Matthews repeated the greeting and tipped his wide-brimmed hat. “Sorry he got onto your place and scared your daughter, ma’am. He’s an escape artist. I was scared to death I’d find him in the road dead.”
“He’s a very nice wolf,” Katy said. “My daughter was fascinated with him when Parker put him in the truck and drove him home. She said she’d love to meet him sometime.”
The sergeant beamed. “I’d be delighted. Any time at all. I’m a rehabilitator for the fish and wildlife folks. I specialize in mammals, like wolves and coyotes, pumas, raccoons, and so forth.”
“I imagine you stay busy,” Katy said.
“Very busy.” He sighed. “Too many people shoot animals without caring if they’re just wounded. We get a lot of city hunters up here who aren’t too careful about what they put a bullet in.”
“True story,” Parker agreed. “A hunter from Las Vegas came up here with a brand-new gun and shot what he thought was a white deer. It was Old Man Harlowe’s prize goat. Talk about a lawsuit!”
“It wasn’t just the money, either. He loved that old goat. Said the property was posted and everything and that idiot jumped a fence onto his property and just killed his goat. They caught him with it on the Benton highway. Said he was properly shocked when they told him what he shot.”
“I hope they lock him up,” Katy muttered. “I have no quarrel with responsible hunters, but I draw the line at idiots.”
“So do I,” Parker agreed.
The sarge looked from one to the other of them with twinkling eyes. “Well, I guess I’ll go ask Lucy Mallory for a few toffees to satisfy my sweet tooth. She’s got the cloth shop over there.” He nodded toward the other side of the square. “I never miss Halloween in town,” he added on a chuckle. “See you.”
They waved.
“He’s nice,” Katy said. “What happened to his arm?”
“Blown off when we were in Iraq,” he returned bluntly and then winced. “Sorry. He took a direct hit from a mortar. We didn’t think he’d make it, but we had one hell of a battlefield surgeon. Saved his life. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever known.” He didn’t add that he’d saved Matthews by running through a hail of bullets to recover him and been wounded in the process. Or that Matthews had saved his life by taking out an insurgent who had Parker in his sights. That was while Matthews was still recovering in the field hospital, too, before they shipped him home. A group of insurgents had actually attacked the field hospital.
“I would love to see the wolf again, now that I know he’s not dangerous,” Katy said.
“I’ll take you and Teddie over there one day. Saturday maybe if it isn’t snowing.”
“Snowing?!”
“It’s in the forecast, I’m afraid,” he said on a sigh. “The nighthawks will be cursing.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“It’s not something we mind, keeping watch over the cattle,” Parker added. “I even pitch in when I’m not working with the horses. It’s just the difficulty of getting equipment where it’s needed if we have an emergency. . . .”
“Well, well,” came an amused voice from nearby. It was the owner of the Gray Dove restaurant in town, a coincidence if there ever was one, because nobody knew it was Parker’s late mother’s name. “Fancy seeing you two in town.”
Katy flushed, but Parker just laughed. “How are you, Mary?” he asked. “Katy Blake, this is Mary Dodd. She owns the restaurant in town.”
“I’m very happy to meet you,” Katy said. “You have wonderful food. Teddie and I ate there one afternoon just last week!”
“Thanks,” Mary replied with a warm smile. “Parker, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you trick-or-treating.”
“I brought Katy and Teddie.”
“Teddie?”
Parker nodded toward the little girl dressed up as Rey inStar Warsregalia.
“Why, isn’t she adorable?” Mary enthused.
“Thanks,” Katy said proudly. “She begged for the costume for two weeks, so I gave in. I have to admit, it does look pretty good on her, even if she is my daughter.”
“ThatStar Warsstuff sells like mad at the costume shops,” Mary agreed. “I used to go as Princess Leia. But that was years ago. Parker, did you ever dress up for Halloween?”
He shook his head. “We didn’t celebrate it in my family,” he said, and he was withdrawn suddenly.