The Bear Mountain Secret by Gayle Siebert

Author:Gayle Siebert [Siebert, Gayle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Idyllbeck Opportunities
Published: 2019-06-16T04:00:00+00:00

♦ ♦ ♦

FROM HIS VANTAGE point on the rocky outcropping, Bearon watches the SUV speed away in a plume of dust. He goes to the Kubota, starts the engine and pilots it back to the trailhead where his father’s old dog lies dead.

Pity, he thinks as he looks down at it. Blood is congealing in a pool at his neck, and flies are already gathering. Nice old dog, life cut short by Silverface because of those stupid women! But I suppose dying a warrior is a better end than fading away until the vet puts a needle in you, eh Buster? You won’t be forgotten.

He pulls his skinning knife out of the sheath on his belt and quickly slits the dog’s belly. The visceral sac containing the intestines spills out. It’s messy work and the pungent, metallic smell of blood and slaughter wafts up around him. A few more quick slashes and the innards are in a heap on the ground.

He read somewhere bears have the best sense of smell of any animal in the world, two or three thousand times better than humans, and that they can smell food from several kilometers away. In the unlikely event Silverface has forgotten about the kill, it’s a sure bet he smells this butchery and is on his way back. In fact, he could be watching right now, maybe only a few hundred meters away. Silverface can have the guts, and later, the rest of the dog, but he’ll finish skinning it inside the bear-proof fence. It’s surprising the gunshots scared him off. He won’t press his luck by staying near the kill any longer than he has to.

He picks up the carcass by its fur. Even gutless, it’s surprisingly heavy; with an effort, he uses his good leg to help heave it into the back of the Kubota. He climbs into the cab and starts back to the gate.

If he had recognized those women before he scared the bear off, he might have let Silverface take care of them. Or, once he realized who they were, he could have shot Kathy and said it was an accident. He was trying to save her from the bear.

The first scenario would have been the better one, although either would have meant an investigation and this place would swarm with cops and forensics and possibly goddamn snoopy reporters. He’d be interrogated. There would be lawyers. They could find out who he is. They may even discover his motive.

The only way around all that would be to “disappear” both of those women without a trace. It crossed his mind. He had the rifle at the ready. But then Astrid’s husband! Goddamn Danielson knew they were coming here. He knows from experience he would come looking and he wouldn’t give up easily. He’s seen Kathy’s husband in action, too. The two of them teamed up? Tough combination.

The last time he was in Pillerton he saw Rick and Kathy together. Goddamn it! Does he have to take Rick’s wife away from him? Yes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.