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"Cats use their claws to hold victims steady. Think of a domestic cat with a mouse. "
"They play with them," I murmured from my position near the door. Oprah did it all the time. Drove me crazy.
"Exactly," Doc Bill agreed. "Which means a victim would not only have his throat torn but also exhibit scratches, serious ones if we're talking cougar and the like. "
I glanced at Grace, suddenly understanding where she was headed with this line of questioning. Malachi's cougar, or even his grizzly, might have been used to kill Josh; then Malachi could have dumped the body in the ravine.
"And bears?" Grace pressed.
"Will swipe at their prey. "
"I can see why you don't think this is a bear or cat kill, but what leaves the impression that it's canine?"
"The modus operandi of canines is to knock their victims to the ground and rip out their throats. "
Lovely.
"I'm certain when I examine the body I'll find fur consistent with my theory. Has there been any hint of rabies in the area?"
Grace glanced quickly at me, then back at Doc. "Why would you think that?"
"Cats have been known to attack humans. Remember that situation in California where the cougar grabbed a woman right off her bike?" We nodded. "And it wasn't long ago that a mother was killed protecting her child from a bear at Yellowstone. Those animals weren't sick. We don't know what set them off. But canines don't commonly attack unless rabid. "
"You have a strong feeling one way or another about what type of canine we're dealing with here?" Grace asked.
Doc Bill chewed on his lip as he stared at the corpse. "I'd be inclined to say 'wolf,' except there hasn't been one in these mountains since before I was born. "
"That may have changed," Grace said. "We had a tourist attacked by what he swears was a wolf. "
"Really?" Though the older man's body stayed in the same relaxed position, I got the impression he was suddenly very interested. "I'd like to take a look at this tourist. "
Grace winced. Doc noticed. "He died?"
"Not exactly. "
"What exactly?"
"He - uh - got up and left the hospital in the middle of the night, and he hasn't been seen since. "
I expected a shocked reaction from Doc. Instead he continued to gnaw on his lip and stare at dead Josh.
"What about his wounds?"
"Sir?" Grace asked.
"Had they healed?"
Grace and I exchanged glances again.
"It appeared that way on the security tape," Grace said, "but they're notoriously fuzzy. "
"Damn," Doc murmured.
"You seem to know something about. . . " Grace spread her hands. "Whatever this is. "
"I haven't seen anything like it since I was in Germany. "
"When were you in Germany?" I asked.
