye, he glimpsed the furry backsides of two animals. He lifted his binoculars for a clearer look but saw nothing. Must have been the twitch of a branch, but no wind had come up to rustle across the countryside.
He left the trail to look for tracks in the underbrush. Twice more he saw a brief flash of fur but failed to get close enough to snap a picture with his camera. The animals resembled full-grown wolves. Yet he wasn’t picking up feedback on his scanner. That meant they weren’t his wolves.
A dozen feet off the trail he spotted half a paw print. It could be from a wolf, or a big dog. He knelt, letting his brain sort through possibilities. This was a fair distance from any ranch house. If the dogs were sheepherders, he’d think they would come to him instead of running away.
He scraped debris away from the print and took the best photo he could manage. Not finding additional tracks, he literally crawled along, hoping to run across more.
Before his team had scouted this area, another wildlife management group gave a workshop on wolf dogs. Hybrids could crop up several years after a repatriation, especially near ranching communities. But his team’s release hadn’t been long enough ago for either of their alphas to mate with dogs and produce offspring the size of the animals he’d sighted.
So, what did it mean? Could strays have crossed over the mountains from New Mexico? Their release had been a while ago. Long enough that those wolves no longer wore radio collars.
Traveling deeper into an almost impenetrable thicket, Wyatt hit a wall of vines, gave up and turned back. There were no further sightings of creatures other than a rabbit and a few flitting birds. And his wolves weren’t here.
Heading to the ranch, he considered calling Tandy before going to town. Last night he should’ve asked if there was anything he could pick up for her or Manny.
As it turned out, he didn’t have phone reception until he was back at his casita. He unloaded equipment from his official SUV and tried Tandy before leaving. She might be out of satellite range. He wondered if she was aware of how spotty phone service was where she ran cattle.
The call connected and he heard her faint “Hello.”
“Hi, Tandy, it’s Wyatt. I’m ready to run into town. Is there anything I can pick up for you, or if Manny’s with you, anything I can get for him?”
“It’s nice of you to ask, but we’re on our back forty, so I’m 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 don’t have to do that. He’s 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 won’t forget the book. And I didn’t locate my wolf packs. I picked up a faint signal once on my tracking device, but it didn’t prove to be solid.”
Wyatt would have to find out if Tandy knew of any hybrids in the area. Or maybe he’d ask Manny first. He didn’t 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, we’d love that. Scotty’s favorite is pepperoni. I like any form that passes for Hawaiian with pineapple and pork. But I could eat whatever you like. Really, I’m not fussy. Oh, can you hear Scotty chanting pizza, pizza, pizza? It’s truly his most favorite food. I should make him do veggie.”
Tandy’s laughter was the exact melodious sound Wyatt had imagined about earlier. “Tell him it’ll be a while.” Wyatt chuckled. “I’ll see you both later. I actually know what toppings Manny likes. Tell him I’ll 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 he’d enjoyed with Curt before he’d passed, Wyatt said goodbye and drove away.
He’d reached the outskirts of town where most locals shopped when he decided he’d rather buy Scotty a book that he could keep instead of getting one he’d have to return to the library. He recalled passing a bookstore during the many times he’d 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 wasn’t sure if he’d find any children’s 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 hadn’t met any women who’d been in the military. And according to Curt, she’d 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. He’d dated a park ranger until she’d transferred to a job in the Northwest.
After pocketing his credit card, he collected his package and left the store. He hadn’t thought about Kylie Porter in a while. Their relationship hadn’t stood up under long distance. His job came first. Still, it bothered him when Kylie accused him of being like his parents who’d never owned a home and were always off on wilderness digs. During his younger years, he’d 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 didn’t pass anyone in the aisles
