Andrea wasn’t sure what she’d expected when she met the country’s most renowned cryptozoologist, but the man standing before her wasn’t it.
For an older man, Jared Novotny was fairly attractive if you overlooked the wardrobe he had apparently stolen from Mr. Rogers. His silver hair was an inch too long to be considered professional, and he had kind blue eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled. Unfortunately, his pleasant appearance was lost when he opened his mouth. He spoke in a bored-sounding monotone that reminded Andrea of most of the lecture hall professors she’d hated in college.
Fifteen minutes after meeting Novotny, her eyes had glazed over, and he’d completely lost her, talking about specific animals and the biology of their existence as if it was easy small talk. Science had never been Andrea’s strong suit.
“I really appreciate you coming,” she told him and his assistant—a pretty young thing named Brittney—as she helped them get settled at their hotel. “I’m afraid a young boy has gone missing in Woodbine, and most people are out searching for him today.”
“That’s terrible,” Novotny said. “Perhaps we should go help look for the child.”
Andrea pulled out the map she and Sean had marked. “I’m terrified he’s going to have a run-in with this creature, so maybe we can look for this werewolf animal while we’re looking for Jason too?” They examined the map while she shared the theories she and Sean had created.
“You’ve done a wonderful job with this.” Novotny eyed the map closely. “Your theory could have some merit.”
Andrea squashed any sense of pride she felt hearing his words. “When we first talked, you said you were familiar with the Woodbine Werewolf legend. Do you have any idea about what it could be?”
“The problem with this particular case is that people call it a ‘werewolf,’” he said. “Werewolves are not considered real cryptids. They’re considered folklore, and cryptozoologists do not usually investigate folklore. Cryptids are real, as of yet unclassified animals.”
“Yes, I know all of that.” She motioned with her hand, impatient for new information. “We have proof that something
is
out there. I’m trying to determine how dangerous it is or, better yet, how we’ll capture it.”
“Based on your descriptions, I’m a bit baffled as to what it could be.”
“Please take a stab.” She clenched her fists to keep from grabbing him by his jacket and shaking some urgency into him. If anything bad happened to Jason—No! She wouldn’t let herself think that way. Megan had peeked in to check on Jason last night without realizing he’d stuffed his bedsheets to look like he was sleeping. At best guess, the boy had been missing at least seventeen hours now, and the sun would be setting in another two. Time was their enemy. Even if Jason didn’t have a run-in with the werewolf creature, he could be scared, lost and alone in the dark woods.
She was eager to get outdoors and start searching.
“Well, the common description is of an animal with dark shaggy fur, which is about the size of a calf or larger, that is more fierce, stealthy and elusive than any wolf known to man. If you’re asking me to put a label on that—” he looked at her for confirmation, “—my best guess is that it could be an unknown species of wolf. Perhaps a relative of the dire wolf, which is extinct, or believed to be.”
“A dire wolf. Okay. So it could be a dire wolf.” Finally, Andrea had a frame of reference.
“Oh, no.” He shook his head. “I’m only guessing. Wolves have never been known to walk on two legs. I still think your werewolf is probably a mistaken Sasquatch.”
“A Bigfoot?” Andrea shook her head. Was he kidding? “What I saw looks nothing like the pictures of Bigfoot I’ve seen on TV. It’s not a Bigfoot. Bigfoot aren’t even real!”
He made a
hmph
noise. “A mysterious beast terrorized the population of the French province of Gevaudan in the 1760s.” He settled back in his seat and took a sip of his water. “The animal killed numerous peasants—mainly women and children. They thought the beast was some sort of wolf. Some people said it was a werewolf. It was described as having superhuman strength, being the size of a cow and having teeth that were seven inches long.”
“What was it?”
He shrugged. “Who knows? The point I’m trying to make is that people who’ve seen something like that get confused and mistake its features for something they’re not. It might be four feet tall but people describe it as seven feet tall. That type of thing.”
Andrea recalled her sighting and doubted she’d confused the details of it. Then again, she’d learned anything was possible.
Brittney leaned forward. “There are also big cat sightings all over the United States. I almost wonder if your fur sample couldn’t be from one of them—if not a Bigfoot.”
Why are they talking about cats and Bigfoot monsters?
She had shared the evidence. Hadn’t they heard a word she’d said? The researchers spoke of creatures Andrea had no knowledge of, but she did know one thing.
“What I saw was no cat, and it was no Bigfoot. Besides, that fur was found on a rooftop.”
“Cats are climbers. Wolves aren’t typically.” Novotny nodded. “However, I’ve heard of cases—sightings—of Bigfoot walking across rooftops before.”
He was like a dog with a bone with his Bigfoot theory. Andrea shook her head and tried to stay on track. “The point
is
, how do we find it, and fast?”
“Oh, I imagine it will take us days just to decide where to start.” He chuckled, in no hurry. “Before we can start field research, I’ll need to speak with witnesses, read over any reports I can find, test my equipment.”
Andrea slammed her hands down on the table and looked Novotny square in the eyes.
“There’s a twelve-year-old boy lost somewhere, possibly in these woods, with this animal. This is a boy that’s being raised by a single mom, and he has an adorable little sister that will be scarred for life if she learns her brother was torn to shreds because
we
had too much prep work to do before we could help search for him.”
That earned a reaction. Novotny sat straighter in his chair. “You say this animal has attacked house pets and horses?”
“I know it attacked a horse. I’m only speculating about the pets.” She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She gathered up the map too. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go. It’ll be dark soon, and I’m not really sure where to start looking yet.”
Andrea turned and headed for the door, fully intent on searching alone if it came to it.
“Wait!” The researcher stood. “If it is some form of wolf, they are very shy creatures by instinct,” Novotny told her. “It will do everything in its power to avoid humans.”
“Not this thing.”
Novotny held out his hand. “Can I see the map, please?”
He looked at the map again. “Brittney, unpack my equipment. If Miss Lockhart is in a hurry, we can scout some of these areas today to see if we can track its den.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. It’s highly unlikely we’ll find anything.”
Maybe.
But at least they were trying.
Sean glanced up at the sky as he broke away from the search party to walk to his truck. Not good. The sun would be setting soon, and Jason was still missing.
Sean and a small search party scouted the woods behind Megan’s house. So far, no one had found any evidence of his nephew’s whereabouts.
Where the hell are you, kid?
Volunteers were searching all over town and scouting the woods at various locations. It made Sean very nervous that no sign of Jason had been found. Any number of things could have happened to the boy, and none of those things settled well in Sean’s gut.
First Jason had gone missing. Then Andi had left.
Sean felt sick to his stomach. Of all the damned wrong things that could happen at once…
He swore under his breath as he jerked open the door to his truck. He knew his mind should be on finding Jason, but he couldn’t get Andrea out of his head either. Several times he’d reached for his phone to call her only to get distracted by something or someone needing his attention. He hoped she was at his place, waiting in case Jason showed up there, but knowing her, she was knee-deep in trouble of her own.
Maybe she’d even left town already. He couldn’t say he blamed her if she had.
Sean climbed into the driver’s seat of his truck and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Megan.
“Any news?” he asked.
“No, and you?”
“Afraid not, Megs.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m running by my place to see if he’s showed up there. They’re supposed to have a volunteer stationed over there, but I’d prefer to check on things myself.”
And check on Andi.
Sean tugged off his jacket. He’d worked up a sweat tromping through the woods. He slung the discarded clothing behind him. The jacket rustled considerably longer than it should have.
He jerked his head back and glanced at the small space behind his seat. The first thing he noticed was a pair of Nikes peeking out from under the jacket he’d just tossed.
Jason’s Nikes!
Sean jerked away the blanket he kept back there for emergencies and revealed his nephew, scrunched up in the narrow space behind his seat.
Tears ran down Jason’s face. “I’m sorry, Uncle Sean.”
Sean grabbed his nephew’s arm and helped him over the seat. He pulled Jason close. “My God, am I glad to see you. Where on earth have you been?”
“Hiding in here.” He sniffled, and his face turned red. “I hid in here last night when you left. I figured you would go to work this morning like you do most Saturdays, and then I could get out, find Buddy and walk to the bus station.”
“You’ve been hiding in my truck the entire time?”
Jason nodded. “I didn’t want to get in trouble when I realized you were looking for me.”
My God
. He’d driven home last night and back to Megan’s this morning. Jason had been with him the entire time?
Relief poured over Sean, quickly followed by anger and frustration. “Do you have any idea what your mother has been going through? Do you? The entire town is out looking for you, young man.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think anyone would care.”
Sean had to restrain himself from shaking some sense into the boy. He tried to remind himself what a difficult time it was for Jason and how much reassurance he’d needed following his parents’ divorce.
“Your mother and sister are worried sick. If you ever pull a stunt like this again…” Sean stopped himself. Jason’s face revealed remorse and regret in addition to sadness and worry. Sean took a deep breath. “I know you were upset about losing the dog, Jason, but why would you run away like that?”
He shrugged and hesitated. “’Cause I know Buddy loves me, and I hate it here. I almost didn’t try ’cause of that monster on the loose, but I figured that was one more reason to get out of here. I was going to find Buddy and go to my dad’s, where it’s safe.”
“And leave your mom and sister alone, with no one to protect them?” Sean ran a hand through his hair. Not to mention, Jason’s father had never showed an interest in taking the boy. “Don’t you care about your mom and sister?” Sean asked aloud before he could censor himself.
“Of course I do,” Jason said, showing some spunk. “But you’ll protect them. They don’t need me.”
The kid’s words tore at Sean’s heart. Sean knew Jason lacked confidence, but didn’t realize he felt so unneeded. Sean hoped he hadn’t contributed to his nephew’s problems by somehow making him feel unnecessary.
“Well, you know what?” Sean reached for Jason’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Someday I’m going to have my own family, and it won’t be so easy for me to look after your mom and your sister. I’ll be counting on you to do it, and it would be a real shame if you weren’t around.”
Jason looked surprised, but he said nothing. Sean was a little surprised too. He’d never considered the fact that he wouldn’t always be around for his sister and her kids. But now that Andi had come into his life and taken his heart hostage, it could happen.
“Come on.” Sean reached for his nephew’s hand. “Let’s go let everyone know you’re safe.”
And then he’d find Andrea Lockhart and put his cards on the table.
Andrea was surprised not to see or hear any volunteers searching the spot of woods Novotny had designated as the possible entrance to the werewolf’s den. She glanced around, squinting at the darkening sky as she pulled on a backpack full of essential supplies including water and flashlights.
Their small werewolf-hunting party consisted of her, Charles Browder, Novotny and his research assistant.
“Wouldn’t we have a better chance of actually finding something if we had more people?” She eyed a portion of the twenty-acre stretch of forest. She’d been lucky to run into Charlie on the way out here.
“No, the fewer people, the better.” Novotny readied some of his equipment. “I never understand why they always show about twenty people trekking through the woods when they hunt Bigfoot on TV. It’s totally ridiculous to think they’d actually find anything with such a crowd.”
Andrea and Charlie exchanged glances. Andrea smiled and shrugged. Charlie had to be wondering where she’d found these kooks. Charlie rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.
Novotny handed Andrea something he explained was a handheld thermal-imaging scanner. He demonstrated how it worked by pointing it toward Charlie, who showed up as a red, orange and yellowish blob on the viewfinder. “If anything is alive and producing body heat, it will show up on here.”
The high-tech gadget impressed Andrea. “This is neat and all, but where’s my gun and silver bullets in case I do see a large creature show up on this thing?” she quipped.
Novotny and his assistant did not look amused.
Jeesh. Well,
she’d
thought it was funny.
“No weapons,” Novotny said. “I suggest if anyone is concealing a weapon that they leave now.”
Charlie stepped forward. “If there is somethin’ out there—and I’m not saying there is,” he added, obviously for the benefit of the reporter present, “it’s attacked and wounded a thousand-pound horse and chased at least three grown men that I’m aware of. Don’t you think it would be smart for me to at least carry a tranquilizer with us?”