Wildfire Read Online Free PDF Page A

slaughter of animals. Most of the animals that were killed in these woods were killed by hunters for their meat. But the most recent rash of killings seemed to be thrill kills. Elaine had no idea how shooting these innocent animals gave anyone a thrill. The poachers she was searching for seemed to be shooting anything they came across. They had found a hawk and other birds, deer, beavers and even squirrels. Some poachers went after bears, but those generally made the news. The majority of animals that were killed went unnoticed, except by the individuals who made a career of protecting them.
    She headed for the shower, grateful for the running water and even more grateful that it would be hot. She quickly washed her hair and stood motionless enjoying the water cascading over her body. Knowing that the water would soon turn cold, she finished washing and exited the stall. At least she had a few minutes to enjoy it. The heat from the fire was penetrating the bathroom but it was still chilly. Goose bumps crawled across her skin and she hurriedly slipped into sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. She towel-dried her hair and made a mental note to wash her towel and her uniform the next day. She still had two more clean uniforms, but always wanted to be sure she wouldn’t be caught without one. Her clothes rack in front of the fire would allow her laundry to dry faster. She missed some of the comforts of home, but hand washing her clothes beat the hell out wearing them again without a good cleansing.
    Curled up on the couch in front of the fire, she brushed out her hair, sifting through it with her fingers hoping it would dry out a little more before bed. She stared into the flames and had a flash of the stormy gray eyes she had stared into earlier in the day. The heat of the fire suddenly seemed cool in contrast to the heat of her body.
    She continued to brush her hair and wondered how Devon’s hair would feel in her hands. What the hell am I doing? She was here for solitude, alone time to enjoy her surroundings and forget about women for God’s sake. Thinking about a woman she had just met was the very last thing she should be doing. She finished brushing out the long locks and finally stripped for bed. She tossed her clothes over the back of the couch and slid between the cool sheets, trying not to think about the beautiful botanist.
    She finally fell asleep and was thankful that she didn’t remember her dreams. She had a feeling they would have featured a certain somebody, making it even harder not to focus on her undeniable attraction.

Chapter 3

    Devon chewed thoughtfully on a mint leaf from her pocket as she crouched down to take a soil sample near the base of the viola glabellas . She was pleased to see that the smooth, yellow violet would return this year. The young flower seemed to be strong and healthy. Near it, still under the surface, were the beginnings of a viola sheltonii . She was surprised to find the Shelton’s Violet. They were rare in the northern mountains and the spill had destroyed many of the fairer species. Other, heartier plants, such as the thalictrum fendleri, had come back rather quickly and various types of meadow rue were more inclined to survive.
    She continued gathering specimens, examining the bark, cork and periderm. She wished that she had indulged in another cup of coffee. She wasn’t the biggest fan of instant coffee, but this morning it had tasted unusually good. Maybe it was the way it had warmed her from the inside out. She made a mental note to buy a coffee press so she could brew real coffee next time she ventured into the field. Unfortunately, the day moved into midmorning without any rise in temperature and she still had a lot of work to do. She knew she would have to remain focused and pick up her pace.
    One of her final tasks on this assignment would be to gather samples to take back to the lab. She would seek out a variety of plants in order to closely examine the vascular cambium