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the mama, claims she wasn’t ever his pet, and even if she had been, he wouldn’t take her away from her newborn pups. Too cruel to all of them.”
    “Sounds like a good man,” I replied. “Maybe.”
    “Cynic.” Dante aimed a grin toward me as we were passed by a California Highway Patrol car that apparently had no issue with his current speed. I assumed it was around the limit, judging by the other cars that kept us company.
    “Realist,” I countered.
    We talked more about how he’d founded HotWildlife seven years earlier, and some of the magnificent creatures the sanctuary had helped to save.
    Soon, we approached that wonderful locale.
    The place was crowded enough that Dante had a hard time locating a spot in the large, open parking lot. “Do you think word’s out about the missing wolf?” I asked as he pulled into a space that seemed skinny yet accommodated the roomy sedan.
    “More likely, word is out about her pups, and people are here to see them.”
    Turned out we were both right. The crowd was biggest around the entry to the indoor infirmary. Some of the same people I’d seen there yesterday, visitors and tourists and animal friends, milled around outside. A couple recognized Dante.
    “Are you here because of the missing wolf, Dante?” called a tall, familiar-looking guy right near the door.
    “That’s right. And there’ll be a reward for information leading to her safe return.” Dear Dante. He was adept at getting attention for something important to him—at a cost, of course. “Can anyone here share any suspicions?”
    A lot of people did, including the guy who’d spoken. His name was Irwin, and he claimed to be a frequent visitor to HotWildlife. “Ransom,” he suggested. “A lot of people know your relationship to this animal park, and someone might figure you’d pay a lot for the wolf while she’s nursing, so her pups don’t suffer.”
    “Good thought,” Dante said. “But no ransom note, at least not yet.”
    Not necessarily a good thing. My earlier petnapping situation had involved notes and nonsense, and I’d recovered all animals. But that was a whole other story.
    Other people in the crowd tossed out possibilities, from an employee’s carelessness that allowed the wolf mom to sneak away for a while, to a hidden hole in the infirmary floor where she’d gotten caught.
    “We’ll continue to check out the entire facility,” Dante assured them, “but our able staff has already combed the area. We believe she’s gone, and we’re worried about both her and her babies.”
    “We’ll make sure the public’s aware of the missing wolf,” I said, looking to Dante for confirmation that he didn’t dislike the idea. He nodded. Soon as I had a chance, I’d call my usual media contact, Corina Carey.
    We soon gently shouldered our way past the crowd and into the infirmary. Megan met us at the door.
    “Any sign of the mama wolf?” I asked.
    Her face was nearly as pale as her light hair. I noticed again that her golden brown eyes were as attractive as many felines’ I’d seen. Maybe that was what had gotten her interested in tending to wild cats. She wore a beige safari outfit with a many-pocketed vest.
    “None,” she said dejectedly.
    The back door opened at the far end of the hall, between the infirmary’s glassed-in enclosures. Jon Doe hurried in, followed by a raft of sanctuary volunteers, including Anthony, Krissy, and others I’d seen before. Megan pivoted to look at them. But their bleak expressions solidified the situation. They hadn’t found mama wolf.
    I pondered the other inhabitants of the infirmary, but an injured coyote and cagy raccoons would have left evidence had they attempted to eat the wolf.
    “Show me the habitat and tell me how you think she got out—or was taken out,” Dante demanded.
    The only way they could figure was through the sole back door. It was kept locked, and the only key was in the sanctuary director’s office. And the door to the