His Unwanted Wife, Her Reckless Life

ff, it felt different, lighter. I was deep in the preserve, off-trail, checking on a cluster of young cigar orch

lcome sound in the cathedral of cypress tre

need to

ght, stripped of

It's my da

uper Ghost.

ve, ancient Ghost Orchid, federally protected and priceless. I

on my

rough possibilities. A professional poacher? A thrill-seeker

office. The timestamp was from last night. Two figures, moving cl

was trying to look tough, but his movements were uncertain. The second fig

caught in

Chloe.

hing. I watched as the man, Kyle, a "crypto-bro" she'd been following on Instagram, clumsily sawed the orchid from

ut of everything I was. They had trespa

ate officers swarmed the park, m

od, thank god

antic. The voice she used when

a tiny fender-bender near the Everglades, and my wallet got stolen. I nee

as with her parents, so they wouldn't

ice. "Where a

e ranger statio

ace a mask of theatrical panic. Kyle was beside her, trying to look nonchalant. Th

er eyes widened, but

Thank you

thority, stepped forward, a smarmy grin on his face.

le. Your niece has told

e to my wife's. Then I looke

ice flat and dead. "And I have no idea