The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(79)

“Ash should be here soon. We have to move him before he wakes.” Easton rested his palm gently on Ulysses’s shoulder. “Took a ton of bricks to drop him. He’s a tough one.”

Graham cleared his throat. “Yeah. Big weirdo wasn’t a wuss, were you?”

Kneeling next to the big, furry head, Graham rubbed the moose’s massive nose. The animal was heavily sedated, but he moved a little when Graham touched him, huffing a breath against Graham’s hands.

She wanted to touch him too, but this wasn’t the time. Not when Graham sounded wrecked at having to say goodbye.

“We had a good run, didn’t we, buddy?”

Ulysses huffed louder, his foot twitching.

“It’s wearing off already.” Easton waved them back, then brought his rifle to his shoulder. The resultant crack of gunfire made Zoey jerk almost as much as Ulysses did, a large dart sticking from his shoulder. When her ears stopped ringing, she could hear helicopter blades chopping through the air, coming closer.

“He’s a tough one, isn’t he?” Garcia murmured. “How many have you put in him?”

“One more than I should have.” Easton grunted. “We need to get him on the sling.”

“Just one second.” Graham looked around. “I need to…dammit, I forgot the bread in the car.”

“I still have it.” Zoey handed Graham the bag. Giving her a desperately grateful look, he broke off a small piece, setting it next to Ulysses’s nostrils.

“Here you go, big guy. I know it’s your thing, you perv.” His voice caught. “It’s gonna suck. Losing your home is going to suck real bad, but it’s better than the alternatives. Ears and eyes up, okay? I want to have lots of your pervy calves giving this town hell one day. Got it?” Leaning over, Graham rested his forehead against the moose’s own. “Keep breathing, buddy.”

Rising to his feet, Graham’s voice hardened. “Let’s get him into the sling.”

What followed broke her heart. It took all five of them to get Ulysses onto the sling, taking hold of his legs and rolling him onto his back, trying not to get caught beneath his heavy body as momentum caused him to land heavily on his other side. His neck twisted at a painful angle when his antlers caught on the ground, making Graham curse as he helped straighten Ulysses’s head.

Officer Garcia took some pictures, making a verbal recording as he did so of the scene and the people there. Then the helicopter above them lowered to just above the treetops, running a cable down to them. Easton and Garcia hooked up the sling, then stepped back. Head and massive antlers hanging limp, Ulysses’s body was raised into the air, then flown off into the distance.

The whole thing was awful, and Zoey couldn’t imagine how terrifying it would be for him when he woke up, somewhere completely new.

“Can’t we go with him? Make sure he’s okay?”

Garcia shook his head. “No. My partner and another Fish and Game warden are already en route to where they’re unhooking him. If they waited until we got there, he would wake up.”

“How far is she taking him?”

“To the base of that big mountain north of here,” Garcia said. “Mount Veil. Too far for him to come back and hurt anyone else. If he survives.”

Wordlessly, Graham rose and walked away. Not sure what to do, Zoey followed, staying quiet as they backtracked to their truck. Graham drove them to the diner, which was blessedly empty of onlookers. Leaving all but a single light off, Graham went straight to the liquor shelf. She’d never seen him drink anything harder than beer, but Graham poured himself a shot of whiskey and downed it. Then he poured himself a second and threw that back too.

“Is Ulysses going to be okay?” Zoey asked softly.

“Fifty-fifty shot.” His voice was harsh, clipped, and angry. “Some get hurt in the move, and some don’t come out of the tranquilizers well. He’s an easy target until they wear off. He won’t know where to get water or find food or shelter. All because some piece of shit wanted to take a picture.”

“It could have been an accident.”

“No way. I know exactly what happened because I see this crap all the time.”

“Graham—”

“No. No, this is exactly what it’s like living here. Zoey, you don’t have to like it, but you are the problem. You, Lana, and all those assholes up there. You come here, you get your kicks, and then you’re gone. And screw whoever you hurt in the process. It’s all in the name of a good time, right?”

Flinching at his attack, Zoey stood up straighter. “Graham, I know you’re upset, but that’s not fair.”

Inhaling three deep breaths, Graham finally shook his head. “No. It’s not. You didn’t do anything. But I’m so damn tired of all the people who do.”

Clearing his throat, Graham gripped the counter with white-knuckled hands. He walked away, then turned and slammed his fist through the wall. Right next to Barley the Biker Bear. “Zoey,” he rasped. “You don’t get it.”

Except she did. At least as much as she could.

“He was your friend.” Coming up behind him, Zoey wrapped her arms around Graham’s waist. “You lost a friend today. I’m so sorry, Graham. This wasn’t fair to either of you.”