Paradise turned her head toward him, and her eyes went wide. Blake held up his hands as he neared. “Stay relaxed with no sudden moves. Clark, get in your truck and try to herd the rhino toward the enclosure. He’s unusually agitated, so move slowly. Paradise, you stay with Mason.”
Mason glanced over. “Let me help, Blake. Dozer likes me. I take him snacks and scratch his backside every day.”
“I can’t let you put yourself in harm’s way. If you stay with Paradise, it might protect her.” The boy would probably see through Blake’s ploy to keep him safe, but Blake didn’t wait to argue.
Dozer circled again and charged at a tree. Rhinos had very poor eyesight, and being in the open field had disoriented the big fellow.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the first few drops of cold rain fell. Clark backed toward his truck and got in. The vehicle rolled slowly toward the rhino, and Blake waved his arms to distract Dozer. “Hey, big guy. Want a back rub?” The massive animal snorted again before starting to trot toward Blake. There was no charging, so he must have recognized Blake’s friendly voice.
Evan arrived in one of the big safari trucks and parked along the path toward the rhino enclosure to direct Dozer the right way. Blake texted him to stay in the vehicle.
Blake’s pulse rose as he neared the animal. “Hey, Dozer. I’ll bet you’re ready for dinner. Want to come with me?” He reached out and rubbed the animal’s shoulder. “Let’s go home.” He slipped the rope around the animal’s massive neck, and Dozer let him lead him toward the gate.
This could have ended badly. Blake breathed a sigh of relief when he got Dozer inside the enclosure safe and sound.
Blake exited the medical building with Paradise and stood listening. Night had cloaked the park with shadows that grudgingly moved away from the security lights. In the dark the sounds of the animals had always made him feel one with thepark residents: The screeches of the monkeys, the high-pitched yips of the fennec foxes, the shuffling splashes of the rhino and water buffalo in the pond, and the chirping of the otters all combined to give the park a sense of harmony.
But those soothing, homey sounds tonight were a reminder that everything was not as it seemed. His sense of peace was gone, and he wasn’t sure how to regain it.
Paradise took his hand. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know how to fight this, babe. Every time I think we’re over the sabotage, something else goes wrong. Even though Dozer got out on his own, the park evacuation is sure to cause chatter in the community. There’s no way to get our feet under us again with these constant problems. And the snake and USB drive left in your car worry me even more.”
Everything depended on him, and right now the burden seemed more than he could carry. Yet he had to shoulder it and move on. Somehow. This place was home for all of them, and he loved the animals in their charge. So did Mom and the boys. He didn’t see them ever being truly happy if the park failed. And who was trying to frighten Paradise?
She stepped close and slipped her arms around his waist to lean against his chest. Her fragrance blended with the scent of newly mown grass in the field to their left. Her wordless comfort soothed him more than anything else could right now. They were together and she’d forgiven him, which was more than he’d ever hoped for. Dreams did come true, and God still performed miracles. That’s what he was asking for now—another miracle.
She lifted her head. “Hey, I just thought about Mason and his drones. I think he takes pictures with them. What if he happened to pick up whoever left the stuff in my car? We should ask to look at his footage.”
“That’s a great idea.” He kissed her. “He and his dad live in a trailer on the next road over. You game to go see him with me?”
“I left food out for the kittens, so they’re fine. And my growling stomach will be fine as long as you feed me when we’re done.”
“We can run into town and get po’boys.”
“Deal.”
He relished the passion and tenderness in the kiss she gave him before stepping away. “We can go together in my truck, then stop by to grab your car on the way to town.” He opened the truck door for her and she slid in.
It was a short drive to Mason and his father’s trailer. It was a fifth wheel that had the truck end resting on cinder blocks, but the area around it was neat and clean. The shrubs were kept trimmed, and the wind fluttered the curtains in the windows, which were open to the night air. When they got out and approached the home, he heard someone playing a banjo. The sound floated out the screens. Was Mason or his father the musician?
“I’ve only met his dad once,” Blake said in a low voice. “He came with Mason to ask if the boy could volunteer. Nice guy. He’s a mechanic at the Chrysler dealership in town. His wife died in the accident that left Mason in the chair. He’s staying here to save money to pay off a nice piece of land down near Pelican Harbor. The accident was his wife’s fault—she’d been drinking.”
“How terribly sad.” Paradise squeezed his fingers as they went up the handicap ramp to the door. “He’s clearly taking good care of Mason.” She pressed the doorbell and the music stopped.
“Coming!” Mason called. “Dad, we’ve got visitors.” The boy’s voice was high with excitement.
Maybe they didn’t get many visitors out here. The door opened and Blake smiled at Randy Taylor, an older version of his handsome, dark-haired son. Mason hadn’t grown into the muscular,broad shoulders his dad possessed, but Blake saw the beginnings of the same physique in the boy.
Uncertainty flickered across Randy’s face. “Blake, come in. Is everything okay? Mason told me about Dozer’s escape.”
Blake let Paradise slip through the door first before following her into a small but pristine living room that smelled of fresh popcorn. A banjo leaned against the navy sofa. “Dozer is safe and sound back in his habitat. Your son was so brave—he offered to go rub the rhino’s back and soothe him. I appreciated the offer, but I couldn’t let him do it.” He smiled at Mason. “But there’s something else I hope Mason can help us with.”
“Me?” Mason gave a little bounce in his chair. “What can I do?”
“Paradise thought about how you love flying your drones. Do you fly over the park a lot?”
“Like all the time. The animals are different when I watch from the air. They’re never scared, and I can see them loving life as they roam around.”
