Chapter 5

The plan went fine until Ricardo got hold of the kill gun from Kendall’s office.

Most wildlife facilities had a shotgun onsite—for a worst-case scenario.It wasn’tsomething a handler ever wanted to face.Killing an animal you were trying to protect felt like the worst kind of failure.But you needed one nearby.

There wasn’t time to get Kendall wired,so I made do with a little hand-held mini recorder tucked into his waistband.I had Russo and his team in the woods outside the entrance,and when the buyer’s truck rolled in,I kept my headset on,and hid in the quarantine barn’s office.I could see and hear what went on in the walkway and a little of the cages.

Ricardo and his Texas boys strolled through,Kendall a step behind,glowering.

“Look at these cats!”Ricardo banged his walking stick against a cage door.