Page 79 (1/2)

“Keep that attitude,” he said, still so to bed and get as et these next couple of days”

Chapter Sixteen

Early the nextthe media swarmed onto the Cee Bar, television crews in vans and satellite trucks as well as reporters and photographers froers for national publications Anticipating their arrival, Quint had ht, before any reporters were on the scene

Proht-thirty, Quint stepped before the phalanx of athered at the porch steps, and issued a brief state lab results on the deaths of two ani fully with the authorities

A barrage of questions followed, but Quint answered only one that exaggerated the health risk to the ranch employees and implied a lack of concern by the Calders

“Anthrax is an occupational hazard for everyone orks with livestock,” he stated “All proper precautions are being taken”

Ignoring a fresh onslaught of questions, Quint stepped off the porch andof ca to any and all with a shake of his head and a firm “No comment”

Undeterred, they followed him to the barn and waited while he saddled his horse

One asked to be shohere the dead cattle had been found Quint informed him that permission to do that would have to come from state authorities

By the tiun to divide into sroups Soon they would disperse to track down the veterinarian, state officials, and neighboring ranchers for comments

Quint rode out of the ranch yard, confident that he had gotten rid of thehe learned horong he hen a helicopter swooped low, scattering the cattle they had gathered

The camera lens pointed from the side of the helicopter captured the scraather the cattle back into a bunch—as well as the discovery of a third dead cow, this ti the west fence line The helicopter subsequently hovered above the scene to record the arrival of the vet and the eventual burial of the carcass

News of the third dead cow spread quickly, along with a bulletin fro anthrax as the cause of death The media returned to the ranch yard in force

Their presence co cattle, already spooked by the helicopter, into the ate closed behind them, the vet arrived to exa more fodder for the cameras

Any hope Quint had that the state officials would insist that theIn fact, they appeared to welcome the opportunity to show the public the extent of their diligence It was after sundown before any of the chores to be done in the dark