Page 86 of Capture the Moment
As she sat there, the pieces started to click into place. She thought back to their first meeting, at the zoo, how he’d commented on the T-shirt she’d worn with her church’s logo. He told her that he attended the same church, and sure enough, there he was at the next Sunday morning service. Stalking his prey. Could she have made herself any more of an easy target? She’d been set up from the start.
Such an idiot. She felt like such a fool.
It was unsettling to think how easily Oliver had managed to overpower her, both mentally and emotionally. He had a way of confusing her, clouding her judgment with his charm and charisma and persistence. Especially his persistence.
Imagine if everything had gone the way Oliver intended.
Imagine if she had wavered last night when he surprised her with a proposal. Imagine if she had caved in as Oliver pressed and pressed. She usually did cave in to his persistence. He was a master manipulator. Imagine if he had taken down that magnificent bear with his bow and arrow. If she and Maisie had stayed in the truck, Oliver might have killed the bear. Imagine if he had gotten away with it.
Everything could have gone wrong—but it actually went right instead. So many things went right. The bear was safe. Oliver/Wade was in jail. Katehadsaid no to him. Before she had any idea of his true identity, she had said no. Relief washed over her.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, God. But how do I get over this?
She hadn’t been listening for an answer, but one came.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?
The Bible verse she’d once memorized as a child came to her full-blown, startling her with its intensity.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?
Over and over, she repeated those words. And, on their heels,Thank you, thank you, thank you, God.
She changed into fresh clothes and combed out her wet hair, drying it with the blow dryer, and her mind bounced to the bear. She couldn’t believe she had actually seen Grizzly Bear 399, up close and personal. If only she’d had her camera for that astonishing moment when the bear locked eyes with her. Kate wouldnever, ever forget it. She felt an amazing connection—almost like there’d been some kind of understanding between them.
Today she understood what the other photographers had been telling her—there was a critical difference between zoo photography and wildlife photography. A bear in a zoo was stunning to behold, but its power and majesty faded away. Seeing that beautiful grizzly bear in her natural habitat was ... thoroughly terrifying. And thoroughly thrilling.
She could hardly wait to download her memory card from her Sony Alpha, assuming it was still in one piece. Hoping Coop and Frankie were able to retrieve it.
And then her restless mind landed and settled on Coop. She was counting the minutes until she saw him again.
Huddled behind a stack of empty bear-proof garbage cans, Maisie couldn’t resist eavesdropping on Frankie’s conversation with his dad. It was a side of Frankie she hadn’t seen before. He talked about his dad like they were strangers, like Frankie didn’t care about him at all. Clearly, it was an act. He did care. She peeked over the top to see the expression on his face. The scowl was gone. He looked ... uncool. Happy. Maisie dipped down again before he saw her.
“It was incredible, Dad!” she heard him say. “We nabbed Wade Schmidt! Yeah, you heard me right.Wade Schmidt!Remember when you found his wallet in Denali? You knew back then that this guy was trouble, but no one listened to you. Man, Dad, you had him nailed.”
Frankie paused for a moment to listen. “Well, yeah, I guess you didn’t actually nail Wade Schmidt, but you were onto something. It took a whole sting operation to catch him. And get this—no feds. All local law enforcement. It was like being in a movie, seriously.” Frankie listened intently for a long while,then a pleased look came over him. “Me? Yeah, I had a big role in it. Really big.”
Maisie had to bite on her lip to keep from laughing. She didn’t want to alert Frankie to her presence. This was way too fun.
“Dad, you wouldn’t believe it,” Frankie said. “There’s this acting chief ranger, a super short woman with fuzzy blond hair and she calls everyone hon or darlin’—” He paused to listen. “Yeah. Sally Janus. I guess I should’ve figured you would know her. You know everybody.” He listened a little longer. “Well, anyway, Sally set the whole thing up. This incredible sting operation. Wade Schmidt was using this ridiculously tall guy as his frontman. He was pretending to be a Yellowstone ranger.” Pause. “How’d you know his name was Tony Feldmann? Man, Dad, you know everybody.”
Frankie said it in a tone of admiration, not his usual sarcasm. So uncool. So sweet. Maisie felt warm from head to toe.
“Coop said he knew something was fishy when he first met Feldmann and shook his hand.” Frankie chuckled. “He said it was like shaking an accountant’s hand.” Pause. “Coop? Oh, he’s the seasonal ranger I got stuck with. We’re roommates too. Yeah, he’s not so bad. A little fussy as a roommate, but he’s a good guy.”
It occurred to Maisie that, up to now, Frankie hadn’t told his dad anything about his summer. Nothing. But that had just changed.
“Hey, Dad, you remember Tim Rivers, right? The ranger who’s always got that serious, drill sergeant vibe? Yeah, him. Well, turns out he’s the one who caught Feldmann. Crazy, right? Tim can be kinda intimidating, but he’s not too bad once you get to know him. Anyway, Feldmann got spooked when Sally Janus didn’t show up to guide him into the backcountry. She was supposed to lead him to the bear’s den, with Wade Schmidttrailing behind all stealthy-like. Apparently, that’s Schmidt’s thing, staying invisible and all ... Oh, you knew that? Yeah, figures.
“So, Sally had this plan brewing to meet up and have the wardens close the net, but then Tim slowed her down and she was late to the rendezvous. When Feldmann saw the game wardens drive up, he freaked out and bolted. Tim Rivers spotted his car and called the LE rangers to nab him at the gate.”
Pause.
“Hold on, Dad. There’s more. It gets even better. Then the game wardens—they caught Wade Schmidt red-handed, bow in his hands, arrows in his quiver. Schmidt started wailing like a baby. It was so awesome. Like a scene from a movie!”
Pause.
Maisie could hear the admiration in Frankie’s voice for Sally, for Coop, for Tim.
