Chapter One

“You can’t be here.”

Bailey Everett turned in surprise as a deep voice broke into her tranquil hike. In the hour she had been walking, she had not seen or heard anyone or even a vehicle in the distance. Her breath caught as a figure emerged from the cluster of trees beside the trail. She saw nothing but the pistol strapped to their waist. The few feet between them seemed like inches as she tried to process the level of the threat in front of her. Her fear quickly gave way to irritation at being disturbed as she spied the Florida Fish and Wildlife patch on the sleeve of the tan shirt.

Bailey didn’t know anyone that enjoyed being surprised, especially in the wild where a sudden visitor, animal, or even human could mean danger. Her eyes traveled across the stitched law enforcement badge on the protective vest and up to the face of the interloper—and she was surprised once more. A woman with the stance of authority now stood blocking the path. She bit back a response that would match the officer’s rudeness.

“I have permi—”

“Now,” the officer demanded, interrupting Bailey’s explanation. “You need to leave this area. Now.” Her dark eyes seemed to challenge Bailey to object again.

The FWC, or Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was the guardian of the forest and exactly the state agency Bailey would expect to find in a wildlife management area on the coast of Florida. She would never enter a restricted area without permission or challenge a law enforcement officer’s authority, but this officer obviously didn’t know who she was. Reining in her anger at being startled was easy compared to ignoring the officer’s rudeness.

Bailey knew she had followed the proper procedures to be in this area and she only needed to explain without being interrupted. She stood her ground and stared back at the woman, realizing for the first time that she was not only a woman, but an extremely attractive woman—and in uniform. The fine lines at the corner of her eyes seemed to be lined up for a dance and Bailey wondered what would happen to them if the woman ever smiled.

Realizing there was no chance of that happening now or that she would be given the opportunity to speak, she unzipped her bag to produce her camera. Taking photographs was her reason for being here and normally all the authorization she needed. She did have written authorization to be in this location and in any other state park in Wakulla County as well, but showing the camera was quicker than digging in her bag for paperwork.

“No pictures,” the officer said, spreading her arms as if to block Bailey’s view of something.

“Captain Westmore said—”

“That’s great.” The woman’s voice faltered and Bailey thought she saw a flash of realization at the mention of the FWC commander. If she had remembered that Bailey had authorization to be here, it was clear it didn’t matter as soon as she spoke again. “You need to return to your vehicle.”

Bailey resented the way the officer had suddenly appeared, destroying her peaceful walk, interrupting her work, but most of all she resented her for scaring her. She had spent several days researching and mapping her path on the two hundred acres of forest that reached to the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. She had even gotten approval to have Chewie, her four-year-old goldendoodle, with her. Chewie’s scent never seemed to hinder Bailey’s ability to photograph wildlife, but more importantly, Bailey needed her company. Today she had hoped to find her first teaser shots for the website to promote her next photography book—Florida: Wildlife of the Northern Panhandle and Forgotten Coast.

“I was told it would be okay,” Bailey said, making one final push.

“Normally it is, but not today. You need to leave immediately.”

The woman’s tone had softened, but she still sounded like a broken record—jarring and repetitive. Her eyes flickered across the area behind Bailey. It wasn’t the first time Bailey had noticed the woman’s gaze moving rapidly. It was like she expected someone or something to appear from any direction. Her creepy behavior was starting to weird Bailey out. Plus, she was not interested in wasting time arguing. She was on a deadline, and if she could not get her pictures here, then there were plenty of other locations.

“Fine,” Bailey said, raising her palms in surrender. “I’ll return to my car.”

She patted her leg as she turned, and Chewie followed on her heels. She knew she had not done anything to justify the woman’s rude behavior. The stitched name tag on the woman’s chest identified her last name as Smith. Bailey made a mental note. If the opportunity arose to gain more information about Officer Smith, she would be interested to know if this was her usual attitude or if Bailey’s presence had brought out the less than the best in the officer. In the meantime, she would try not to take it personally.

Sadly, Officer Smith’s poor disposition had not detracted from her attractiveness. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showing a shaved section around the base of her head—a style Bailey wished she was bold enough to attempt. It was feminine and sexy, and that was the last thing Bailey wanted to admit. The flutter she felt in her stomach annoyed her too. She wanted to blame it on the sudden interruption of her tranquil stroll and not on the alluring good looks of the wildlife officer.

“Where’s your vehicle?”

Bailey jumped as the woman spoke directly behind her.

Really? She was following her.

Bailey gritted her teeth and spun to face her. “I’m parked at the west entrance.”

“That’s too far. We’ll go to my truck.”

Bailey felt her touch before she looked down and saw it. The pressure was gentle on her elbow, a contradiction to the woman’s gruffness.

“Do you have a leash for that dog?” the officer demanded as she began to guide Bailey in the opposite direction.

Bailey kept her mouth shut, quickly snapping the leash around her waist to Chewie’s collar. She knew Chewie would not stray from her side with a stranger so close, but there was no need to say that. Her words wouldn’t be heard even if she got them out.

She shook her arm free from the officer’s tightening grasp. She would go with her, but she would not be escorted like a criminal. In a different circumstance, she might have found this woman’s bold mannerisms intriguing, but today they did nothing but piss her off. If asked, Bailey would describe the officer as rude and pushy. And those were not traits Bailey found attractive.

And why is the west entrance too far? She had started out at a leisurely pace, enjoying the chittering and chattering of squirrels and birds hidden in the trees. If she had to guess, she could not have walked much more than a mile.

And too far from what? She considered asking, but the woman was walking quickly, forcing Bailey to make a few hurried steps to keep up with her.

“You have to stay with me,” Officer Smith said, taking Bailey’s elbow again.

Seriously? Bailey bit her tongue to keep from lashing back at her. She worked hard to keep a good relationship with the federal and state park service personnel. She did not need their cooperation, but it certainly made her job easier. Bailey had not been pushed around so much since she had moved out of her parents’ house twenty years ago. She shook her elbow free again and put a step between them.

A frown creased Officer Smith’s face and she stopped walking. “I was serious. You have to stay right beside me.”

“I’m close enough,” Bailey growled, unable to hold back her irritation.

“I can’t watch you. I have to feel your location so I can protect you.”

Protect me? What the hell is going on?

Bailey looked around. She did not see anything ready to attack them. Now that she looked, though, she could see the hair on Chewie’s back was stiff and her nose was in the air. She looked up at the officer. Her back was rigid too, and her eyes moved rapidly from side to side. Bailey suddenly had the feeling she wasn’t being included in this nonverbal conversation.

The officer released a deep breath and put an arm out, pushing Bailey behind her. “It’s too late. Walk slowly and keep a tight hold on your dog’s leash.”

Possible risks tumbled through Bailey’s mind in an image avalanche. Pictures of every scary man or monster she had read about or seen on a movie screen.

“What in the hell is out there?” Bailey asked in a squeak she wasn’t sure she recognized.

“We aren’t sure.”

An unknown monster! Her mind flashed to Keepers of the Cave, the one and only novel she hadn’t been able to read by her favorite author.

Bailey gasped and tried to cover it with a throat-clearing cough. She ignored the silencing look Officer Smith shot her and tried to swallow her fear. In a gulping grunt, she pushed out the words she was not sure she wanted an answer to. “Human or animal?”

Officer Smith shot her a surprised look before returning her focus to the forest around them. Her voice was softer when she finally spoke. “It’s an animal. Maybe a panther, but I won’t know for sure until I see it.”

Bailey stayed close beside her as they began walking again. The hint of a smile playing across the officer’s lips annoyed Bailey and pushed away her fear again. She could see how her question could be funny if they were not in the middle of a forest being stalked by—something. She hated to admit it, but she felt safer with Officer Smith beside her.

After a few more steps, Bailey allowed herself to be pulled to a stop. Officer Smith grasped the radio microphone clipped to her shoulder and calmly gave instructions into it.

“Joey, I need you to pick up a hiker about a half mile south of Gopher’s Fork.”

“Roger,” came the immediate response, a man’s voice echoing through the silent forest.

Bailey did not resist as the woman continually moved in circles, keeping Bailey shielded from the darkest parts of the forest. The silence was heavy. The birds and squirrels she had enjoyed listening to earlier had abandoned her and the quiet sent shivers down her spine. She found no comfort in cowering behind the officer’s wide shoulders and it was impossible to see over them. She turned, putting them back-to-back as they continued their bizarre dance.

Bailey studied the shadows on each side of the trail for any threat that might be coming at them. The forest floor was thick with underbrush and palm leaves. Fallen trees and limbs added frightening shapes to the darkest areas, making them appear even more menacing. Large oak and pine trees stretched high above them, blocking out the sun like giant beach umbrellas. She could feel Chewie pressed tight against her leg, and she longed for the comfort of running her fingers through the soft curls on her neck.

Chewie only stood about two feet tall and weighed less than twenty pounds, but her impact on Bailey’s life was immeasurable. Chewie reminded her to eat and to go for walks. She provided a much-needed balance to Bailey’s otherwise obsessive picture-taking lifestyle.

She wished she could wipe her sweaty palms on her pants, but she wasn’t going to let go of Chewie’s leash or her camera strap. She would have put the camera back in her bag, but she had not realized until this moment that she was still holding it. It would be too much movement to reach the pack on her back. Besides, having it nearby was a good idea in case something appeared.

Putting the camera lens between her and any threat was instinctual and probably what made her a great photographer. If she were not in the process of being removed from the area, she would find a seat at the base of a tree and wait. Getting a picture of a panther in the wild would elevate her career to another level. However, as much as she wanted the opportunity, she would not take any chances with Chewie’s safety.

Within a few minutes, she heard the hum of an engine and sucked in a relieved breath. A gray Ford F-150 with FWC stenciled on the front fender rumbled to a stop on the trail in front of them. Would they make Chewie ride in the back of the truck? She didn’t know. She only knew she was going to be sitting wherever her dog was.

Officer Smith pulled the passenger side door open and held it for Bailey.

“My dog, too?” Bailey asked, looking back and forth between the officers.

Officer Smith nodded. “That’s probably the safest.”

Bailey gave a tug on the leash and motioned for Chewie to jump in. Sliding in beside her, she looked back at Officer Smith. The relief on her face was evident. Realizing how worried the officer had been, she instantly regretted her irritation and wished it had not taken her so long to understand the threat and to cooperate.

“Thanks,” she said through the open window; she received only a nod from Officer Smith.

“I’ll be right back, TJ,” the man called as he eased the truck forward. He radioed their location and destination to the dispatcher before increasing the truck’s speed to a slow crawl.

“We’re leaving her alone?” Bailey asked as she watched the woman’s silhouette fade in the side mirror.

“Her choice,” he said with a shrug. “And she can handle it. I’m Joey, by the way.”

His fiery red hair was cut short, and he had a thin patch of stubble across the top of his lip. Even with the attempt of a mustache, she was sure he was not much older than twenty. His face still showed the eagerness of youth and the adventure of a challenging job.

“Thanks for the ride, Joey. I’m Bailey and this is Chewie.”

He patted Chewie’s head and gave Bailey and the camera on her lap a quick glance. “So, you’re the photographer we’ve been hearing about?”

At least some of the field officers were aware of her presence.

“I am.”

“That’s cool. Wish we could let you get some photos of the panther.”

“Yes, maybe in a different situation that would be great. Today might have been a little closer than I’m comfortable with.”

Joey smiled. “I understand. Once we catch it, though, maybe TJ can call you.”

“Yes, I would like that.” She could feel the instant heat on her face. She did want TJ Smith to call her. “I…I’d like to get a photo.” Yeah, a photo. That’s what she was thinking.