Page 108 of Coordinates of Death

How did he recognize the odd cry without seeing the animal?

A deep guttural hiss filled the air seconds before a lynx skulked out from behind the bush, followed by three kittens. The mother hunched her back, her fur bristling at the sight of them.

No wonder the lynx had hissed. She was reminding them they had invaded her territory and her young’s lives were at stake.

Aurora swallowed. Hard. She hated cats. Was even scared of them ever since one had bitten her at age seven.

And now she faced an even scarier cat.

Kord, what do we do? Her silent question screamed in her head. She’d never encountered a cat in the wilderness, let alone a protective mother. Deadly combination.

Kordell raised his hands. “Rory, do not run. I’m backing up to you.”

“Okay.”

He stepped backward until they were side by side. “Keep your eyes focused on them and slowly back away.”

“Have I ever told you I hate cats?”

“Hence, the pet parrot. I’m going to talk to her. Do what I do.” He took another step backward. “Hey, mother lynx. We’re not going to hurt you.”

The cat hissed.

“Or your babies. They’re cute, by the way.”

The lynx’s intense eyes glared as the snow fell on the tips of her tufted ears. But she remained grounded.

“Okay, make noise as you walk backward. We need her to see we’re retreating.”

Together, they flailed their arms in the air, shouting at the lynx as they backed farther away. Finally, the mother’s gaze fell to her kits, and she meowed sharply, obviously directing them. She darted off toward the trees, her offspring following.

Aurora let out an elongated breath. “That was close. I’m glad Mr. Survivalist helped me. I totally froze.”

“Lynxes don’t normally attack humans, but with her kittens nearby, she wasn’t taking any chances.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I didn’t realize you were scared of cats. You should meet Oaklynn’s five Bengals. They’re adorable.”

“Five? Yikes. No, thank you.” She motioned forward. “Let’s keep going before Mama Lynx comes back. Something tells me she won’t be as nice next time if she finds us humans still near her lair.”

The storm intensified, hammering the region as Kordell and Aurora emerged into a clearing forty-five minutes later.

Aurora turned to Kordell. “We’re—”

His sat phone rang, and he dug it out of his pack. “Greene here. Just a sec, Mic. I’ll put you on Speaker.” He hit the button. “Go ahead.”

“I’ve done a deep dive into the Sweetwood Falls Institute. It’s not good. Apparently, the doctors and nurses were conducting unethical practices to treat their patients. A family found out and went to the media, seeking help to shut it down. A week later, the government complied. It’s been abandoned ever since.”

Aurora’s creep meter increased. “Yikes. That’s something you’d see in the movies. Why hadn’t I heard this before? How long ago did this happen?”

“Twenty-five years.”

“No wonder. I still lived in Ontario then.”

“Anything else, Mic?” Kordell asked.

“Only that I’ve been reading the accounts after the news broke. Sad they were treated so inhumanely. Are you there yet?”

“Just arrived.” Kordell pointed. “I can see the top of the building in the distance.”

“Stay safe. SBK picked this location for a reason.”