The Other Side of Lone Mountain

Chapter Seventeen

Mandy arrived at the department and went directly to Jeff’s office. “How did it go?” he asked.

“It didn’t. Mark’s in pretty bad shape. We decided it would be best to wait until tomorrow before we try to question him. He did manage to tell Paul that he saw two men arguing that night and he knows he didn’t fall. He remembered being hit in the back of the head. He wasn’t able to say much more than that but the doctors had him pretty sedated. Paul stayed at the hospital with Mark’s wife and kids. I want to call Lone Wolfe and find out if he’s gotten any more information from the items we found. By the way, did you send someone up to talk with Gill?”

“Yah, Jimmy. Gill gave him some cock and bull story about one of his guys thinking you guys were poachers. Of course I don’t believe that for one moment, but we can’t prove anything. You’ve done a good job. Keep me abreast of the developments and of course you know you can always come to me for help. Be careful, since it now looks like Mark’s fall wasn’t accidental, there might be something else happening on that mountain. Maybe you’ve been right all along.”

“Thanks, Jeff” said Mandy as she rose to leave.

She reached her desk and found a bouquet of a dozen roses on her desk. “What in the world?” she said aloud. She pulled the card from its little holder and read the card. It was from Paul. Just want to say thank you for all your help and friendship. You’re truly a special person. Paul. She smiled, as she placed the card in her pocket. She picked up the receiver and dialed Lone Wolfe’s number. He wasn’t home so she left a message for him to call her. She spent the remainder of the day writing her report on the events of yesterday and doing follow-ups on some of the cases she had been working on. She called Mrs. Ferguson and asked how she and her husband were doing. “Is he still off the booze?” She said yes and that things were going well and that it’s almost like they were on a second honeymoon.

“Mandy, I don’t know what you said to him, but it seemed to have worked. Thanks.” Mandy told her if she needed help with him again, to make sure and call then hung up. She made a few more calls. The phone rang and she answered it, it was Lone Wolfe. “Hi Mandy, got your message. What’s up?”

“I was calling to find out if you’ve heard anything more about those items we found.” she replied.

“Yes I did. As a matter of fact I was going to call you later. Will you be seeing Paul later on?”

“Yah, why?”

“I want to talk to the two of you together. I’ve gotten some interesting information I think you both should hear.”

“How about I give you a call this evening after I hear from Paul. We can arrange to meet then. Is that okay?”

“Sure, he replied, I’ll be waiting to hear from you. Talk to you later.” After hanging up,
Mandy wondered what kind of information Lone Wolfe had. She would just have to wait until this evening. Finally her shift was over. She was glad to see it end. She found herself thinking of Paul and a small twinge of happy anticipation stirred in her stomach.