Warriors for Wildlife is a serial novel, with a new episode published each week. Start from the beginning with the prologue and contents, or jump right into Episode One. If you are enjoying this project, I encourage you to purchase the prequel War on Wildlife trilogy!
Episode Four - Trouble Brewing
Angie and Jessica had been working all day on a new show, while Caleb and Michelle had taken their mountain bikes to Denver to photograph bighorn sheep in Waterton Canyon.
“What do you say we take a break,” commented Jessica.
“Yeah, we’ve been at it all day. You up for a margarita?”
“I am, are you going to make a pitcher?” asked Jessica.
“You know, I really don’t feel like it. Maybe we should try out that new micro brew up in Parker?”
“I have been wanting to find out what it’s like. Should we give Caleb and Michelle a call to see if they want to meet us?”
“Sure, they should be done with their ride in the canyon by now.”
Caleb’s phone rings and he eventually answers, “Hi Angie, what’s up?”
“Hey, Jessie and I are going to try out that new horse ranch themed microbrew in Parker. Can you and Michelle meet us there?
“Sure, we are on our way back now, just turned onto C-470.”
“Great, we should get there about the same time. If you get there first, just go on in and get us a table.”
“Okay, see you there.”
“What is it?” asked Michelle.
Angie and Jessie want us to meet for drinks at the Tack Haus. I figured you’d be down for it.”
“Definitely, that was a long hot ride!”
“It was worth it though. Watching those bighorns cross the river was amazing!”
“I couldn’t believe it when that one ram just leaped halfway across the river!” exclaimed Michelle.
“I was pretty surprised myself! I’ve seen them bounding through the deep water, but I’ve never seen one try to jump over it!”
“Did you get the shot?” asked Michele.
“I don’t know, I think so. When I saw him crouch I laid on the shutter button. I don’t think the camera lost tracking, but we could take our cameras into the bar and look through our images on the LCD screens.”
“Yeah, I’m kind of excited to see what I got!”
Eventually Caleb turned into the parking lot and looked for Angie’s SUV.
“I don’t think Angie and Jessie are here yet, let’s just go in and get a good table.”
Their server met them at the door, “Hi I’m Jade, I’ll be your server today. Two of you for drinks?”
“We’ll need a table for four.”
“Right over here,” she said as she led them across the seating area. She pointed to a chalk board on the wall and introduced the beer list. “Is there something you’d like to taste while you wait for your friends?”
“Sure, how about you Michelle?”
“Let me try the “Unbridled Pilsner,” she said.
“I’ll try the Belgian Draft,” added Caleb.
Just then Angie and Jessica walked in and at down at the table with them.
“Did you order yet?” asked Jessica.
“We have a couple of tasters on the way.”
Jade returned with the small glasses and Caleb offered his to Angie. She took a sip and shook her head, “Too strong for me!”
Michelle took a sip and pushed it across the table, “Try this one Angie, it’s really good!”
Angie took a sip and commented, “This is good!”
Jade asked, “Would you like two of those then?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Jessica took a sip of Caleb’s dark brew and exclaimed, “Oooh, I like this!”
Angie laughed, “You would like the strong one. This is a nice place, you have to keep your shirt on!”
“Shut up,” laughed Jessica.
“Do you guys happen to know a gang looking guy in the area with tattoos?” wondered Jade.
“No, why?” asked Angie.
“Oh nothing, there was just some weird gang looking guy here earlier asking about two blonds and a dark haired girl, and now here you are.”
“South American gang type?” asked Caleb.
“Yeah, obviously not our usual Parker clientele.”
“What did he want?” asked Angie.
“He was just asking around if anyone had seen three girls, two blondes and a brunette.”
“Hmmm... I wonder what that was all about?” Angie made a point of saying.
Jade shrugged and left the drinks, moving on to the next table.
Caleb commented, “Our dead guy must have been talking to his buddies before he came down.”
“That’s scary,” added Angie.
“Yeah, I guess we’ll have to stay vigilant. You might want to keep your gun close Michelle.”
“I will.”
“We should talk to Emily at the Stage Line, see if she will keep an eye out for suspicious characters poking around.”
“That’s a good idea, at least we’ll know when they are getting too close for comfort.”
“Let’s not worry about that right now, drink up!” exclaimed Jessica.
“To good beer and good friends!” toasted Caleb as the four friends clinked their glasses together.
“Angie, you have to see this picture!” exclaimed Michelle as she thumbed through the images on the back of her digital camera.
“What is it?”
“We saw a bunch of bighorn sheep crossing the river today,” she said as she held up the camera for Angie and Jessica.
“That’s amazing Michelle, that ram looks like he is flying!”
“Yeah, he basically was!”
“Awesome picture Michelle,” added Jessica.
“Thanks,” she said, smiling from ear to ear.
Caleb just smiled and sat back in his chair, quite proud of his young protege. He also watched closely as Jade escorted another group of patrons over to a table nearby. He kept one ear on the animated chatter of his female friends, while also keeping tabs on the conversation beside him. He wondered if they might be regulars who had noticed unusual visitors in the bar.
After a while, it became apparent that the group was just on its way through, probably from Colorado Springs he mused. He soon grew bored and rejoined his conversation with the girls. Eventually, they each emptied their glasses, and Angie suggested calling it a day.
Caleb motioned to Jade for the check, as the three women made one last trip to the restroom. He paid the bill, left a tip and made his way past the other table. He stopped dead in his tracks though, when he heard one of them commenting on an explosion out west. He listened closely for a few seconds and learned there had been a gas leak at the house of the rancher who had shot the wolf. He feigned a search through his pockets and retraced his steps, covering for his awkward pause.
The girls returned from the restroom and they all left the restaurant as a group.
As they entered the front door of the house, Angie exclaimed, “Wow, I’m thirsty! Does anyone want some lemonade?”
“That sounds really good,” replied Jessica.
“I’ll have some too,” added Michelle.
“I’ll just get myself some water,” replied Caleb as he rinsed out his coffee mug in the sink.
Angie filled three glasses with ice while Jessica and Michelle took a seat on the deck.
Caleb soon followed with his mug of cold water, and Angie brought out the ice cold drinks for her friends.
Caleb hit the power button on the boom box and adjusted the volume so they could all talk. They all tilted back their heads to take in the afternoon sun, as they enjoyed their refreshments.
A news break interrupted the music with a weather report and a few items of local interest. The news anchor paused for special interest note, commenting, “Here’s an interesting bit of karma. Apparently, a Wyoming man was killed in an ATV crash, the very same vehicle he used to ram a wild horse a few weeks ago!”
That’s interesting, commented Caleb, “First a wolf killer’s house blows up, and now another animal abuser is killed on his ATV, both in the same week.”
“That does seem like quite a coincidence,” added Angie.
“I might need to take a short trip out west,” commented Caleb.
“Why is that?” she asked.
“Oh, I might know somebody who might know something.”
“Take me with you Caleb!” exclaimed Michelle
“I don’t think so this time.”
“Oh please Caleb, I want to go!”
“It could get ugly this time.”
“That’s what you said last summer, and I helped you!”
“I know honey, and you did a great job, but this time is different.”
“I can handle myself, please Caleb,” she pleaded.
“Not this time, I’m probably going to be meeting some very rough people, and I need your name kept out of it. Besides, Angie and Jessie need you for their next show. And I need you to stay clean for your contacts at the park service.”
A look of fear spread over Angie and Michelle’s faces, and Angie asked, “Caleb, what are you going to do?”
“Nothing, I just need to talk to some old acquaintances from the war who might know something.”
“Then why the secrecy?”
“Because they might know something.”
The three women all stared at Caleb in silence, as they tried to imagine what circumstances might have brought him into contact with such people.
Episode Three <««« »»»> Episode Five
