Page 83 of Capture the Moment
Coop’s gaze swept the creek. “Did you see which way the hunter went?”
“No,” Kate said. “We were hiding behind the boulder.”
Through his binoculars, Coop looked up and down the creek, then crossed the water to pull the arrow out of the tree.
A shrill voice pierced the air. “Cooper!”
Kate peeked out from behind the boulder to see Sally far up the creek, clutching a hefty rifle.
“Coop, hon, is everyone alright?”
“Sally!” Coop said, stepping a few feet away from the boulder. He cupped his hands around his mouth. “What are you doing here?”
Sally raised her rifle, aiming it upstream. “We got him!”
Kate shielded her eyes to see three people coming around a bend in the creek to reach Sally.
Frankie stood up to see. “Who are they?”
“I think ... they’re state game wardens,” Coop said.
“Who’s between them?” Frankie said.
“Must be the poacher who shot the arrow,” Coop said.
By now Maisie, fully recovered and fully curious, had stood to join them, watching carefully as Sally and the others drew near. She let out a loud gasp. “But that’s ... he’s Oliver!”
No way.Kate squinted. It was! Itwashim.
Sally, close enough now to hear, let out a loud snort. “Oliver? Is that the name he told you?”
As they walked past the creek island, Oliver tried to break loose from the agents. “I came to protect Kate and the kid! The bear was coming for them! Kate, tell them!”
“You’re a liar!” Maisie shouted. “And I am NOT a KID!”
“Kate!” Oliver was pleading. “Tell them about us! Tell them how I came here to propose to you!”
Kate’s mind struggled to absorb the sight of Oliver, held firmly between two game wardens. “I don’t ... I don’t get it. What is going on?”
“They’ve got me mixed up with someone else. Kate, tell them! This is all a terrible misunderstanding.”
“Is that so?” Sally said, hands on her hips. “Cuz Tony Feldmann’s been singing like a canary ever since he was nabbed trying to leave the park just a bit ago.”
At that, the change in Oliver’s countenance was immediate, from sputtering protests to utterly silent, mouth drawn in a straight line, a look on his face like he could murder someone. And then it was gone, and he was back to claiming innocence.
Who was Tony Feldmann? Kate couldn’t keep up.
She wasn’t the only one.
A red-faced Tim Rivers appeared out of nowhere, looking just as confused as Kate felt. “What,” Tim said, huffing and puffing as he reached them on the creek island, “the Sam Hill is going on?”
“Pops!” Maisie hurried down the hill into her grandfather’s arms. “That man tried to kill the bear! And then he was going to kill us too!”
“Don’t listen to the kid!” Oliver yelled.
“I AM NOT A KID,” Maisie yelled back.
Oliver ignored her. “Kate! Sweetheart! You’re the only one who can clear this up. Tell them who I am! Tell them about us!”
