Conard County Watch. Rachel Lee

Extract

       About the Publisher

       Chapter 1

      The rosy, early-morning sunlight struck the cliff face in Wyoming at an angle, heightening shadows and shapes. The mystical moment between night and day, when secrets revealed themselves to eyes trained to see.

      The cracks and lines in the rock face were mostly sharp, barely weathered in the year since Thunder Mountain had shaken to open up this fresh cleft in its lower slope. Rock had been exposed for the first time in millennia, and with it treasures untold.

      Paleontologist Renee Dubois stood somewhat precariously on broken and tumbled rocks at the base of the cliff. The cleft was narrow, one side a thirty-foot-high rock face, the other what she thought of as the tooth, shorter and thinner. The part that had broken away. The narrow space between them gave just enough room in which to work.

      With her digital camera, she took photos every fifteen seconds or so, but her eyes were far busier than her camera. Watching the shadows shift as the sun rose revealed an ever-changing view that brought out some shapes as others faded slowly into the background, and filled her with constantly freshening amazement.

      Excitement fluttered in the pit of her stomach. When Gray Cloud, an old family friend, had brought her out here last fall to see what the mountain had revealed, she had known in her gut that this was wondrous. Now she looked forward to a whole summer to work on it with the tribe’s permission as long as she took care to observe that this ground was sacred, and as long as she promised to return any human bones to the tribe.

      Sixty-five million years at least, she thought, staring at the lower layers that yielded only bits of their secrets. Secrets that may well allow her to prove her pet theory...or that might dash it by the end of the summer. Either way, the outcome would be important. Either way she would learn. Either way she would make some marvelous discoveries with her team.

      She shifted a bit on the unsteady stones and balanced herself again, taking photos from a slightly different angle. The light was still changing, but only at times like this could human eyes begin to appreciate just how fast this planet was spinning. In no time at all, full daylight would be born, the shadows would reveal so much less, and the mystery would retreat behind the ordinary.

      When Denise arrived, Renee would have her come out here at dawn and sketch this all onto a grid, then match it to the photos. Only when the search area was perfectly documented could they begin to brush away rock and loose dirt.

      But something caught her attention, and even though she knew better, she let the camera dangle from its neck strap and pulled a three-inch paintbrush from the rear pocket of her jeans. The bristles were a bit stiff, not too soft to accomplish anything, and she stepped toward the cliff. That little group of straight lines might be an accident, but to her it looked like more.

      Brushing gently at them, removing a light layer of grit to bring them into the foreground, she had to force herself to stop as excitement caused her heart to pound. An egg? A cracked one with the fetal tissue showing? My God.

      She shoved the paintbrush back into her pocket and took quick photographs, hoping to get a few before the daylight washed it out.

      Her hands trembled just a little with her exhilaration and she had to tamp down her eagerness. Every step of this must be done just right or it would all become meaningless. Restraint. She had practiced a lot of it in her career, but for some reason this site endangered her patience.

      Hardly noticed, some small rocks tumbled down from above. She wasn’t surprised. This cleft probably still had some settling to do, but she was glad of her hard hat.

      She drew a couple of deep breaths, reminding herself of the importance of method and methodology. Man, she’d been doing this work long enough that it kind of surprised her that she wanted to get ahead of herself. Giving in to her urge could simply ruin it all.

      The light had begun to turn flatter as the sun rose higher. The minutes of magic had passed. Looking at her feet, she stepped to a firmer perch, ready to resume her study of the revelations.

      Gray Cloud was an elder of the local tribe, but he was also known as the Guardian of Thunder Mountain among his people. This was all sacred space to them, and even though her second cousin was married to the man, she had been astonished by the invitation to investigate. This was not a place the local tribe wanted too many outsiders to visit.

      Just then, a shadow fell across her and the rock face in front of her. Turning quickly, she saw Gray Cloud. The years and the weather had worn his striking face to a dignified set of lines that emphasized his heritage. The years hadn’t diminished his powerful frame, however. Right now he wore a blue Western shirt with his blue jeans and heavy work boots. His long hair was caught in a tie at the base of his skull.

      “Hey,” she said.

      He smiled. “Excited still?”

      “Beyond words. It’s all I can do to keep my hands to myself.”

      “We’re as excited as you are,” he told her. “This history predates our people by millions of years but we’re fascinated, too. That which comes before is a guide to what will come after.”

      An interesting perspective, Renee thought, turning her gaze to the rock cliff again. Usually her work didn’t give her the opportunity to indulge in such thoughts. She had to be focused on details, because details added up to the big picture. But this big picture had been followed by a massive extinction event that no one yet fully comprehended. Some had survived. Others had not. Why the differences?

      Maybe this site would lend some answers to that. “I’m just so thrilled you showed me this and asked me to work on it. Was that a fight for you?” She understood all the good reasons the tribal elders were reluctant to grant access to sacred areas. Perhaps most importantly, non-natives had a way of disrespecting them. Surely the invitation Gray Cloud had extended to her hadn’t come without some disagreement.

      “You are the cousin of my wife,” he said. “I trust you. I know you understand and will make everyone else understand the respect this place requires.”

      She nodded and looked at him once again. “Most of my team will be students in training for this. We’re all taught to be respectful of local culture, and I’ll remind them again if necessary. We don’t want to cause you or your people any upset.”

      He nodded, then looked up toward the top of the mountain. It was, of course, pretty much concealed by trees, but Renee could have sworn she felt it like a brooding presence.

      Her cousin Mercy had warned her. All those years ago she had come to this area to study the returning wolf pack. Here she’d met Gray Cloud. Anyway, Mercy had felt the mountain’s brooding presence, and had spoken of it more than once. Just before Renee came out here, Mercy had called to remind her again. “I swear that mountain is alive.”

      Renee wasn’t ready to go that far, but standing here in its shadow beside Gray Cloud, she found it easier to believe. Too bad Mercy was on a field trip in Mexico, because she’d have loved to have her older cousin here.

      “You know,” said Gray Cloud, his voice reminding her that she wasn’t alone with the mountain, “understanding is often a matter of perspective. The mountain shook and opened its slope to reveal secrets. You can believe that was a mere accident or you can believe there was purpose. My people believe there was purpose. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my wife is your cousin, either. How convenient to have a paleontologist in the family.”

      She let a small laugh escape. “Very convenient. I’m not going to argue with you, Gray Cloud. As a scientist, I subscribe to a different set of beliefs.”

      “I know, but to some extent they’re still beliefs. This cleft wasn’t part of an earthquake. It just split open.” He shrugged