Dark Object - Don Ledger and Chris Styles-pages

Page 19 of 82

Page 19 of 82
Dark Object - Don Ledger and Chris Styles-pages

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As for his son, Bradford Titus, he would see another light later, during another encounter, blood red and streaking across the sky from horizon to horizon in seconds. Like his father he never forgot the sight. Arthur Lake on Highway 304 Five miles southwest of Weymouth, Nora Scotia Royal Mounted Police Constable Ian Andrew and game wardens Bert Green, Don Brown, and Sonny Wagner were on a stakeout in the forest near Arthur Lake. Earlier in the evening of October 4 they had driven into the woods to set up a watch station where they could observe trails and logging roads that were being used by deer poachers. The night was cool and clear, and since these men were veterans at this job, they had come prepared with extra clothing, thermoses of hot coffee, and sandwiches. They staked out an area on the edge of a large clearing, overlooking some trails that they thought might produce results, and prepared for a long night. It was not uncommon for these stakeouts to go on into the early hours of the morning. They clipped off small branches that might obscure their view and used them as camouflage to conceal their location. They had their vehicle as a backup in case it got really cold. The night was cool, about forty-five degrees Fahrenheit. There was no moon, but the sky was filled with stars that, although they were brilliant, offered little in the way of light. It was a good night for poaching. They waited, watched, but mostly they listened. They listened for the sounds of distant vehicles that might be making their way up the old logging trails and roads to their position. They listened to the porcupines, skunks, and weasels rustling through the dead leaves that carpeted the floor of the forest at this time of year. These dead leaves acted as a natural warning system for deer, since they were difficult to walk through quietly. Hunters described it as like walking on Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Contrary to popular belief the forest at night is anything but quiet. Even the deer themselves can be noisy as they travel through the woods. Owls and loons called out and the trees creaked with the slightest breeze. The Mountie and the game wardens muttered to one another from time to time, swapping stories of earlier experiences, pausing occasionally to listen in the direction of some new sound. Constable Andrew used a small keychain flashlight and carefully checked the time. It was just before 11:00 P.M. southeast. To this day the memory of that brief encounter is still fresh in his mind. 11:00 — 11:10 P.M. ADT "Doesn't look like we're going to see much action tonight," he whispered. "Could be the others will have more success farther south," Bert replied. As if to confirm that theory they heard a distant rifle report to the south. They had gotten back in their vehicle by then. "Sounds as if you might be right," Don whispered back.