Read Online Smoky Mountain Mystery 01 - Out on a Limb by Carolyn Jourdan - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Jourdan
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of the dart gun, like that of a .22 caliber rifle, cut through the cove. The bear looked surprised and then reared up on her hind legs and growled, brandishing her formidable claws and snapping her jaws. She remained like that for a few moments, then wobbled, and fell forward into a heap.
The tourists were horrified. As far as they knew, Henry had just killed Yogi in front of two little Boo Boos as their own kids looked on. They were not happy campers.
Henry headed back toward his vehicle with the intention of bringing it close to the mother bear. But he was intercepted by the crowd.
“You didn’t have to kill her,” a woman shouted. “She wasn’t hurting anything!” Little children were wailing as their parents dragged them back toward their cars.
“I didn’t kill the bear,” Henry said, “I just immobilized her so I could recover the backpack she was chewin on.”
“What about those two precious little babies you just orphaned!” a woman called. “You gonna leave them to starve now?”
The heckling and catcalls quickly turned to mild jostling as Henry tried to make his way through the crowd.
Many of the spectators were using cell phones or iPads to take photos and video. Others were attempting to text, tweet, or phone their friends.
It took only a couple of minutes for the mob to realize they weren’t able to get a cell phone connection. Some of the people, furious at being thwarted by the lack of cell phone service, started pushing and shoving.
“Hey, one more push out of anyone and your vacation is going to end up in an arrest!” Henry barked, shielding the remaining dart with his body. The medicine in the dart would sedate a bear, but it would kill a human.
Although there was no cell phone service, the rangers’ radios worked inside the cove, unless the repeater happened to be down for maintenance. Lucky for Henry, the radio tower was working fine today.
He made a beeline for his SUV and with his threat of arrest still hanging in the air the crowds grudgingly parted before him. Bill and Phoebe met him in front of the truck.
“I’ve gotta call a wildlife tech and law enforcement rangers over here,” Henry said to both of them as he grabbed for the radio in the truck.
“You’re bleeding!” Phoebe said incredulously.
“That happens sometimes,” Henry said
“You get attacked by tourists ?”
“Ill-behaved tourists are the alpha predators in this park. They’re way more aggressive than any of the animals. Animals will generally leave you alone.”
“Have you got a first aid kit?” Phoebe asked.
Henry nodded and pointed as he made contact on the radio and requested help.
“Sit down for a moment please,” Phoebe said, gently guiding him to sit on the edge of the cargo area. It was the second time today she’d made the same gesture. First Leon and now Henry. It was bizarre; she was spending the day burying one friend and triaging two others.
“I need to go get that bear quick, before she wakes up,” protested Henry.
“I’m surprised you got out of that alive,” Bill said, only half-joking. “I wouldn’t go back over there until the others get here.”
“I can’t believe some of those people,” Phoebe said, as she dabbed at cuts and scratches on Henry’s forearms. “That was uncalled for.”
He looked at her and grimaced. “I’m embarrassed you saw that.”
“Henry, this mornin I had to leave a house call through the bathroom window. I was runnin from a woman who wanted her doughnuts back. And I thought I had it rough.”
He winced as she cleaned a scratch on his face with peroxide.
Two more National Park Service vehicles pulled up, followed by a couple of volunteers in a low emission vehicle sporting a huge pair of elk antlers mounted over the windshield. Henry quickly made his way over to them with Phoebe and Bill in tow and briefed everyone on the situation.
“We need to take the bears to the wildlife building and hold em til we
The tourists were horrified. As far as they knew, Henry had just killed Yogi in front of two little Boo Boos as their own kids looked on. They were not happy campers.
Henry headed back toward his vehicle with the intention of bringing it close to the mother bear. But he was intercepted by the crowd.
“You didn’t have to kill her,” a woman shouted. “She wasn’t hurting anything!” Little children were wailing as their parents dragged them back toward their cars.
“I didn’t kill the bear,” Henry said, “I just immobilized her so I could recover the backpack she was chewin on.”
“What about those two precious little babies you just orphaned!” a woman called. “You gonna leave them to starve now?”
The heckling and catcalls quickly turned to mild jostling as Henry tried to make his way through the crowd.
Many of the spectators were using cell phones or iPads to take photos and video. Others were attempting to text, tweet, or phone their friends.
It took only a couple of minutes for the mob to realize they weren’t able to get a cell phone connection. Some of the people, furious at being thwarted by the lack of cell phone service, started pushing and shoving.
“Hey, one more push out of anyone and your vacation is going to end up in an arrest!” Henry barked, shielding the remaining dart with his body. The medicine in the dart would sedate a bear, but it would kill a human.
Although there was no cell phone service, the rangers’ radios worked inside the cove, unless the repeater happened to be down for maintenance. Lucky for Henry, the radio tower was working fine today.
He made a beeline for his SUV and with his threat of arrest still hanging in the air the crowds grudgingly parted before him. Bill and Phoebe met him in front of the truck.
“I’ve gotta call a wildlife tech and law enforcement rangers over here,” Henry said to both of them as he grabbed for the radio in the truck.
“You’re bleeding!” Phoebe said incredulously.
“That happens sometimes,” Henry said
“You get attacked by tourists ?”
“Ill-behaved tourists are the alpha predators in this park. They’re way more aggressive than any of the animals. Animals will generally leave you alone.”
“Have you got a first aid kit?” Phoebe asked.
Henry nodded and pointed as he made contact on the radio and requested help.
“Sit down for a moment please,” Phoebe said, gently guiding him to sit on the edge of the cargo area. It was the second time today she’d made the same gesture. First Leon and now Henry. It was bizarre; she was spending the day burying one friend and triaging two others.
“I need to go get that bear quick, before she wakes up,” protested Henry.
“I’m surprised you got out of that alive,” Bill said, only half-joking. “I wouldn’t go back over there until the others get here.”
“I can’t believe some of those people,” Phoebe said, as she dabbed at cuts and scratches on Henry’s forearms. “That was uncalled for.”
He looked at her and grimaced. “I’m embarrassed you saw that.”
“Henry, this mornin I had to leave a house call through the bathroom window. I was runnin from a woman who wanted her doughnuts back. And I thought I had it rough.”
He winced as she cleaned a scratch on his face with peroxide.
Two more National Park Service vehicles pulled up, followed by a couple of volunteers in a low emission vehicle sporting a huge pair of elk antlers mounted over the windshield. Henry quickly made his way over to them with Phoebe and Bill in tow and briefed everyone on the situation.
“We need to take the bears to the wildlife building and hold em til we
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