The Raptor Zone by Gwen Moffat

Author:Gwen Moffat [Moffat, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-04-03T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

‘How was she shot?’

‘I didn’t ask.’

‘Why not?’

Miss Pink regarded Leo Brant in surprise, not at the other’s belligerence, which was her natural manner, but at her own omission. In imagination she recalled that meeting with Laddow yesterday at the Vista Point above Moon Shell Beach.

Sadie said, ‘I’m amazed he gave you any information at all, but then you invite confidence.’

‘Quiet!’ Leo ordered. ‘There he is.’

The others looked where she was looking and saw the pileated woodpecker lurching up a snag, its crest flaming in the sunshine. They held their breath but it was no good; three people and three rucksacks were alien objects in the bird’s territory. A plastic bag flapped, the woodpecker gave a shriek of alarm and dived for the timber.

‘Time he got used to us,’ Leo grumbled. ‘He sees us often enough.’

‘He’s always spooky,’ Sadie pointed out. ‘She’s much more amenable.’

‘How do you tell them apart?’ Miss Pink asked.

‘She doesn’t have the red whisker,’ Leo said. ‘But it’s easiest to distinguish them by behaviour. You can’t always see the whisker against the light – or its absence.’

‘Are you a superlative birder or do you just have eyes like a vulture?’

Leo looked at her friend. ‘Which is it, Locke?’

‘Something of both,’ Sadie said, then, gently probing: ‘So we still don’t know what calibre gun was used on Gayleen.’

Miss Pink wrenched her attention back to the question of firearms. ‘Not yet. And who’s going to ask?’

‘No one now. Poor Lois.’ A pause. ‘And poor Andy,’ she added. ‘It had to be a crime of passion.’

‘What the hell difference does that make?’ Leo glared. Miss Pink stared at the canopy where the woodpecker had disappeared. The words hung between them.

They had climbed out of the timbered basin by way of Porcupine Gulch to lunch on Pandora Ridge. There were places here on the crest that were clear of trees and they had stopped on a rock platform from which there was an extensive view. This was mostly forest, although there was the sea to the west and Cape Deception north of the cove, but all the land was covered by trees except for a ribbon of cliffs under the cape. There was a certain variation in texture because creeks and canyons had their counterparts in spurs and the timber traced such irregularities meticulously; the far side of the basin was a design of shaded folds, soft as green velvet.

‘He didn’t tell you much,’ Sadie remarked after a time. ‘He merely confirmed what we were all afraid of.’

Leo turned slowly. ‘Since when were you bothered Andy Keller would turn out to be a murderer? What about “Spotted Owls Roasted”?’

‘Don’t, Leo.’

‘He deserves all he got.’ She checked in astonishment. ‘What am I saying? He’s the one that got away, except he hasn’t; Laddow traced him pretty quickly to Moon Shell. Andy had to hitch from there; once it goes out on television, whoever gave him a lift will come forward within minutes.’

‘He’s had over a week to get lost,’ Sadie said.

‘Now where would he go?’ Leo looked at Miss Pink.

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.