Cadie

by Gabriele Beatty

CADIE CADIE, an orphaned cougar cub, is the center of a complex story of healing, passion, and murder. Two years earlier, hunters kill Cadie's mother and she has to fend for herself. Wounded and fragile, she is found by MARY, a young woman living in mountains after being scarred in a terrible car accident. Struggling to rebuild her own life, Mary seeks salvation in helping Cadie survive. She soon learns that this is no easy task, and seeks help from ZAC, a biologist from the zoo. JOANNE is an Australian, struggling artist, living in America with her son DYLAN. Strong minded and intuitive, she is used to living on the edge, but nothing prepared her for the drama ahead, when she rents a cabin in the Cascades for a family reunion. She is looking forward to seeing her daughter PENNY after a long absence and meeting her fiancé Dave, a keen skier from Down Under. Joanne wants to tighten the bond with her daughter, now stretched by separations and yearns for the time they can spend together, but complications arise when Joanne's boyfriend FRANK joins them. Their relationship is shaky lately, and his conduct unpredictable, but at his charming best, he makes a great addition to any gathering, and besides Joanne still loves him. Days before their vacation starts, Joanne sprains her knee, and has to wear a brace to help her walk. She is left alone and vulnerable at the cabin, while the others go skiing. Fighting a sense of doom, she decides to make the most of her beautiful surroundings and goes on a short hike around the property, where she has a mysterious encounter with a wild cougar. When she relates her experience to her family, they are convinced that she made the story up after reading a book about mountain lions at the cottage. Are they right? Is Joanne becoming delusional? It does seem like a strange coincidence, but then her life is full of unusual events and she becomes determined to prove herself, especially to Penny. Then a horrible murder occurs nearby and grouchy Detective MUELLER is on the case. He suspects everyone staying in the area, including Joanne and her family. His investigation is hampered severely when a snowstorm knocks out power all the way from Seattle to Steven's Pass and thousands of travelers are stranded on the icy roads in between. If that isn't enough, Frank starts to act irrationally and after accusing Joanne of cheating on him, they have a falling out. Frank leaves and swears revenge on Joanne and whoever gets in his way. So much for a nice family holiday, what could possibly happen next? A must read for all animal lovers!