Authors: RM Alexander
Chapter Six
Cami sat at the weathered desk, stretched her neck and sipped from the bottled water. A lot of work had been completed in a short week, much more to go. Lists of suppliers for fresh meat and nutritional supplements strewn across the handwriting engraved into the old oak, along with resumes for guards and volunteers. The vet, Jessica, and an assistant, Alyssa, were both confirmed to arrive in three weeks. At least one item off the to-do list. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. Classes in people management and animal care were much different than real life.
She nudged the mouse with a small finger, the screen in front of her illuminating the inbox. One new message, from a sender she didn’t recognize. With head tilted to the side, Cami clicked email open, read with widening eyes.
Brows furrowed, she reread the strange words.
“
We’ll burn it to the ground
.”
She stood, paced in a wide circle and returned to the desk, reading the words once more without sitting down. Didn’t make sense. Chewing on a thumbnail, she considered for a moment, then clicked the delete button. Junk mail. Trying to scare her out of opening the sanctuary. Probably some animal activist who didn’t understand what she was trying to do. Going to do. No one was going to scare her off.
Hands on hips, Cami stared at the black screen, mind reeling. Resistance was expected, but she thought the town meeting had been enough to put an end to it. Something like this, an open threat, seemed extreme.
“Well, nice try. I don’t scare off easily, and you’re not going to stop me from doing what I’m meant to do.” With a huff, she turned and strode out of the office, doorbell ringing on cue as she closed the office door.
She let Liz in and plopped into the couch, legs curled beneath her, shoulders slumped.
“What’s wrong?” Liz asked as she eased into the armchair.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“With you? I’d believe about anything.”
Cami let out a short giggle, smile quickly fading. “Got a threatening email. Can you believe that one?”
Liz eased forward, elbows resting on her knees. “Threatening how?”
“Stupid really. But overt enough. Said they would burn it down.”
Liz’s eyes grew wide. “The sanctuary?” Cami nodded. “What’d you do with it?”
“Deleted it.” She waved a hand in the air, more dismissive than she felt. “They can’t spook me.” Repeating the words might help. Her stomach felt less convinced.
“Wait, you deleted it? Cami, you got to save that. Report it, or at least, file it.”
She shrugged, plucking at dog hair matted against the slipcover. Sadie had chewed bits of the couch as puppy. Instead of wasting money on new furniture, Cami thought the burgundy slip cover concealed the damage well. “Why? No one’s going to actually do anything. They don’t want me to build the sanctuary, and think they can stop me this way since the town hall meeting didn’t work. They’re wrong.”
Liz rubbed the back of her neck, shoulder length hair swallowing short fingers. “Yeah, maybe, but you can’t ever be too sure about anything. Did you clear the recycle bin?”
She shook her head. “No, but …”
“Then retrieve it and file it somewhere. Just be safe.”
Cami piled fur on the coffee table.
Time to wash the slipcover again
. “You’re overreacting.”
“Probably. That’s what BFF’s do.”
She smiled. “I guess.”
“So what else is going on? What about that Paul guy? Alex seeing green yet?”
She scrunched her face. “Green? Alex? Liz, when are you, and everyone else, going to come out of this fantasy that Alex and I have some secret lust for one another?” Lust? She’d meant to say ‘love’. Cami rolled her eyes.
“When you and he both admit you’ve been crazy about each other since grade school. So?”
“So what?”
“You haven’t answered my question.”
She shook her head. “Because there’s nothing to answer.”
Liz narrowed her eyes, and Cami’s skin crawled under the scrutiny. “Liar. You are totally lying to me. Spill.”
“There is really nothing to tell. I went out to dinner with him Tuesday night, explained the vision, then brought him back here for a horseback tour.”
Liz’s eyebrows raised, grin lighting her round face. “A horseback tour of fences? Sounds like something is going on to me.”
Cami opened her mouth, the words silenced as Liz continued. “Don’t deny. Why would you? Paul’s kinda hot anyway.”
“You know you sound like we’re still in high school.”
“Growing up is overrated. So what’s he like?”
She shrugged. “He’s nice, I guess. I don’t know. I don’t trust him, so that’s another one of your fantasies you can put to rest. Besides, isn’t your love life exciting enough? What’s up with you and Bret?”
“Always wonderful. I think he’s going to pop the question soon,” she said as she wiggled the ring finger, giggling.
Cami grinned. “You mean
the
question? See, you have enough to focus on without worrying about me. You are going to say yes, right?”
Liz smiled. “Of course I am. No one’s better for me than Bret. I’m kinda annoying.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Liz ignored her. “And he puts up with me. Plus he’s like movie star gorgeous and successful and makes all the other girls jealous.”
“High schooler.”
“I’m never gonna grow up …”
The women giggled. “I just want to see you happy, Cami. Tigers are all fine and great, but you need something to come home to at night.”
She shrugged. “Yes, I know that. I want it. Someday. But I have to find the right person, and that’s not easy when there’s so much already on my plate.”
“And when you’re blind.”
An exasperated sigh rushed from her lips. “Who are we talking about now? No, wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
Liz laughed. “You don’t want to hear because you already know.” She traipsed into the kitchen, voice carrying through the space between them as Cami heard the refrigerator door open and close. She returned, teeth snapping into an apple. “How’s the rest of the plans coming for the sanctuary? Found any of the big striped kitties yet?”
“Three. Maybe four. If Alex and the other guys can finish a few of the enclosures by the end of the week, we’ll have some new arrivals. Finding the tigers isn’t the problem. It’s everything I still need to do.”
Liz took another bite, talking as she chewed. “When do you want me to take over the admin?”
Cami sighed heavily. “Not sure. Need to go over the books, make sure every penny is accounted for before I start handing out salaries. But, hopefully, soon. I’m sitting down with an accountant day after tomorrow.”
“I’m ready when you are. Ready to drop the dead end job for one a little more interesting.” She took a final bite of apple, leaned against the doorframe and dunked the apple core into the kitchen trash can.
“And equally dead end. You know you’ll never get rich with me, right?”
Liz snorted. “Who needs money? I’m going to be working with my closest friend and a bunch of wild critters. All the while watching the soap opera between you and Alex and Paul.” She clapped her hands. “Perfect, perfect, and more perfect. Or at the very least, entertaining.”
Cami picked up a throw pillow and tossed it at her friend, which Liz promptly dodged. Laughter and Liz gathered her purse. “I guess I better get going. Back to the grind in a few hours.”
She nodded. “Have a good day.”
“You too. Retrieve that email and keep it for prosperity’s sake, and give Alex some more grief. Maybe he’ll break down and admit how he feels. We all know you won’t.”
Liz dodged out of the door as another pillow sailed in her direction, giggles heard across the front yard to her car.
Cami shook her head and returned to the computer to pull the email from the recycle bin. No one had handle on her love life. How could they when she didn’t?
Nothing wrong with that. Why should I?
Chapter Seven
Cami strode to the fence, admiring the work Alex and the crew completed so far. The first enclosure nearly built, the second half way there, the men hard at work. Cocking her head and leaning back, she spied loads of lumber piled not far from where they worked, and guessed supplies for at least the first tower had arrived.
Beginning to feel pretty real now.
A wide smile spread across her face.
“Hey there, beautiful! Enjoying the view?”
“Hi, Alex.” She turned and stared as Alex strode to her side, unable to shift her gaze away. Biting the lower lip, she closed her eyes and angled to look across the yard. “It’s looking great. You’re working the men like dogs, huh?”
Lips tightened over his teeth. “Naw. They’re doing fine. Just making good time is all.” He squared his head to look at her. “What’s this about a threatening email?”
She groaned. “Liz must have told you. Sometimes I have to question her loyalty.”
Alex muffled a laugh. “No, you don’t. What email? How many?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s nothing. One email from probably some animal right’s activist that needs to school themselves on the finer points of legitimate animal sanctuaries. Nothing to be alarmed about.”
“Don’t dismiss them so easily.” Alex reached for Cami’s hand, fingers loosely wrapping around her palm. “What you’re doing is controversial, especially to those who don’t understand.”
She slowly pulled the hand away. “You sound like Liz.”
“Only because she’s right. Just be careful, okay? And keep me posted.”
“Are you my security guard now?”
He shrugged and smiled. “That’s nothing new. I’ve been your security guard since we were children. Why stop now?” He paused, resting his elbows against the fence, staring across the ranch. “Any idea who the email is from? Any thoughts?”
She shook her head. “None. Don’t think it’s worth concentrating on. Really.”
“What about that Paul guy? He came here yesterday, rode across the ranch, got a feel for things.”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.” Cami shrugged. “Maybe. But he’d come with another petition, I think. Not be sneaky like that.”
Alex raised the Stetson, rubbed a hand over short jet hair, and replaced the hat. “I’m not so sure. Just be careful, okay?”
“I don’t know why everyone is so worked up over the tigers anyway. It’s humans we all have to be afraid of, isn’t it?” She chuckled. “We’re the unreasonable ones. An email like this just proves it, I think. Well, if I can handle the cats, I certainly can handle the humans.”
Crossing his arms, Alex narrowed his eyes. “Well, I hope so.” Nodding upwards, he said, “Just don’t get cocky.”
“Me?” She laughed. “I’ll keep an eye open, I promise.”
“Guess that’s all I can hope for.”
Her phone rang and she reached to a back pocket. Alex nodded. “Catch you later Cam.”
She nodded, finger sliding across the touchscreen to answer the call.
“Is this Cami?”
She paused, unable to place the voice. “Yes.”
“It’s Paul Schotter. Wondering if you’d like to join me for another dinner?”
Brows furrowed as she watched Alex’s retreating figure, his words dancing across her mind. “Why? There’s nothing else I can tell you about the ranch.”
The line was silent for a moment. “Yes, no, I guess not. That’s not the reason I’m asking.”
“Then I’m confused.”
Another pause. “I enjoy your company. Would maybe like to get to know you a little better. Maybe over pizza.”
“Well, I don’t know …”
“Or something a little nicer, if you would like. Steak and potatoes, all you can eat crab legs. Whatever you would like to do.”
Jaw tightened, her mind raced. Cami ran her tongue over parched lips. “A date?”
Another round of silence. “Yes, I suppose you could call it that.”
She thought quickly. A date with the man who wanted to shut her down, a little odd. Liz’s voice carried through her thoughts, along with her parents’ voices, alleging romantic feelings between Alex and her.
A date is perfect
. “Ok.”
“Yes? Great. What can I treat you to?”
“Pizza would be fine.”
“Great,” he repeated. “Tomorrow night at six then?”
“Okay.”
“See you then.”
A thumb slid to blacken the screen, and Cami tucked the phone in a back pocket, then leaned against the fence. She could handle Paul Schotter. And silencing everyone else’s conjectures was well worth consorting with the enemy for a couple hours.