Good morning! I’m on my way to Las Vegas, Nevada, to meet an Air Force Colonel to get a tour of the Nevada Test and Training Range, the Air Force’s premier training facility, located near Area 51. Why? This tour doesn’t have much to do with my duties as a volunteer refuge camphost at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, so let me tell you what is going on. Someone is killing cows and dumping them on the refuge. Boone Dawson is the local rancher who owns the cows, but dead cows aren’t the only problem. One of Boone’s ranch hands is missing. The issue is that Boone Dawson hates the federal government and has no problem blaming all his troubles on my friend, the Refuge Manager, Gilbert Chavez. Boone Dawson carries a lot of clout in this part of the world. He’s accusing Gilbert of killing his cows and having something to do with his missing ranch hand, too. I’m not sure the local sheriff will be able to help Gilbert. I still have connections in the Air Force, and if something on the range is killing cows, I might be able to uncover what is going on. Maybe I can find the ranch hand, too, with the help of a new friend, Leonard.
So how could this possibly tie to the Air Force? The Test Range is right next door in an isolated area of Nevada where the Air Force tests all kinds of military equipment—everything from drones and bombs to lasers. I believe that’s where the cows are dying and that someone is dumping them at Pahranagat to cover up one problem and cause another for Gilbert. I have no idea who, or why, but I intend to find out.
I’m good at finding answers. My husband, Harry, may he rest in peace, was a criminal investigator in the Office of Special Investigations for the Air Force. I was his research assistant. I found information Harry needed to solve crimes. That’s why now, I can’t let this rest.
On the refuge, I spend my mornings cleaning outhouses, taking out the trash, and talking to other campers traveling through Nevada. I learn a lot by listening. I only have to work twenty-four hours each week to earn my stay in a campsite with full electric hookups, water, and a great view. No sewer, so I still have to make an occasional trip to the fairgrounds to eliminate that problem. It’s a far different life from the one I used to live. But for the first time in a long time, I am useful.
I also have time to investigate. If the trip to the Test Range doesn’t pan out, I’ve got an appointment at the beauty shop in Alamo, a little town north of the refuge. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot while I’m there.
We’ve arrived. Looks like the Colonel is waiting for me. I have a good feeling that I’ll find some answers today.
Catch you later!
SHINING WATER
Series: A Wildlife Refuge Mystery, Book 2
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release Date: April 2026
Format: Print, Digital
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Can Lilly Weathers, a retired legal researcher and volunteer at a wildlife refuge in Nevada, expose a deadly military cover-up, resolve issues with an angry rancher, and find her new friend who disappeared without a trace, without losing her own life?
Lilly Weathers, a widow and retired Air Force investigative researcher, leashes up her two dogs and begins a new life as an RV volunteer for national wildlife refuges. Her first job lands her in Nevada in the middle of a murder conspiracy that involves military readiness training. When the refuge manager, Lilly’s long-time friend, is accused, she tries to clear his name. The Southern Paiute Indians have a powerful connection to these desert lands. Will Lilly experience the energy of their ancient rock writings firsthand? Or is it her imagination? While Lilly comes to terms with starting a new life alone in this vast landscape, she investigates the canyons near Area 51, befriends an unusual character who has visions of finding a portal to other worlds, and solves a cover-up on the Air Force’s Nevada Test and Training Range. Blocking her way is a rancher who hates the federal government and another who goes to great lengths to woo her.
Meet the author
Christy J. Kendall served as a Wildlife Biologist and Refuge Manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for twenty-five years. During those years working on multiple wildlife refuges, she grew to love and understand the employees, volunteers, and non-profit organizations who gave their time and money to support conservation. In the genre of mystery, and through fictional characters and situations, she tells their stories.