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Chapter 1
Except for a couple of cars parked outside the town hall, the lot was eht wouldn't have much of an audience to lecture to
The Oregon air surrounding him felt damp and cool, not like the drier, much sunnier weather Leidolf Wildhaven had left behind in Colorado He kept telling hiolden glow over the sidewalk A steady breeze stirred the spring leaves of theto the two-story building An antiquated clock chi to everyone in the listening area that the tiin
He let out his breath and headed for the building Anything to do olves concerned hi that he didn't already know, he wanted to see how others reacted to her talk concerning the to show
He took two steps at a tiaze focusing on the empty chairs and the speakerless podium
Dressed in a gray suit, Millie Meekle, the wo her hands nearby and shook her head, her stiff, glued-together silver hair nota fraction out of place
"Oh, Mr Wildhaven, this is a disaster Dr Roux had a flat tire at the place she's staying, and o get her" She waved at the empty seats "And no one has even shown up yet"
"Where's she staying?"
Severalon the wooden floor, their expressions annoyed "Where's the doc?" one of the ruffly
Millie quickly spoke up "She's stuck at the Cranberry Top Bed and Breakfast Mr Wildhaven's kind enough to offer to get her She's staying in the Blue Room, first door on the left down the hall from the entryway," she directed Leidolf
Theus hoe should reintroduce wolves into the wild out here"
"Now, Mr Hollis," Millie said
"Don't 'Now, Mr Hollis' me, Millie You know I raise sheep, and if any damn wolf slinks onto my land, I'll kill him dead That's what I'll do"
"I'll go get her," Leidolf said He stalked out of the building with its oppressive heat and back into the cool out-of-doors He hadn't figured any of the livestock owners would bother to co the burly men, he was afraid the professor was bound for trouble
Cli into his Huet a whole lot of lecturing done but instead would be faced with a barrage of condeure out why in the world she'd co to a more intellectual crowd in the city of Portland, two hours away
Putting the vehicle in drive, he headed to the Cranberry Top, a quaint little red-roofed ho and a white picket fence Like many of the homes in the area, the place had been turned into a bed-and-breakfast inn because it was situated on a creek perfect for fishing and picturesque Mount Hood could be seen way off in the distance Great for a Portland getaway
When Leidolf arrived at the inn, he saw the vehicle in question, a green pickup with California plates that was tilting to one side Woe a tire or call for someone to come and fix a flat
He'd barely opened the door to his Humvee when a woman hurried out, red hair in curls down to her shoulders and bouncing with her every step, eyes sea green and wide and hopeful, brow furrowed as she clutched a leather satchel tightly against her chest and headed straight for him Dr Roux? At least he presumed that's who she was, only he'd expected so to look at
What he'd figured he'd see was a gray-haired older wolasses perched on her nose Instead, this woman looked to be in her s and a body to h woods on wilderness treks to observe wolves, dispelling the notion that she was strictly a classroom lecturer
"Dr Roux?" he asked, feelingarmor now
She didn't slossy lip and then gave a stiff nod "Did Millie send you for me?" She didn't wait for hied the tire already"
He frowned and glanced back at the flat tire
"Soh to ruin the spare also when I ran inside to clean up," she added, her tone peeved "It was too late to have the spare fixed before the "
Irritated that any of the townspeople would treat her that way, he bit back a curse Yet he couldn't help being surprised for a second time First, by her appearance Now, by how capable the little woman was
He motioned to his Humvee "I'm Leidolf Wildhaven, rancher south of town I'll take you to theand have one of "
"A rancher," she said softly, her voice slightly conde
He cast her a sars are the only animals that bother me of late Wolves? They're , man's best friend"
"They're wild, Mr--"