A Crying Shame (29 page)

But Paul began checking more recent records. Now it's four or five women at a time, usually over a six-month to one-year period. Many of them tourists—not local women. This led Paul to believe the Links have help. Local people.”

Mike paled under his tan.
Good God!”

Paul's major in college—and he kept changing, trying to get into the proper field—was animal husbandry, then genetics, that type of thing. His conclusion was that the Links can produce only male offspring. Some ... genetic malfunction over the years. Paul believes ... believed ... that recently the chemicals from upriver, chemicals used in this area, farming, crop-dusting, and so forth, were responsible for the total breakdown in the Links's genes. That's only one of his many theories, however. Another is some kind of brain disease. Disease may not be the right word; I'm not a doctor or scientist. My theory—probably grossly incorrect—is much more basic?”

And that is?” Mike practically whispered the question, having difficulty mentally digesting all that had been said in just a few moments.

The Links got a taste of human pussy. They like it.”

Add crude to suave and violent, the sheriff mentally amended the FBI report.
Then, if that is true, why not more attacks?”

Paul believed the leaders won't—wouldn't—permit it. They use the women they take for breeding until they die, go mad, or kill themselves. They try, at all costs, to avoid killing. After the women ... wear out, so to speak, then they seek others.”

Or become too old to ... breed.” Mike stumbled over the word.

That is correct.”

Mon Dieu!”
Mike slipped back into the language of his boyhood.
But . . . how did they get here in the first place?”

Paul believed they have been here since the beginnings of time. Or at least since man evolved into walking upright. These creatures, for some reason, stopped evolving. That's why Paul called them Links.”

Getting back to something you said. Why—strictly for the sake of argument—would a perfectly normal human being want to help these ... monsters?”