Bear of a Cowboy

Chapter Twelve

**** Zinnie called Gwyn back into the kitchen, where they all gathered around the kitchen table and enjoyed the blackberry cobbler. Bear and Nico told the women about the odd old man they had met. He told them about the stranger carrying something over his shoulder from the houseboat.

They rushed home immediately fearing the worst.

"When we couldn't reach ya'll on de phone, whut else were we ta t'ink?" Nico demanded.

"I'm sorry," Gwyn answered. "I'll be more careful wit' my phone, I promise."

"Mmmm hmmm." Nico didn't sound or look convinced.

Bear cleared his throat. "Just tell us what had your attention so completely that you didn't hear us drive up and call out."

The ladies related their conversation about the white wolf that continued appearing to Gwyn.

"Aunt Zinnie wus jus' 'bout ta tell me of a friend of hers whut found an orphaned wolf pup."

The men looked at each other.

Nico wiped his hand down his face and propped his head on his hand.

"An' whut pray tell, does yo' friend findin' a stray wolf pup have ta do wit' Gwyn?"

Zinnie glared at her nephew and looked as if she would refuse to answer out of principle if nothing else.

"Do you think that has anything to do with this situation' Aunt Zinnie?" The bigger man asked, sending a warning frown at Nico.

Zinnie looked down her nose at her nephew.

"Considerin' dat de wolf be full grown now, is white as snow an' was stold right outa da kennel in de yard a couple weeks ago I t'ink it could verra well have somethin' ta do wit' Gwynie. As a matta o' fact I t'ink it could be Gwynnie's wolf. Ole Ben said dat wolf be gentle as can be an' likes women betta dan men." She finished with a superior sniff at Nico's incredulous face.

Bear put his big fore arm on the table and leaned toward the older woman.

"Are you thinkin' that whoever is stalking Gwyn is useing some kind of smoke screen and this wolf to scare her?"

The old lady sniffed at Nico.

"Dat is exactly whut I am t'inkin'. Dey's tryin' ta convince her dat she is loosin' her mind. Dey be playin' wit her head. I jus' don' know why".

"Dat's a diffrent mo dan he wus usin' befo." Nico said thoughtfully.

"He wus sneakin' inta de house, leavin' t'ings. Den he tore up her room an' attacked her straight on. He wusn't usein' tricks like dis."

"Speakin' of tricks," Bear added and looked at Nico.

"Where is that device you borrowed?"

"I'll git it right now." Nico said and left the room. He was back in a moment carrying a small black box and a high powered flashlight.

"You ready, bro?" He asked the big Native American. Both men headed down the hallway to Gwyn's room and stopped just outside the door, as Nico explained that he had borrowed it from a friend. It was a new, experimental high tech device than they had used before.

The men began a systematic search of the room. Nico with the device, Bear with the flashlight. A red light on the device began to blink. Blink....blink....blink....blink....blink....blink. Blink....blink...blink. Blink.blink.blink.

"Whut de heck....!" Nico spat out. It says der's somethin' in dis area but damned if I can get a pinpoint on it."

Bear thought a moment, looked where the device's light was almost constant. Something kept drawing his attention upward. His CO and his father's words suddenly came to him.

"Son, when you're up against a foe dat keeps slipping away against all odds, let your inner spirit guide you. Follow your gut."

'Hmm. My gut keeps pointing to the wall grate.'

He stepped back and shined the powerful light directly into the grate, examining every corner and side. A shadow....something was casting a shadow. He grinned at Nico, drew a knife from his belt and removed the screws and register from the wall.

There. A small, very high tech camera, sender/receiver caught the light.

"Hel-lo dere. Come to papa."

As he moved the light to remove the little spy he saw a beautiful set of finger prints in the dust.

"Gottcha!" He pulled the device out and studied it with Nico, who whistled in admiration.

"Dat's a beautiful li'le piece o' technology! We sure neva' had anyt'in' dis good in de SEALs."

Bear agreed, "Or the Rangers". He put the black box down and waited as Nico documented the find with his camera phone and called Brett to take over the investigation.