Read Dinosaur Lake 3: Infestation for Free Online

man sitting at the table
with him, nursing a cup of coffee and speaking animatedly, his hands and arms
gesturing. The guy was about Justin’s age, Henry guessed, with shaggy black
hair not as long as Justin’s, and a neatly trimmed beard. The two men appeared
to know each other. Just Henry’s first casual observation.
    Justin stopped talking, glanced up at Henry, and
greeted him. “Hi Chief. I already ordered you coffee. It should be here in a
minute. We’ve already eaten. Sorry, I couldn’t wait. You know me and food. If I
don’t eat every few hours my mind freezes up and I can’t think.” He grinned as
his eyes went to the man beside him. “I want you to meet an old friend of mine,
since childhood really, Steven James. We go way back. Fifteen years at least. He
plays here at the lodge on weekends sometimes. He’s a musician/songwriter and in
my humble opinion a truly gifted one.” Justin’s smile was genuine as he looked
at his friend and then back to Henry. “I’ve been his biggest fan for years. I
guess you could call me a Steven James’ groupie. Sometimes Laura and I even
travel to his other gigs, some out of state, to hear him. We both love his
voice and his amazing guitar playing. He’s the best I know.”
    Henry plunked down in a chair across from them, reached
out and shook the other man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Steven James. Musician
extraordinaire.”
    “Good to meet you, too, Chief Park Ranger. Justin’s
told me so much about you and about all your adventures together.” The young
man’s handshake was firm. His gaze direct. First impression Henry thought, here’s
a man who knows what he wants, who he is and likes himself. Self-sufficient. Henry could always tell.
    “I hope all good stuff?” Henry’s expression was
amiable.
    “Every bit of it. Justin thinks the world of you
and your wife, Ann.”
    The musician paused, and leveled his eyes at Henry.
“I hope you don’t mind me barging in on your breakfast meeting? I sang this
weekend at the lounge here–scheduled for next weekend, too–and for some reason
decided to stay over another night. Got up early to see the stunning sunrise over
the lake. It’s such a spectacular sight from here.” His eyes shifted to the
vista on the other side of the windows and then returned to Justin. “And I just
happened, luckily, to bump into Justin. So serendipitous. I had no idea he was
going to be here. What a nice accident.”
    “It’s a small world, Mr. James. The older I get the
more I know it. Coincidences abound.”
    “Call me Steven.”
    “All right. You know I hate to be the bearer of bad
news but since you mentioned you’re supposed to perform here again next weekend,
I should tell you. The park’s closing indefinitely beginning immediately. We
have an emergency. I’m sorry but you probably won’t be singing here next week.
The lodge, with the rest of the park, will be closed.”
    Disappointment flashed in the man’s eyes. “That’s
too bad. But I can understand why, under the circumstances I mean, you have to
shut the park.” His regret had been swiftly replaced with a curious eagerness Henry
couldn’t misconstrue and he was pretty sure he knew what the two young men had
been discussing when he’d first approached the table. Henry recognized that
look. Dinosaur madness.
    “Ah, so Justin told you about our little water outing
we’re going on today, did he? About the rare creatures in the lake we’re looking
for?” Henry sighed. Well, here it comes, he thought.
    “Yes,” Steven confessed. His eyes were shining brighter
now. His long fingers made a graceful arc in the air as if to introduce his
next words. “And I was hoping–”
    Henry’s coffee arrived, cutting the man off in
mid-sentence. One of the younger waitresses, a college girl, named Delores, just
there for the summer, placed the cup in front of him. “You know what you want,
Chief Ranger?” she requested, ready with her order pad; not realizing