"Who is the new owner?"
"Kevin Kerney. He inherited the property from Erma Pergurson."
The name registered with Nestor.
"Does he walk with a limp?"
"Yes, he does."
"And you are sure he is the owner?"
"I doubt that Mr. Kerney would lie to me," Ruth replied.
"He is the deputy chief of the state police.
Would you mind telling me who you are?"
"I hold the lease on this property," Nestor said, concealing his surprise about Kerney and his profession.
Why had the man not told him who he was?
"Then you must be Nestor Barela," Ruth said.
"I am."
"You can't deny us entry," Ruth noted.
"Why are you here?"
"Fieldwork, Mr. Barela. There is a very rare plant on this land, and it must be protected."
"What kind of plant?" Nestor asked.
"A cactus," Ruth said. She described it in detail.
"I have seen it."
Ruth's eyes widened in expectation.
"You must show us where."
"I have no time to hunt for plants," Nestor said.
"Where did you find this cactus?"
"At the wood poaching site," Ruth answered, "on the west side of the mesa."
"How much timber was taken?"
Ruth shook her head sadly.
"Par too much."
"I will go with you," Nestor said.
"I wish to see what has been done."
Ruth smiled.
"We'll follow you."
It was midmorning when Susie Hayes took Sara's call in her Tucson office. After listening to Sara, Susie decided to take the rest of the day off and spend it with her friend. She had never heard Sara sound so pensive.
She asked where Sara was calling from, gave her directions to her townhouse, and beat her home by twenty minutes. When the doorbell rang she opened it to find Sara smiling apologetically.
Susie gave her a hug and pulled her inside.
"You look wiped out, girl. Did you drive straight through?"
Sara nodded.
"Thanks for putting up with me."
She laughed and took Sara into the living room.
"I owe you a bushel full of favors. I wouldn't have made it through the academy if it hadn't been for you always telling me to finish what I started."
"Maybe I didn't do you a favor."
Situated in the foothills, Susie's townhouse had excel 5 lent views of the mountains to the east and the city below. She got Sara settled on the couch that faced a large picture window and sat next to her.
"Yes, you did. Colonel."
Sara looked surprised.
"You heard about that?"
"I may have left active duty, but I'm still tied into the grapevine.
You did a hell of a job on the DMZ. Congratulations."
"Thanks."
"Now, tell me about this cop you're in love with."
" I never said anything about being in love."