LITMIR.BIZ

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to sway with the horse’s every move, relaxed and comfortable. Broad shoulders, narrow hips. And armed.

      That kept grabbing her. She wondered if she was foolish to come out here without some kind of protection.

      He reached her at last, raising a finger to the brim of his hat. “Something wrong, ma’am?”

      “Maybe. This is forest land, right? Open to the public?”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      “Then why would some guy come tell me to go someplace else?”

      He glanced across the valley. “Big guy? Burly?”

      “That’s him.”

      “I know him.” The ranger shook his head. “I’ll take care of it. He won’t bother you again.”

      “What is he? Some kind of nut?”

      “I suppose you could argue that.” For the first time he smiled faintly. “Isolated places sometimes grow cranks. Are you getting ready to leave?”

      “Believe it. I don’t like being treated that way. Besides...” She hesitated. “He unnerved me a little. It’s very lonely out here.” Something she’d been enjoying only a short time ago.

      “It can be.” Rising a bit in his stirrups, he scanned the area. “How long ago did he bother you?”

      Sky tried to measure it. “It had to be at least fifteen minutes. I started packing up as soon as he left.”

      He looked at her things. “What do you do?”

      “I was trying to paint. I’m an artist.”

      “Taking pictures?”

      “Sometimes. To capture the light.”

      “Well, that might do it. All right, I’ll have some words with him. In the meantime...” He swung down from the saddle. “Let me help you carry your things and make sure you get safely back to your car or your campsite.”

      Before she could do more than thank him, he’d swung the strap of her heavy camera bag over the pommel of his saddle and picked up her backpack, holding it with one hand and his reins in the other. “Which way?” he asked.

      She pointed to where she’d left her car, grabbed the box containing her supplies and canvas, and together they started walking. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry, sticking to a leisurely pace.

      Sky, for her part, was starting to bubble over with questions. She just didn’t know if she should ask him. But finally one burst from her.

      “Are you some kind of cop?”

      He glanced at her, just before they entered the shadow of the trees, and at last she caught a glint of dark gray eyes. “Some kind. I’m in law enforcement for the service, but I’m also a biologist. So I wear a few hats. I keep an eye on the wildlife while patrolling for violators, I do search and rescue, firefighting.” He gave a laugh. “Short staffing makes everyone a jack-of-all-trades, I guess. Anyway, I guess you could say my main job is protecting visitors and employees. Whatever’s most needed on any day.” He paused. “I’m Craig Stone, by the way.”

      “Skylar Jamison. Sky for short.”

      “Nice to meet you, Ms. Jamison.”

      “I was certainly glad to see you. That man made me really nervous, and I don’t get unnerved easily. What is he? Some kind of hermit who thinks he owns the woods?”

      “It’s a little more complicated than that. Are you aware that when we turn land into national forest or parkland we don’t throw out people who are already living there?”

      “I hadn’t thought about it.”

      “Well, we don’t evict people. They get to stay the way they always have if they want to, or we buy them out. The guy you met owns a spread inside the forest here.”

      “Is that what I saw across the valley?”

      “Part of it. He owns a fair piece.”

      “Does he make a point of bothering people?”

      “Not usually. He’s got his property posted and doesn’t like trespassers, but...” He paused. “Something’s going on over there lately. I usually mind my own business when it comes to his property, but maybe it’s time to have a few friendly words. I’m certainly going to make sure he doesn’t drive people off public land, or scare them. Maybe I can even find out why he was bothered by you at all.”

      “He called me a spy.”

      Craig turned his head and looked straight at her. “Really?”

      “His word, not mine.”

      He fell silent as they continued to walk. The sound of the horse’s hooves were almost entirely muted by the deep pine needles under the trees, then would become louder again as they scuffed through leaves. “How often have you been out there?”

      “This was the third day.”

      “Do you use that camera a lot?”

      “Like I said, to capture the light as much as anything. It’s changing constantly, and sometimes there’s something about it I really want to catch for later.”

      “I wonder if the camera got to him. Well, I’ll find out. Either way, if you want to come back to this spot, you can. I’ll make sure of it.”

      “You may have a lot of guns, but they won’t be around when I’m out there alone.”

      That elicited a laugh from him. “True, but I don’t think Buddy runs to violence. A little nutty maybe, but I never heard of him hurting anybody. But if you like, I know some other vantages as good as that one I can show you. Well away from Buddy.”

      “I may take you up on that.” Although the idea of ceding ground to a crank annoyed her no end. She knew perfectly well that she could deal with that guy. He hadn’t even been armed that she could see. She just didn’t want the conflict. This was supposed to be a break.

      “Feel free. Just leave a message for me with Lucy at the station. She’ll radio me.”

      “Thanks. So you’re a biologist, too?”

      “Focused on wildlife mostly.”

      “What kind?”

      “If it walks, crawls or flies, I’m probably on it. Our mission is to protect everything in these forests for future generations. It’s not always easy. We humans seem to have some problems getting along with nature.”

      “No kidding! So I bet you know the names of all the wildflowers?”

      “Sure. You want to know what they are?”

      “Actually no,” she admitted. “I see them a different way, categorize them by colors and shapes. Names might change what I see.”

      “An artist’s eye?”

      “Maybe so.”

      “Then why did you ask?”

      She gave him a sidelong glance. “Because you’re the first person I’ve ever met who might actually know the official names of everything in the woods.”

      He flashed another truly attractive smile as they reached the service road and her battered sedan came into view. He helped her load her car, then closed her door after she climbed in. She rolled down the window and started the engine.

      “Drive slow. We’ve got some logging trucks driving a little crazy up here.”

      She looked up at him, drinking in again his good looks. “I didn’t see any.”

      “We’re doing some thinning to prevent disease and clearing some deadfalls. If you stay around awhile, you’ll see them. Drive safe.” He gave the top of her car a friendly rap, then stepped

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