Travis didn’t take chances. “Get out of there now, Jade! Drive to Chase and Reggie’s. I’ll call Chase and let him know you’re coming. He’ll be waiting for you. Don’t go outside on your own.”
Jade followed Travis’s instructions to the letter and Chase met her in his driveway for the second time that night.
Worried, she complained to her brother, “Chase, all my animals are in that house. I can’t leave them there.”
Taking her shoulders in his hands he offered what comfort he could. “Your animals are safe. The thing isn’t interested in them. It wants humans, remember?”
Jade nodded. Pita didn’t even have the good grace to look apologetic for refusing to communicate with her earlier. This time, however, when Jade sat on the couch in her brother’s living room, Pita tried to sit on her lap. Her lap wasn’t big enough for the massive cat, but he was determined. Jade put her arms around him, and he settled down. His purring helped to calm her. He too reminded her that her animals were safe.
Pru and Rags started to bark when they heard a car door slam.
Travis didn’t bother to knock. He walked straight to the living room, reporting what he’d discovered. “We didn’t find much evidence, but Rags was right. There’s no doubt about that. Something odd was out there waiting for you, Jade.” He ran an impatient hand through his hair. “There was a spot out by the Chase’s company’s greenhouse where something very large had waited. Fortunately, it’s been a warm fall and the ground isn’t frozen yet. The thing left tracks, but they were unidentifiable. Judging from the imprints it left behind, it was no animal I’ve ever known.” He sighed with frustration. “I’m going to send imprints to the FBI and see if they’ve ever come across anything like this. I’m also contacting a buddy I know at the Smithsonian. He’ll take our evidence to the right expert.
Jade looked up at Travis, “Do you think it was after me in particular?”
Travis shook his head. “I can’t tell you that for sure, sweetheart, but this thing is pretty smart. It knew where to wait. It could see the entire front of the house without obstruction, yet stay completely hidden. That Thing is not natural. It just feels wrong.” He nodded to Reggie, “There are three Guardians in this town who might be able to help us sort this whole thing out.”
Reggie shook her head with regret. “I got nuttin’ so far. How about Gillian?”
Travis frowned. “She’s picking up the tension in the town. Everyone is pretty scared right now. In a small town like this, it’s hard to keep a lid on things even the most mundane ones. The strange attacks plaguing New Crescent are anything but mundane, so you can imagine how people are talking.”
Chase said, “That leaves Ernestine.”
Travis nodded. “Yeah and I’m seeing her tomorrow morning. It’s too late tonight.” He took Jade’s hand. “Are you going to spend the night here?”
She shook her head. “No, I want to go home. My roomies are probably worried about me.”
“Sure. I’ll follow you and make sure you get in safely.” Travis promised.
Jade’s gaze was steady. “I’d like that very much, Travis. Thank you.”
When they stopped their cars outside Jade’s place, Travis jumped out and opened her door for her. She took a deep breath and looked up at him, her green eyes wide.
“Show me where that thing waited for me.”
Travis declined. “I don’t think so, Jade. This has been scary enough for you. Just go to bed.”
“No. If you won’t show me now, I’ll look around for myself.” She could be stubborn.
He threw his hands up in frustration and agreed. “Women, I swear my entire life is ruled by women. Come on, this way Nancy Drew.
They’d taped the area off. Jade could see the strange patterns on the ground. She said, “It looks like something was pacing, but was it four legged? I can’t tell.”
Travis put an arm around her and led her to the house. “That’s just it, Jade. The prints show that sometimes the thing walked on two legs and sometimes on four. How’s that for strange?”
* * * *
Kally’s Roadhouse wasn’t at full capacity on a week night, but still there were enough human prey available to slake its thirst. It would be easy to grab one as she walked out of the building alone. The woods weren’t far. The kill would be postponed, but it could move fast, even with a burden. If one wasn’t enough, two wouldn’t be out of the question. The green eyed one had escaped. Fury surged through its blood like adrenalin when it remembered the sight of the red tail lights disappearing down the drive, taking the luscious cargo out of its reach.
Tonight, its prey had to be a woman. Nothing else would satisfy its need. Perhaps more than one. It waited.
It felt like he’d just closed his eyes when his phone rang. He wanted to let it ring but his days of lazing in bed were long gone. For the first time in his life, people were relying on him. What he did was important. He was making a difference, contributing to society instead of exploiting it. Sam had hammered out a life for himself, separate from his family and their business interests, and he was proud of it. He grabbed the receiver and mumbled something into it.
It was Travis. “Dude, sorry to wake you, but Wendy Gibson called the station. Her dog, Muffin won’t let her leave her house. It seems mild mannered Muffin is prepared to attack Wendy to keep her from stepping outside.”
Sam was immediately alert. “I’ll meet you there.”
Before he hung up, Travis said, “Oh and just so you know. I think that thing was stalking Jade last night.”
Travis’s words made Sam sit upright and holler into the phone. “Is she okay? What happened? Why did no one tell me?”
“She’s fine. I don’t have time for lengthy explanations. I’ll tell you later.” He hung up.
Damn it! Jade had been in danger, and no one thought to tell him. He’d make sure that never happened again. He threw on his clothes, grabbed his medical bag and drove to Wendy Gibson’s place.
By the time Travis and Sam arrived, Muffin was her usual compliant self. They looked up at Wendy as she stood at the top of her porch stairs. If they were in a cartoon, they’d have been scratching their heads, baffled.
Wendy tried to explain. “I swear to you, Muffin was rabid with me earlier. Come in for some coffee. It’s the least I can do after dragging you here at such an early hour.”
Both men followed her inside. Muffin’s behavior hadn’t stopped Wendy from making coffee. It tasted like bliss, and Sam smiled at her with gratitude.
They waited patiently for Wendy to tell her story. They both indicated that the coffee was enough. They didn’t need breakfast.
“I’m an early riser,” she said. “I get up around five every day. I go out to the barn and feed the chickens. They wake early too.” She smiled and took a sip from her coffee mug. “This morning began just like every morning except I could tell it was cold outside. Looks like we’ll have snow for Christmas.” Travis sighed and Wendy went on with her explanation. “Damned if Muffin didn’t plant herself in front of the kitchen door and growl at me. At first, I laughed and ignored her. She’d never hurt a fly that dog. She’s big, but gentle as a lamb but would you believe it, started barking and snarling at me. I thought for a second that maybe old Allan Simpson got himself killed by a rabid dog and my Muffin was gonna’ kill me the same way.” She shook her head and took a sip of coffee. “I thought I had her outsmarted and snuck to the other door, but she got there before me. That’s when I decided she musta had a good reason to keep me in the house, and I called you, Sheriff.” She looked outside at the rising sun then looked back at her handsome audience. “Let me tell you, she calmed right down when she heard your cars outside.”
Sam got up from the table and examined Muffin just to appease Wendy. He didn’t really have to. He knew why Muffin had trapped Wendy in the house that morning. That blood thirsty, unexplainable thing had been prowling last night. Muffin must have caught its strange scent. She’d probably saved Wendy’s life.
Finished his brief examination, Sam stood up. “She’s fine now, Wendy. Maybe she caught a whiff of bear or something.” Sam himself knew that was a lame explanation. He looked helplessly at Travis who didn’t come to his rescue.
Wendy narrowed her eyes. She obviously hadn’t accepted what Sam had said, but she reluctantly nodded and looked at him skeptically. “Yeah, that must be it.”
“Uh…I think we should take heed when our four legged friends warn us like that.”
Wendy smiled slyly. “Always have, always will. Thanks for comin’ out this way.”
“Jade Adams is working with me these days. I’ll ask her to stop by later this morning and check how Muffin is doing.” Sam offered.
“What? Little Jade? Saw her at the wedding. Good to see her home again. She’s no bigger than Muffin.” She scoffed, then shrugged. “But if you insist, Sam. Jade’s a good girl, I think I’ll bake her a pie.”
She bid Sam and Travis goodbye by saying simply, “Sam, Sheriff.”
As he opened the door to his truck, Sam looked over at Travis. “I’ll follow you to the station. You have some explaining to do.”
* * * *
Back at the Sheriff’s office, Sam gratefully accepted a donut from Travis’s receptionist, Caroline.
“Thanks, Caro,” Travis said. “I’ll just take two. I haven’t had breakfast.” Caroline grinned and pretended to whisper to Sam. “He always takes two.”
Sam laughed and followed Travis into his office. He shut the door and sat down in the chair opposite Travis’s desk. He took a bite of the donut, chewed and swallowed.
He didn’t mince words. “Don’t ever leave me out of the loop like this again, damn you!” He leaned forward as if to add extra emphasis to his next words, “When it comes to Jade’s safety, I want to be in the know. My God, when I think of what could have happened to her!” He sat back and glowered at his friend.
Calmly, Travis looked over his donut at his pissed off friend “Does Chase have any idea?”
Sam looked baffled. “Now what are you talking about?”
“Does Chase know how you feel about his sister?” Travis put his hands up in defense. “I know you too well, man. You got it bad, and trust me I’ve been there, I know the signs.”
Sam closed his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t discuss this with you of all people.”
Travis laughed again, “Ha! Put a pair of reading glasses on and you’d remind me of our third grade teacher, remember her?” He paused at Sam’s murderous look and held up his hands. “Hey, I’m fine not talking about it, but you’re going to have to discuss it with Chase sometime soon. You won’t be able to keep it under wraps in this town, you know. Reggie probably already knows. Not to mention Ernestine.”
In an effort to change the subject, Sam decided to mention Ernestine. “You’re going to see Ernestine this morning aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m off to see the wizard.”
Sometimes Travis could be such a pain in the ass, but Sam loved him like a brother. “I’m coming with you.” Sam glanced at his watch. “Until then, you can tell me everything that happened last night.”
* * * *
Jade was surprised that Sam wasn’t in the clinic when she arrived. She asked Brian, one of the night attendants, if Sam had been called out. Brian didn’t know. Jade thanked him and made her way into the Kennel to visit their patients.
None of them were sleeping. Jade didn’t like it, and she braced herself for what they’d communicate to her. She winced. All their thoughts rushed her in that first moment. It took her a few minutes to sort out what they were trying to tell her. She already knew they were frightened, but this morning it had ratcheted up a notch.
They were so tense Jade thought for a moment that the thing had visited the clinic last night. When the three dogs, five cats, one rabbit and a ferret finally calmed down enough to communicate with Jade, her phone rang. She looked at them in apology and answered it. It was Sam.
“Good morning, Jinx. I’m going to be late. Could you please swing by Wendy Gibson’s place? Muffin was acting aggressive this morning.”
Jade finished for him. “You want me to find out why.”
He laughed. “Got it on the first try.”
Jade hesitated then finally spoke nervously. “Sam, the animals here in the kennel are pretty keyed up. Something must have happened last night.”
She could hear Sam sigh on the other end of the line. “Yeah. Listen. Could you try to calm them? I know that’s asking a lot, but their fear won’t help them to heal.”
“I understand. I’ll try and then go to Wendy’s. Will I see you later?” She thought she’d heard a note of pleading in her voice and winced.
“Count on it.” Sam promised and hung up.
* * * *
Travis and Sam were surprised to find Ernestine indoors. At this time of the day she was usually outside on her favorite bench. Even bad weather rarely kept her from that spot, so it was with concern that Sam and Travis greeted the old lady.
Travis was the first to speak. “Are you okay, Aunt Ernestine?” Genuine concern was written all over his handsome face.
“I’m fine, quit fussing. Just thought I’d wait a bit to go out today. Come with me now.” She gave them both a meaningful look. They helped her with her coat and walked with her to the usual bench. The wind was strong and came at them from all directions. Ernestine took a deep breath in appreciation. “Christmas is coming.”