Part 20 (1/2)

Joe said to Cutler, ”You said Hoening and the others sometimescame along with you when you did your work. Did they ever come here?”

”Sure, a couple of times.”

”Did they know about the million-dollar slime?”

”Definitely. It's no secret. The contracts are public record, even though more than a few people have a problem with the idea.”

”Like me,” Demming said.

”Rick Hoening did too,” Cutler said. ”Me, I keep my mouth shut and my head down. I don't want anyone mad at me enough to take away the opportunity to spend my time out here, doing the good work.”

Joe could tell Cutler said it for Demming's benefit.

”What's the issue, anyway?” he asked.

”Think about it, Joe,” Demming said. ”It's illegal to take a twig twig out of the park. We don't allow oil or energy companies in here to drill, or lumber companies to come in and cut down the trees. This is a national park! But for some reason, we allow bioengineering firms to come in here and take the microbes. We're talking about thermophiles that have made millions and millions of dollars for the companies that use them. And who knows what other uses are being made of the species here? It's a d.a.m.ned crime. Hypocrisy too.” out of the park. We don't allow oil or energy companies in here to drill, or lumber companies to come in and cut down the trees. This is a national park! But for some reason, we allow bioengineering firms to come in here and take the microbes. We're talking about thermophiles that have made millions and millions of dollars for the companies that use them. And who knows what other uses are being made of the species here? It's a d.a.m.ned crime. Hypocrisy too.”

”Hoening got worked up for the same reason,” Cutler said. ”He talked to me about it several times. He thought it was outrageousthat a big company could come in here and take resourcesfrom the public and profit from it. He was kind of a Commie at times, I thought.”

Joe hadn't thought of it that way. ”Who lets them?” he asked.

Demming and Cutler exchanged a look. ”The Park Service,” Demming said. ”They negotiate contracts with them, two or three years' exclusive use of the microbes obtained from certain hot springs. The companies pay a few hundred thousand dollars for the rights.”

”Does the Park Service or the government get a royalty on what's found?”

”Of course not,” Demming said.

”Then why do they do it?”

She shrugged. ”They just do. The NPS will do anything for cash since we're so underfunded. Or so we say.”

”Who has the contract for Sunburst, then?”

She shrugged, looked at Cutler. ”I can't remember the name,” he said. ”But it's foreign, I know that.”

Joe stopped abruptly.

”What?” Demming asked.

”This might turn out to be something,” Joe said. ”If Hoening was worked up about bio-prospecting, and his complaints were too loud, it might be a reason to silence him.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed as she thought about it. ”I'd like to think that, Joe. But as much as I don't like it, there's nothing illegal going on here. Nothing worth killing about, for sure. The bio-mining operation is perfectlylegitimate, even though I think it's a stupid idea that goes against park policy.”

Her words deflated him somewhat. He said, ”Still, though, this is the only thing we've found that might be a motive.”

She shrugged. ”So where does Clay McCann fit into this?”

”He was the lawyer who filed the application for the permit.”

”I can't imagine that kind of legal work would be so lucrativehe'd kill to keep the business, can you? He was probably hired because he's local, and probably didn't have many bill-ablehours.”

”Let me think about it,” he said.

It was almost evening as they approached the turnoff back to Old Faithful. Joe, Demming, and Cutler had batted around the theory Joe had advanced, but nothing new or solid came from the discussion. After a while, each lapsed into their own thoughts.

Joe wished Marybeth and his girls would be waiting for him, but their reunion was still days away. He wondered if Nate had turned up anything talking with Zephyr people. He tried not to think about George Pickett. Instead, he pushed his father's appearanceout of his mind, as far away as he could push it. He was unsuccessful, though. He felt a sense of growing dread the closer they got to the inn.

He thanked Cutler for making the time that day.

Cutler didn't answer, his eyes on the rearview mirror.

”d.a.m.ned if I don't see that red truck behind us again,” Cutlersaid.

”Pull over after you've made the turn,” Demming said. ”Let's see who's been following us all day.”

”Cool,” Cutler said.

They took the turn to Old Faithful and in the first stand of trees that couldn't be seen from the highway, Cutler drove off the asphalt and hit the brakes.

Joe and Demming bailed out the pa.s.senger door. She drew her weapon, glanced at Joe.

”Where's your gun?” she asked.

He felt his face flush. ”In my daypack in the truck.”

Her eye roll was brief but d.a.m.ning.

”Let me get it,” he said.

”Forget it, Joe,” she said, stepping out onto the road and slippingher pistol back into her holster. ”He's gone. The red truck never made the turn.”

Joe was greeted at the desk by two messages. The first was a flyer reminding all guests that the Old Faithful Inn would close for the winter the following day at noon. The second was from Dr. Keaton and George Pickett, inviting him to dinner at the employee cafeteria.

Part four

YELLOWSTONE GAME PROTECTION ACT, 1894.

AN ACT TO PROTECT THE BIRDS AND.

ANIMALS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL.

PARK, AND TO PUNISH CRIMES IN SAID PARK,.