The woman nodded in agreement. “You realize you have custom access to the reserve too? Not even the tourists get to see the northern sector. It’s restricted.”
“Is that right?” Bennett replied. “Well, speaking of the northern sector, I was wondering if you could answer something for me.” Bennett pulled out his camera and loaded up the photo on the viewing screen. “I came across this animal while I was out there today. I wasn’t aware that there were any wildcats here in the reserve.”
The woman leaned forward and took a look at the picture. As she studied it, her expression changed. Her cheerful smile left. “That’s not from the reserve,” she said. “No, no.” Her previous smiling disposition had quickly left. She was now giving Bennett a cold, blank stare.
“Ma’am, I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve got a picture here. I’m showing you evidence of what I saw out there — just an hour or so ago.”
The woman looked at the camera in Bennett’s hands and then directed her eyes back to him. “There are no cats in the reserve. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” she said plainly.
Bennett was uneasy about the woman’s response. In fact, the way that she completely switched character after he had shown her the picture came off quite eerie. “Ok. Thank you for your time, Ma’am,” he said politely.
Bennett wasn’t getting anywhere. The woman clearly wasn’t grasping reality and didn’t come across as one who would be easily swayed — even if there were proof right in front of her eyes. He tucked away his camera and stepped out of the ranger station. Bennett could feel the woman still watching him as he stepped out through the doorway. Well, that was awkward, he thought to himself.
He walked through the parking lot to his truck. The situation that had just gone down at the station only fueled his curiosity. The woman had almost acted as if she were hiding something. Either that, or she absolutely couldn’t fathom the fact that somehow a wildcat had made its way into her protected reserve.
Something didn’t feel right.
He took out his phone and dialed the only person he knew who could possibly offer up some answers.
He called Kelly Adler.
CHAPTER 7
The phone rang twice. It was answered by a friendly female voice on the other end of the line. “Tom?”
“Kelly. How are you?” Bennett asked.
“I’m good!” Kelly responded in a pleasantly surprised tone. Tom could almost hear her smiling through the phone.
“What are you up to? How’s the photography going?”
“Good…good. I’m actually in Hawaii on location now,” Bennett said.
“You’re here? In Oahu?” she asked, surprised.
“Actually, I’m over on the Big Island. Sorry Kell, I should’ve called earlier, but I wanted to make sure I had time to cover everything I need for this job. I landed a big gig. Some big-budget movie stuff.”
“Of course,” Kelly replied. “Hey, you would’ve called sooner or later. That’s all that matters. Anyway, It’s great to hear from you. It’s been since, what…Colin’s funeral last year?”
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Bennett replied.
Kelly Adler was the younger sister of Bennett’s best friend, Colin. Bennett and Colin had served together in the Marines and had developed a close friendship formed on the lines in battle. Bennett didn’t have a brother of his own, but he considered Colin the closest thing to it. Unfortunately, Colin had died in a horrible car crash a year earlier. It was extremely hard on Bennett. He left his work and escaped for six months to the island of Vanuatu, trying to put it behind him. Up until his death, Bennett had been close with Colin’s family who had recently moved to Hawaii. His father, Donald Adler, was Chief Physician at the University of Hawaii Medical School on Oahu. Colin’s sister, Kelly, was a passionate wildlife biologist working at the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources in Oahu. Bennett had come to know Kelly as a kind of younger sister. He knew she would jump at the chance to help out. She was extremely smart and would know everything there is to know about wildlife on the Hawaiian Islands. Bennett was happy to give her a call.
“Tom, how are you doing? I mean…with everything. I heard you were living in, Vanuatu?” She spoke Vanuatu as if it were a distant planet a million miles away.
“Yeah,” Bennett chuckled. “It was good to get away for a time. I think I just needed to unplug for a bit — recalibrate, ‘ya know?”
“Yeah. I know what you mean. It was a tough time for all of us…but it’s great to hear your voice, Tom. Really. I’m glad you called.”
“Thanks Kelly,” Bennett said appreciatively. “Listen, Kelly. I’ve got something I’d like you to take a look at.”
“Sure, what’s up?” she said.
“I’ve been scouting the past four days for a documentary film that is taking place here on the island. Today, I came across this animal…it looks like a wildcat or something.”
“Wild cat? Kelly answered back loudly, as if taken off guard. “Here in Hawaii? That’s not likely Tom. Are you sure it wasn’t a Feral Pig…I mean…a wild boar?”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure. This thing has the head of a panther — and certainly moves like one. I snapped a picture of it. It’s not great, but you can make out a lot of the details. Do you mind if I send it over to you?”
“Sure. Of course I’ll take a look at it. Certainly sounds interesting.” Kelly chuckled.
“Thanks Kell, I’ll send it over tonight. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course! I’ll call you later, ‘K?
“Sounds great. Thanks again.”
Tom hung up the phone.
The bright orange sun tucked in behind Mauna Kea— the ancient volcano rising nearly 14,000 feet above the sea. Bennett walked over to his truck, a rented silver Chevy Colorado. He threw his gear in the cab, started it up, and pulled out of the forest reserve parking lot. Bennett drove along the winding back roads to his hotel room in downtown Hilo. He called to check in with his publicist, Michelle, giving her an update on the newfound locations he had come across today.
Bennett sat out on the terrace of his seventh-story suite and thought through the events that had occurred today. He couldn’t put the bizarre sighting of the panther out of his mind. He pulled up the image onto his computer. The picture popped up on his screen, he studied it.
In larger screen context, he was able to make out even more intricate detail. The animal’s head had distinct catlike ears, eyes and mouth. Bennett also noticed the head appeared slightly small, compared to the rest of the body — which was somewhat bulky and muscular. What puzzled Bennett the most were the legs. The strong torso looked to be supported by relatively slender legs. The foliage hid the paws and hind section, so he couldn’t get a read on those. Overall, the creature looked to be about five feet in length from head to where it appeared to end behind the tree. Pulling up a new browser window, he began running searches on “Hawaiian Panther”. Bennett poured over the results intently for a time.
The sky, lit by the setting sun, began to fade into a blood orange-soaked sky. Then the amber glow lazily faded as the sun tucked down into the ocean for the night.
It was quiet — and indescribably peaceful outside.
Bennett was enjoying the evenings here. The island seemed to have a stillness that hovered over the land at dusk. The temperature cooled down and a gentle breeze blew through the open windows, teasing the curtains.