Who is Mackie Spence? Read Online Free PDF Page A

has gone quiet, though I don’t trust him to behave. Mackie takes the lead followed by Brody, who stumbles like he could fall over. I trail both as we return to the shelter’s main building.
    Once inside, I grab Brody by the front of his shirt. “What were you thinking?”
    He looks at me like I’m the crazy one. “Jer, you need to get a life. Hanging out here with Mackie? What’s up with that?”
    I bite my lower lip.
    â€œJust wanted to see how big she was.” Brody makes a flapping motion with his arms like a bird in flight, spirals in a circle, and collapses on the floor.
    Keeping her eyes on Brody, Mackie edges over to the window.
    â€œI don’t see his car. How did he get here?” she asks.
    I walk to her and squint at the parking lot. “Right. I don’t see it either. I’ll call and see if Jake can pick him up.” I reach inside my coveralls for my cell phone and dial for information. Brody’s older brother Jake lives at home for his freshman year at the U. Unlike Brody, Jake has always been a straight-up guy.
    Jake answers my call.
    â€œHey, it’s Jeremy Tarleton. Your brother’s passed out at the wildlife shelter. Are you picking him up, or should I feed him to the coyotes?” I ask in a tight voice.
    â€œTempting, but I’ll come get him,” Jake answers.
    â€œDim your lights when you pull in, okay?”
    Mackie and I stand in front of Brody. We each take one of his hands in our own and drag him outside onto the front entrance stoop. Mackie says she wants to check on Number 26. I don’t ask if she needs help. Clearly, she and the eagle are on very good terms with one another.
    I stand guard over Brody, who remains out of it. When Mackie returns she says, “Number 26 seems to be okay. I let her know things will be fine.”
    I let her know things will be fine? How could she let Number 26 know something like that? This is one of several questions I have for Mackenzie Allison Spence, including why didn’t Number 26 complete her attack? But first I want Brody gone, before the next shift of volunteers arrives.
    Within a few minutes we hear a car nearing. Jake has turned his headlights down to dim. He pulls up near the front entrance and exits the car, not bothering to close the front door.
    â€œDamn. Did he hurt anyone?” Jake asks, walking to us and shaking his head when he notices his brother.
    â€œNo. I’ll help you get him in the car,” I offer.
    Jake grimaces, nods to Mackie, and eyes Brody like he doesn’t particularly want to claim him. Shaking his head, he turns to me. “Get the back door, okay?”
    Walking to the car, I say, “I don’t know what his deal is, but he tried to mess with an eagle that could have shredded him.”
    â€œHe’s lucky,” Jake replies.
    Then Jake, a former 170-pound high school wrestler, half-carries, half-shoves his brother to the car. We lay him on the back seat. Brody’s still totally out of it.
    Jake frowns, again, as he climbs into the driver’s seat.
    â€œThanks,” he says. “He probably won’t even remember this.” Jake turns back for a quick look at his younger brother before starting the car. Then they leave.
    Mackie sits on a bench near the front door, her shoulders slumped forward.
    â€œMackie, you okay?” I ask.
    â€œMaybe I’ll get some water,” she says, standing. We re-enter the building. “Should we report this?”
    â€œIf we do, they’ll never let anyone our age work alone again,” I answer.
    She shoots me a question with her eyes.
    â€œWhat’s Brody going to do? File a complaint against us for interrupting his trying to steal an eagle? Anyway, how did he get in the cage?” I ask.
    â€œI don’t know. He was already inside when I saw him.”
    â€œIt should have been locked,” I mutter.
    Mackie fills a cup at the water dispenser. Her face has become