Chapter Six
Ryland
“You can’t tell what’s in those.” Kimberly pointed out the obvious. “Could be extra supplies.”
“I don’t think they brought water and snacks to a deserted island just in case they got the munchies.
It has to be something illegal.” My entire body was tense with excitement.
I pulled out my phone and stared at the shattered screen.
Damn. Must have got busted when I fell. I looked over at Kimberly.
“Where’s that phone of yours? Mine’s broken. Can you record this?”
“Yeah, I think so.” She fumbled with the armband. This was starting to feel like a James Bond movie, complete with clandestine videos. She held the phone up and pressed the start button. Looking at the screen, she cursed. “They’re too far away. I can’t get a good shot.”
I held out my hand. “Let me try.”
She passed the phone over, and I stared down at it.
Where was the zoom button? There was one, there had to be.
I clicked a button at the top of the screen, and the picture started to pan from left to right.
Nope that wasn’t it. I pressed the icon in the top left corner and the phone obligingly zeroed in on the men on the beach.
Yes, much better. I watched the tiny screen as the device captured the action on the beach.
The men were loading the boxes into the Zodiac, working quickly and efficiently. This obviously wasn’t their first time doing this.
I stretched my arm out, trying for a better shot of the three. It would be great if I could get usable shots of their faces.
I didn’t see what brushed against my cheek, but reflex made me flinch. The movement was just enough to cause me to twist my wrist.
It felt like a nightmare -- I could see disaster coming but I was powerless to stop it.
I reflexively pulled my arm back, and the phone caught on a branch, slipping through my fingers.
I watched helplessly as the device flipped end over end and arched its way down to the beach.
It landed in a dense patch of scrub bush, the sound loud enough to be heard over the surf that pounded on the beach.
All five men straightened at the same time, their heads swiveling as they attempted to isolate what had caused the sound.
I frowned, motioning Kimberly to hug the ground. She complied instantly, squeezing her eyes closed, and keeping her hand on Diego.
I prayed the mutt wouldn’t pick this moment to act up. So far, he’d been the perfect partner in crime.
The poachers communicated with hand signals, spreading out and slowly moving toward the source of the sound.
Fuck. What else could go wrong? I hugged the ground, opening my eyes just a slit to watch as the poachers came closer to the base of the cliff. At least they hadn’t thought to look up yet.
The group were closing in on the bush containing the cell phone. Pity I didn’t still have it. Their faces were much clearer from this angle. Had it smashed on impact, or would the poachers see the video of themselves and figure out there was someone watching them?
I assessed the area around us with a practiced eye, checking to see if there was an easy way from the beach to our hiding spot. We’d have to be gone before they scaled the cliff.
A wild burst of sound shattered the silence, and Kimberly flinched. A covey of quail broke cover, surging up from the bushes directly in front of the one the cell phone had fallen into. I was beginning to become a real bird lover.
The poachers reacted on instinct, and two of the birds dropped to the ground with arrows through them. The tension shattered, the five men laughed gruffly as they swaggered over to retrieve their arrows from the unfortunate birds.
“Let’s get packed up and get out of here.” Mr. Arm Tattoos wiped the blood from his arrow off on one of the bushes. “This place is starting to give me the creeps.”
“We’re just about loaded. One last box and we’re good to go.”
“Hey, what’s this?” Mr. Dreadlocks reached into the bush and pulled out a shiny metal object.
Fuck. The phone? I held my breath.
No. A crumpled beer can. Relief flooded through me.
“Maybe that chick likes beer.” Mr. Arm Tattoos took the can and examined it. “Or maybe it just washed up at high tide and got caught in the bushes. Looks like it’s been here for a while.”
The fourth man took a cursory look before tossing the can back into the bushes. “We’ll circle the island from the water before we leave, make sure there’s no one else here. Doesn’t hurt to be careful. Meantime, let’s get moving.”
The group trekked back to the Zodiac and quickly stowed the last of the boxes before they all clambered in and motored out to the waiting cutter. Watching the boat back out into the ocean and start a wide sweeping circle around the island felt like an anticlimax.
Kimberly pivoted to face me. “Do you think they’ll be back?”
I considered it. “Probably not, but we’d better stay out of sight of the water for a good hour and pray they don’t see my boat. The phone can wait until we’re sure it’s safe.”
“So what do we do now?”
I rolled onto my back. “Take a nap? Unless you happen to know where I can get a good steak on this island. I’m starving.”
Kimberly stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Steak? On a deserted island? No. But I know where there’s a patch of raspberries. Care for some fruit?”
I opened my eyes and sat up, letting a smile curve the corner of my lips. “Woman, right now I’d be happy with anything that doesn’t bite back when I eat it. Where is this raspberry patch?”
“Just this side of the clearing.” She grinned. “You know. The one where we just about tripped over those guys?”
I scrambled to my feet, and we started back the way we’d come. The walk was much more enjoyable this time, the tension dispelled. We still needed to find a way off the island, but at least no one was shooting at us.
“So, who do you work for? You must be some kind of conservation officer, what with chasing poachers and all.” She flicked a sideways glance at me.
“I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.” I favored her with a cheerful grin. “Oh no, wait. That’s James Bond. Me, I belong to an international organization and right now our mandate is to stop the trade in illegal animal products before some of these species become extinct.”
Kimberly frowned. “Is it getting worse? I know there’s always been a market, but awareness has grown over the years.
People care more and are less likely to ignore the problem.
The risk of them getting caught should make them think twice.
Canada isn’t so bad, but I’ve heard horror stories about jails in other countries. ”
“The market is huge, and they get plenty of money for the parts they harvest off the animals.” I narrowed my eyes, remembering some of the horrific scenes I’d witnessed. “It’s worth enough for them to commit murder.”
“Yeaaahh.” She shuddered. “Do you get shot at a lot?”
I shrugged. “Occupational hazard, but I’m usually fast enough to get out of the way. And I try not to put myself in the line of fire. These guys were shooting blind and just got lucky. Not so lucky for me.”
“Occupational hazard? Wow. Maybe you’re not someone I want to stick too close to.
Still, with those killer abs and that delicious ass, I might be persuaded to make an exception.
” She clapped a hand across her mouth, her eyes going wide.
“Forget I said that. PTSD or something.” Her face turned an adorable shade of crimson, and she quickly turned away from me.
I felt my spirits lift. She thought I had a delicious ass. I couldn’t help the grin on my face, but I decided to give her a break and ignore the remark. “Are you sure you saw raspberry bushes out here? We’re almost back to the clearing.”
“Yes, we should be just about on top of them.” She peered at the thick brush on either side of the path. “Maybe a little bit further? Oh, I see them!”
We rounded yet another corner on the meandering path and there they were. Thickly fruited bushes lined both sides of the trail, the berries so plump and juicy they were literally falling off the bushes.
“I told you so.” Laughter twinkled in her gorgeous eyes as I stuck my tongue out before plucking a handful of the ripe fruit and cramming it into my mouth.
She shook her head when I offered her the second handful. “It’s okay. I can pick my own. Watch out for bears though. They tend to like the berries too.”
I paused, another handful of berries halfway to my mouth.
“It might sound crazy, but right before I passed out earlier, I could have sworn I saw a spirit bear looking down at me. It didn’t look scary or anything, almost like it wanted to help.
I know they don’t live this far south, but it seemed so real. ”
A strange look crossed her face. I’d interrogated enough prisoners in my military days to know she was hiding something.
When she spoke, her voice sounded forced.
“The mind can play funny tricks on you sometimes. If you ever manage to get up to Haida Gwaii you should make a point of looking them up. They’re quite amazing to see, and the cub is adorable. ”
I moved a few feet off the path to where the raspberries were growing in thick bunches. What could she be hiding? “You’ve seen them, then?”
* * *
Kimberly
I turned my back so he couldn’t see my face. I really wasn’t good at lying. I tended to look guilty. “Yes, a mother and a cub. I can still picture them, fishing salmon out of a river.”
“That would be quite a sight.”
I couldn’t tell if he was suspicious. Then again, why would he be? It made sense. He probably thought he’d been hallucinating, and maybe he had been. The spirit bear usually kept a good distance between itself and humans. She definitely had survival instincts.
“It was.” Time to change the subject before I got myself in too deep. “So where exactly is your boat? Is it big enough for both of us to get to the mainland?”