Page 24 of Coyote

"Knife," I said.

Linc crouched beside me. "Somebody cut it?"

I nodded. "Four times, then combed the fur over the wounds to make them look like claws."

"Why?"

"To make sure we came looking. He wants me out here."

Somewhere behind me, John slept in a bunk. I shut the thought down and went back to the trail with my chest still tight.

Linc reached back for his rifle.

I put the fox down and read the dirt around it. One man had stood near the head. Big boot, deep heel, broad through the ball. The other had knelt beside the body to make the cuts. Smaller boot. The outside edge of the right heel had a chunk missing, leaving a clean square notch in the prints.

Two men had carried the fox in from the north and left the same way.

"They crossed the fence," I said.

"Javelinas?"

"Zaroff likes signatures."

I turned to the tree line.

The night was quiet. No bugs in the brush, nothing calling. Even the horses had quit grazing, heads up and pointed north.

Loose dirt still sat on the edges of the tracks.

Linc took the radio from his belt. "North patrol to Rafe."

Static, then Rafe's voice. "Go."

"We've got two men inside the fence. Looks staged. Coyote says they came from the north and walked back out."

"Any sign they're still close?"

The smaller mare had her ears pinned toward the trees.

"Yes," I said.

Linc relayed it.

Rafe answered after a moment. "Follow long enough to see which direction they're moving. Do not engage unless you have to. Check in at the north wash."

"Copy."

Linc put the radio away and looked at me. "You heard the part about not engaging?"

"I hear everything. I only ignore most of it."

"That's comforting."

I stood and started along the tracks.

They had walked single-file once they reached the brush, the smaller man stepping into the prints of the larger. Smart enough to hide the count after leaving it for me at the fox. They kept to low ground where the dirt stayed soft, angling north and east toward the old service road.

That road ran the back of Pae Saco down to the south fence and the equipment sheds. If they reached it, they could drive back toward the ranch without using the main gate.