The Naturalist (The Naturalist #1)(16)

Of course she was. “It was a quick death. The hunter got it in one shot.”

“Good. Juniper would be upset with me, but I’m glad you all got the fucker.” She pauses. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“Are you sure you got him?”

For a moment I think she’s challenging my version of the story where it’s we that got the bear. I’m about to confess; then I realize she’s asking if we got the right bear.

“They seem to think so. They do tests for that kind of thing.”

The vial of Juniper’s blood and the hair from the bear is sitting on my nightstand. I feel better about taking Julian up on his offer to have it analyzed. “I’m going to double-check,” I say, feigning authority. “I have some friends who can do some of their own testing.”

“Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Theo. That means so much to me. I’m glad you’re there.”

I feel some relief that her mother has justified my transgression.

“Of course,” I say magnanimously, and completely full of shit. “Please, just call me Theo. And if there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”

“She had her car at a repair shop. I hate to be a bother. The police can send me her things, but . . .”

“I’ll take care of it. Just give me the name of the shop and where she was staying. I’ll handle the rest.”

We say our goodbyes. I make a mental note to follow up with her on the phone in a few days. I can’t just treat this like sending an obligatory Mother’s Day card.

This woman lost everything that was important to her. As far as she’s concerned, I was important to her daughter. The very least I can do is respect that and look in on her from time to time. I’m sure it would be what Juniper wanted.

Juniper, the more I hear about you, the more interesting you become.

What were you doing out here?





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


WALKING DISTANCE

Bryson’s Auto Repair sits on a patch of gravel along the highway, seated between long stretches of pasture near where the tall trees of the forest begin. Its presumed namesake, Bryson, in his fifties and wearing grease-stained overalls, looks up at me from under the hood of a Subaru Outback as I pull in.

I spot what must be Juniper’s Jeep sitting in the noon sun on the edge of the lot next to a pickup truck and a Toyota Camry that’s missing a hood and fender.

Bryson walks out to my SUV to greet me. “So you’re the other one?” he says as I climb out.

“The other one?”

“The other fella they took in.”

Ah, I get it. Of course. Glenn had mentioned that they had another potential suspect before they realized a bear killed her.

He’s a few inches shorter than me but has a thick build. I only see one car lift and a small winch. He probably keeps fit lugging heavy parts around all day.

“Yeah,” I say. “Looks like the one they were after walks on four legs.”

“I suppose,” he replies.

I point to Juniper’s car. “Her mother asked that I make arrangements. She lives in North Carolina. Any idea how to get it there?”

“The tow company that brought it only does in-state. But I know a car service that will cost you about eight hundred. If you got a few weeks, you can take out a Craigslist ad and see if anybody working up here for the season wants to drive it back.”

“You think that’ll work?”

Bryson shrugs. “I dunno. But if you got the time.”

“Actually, I have to be back in Austin in about a week. Fall classes are starting. Maybe I’ll try the ad for a few days.”

I’d hate to ask Juniper’s mother to pay for this. Worst-case scenario, I’ll put it on my credit card and figure out later how I’m going to manage the expense.

Bryson looks over my shoulder at my Explorer. “You planning on getting new tires soon?”

I’m about to dismiss him as a huckster when I actually look at the tires and realize I have almost no tread on the front ones.

He’s noticed my hesitation. “I’m not trying to hustle you. I can replace the front ones with a couple of discounts. The rear ones will last you another little bit. It’ll only cost you a hundred and fifty.”

“Each?”

He lets out a small laugh. “Pardner, if I was going to rob you, I’d never let you see me coming. Hundred fifty for the both and I’ll throw in an oil change.”

“That would probably be a good idea.”

“I got a lounge with Wi-Fi if you want to wait. Of course, there’s not much else to do.” He nods to the forest. “Even if they caught the thing, I don’t think I’d go walking around up there.”

“Probably right.”

He points to the field of grass next to the metal building. “It was like a Hollywood movie. They landed the search helicopter right there.”

“Here?” I turn back to the forest. “Wait, is this where Juniper was found?”

“Three miles up the road. Between here and the Mountain Cloud Inn.”

The Mountain Cloud Inn was Juniper’s motel.

I hand Bryson my keys. “I might go for that walk after all.”