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"You looking for anything in particular?” I asked, searching the news feed. “Like attacks on animals or attacks by animals? Because, honestly, both are a lot higher than I thought they’d be. Five kids, just in the past week, were attacked while out in the desert, and seven local farmers a few miles south of Tucson reported that their cattle were killed. The local sheriff’s office reported that it was likely that mountain lions were going into rural communities in search of food or water because of the heat wave and the almost non-existent monsoon season.”
“Just what I thought. Perfect!” he exclaimed with an inappropriate frivolity. Clearly, he noticed my concern and further explained, “I am tracking this beast.”
“You know that I said the sheriff’s off—”
“I know, child, but your law enforcement is hardly a
match for it,” he interrupted, rather bluntly. Before I could say another word, he darted out of the store, making off with my 99-cent travel map. Purely on principle, or maybe because I knew what Father would say, I threw up the “away from register” sign and booked it out the store.
Outside, the sidewalks were empty and traffic minimal, but he was nowhere in sight. I looked down the alleyway beside the shop but there were only children with chains and bats, so I assumed that wasn’t his means of escape and, seeing as it was a 99-cent piece of paper, let him
have