Pita thought her comparison was stretching it a bit and didn’t hesitate to tell her so. Cats could be so critical. They didn’t have a lot of patience for human shortcomings. Jade told him that she was grateful he was willing to talk to her. The cat nodded almost imperceptibly. Jade proceeded to question the wise feline.
As usual, she had no idea of how long she’d spent communicating with Pita. Their conversation came to an end when the cat stood up, jumped down off the couch and trotted into the kitchen. He could smell crab. Reggie was making lunch, and she was always generous.
Chase was impatient to know what Jade had learned from his cat. “Spill, sis. The cat’s positively sphinx-like.”
Jade laughed. “You’re an enigma to him too.”
Chase looked puzzled and waited for Jade to explain.
“Cats can be precocious and Pita’s got the market cornered in that respect. He’d like to learn to swim, and he wants you to teach him. He wanted to make sure I told you that.” Jade giggled at her brother’s expression.
“How do I teach a cat to swim?” Chase was baffled.
“You could start in the bath tub getting him used to water and being wet,” Jade suggested, a little bemused herself.
“Uh…okay…I’ll let you know how that goes. Am I being Punk’d…Ashton?” He looked over his shoulder. “This isn’t a joke, right? Because it would be a pretty good one, I wouldn’t blame you for being tempted.”
Jade laughed. “You’re right it would be a great joke to play on you, but I’d never do that to poor Pita. He’s serious. That cat wants to swim.”
Chase was hesitant. “Okay. What else did he say? It’s still so weird to ask that question about a cat.”
She looked over her shoulder as Reggie came back in the room carrying a tray.
“I made some lunch. Pita came sniffing around so I figured you were done.” She put the tray on the coffee table and sat down. “So what did you learn from Pita?”
“He wants me to teach him how to swim.”
Reggie burst. Amusement got the best of her. “Good luck with that.”
He looked resigned but anything but happy. “I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
Smiling, Jade tried to get back on topic at hand. “Okay, okay. Pita told me something that we didn’t know.”
Reggie and Chase stopped laughing and waited.
“It’s not just about senseless violence. This creature wants to mate. It feels a biological imperative. It doesn’t drink its victim’s blood and eat their flesh for sustenance, but rather, to ease its sexual hunger.” She shivered with revulsion.
Reggie spoke the words out loud. “And it wants to mate with you?”
Jade winced. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
“That’s it, sis. I’m sending you away. How about Florence? Would you like to go to Italy?” Chase was serious.
Jade smiled at him. “Yes, I’d love to visit Florence, but not right now. You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’ve just found my way back home. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that.”
“I’ll be very careful. I’ll keep Rags with me at all times. He can catch the creature’s scent, and I can get to safety.” The whole thing gave Jade the creeps, but she knew she had to stay in New Crescent. Running away wouldn’t solve anything. Ernestine was right. Jade had to figure this thing out. It was her destiny.
* * * *
Feeling guilty for ignoring her responsibilities at the clinic earlier that morning, Jade ate a quick salad with Reggie and Chase then she and Rags drove to work. Dodger was there. Rags was happy to see him and performed the obligatory dog smelling ritual.
Jade walked out to the stables. Tamarra and Erick the donkey were very comfortable in their new home. The story of what had happened to them after Jade had left all those years ago wasn’t a happy one. They’d been separated. After being retired from the racing circuit, Tamarra was shuffled from owner to owner. The life of a Standard Bred race horse is not an easy one. There was no green pasture for Tamarra in her retirement. She’d performed well and had many offspring for her owners, but they didn’t understand the meaning of the word loyalty. She was torn away from the little donkey and sold for what paltry price an ex-race horse could fetch. Sadly, no one wanted Erick and after too much time with too little care, he’d ended up in a rescue facility.
Tammara and Erick had never stopped missing each other. Their reunion was sweet. Jade could feel the joy being together again brought them. The old friends finally had a happily ever after, thanks to Sam.
Jade was in a unique position to know that animals formed bonds with each other that were often much stronger than those forged by many humans. They understood the value of loyalty, constancy and nobility. Tammara and Erick were the perfect example.
Jade asked them if they wanted to go for a walk with her, Rags, Dodger and Petra. They accepted the invitation with enthusiasm. Before she could open their stall, Erick did it for her. She’d forgotten that about the little donkey. He was an escape artist. There wasn’t a stall created that he couldn’t get out of.
Standing in the middle of her stall, Tamarra was proud of her little friend. Years ago she may have taken advantage of Erick’s talent and slipped away, but here in this barn, she was happy and had no desire to escape.
Jade burst out laughing when Erick opened Petra’s stall as well. Damn that donkey was smart. She made a note to tell Sam about Erick’s predilections.
They made an amusing little group, the tiny woman walking along the trail with two dogs, two horses and a donkey. Only in New Crescent. It was a very pleasant little outing despite the cold. Jade and her companions drank in what Mother Nature offered them. Their breath turned to a smoky mist as Jade increased the pace.
On the way back to the barn she caught sight of Sam watching them. He was smiling broadly.
He called out. “You’re a sight, Jinx.” He tried to lean on the paddock fence but missed and had to make an athletic recovery.
Jade laughed at his awkwardness. “You better watch what you’re doing instead of taking in the sights” She called back to him.
He shrugged helplessly. “You Jinx me.”
“Now that’s just old news. Can’t you come up with something better than that?”
She stood in front of him. He pulled her to him roughly and kissed her quick and hard.
He lifted his head. “How’s that for better?”
She smiled. “Not bad, Trust Fund.”
He walked with her to the barn and helped her get the horses and Erick back into their stalls. She warned him about Erick’s escape habit, but he didn’t seem concerned.
“If they’re happy here I don’t imagine there’s anything to worry about.”
Sam may not have had been gifted with Jade’s ability, but he was pretty good at understanding animals anyway. “Just the sight of you and your friends here helped to cheer me up.” He knelt and cuddled Dodger a moment. “I spent the better part of the day at the crime scene with the medical examiner.”
“How’d that go?” Jade cringed, dreading the details.
“He’s a very unimaginative scientist, eager for retirement, and I don’t think he’s ever watched a single episode of CSI…in any city.” He straightened, keeping a hand on Dodger’s head. “He’s not going to be much help. He’s looking for the easiest explanation.”
“But Dodger’s off the hook now, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Frowning, she nudged him. “You don’t sound convinced.”
“Well, Dodger wasn’t crated last night. He walked about freely. It’s a huge stretch, but the Mayor is Gumby when it comes to explanations.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jade, Dodger’s not in the clear yet. But don’t worry it’s absolutely ridiculous to suggest any dog is responsible for this kind of carnage, and I can back it up scientifically. I just have to do the tests.”
“Well, get to it, Sam.” She pulled him towards the lab. “I’ll hold down the fort. You get the job done.” He went along with her willingly. “Has there been any word on the woman who was attacked?”
Sadly he shook his head. “I think she’s still hanging on, but it’s touch and go right now. She was badly torn up.”
Jade faltered and looked down. He came to a full stop beside her.
With a hand on her shoulder, he tipped her chin up with his finger. “Stop it. This is not your fault. You have every right to survive.” He pulled her into his arms and whispered, “Thank God you survived.”
They gathered at Gillian’s for dinner. She didn’t plan an elaborate meal, but what she did supply was comforting. They spent most of the time talking about the case and what little progress they’d made.
When Jade told them about Pita’s revelation Gillian nodded in agreement.
“That’s it! That’s exactly what Henry felt from the creature. It wasn’t starving, but it was satisfying some kind of hunger. I couldn’t figure out what that feeling was, but as soon as you mentioned it the whole thing made sense to me.” She looked relieved. “The creature felt a sexual release from the carnage. Finally! I was going crazy trying to put my finger on it.”
Travis said, “So I guess that makes this thing male. Add it to our description.”
Reggie shook her head, “Probably, but not necessarily, Sheriff. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever known, so anything is possible. It hasn’t had to conform to the laws of nature in any respect so far. Who’s to say it will in this.”
There was silence around the table.
Travis frowned at Reggie. “Okay, but let’s say for the sake of argument it’s male. It’s been coming after Jade. Maybe it knows she can communicate with animals and that ability makes her uniquely qualified to be its mate.”
Chase said, “That makes a twisted sort of sense.” He turned to Jade, “Are you sure you don’t want to go to Italy?”
Jade knew he was joking, so she didn’t bother to form a reply. She just rolled her eyes at him.
Sam said, “The poor woman last night, how is she, Travis?”
“Still unconscious. They don’t want her to wake just yet. She’s in a drug induced coma. The pain of her injuries would be too much to bear.” Reluctantly he turned to Gillian.
She ignored him and addressed the rest of them. “He doesn’t want me to do this, but he hasn’t got a choice, I’m going to sit with Kristen tomorrow and see if I can pick up anything. It couldn’t hurt. My specialist, Dr. Smythe, will be there too. He’ll watch over us.” Her enormous dog Hank whined, and Jade knew he was worried about Gillian.
Jade said, “Be careful, Gillian. What Kristen went through is unimaginable and it’s probably best left that way. Once you feel what she felt you’ll never be able to get that out of your head.”
Travis jumped on Jade’s words of caution. “Thank you, Jade! I’ve been trying to tell her the same thing.”
But Gillian disagreed with them both. “I’ve made great progress controlling my gift. I think I can pick up details of what she experienced without actually feeling it myself.”
“You
think
. That’s the operative word.” Travis was persistent.
“Dr. Smythe will be there, so will you and Hank. That’s plenty of backup.”
Reggie and Gillian exchanged a meaningful look and Reggie said, “Let her do it, Travis.” Her voice was authoritative and sure. Jade realized that she’d been speaking as a Guardian. There was no more discussion of it.
Sam spoke up. “There was deer blood at the crime scene this morning.” He nodded. “I think you’re right, Travis. A deer must have interrupted the attack and the thing attacked it too.”
Jade felt sad for it. “Where’s the poor thing now? Has anyone found its body?”
Travis shook his head. “The trail of blood just peters off and the tracks end. It doesn’t help that it snowed today.”
“I don’t think I can take much more of this. Why don’t we set a trap?” Jade looked around the room knowing her next words would initiate an even hotter debate. “I can be the bait.”
Right on the money, the room erupted as they all rejected her idea immediately, some more vehemently than others.
* * * *
That night, Sam insisted Jade stay at his house with him. Her suggestion had rattled him, and she felt a little guilty for making him worry so much. Just before going to Gillian’s for dinner Sam had enlisted Jade’s help in picking out a Christmas tree. This time when she visited Maynard’s the results were very different. She still had to decorate for own tree and had intended on doing that after dinner, but she figured it could wait. Instead, she ended up helping Sam to decorate his.
“We’ll do your tree tomorrow night. Okay?” He knew her so well.
Jade liked the way he assumed there would be a tomorrow night for the two of them. She’d deliberately avoided thinking about their relationship and where she stood with him. It was so much easier just enjoying the moment, but she knew that some day soon she’d have to confront her fears and talk honestly to Sam about the future. For now she just wanted to celebrate the holiday season.
Sam worked hard to put Jade at ease. He lit a fire, provided hot chocolate and played Christmas music. She joined him in song and bossed him around unabashedly. When it came to Christmas decorations, his taste bordered on the garish, and Jade shuddered at some of the gems he brandished with pride. He simply had no artistic sense. She had to keep a close watch over him.