Page 8 of Capture the Moment
“He said—and I quote—you and Coop are to help provide a positive, enriching experience for those photographers who seek out the wonder of the wilderness.” He smiled, ear to ear. “Perhaps I should go introduce myself to the Zoo Girl.”
As Frankie took a step in Kate’s direction, Coop grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.The raging hormones of a teenaged boy, he thought, rolling his eyes. Their brains went south. As soon as Coop crossed paths with Tim, he was going to see about getting Frankie reassigned. Maybe to laundry duty. Something to clean up his mind.
“First,” Coop said, “you need to head downriver and get a couple of shutterbugs off the bank. But don’t call them shutterbugs. They’ll take offense and complain to the visitor center. Politely ask them to move up to the road.”
“What do I say if they ask me why they have to move?”
“Tell them that the water level will start rising soon. The Jackson Dam is releasing water this morning.”
“Where are you going?”
“Upriver. A sow and her cub were spotted last evening, and I want to see if they’ve returned.”
“I’d rather go with you. A bear sounds a lot more interesting than chasing off photographers.”
Coop chuckled. “You know the routine, kid. Glamorous jobs are reserved for the senior rangers.”
Frankie scowled. “Yeah, yeah. I know all about the privileges of senior rangers.”
Coop pointed in the opposite direction of Kate. “You go that way. Meet me back here when the sun is completely visible.”
Just then, a distinctive sound echoed through the air—an elk bugle. The two turned toward the source, spotting a majestic elk far downriver, its antlers silhouetted against the morning sky.
Frankie raised an eyebrow. “That’ll wake up any and all campers.”
“Nature’s alarm clock.” Coop chuckled. “That reminds me. Starting tomorrow, Ranger Rivers has put me on duty at Pilgrim Creek’s overpass. That means an early start to our day.”
Frankie’s brow furrowed. “How early?”
“Super early. Four a.m. early. And it’ll keep on starting at four o’clock until Grizzly Bear 399 emerges.”
“What if the bear didn’t make it through the winter? What if she’s dead?”
“She’s not dead.” Coop sure hoped not. “We’re going to be there waiting for as long as it takes her to emerge. Up at four a.m., every single day.”
As the elk’s bugle resonated once more, Coop couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight at the horrified look on Frankie’s face.
He neatly folded his camo clothing—hat, trousers, shirt—and packed them into his suitcase. These were his lucky garments, though he’d never considered himself superstitious until he realized they always seemed to accompany his success. He also packed his favorite disguises, the ones that never failed him.
Tomorrow morning, he had a flight to Jackson. If time allowed, he always preferred to drive. But time was short. As he finished his packing, his phone buzzed with a text notification. He checked it.
Getting things organized.
Wade texted back:
Good. I want everything to be in place before the sow shows herself.
Finalizing things with the turncoat. Is there a $$$ limit?
Wade smiled. Of course there was no limit. He would spare no expense for this particular living room rug. It was priceless.
No limit.
Three
We all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little.
—Oscar Wilde, Irish poet
