Tean checked the clock.It was barely eight, which meant technically, Ed should be in the building.He went in search of his boss.
The door to Ed’s office was open.Tean rapped and stepped inside.Ed was in the process of removing his jacket.He twisted at the waist, gave Tean one of his cheery smiles, and said, “Hey, you shouldn’t be in here—not after the day you just had.”
“This is my job,” Tean said.“Where else would I be?”
“At home,” Ed said as he hung the jacket on the back of his chair.“Or out enjoying another beautiful day.Have you seen Timp lately?Now’s the time to get up there, while the color is still good.I might have to play hooky myself—hey-o, don’t tell anybody I said that.”
“Ed, I’m not changing my report.”
Ed blinked, as though the change of subject had caught him by surprise—which, to be fair, it may have.“Oh.Well, all right.I wanted to talk to you about that.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.I investigated the alleged depredation.Evidence at the scene, including observations of the carcass, gave no sign of wolf depredation.That bogus necropsy confirmed it.I’m a professional, and I expect to be treated as a professional.When I write a report giving my professional judgment, there’s no need to have a conversation about it.”
Throughout the speech, Ed nodded along.Then he said, “Why don’t you shut my door?”
“As I said, there’s no need.I apologize if I gave you the impression that this was somehow an issue that was subject to debate or interpretation or—” Tean tried to think of a word that wasn’t quite as blunt asbriberyand settled for “—diverse opinions.If you’d like me to communicate this in writing, I will, but I expect my report to be passed along to Fish and Wildlife so that the investigation can be closed.”
“Well, see, Dr.Leon, it’s a little more complicated than that—”
“It’s really not.Excuse me, Ed.I have a lot of work to catch up on.”
Back in his office, Tean sat and pressed his hands against his thighs until they stopped trembling.When he felt better—no, not better, but at least functional—he turned his attention back to the computer.There had been a report of an outbreak of Chronic Wasting Disease—
The tap at his door made Tean tense.Then he called, “Yes?”
Instead of Ed, though, Karli stepped inside.The new—relatively new—executive director at the Division of Wildlife Resources was a petite woman: White, fifties, with blond hair the exact color of a Golden Retriever.Today, she wore a lacy top with a polka-dot skirt and calf-high cowboy boots, and in general, her clothing choices made it hard to tell if she was playing the part of someone from Dolly’s Christmas Stampede or that show Jem watched about those people in Wyoming.
“Good morning, Dr.Leon.Do you have a minute?”
“Actually, I’m—”
“This won’t take long,” she said and closed the door.Her boots clicked against the linoleum, and then she perched on the edge of a chair.“I am so,sosorry to hear about what you went through yesterday.How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.”
“And your partner?”She said the word like she thought it was cute.
“Jem’s fine too.Can I help you with something, Karli?”
“I’m so glad you’re both all right.My whole family was praying for you last night; I want you to know that.”
And at that point, she reached across the desk and laid her hand on top of his.
Tean tried to count to five before pulling away.He made it to three.To cover the movement, he said, “Thank you.I’m sorry, Karli, but I’ve got a lot of work to catch up on—”
“Don’t worry about that,” she said, waving a hand at the computer.“We’re going to take care of that.We’ll get it all sorted out.”
Something tightened in Tean’s chest.“What do you mean?”
“Dr.Leon—” A winsome smile that would have made the Dixie stampede proud.“Tean, I had no idea you’d been under so much pressure.It explains so much.I wish you would have said something, sweetheart.”
This time, a full second passed, and then another, as Tean tried to work out her meaning.“If you’re referring to the depredation investigation—”
Karli shushed him and waved the words away.You could wave anything away, it seemed, if you were Karli Walker.“Don’t worry about that, honey.We’ll handle all of that.”
A high-pitched noise started at the edge of Tean’s hearing.He wanted a sip of tea, but he didn’t trust himself not to spill.“What do you mean?”he asked again.
“Dr.Leon, you are a valued member of this organization.You’re a hard worker, and I love hard workers.You’re an expert in your field, respected by your colleagues.You are what makes the Utah DWR so great.”