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Authors: Jerry Apps
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don’t think I’ll apply for a job there. I don’t need another brick missing my head by a few inches.”
Bert sat back in his chair and laughed his characteristic deep belly laugh. Josh had to laugh too, even though his experience working undercover at the Lazy Z feedlot was still a bit fresh.
“I’d suggest you start at the university in Madison. Talk to Bill Evans in the agribusiness studies department. Saw some research findings from that department about these big hog production operations.”
“I took a course from him when I was in college,” Josh said. “Wonder if he’ll remember me. I sure remember him. Could hardly stay awake during his lectures.”
“Try to stay awake this time, Josh.” Bert laughed again.
Josh returned to his office and began searching the Internet for everything he could find about Nathan West Industries before traveling to Madison and meeting with Evans. His phone rang, breaking his concentration.
“This is Josh Wittmore,” he said.
“Mr. Wittmore, this is Natalie Karlsen; we met in Ben Wesley’s office.”
“You’re the conservation warden.”
“Yes, I am. I was wondering if we could meet for coffee,” she said. “Ben suggested it; he said we might be able to help each other.”
“Sure,” Josh answered. He remembered that underneath the gun belt and badge he’d seen quite an attractive young woman. Besides that, she might be a contact to have and the source for some news stories. “Where and when?”
“How about tomorrow at ten, the Lone Pine Restaurant. You know where that is?”
“I grew up in this county; I know the Lone Pine. See you there.”
Five minutes before ten, Josh pulled open the door of the Lone Pine Restaurant. He had not been inside the place since he’d returned to Willow River; it hadn’t changed. A mounted deer head with glass eyes stared down on all who entered the place. A stuffed northern pike hung next to the deer head, and shotguns and deer rifles of various sizes and calibers graced another wall of the restaurant as they had when Josh last visited the place. An old-timers’ table at one end of the big noisy room had its usual half-dozen to sometimes ten retired farmers and merchants from the area, discussing everything from who was sleeping with somebody else’s wife to why the president of the United States wasn’t paying more attention to farmers. For Josh, it was like the place hadn’t changed at all since he left ten years ago. Mazy, Lone Pine waitress, greeted him as soon as he stepped inside.
“You look familiar,” Mazy said.
“Josh Wittmore.”
“Of course. You’ve grown up.”
“Haven’t been in here in a while. Quite a while.” Mazy had put on a few pounds and her hair had streaks of gray, but otherwise, like the rest of the place, she hadn’t changed.
“You back in town?”
“I am. Working for the Farm Country News .”
“You don’t say. That’s a good paper.”
“I’m having coffee with Natalie Karlsen,” Josh said.
“The game warden?” Mazy lifted an eyebrow.
“One and the same.”
“Find yourself a booth or a table, your choice. I’ll point her in your direction when she comes in.”
Promptly at ten, Natalie came through the door. Josh watched as Mazy motioned toward where he was sitting. Eyes turned when the warden walked across the crowded restaurant floor, as they did whenever a law enforcement officer entered the place. Some of the old timers couldn’t get used to the idea that the county’s conservation warden was a woman.
“I tell you, what are we gonna see next?” one old timer muttered. “Who ever heard of a game warden being a woman?”
“Well, there she is,” another fellow said. “Quite a looker, too.”
Good to see you again,” Natalie said when she arrived at the little table in the back where Josh had sat down.
Josh stood up and wondered if he should shake her hand or just stand there. Somewhere he’d heard that you never shake the hand of a lady unless
Bert sat back in his chair and laughed his characteristic deep belly laugh. Josh had to laugh too, even though his experience working undercover at the Lazy Z feedlot was still a bit fresh.
“I’d suggest you start at the university in Madison. Talk to Bill Evans in the agribusiness studies department. Saw some research findings from that department about these big hog production operations.”
“I took a course from him when I was in college,” Josh said. “Wonder if he’ll remember me. I sure remember him. Could hardly stay awake during his lectures.”
“Try to stay awake this time, Josh.” Bert laughed again.
Josh returned to his office and began searching the Internet for everything he could find about Nathan West Industries before traveling to Madison and meeting with Evans. His phone rang, breaking his concentration.
“This is Josh Wittmore,” he said.
“Mr. Wittmore, this is Natalie Karlsen; we met in Ben Wesley’s office.”
“You’re the conservation warden.”
“Yes, I am. I was wondering if we could meet for coffee,” she said. “Ben suggested it; he said we might be able to help each other.”
“Sure,” Josh answered. He remembered that underneath the gun belt and badge he’d seen quite an attractive young woman. Besides that, she might be a contact to have and the source for some news stories. “Where and when?”
“How about tomorrow at ten, the Lone Pine Restaurant. You know where that is?”
“I grew up in this county; I know the Lone Pine. See you there.”
Five minutes before ten, Josh pulled open the door of the Lone Pine Restaurant. He had not been inside the place since he’d returned to Willow River; it hadn’t changed. A mounted deer head with glass eyes stared down on all who entered the place. A stuffed northern pike hung next to the deer head, and shotguns and deer rifles of various sizes and calibers graced another wall of the restaurant as they had when Josh last visited the place. An old-timers’ table at one end of the big noisy room had its usual half-dozen to sometimes ten retired farmers and merchants from the area, discussing everything from who was sleeping with somebody else’s wife to why the president of the United States wasn’t paying more attention to farmers. For Josh, it was like the place hadn’t changed at all since he left ten years ago. Mazy, Lone Pine waitress, greeted him as soon as he stepped inside.
“You look familiar,” Mazy said.
“Josh Wittmore.”
“Of course. You’ve grown up.”
“Haven’t been in here in a while. Quite a while.” Mazy had put on a few pounds and her hair had streaks of gray, but otherwise, like the rest of the place, she hadn’t changed.
“You back in town?”
“I am. Working for the Farm Country News .”
“You don’t say. That’s a good paper.”
“I’m having coffee with Natalie Karlsen,” Josh said.
“The game warden?” Mazy lifted an eyebrow.
“One and the same.”
“Find yourself a booth or a table, your choice. I’ll point her in your direction when she comes in.”
Promptly at ten, Natalie came through the door. Josh watched as Mazy motioned toward where he was sitting. Eyes turned when the warden walked across the crowded restaurant floor, as they did whenever a law enforcement officer entered the place. Some of the old timers couldn’t get used to the idea that the county’s conservation warden was a woman.
“I tell you, what are we gonna see next?” one old timer muttered. “Who ever heard of a game warden being a woman?”
“Well, there she is,” another fellow said. “Quite a looker, too.”
Good to see you again,” Natalie said when she arrived at the little table in the back where Josh had sat down.
Josh stood up and wondered if he should shake her hand or just stand there. Somewhere he’d heard that you never shake the hand of a lady unless
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