by David Wood
“I agree,” Maddock said. “But those are the facts.”
“Look, we already heard from someone in the crowd that you found our names at the scene,” Bones said. “We’ve got nothing to hide. That’s why we didn’t bail.”
“I don’t know exactly when Alexei was killed, but I haven’t been alone since night before last,” Maddock said. “Between Bones, Rae over there, and any number of people at Blue Descent, I’ve got plenty of people who can confirm that.”
“And I’ve got people, including you, who can account for my whereabouts,” Bones said.
“Where were you around 1:00 this afternoon?”
“At Blue Descent,” Maddock said. “We arrived shortly before things kicked off and didn’t leave until just a short while ago when the officers at the scene dismissed us.”
“I’m a witness,” Rae chimed in, “as is my brother.”
“And we were questioned at the scene by one of your officers.”
“That’s good,” Gomez said, jotting down their answers. “I didn’t want to believe you were involved. Any idea why Alexei wrote down your names?”
“We got along well,” Bones said. “He was with a group of us who went out for a beer last night. Maybe he wanted to invite us out for a drink.”
Gomez looked around again.
“Look, Alexei was conducting cryptid research. Sea monsters, specifically. Did he talk to any of you about that?”
Maddock shook his head. “No, but we’re former SEALs and have spent most of our adult life at sea, so maybe he wanted to pick our brains.”
Gomez nodded, kept on writing.
“You should to be looking at a guy named Echard,” Bones said. “He’s been skulking around, tried to steal an artifact from us.”
“Echard? That could be a problem.” Gomez lowered his voice. “Look, I think you should get out of here. You’ve officially been questioned by the police and provided alibis and witnesses.”
“So why is there a problem?” Rae asked.
“Detective Lane plays in Echard’s poker game, and the word is, Lane is on a losing streak. If Echard is involved, he might put pressure on Lane to pin the crime on you. I’ll confirm your alibis but I won’t tell Lane that you were here.” He paused. “I’m putting a lot of faith in you two.”
“Thank you,” Maddock said, shaking his hand.
“You still coming over for that beer tonight?” Bones asked.
Gomez laughed. “A chance to swap stories with a fellow cryptid lover? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
21
Echard was fit to be tied. The reliably malleable Lane was on the verge of growing a spine, and it was making his life difficult. He closed his eyes, squeezed the receiver, and counted to three.
“Lane, it’s essential that you keep my name out of this investigation,” Echard said.
“I’ll do my best. But you have to understand, this is a serious issue.”
“You know what else is serious? A cop with massive gambling debts. Do you have any idea how much you owe me?”
“Yes.”
“And do you have the money to pay me back?”
The line went silent. Echard waited.
“Still there?”
“You know I don’t have the money,” Lane said in a sullen voice. “That’s why you’ve gotten away with as much as you already have.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Echard couldn’t help but smile. Lane was a fool, but a useful one. “Now, have you arrested Maddock and Bonebrake yet?”
“Can’t do it. No motive and they’ve got confirmed alibis for the time of death.”
“But their names...”
“The fact that their names were written on a sheet of paper isn’t evidence of a crime.”
“And what about my stolen artifact? Did you recover it yet?”
“The artifact you refuse to describe? That one for which you can’t provide any proof of ownership? You’re tying my hands here.”
“I’m on the verge of tying your hands and your feet to a block of cement and dropping you into the nearest blue hole.” Echard gritted his teeth. He had the stolen CT scan images, but if he showed them to Lane, he’d have to explain how he had come by them. And if it was his word against Raeána’s, they’d believe the college professor over him in a heartbeat.
“It’s a silver amulet shaped like a serpent biting its tail.” That ought to be generic enough to keep an idiot like Lane from putting two and two together.
“Like a sea serpent?”
Dammit! The man was developing a backbone and a brain at the worst possible time.
“No, not like a sea serpent. You’ll know it when you see it. Just get it back from them.”
Lane sighed. “Look, these guys are highly decorated veterans. And not just the same commendations everyone earns if they serve long enough. If Maddock wore all their medals at the same time he could compete in the joust. And that’s just what I was able to find out.”
“What does that have to do with a Bahamas police investigation?” Echard was losing patience. His hired guns had failed him and now his leverage against Lane was suddenly insufficient.
“Within an hour of getting my first report back on Maddock and Bonebrake, I received a call from a Commander Maxwell in the U.S. Navy. He suggested I direct all future inquiries to him. Then he dropped a few names, including that of the Governor-General. Oh, and would you like to guess who called me no more than five minutes after we hung up, just to confirm Maxwell’s instructions?”
Echard’s heart began to race, his skin felt clammy. That was not the kind of attention he needed.
“Okay, fine. Handle those two however you feel necessary, but whatever you do, direct the investigation away from me, or else the Governor-General is going to get another call about you. As will a few reporters.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Lane said tightly.
“Oh, and get my amulet.”
A sharp knock came at the door.
“I’ve got to go. Keep me posted.” Echard hung up the phone.
The knock came again. A single rap, ominous.
Echard peered through the peephole. The cheap lens warped his vision, but he could see the person standing there was a bear of a man. He had fair skin, a square jaw, and wore his dark hair in a GI cut. He arms and legs were like telephone poles.
“Can I help you with something?”
The man stared directly at the peephole as if he could see Echard on the other side.
“You called for our help. I just arrived from Utah.”
Echard gasped. So they really had taken him seriously.
“Great. Just a second.” His numb fingers fumbled with the locks. By the time he opened the door, the man was tapping his foot impatiently.
He didn’t wait to be invited in. Echard had to spring to the side to avoid being crushed between the door and the wall.
“I’m Echard.”
“Issachar.”
What the hell kind of name was that? Then again, a lot of the Dominion guys had weird names.
Issachar looked around the small room and apparently saw nowhere he would deign to sit. He turned to face Echard. Inside the small room, the man looked even more imposing. He stared but said nothing.
“How was your trip?” Echard said, unable to bear the silence for more than a few seconds.
“The flight sucked, but it got me out of an archaeological dig in the Utah desert. I’ll take the Bahamas over that any day.”
“You don’t look like an archaeologist.”
“I’m a consultant. I assess situations and provide support and guidance. Occasionally I get directly involved.”
Echard wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It sounded like Issachar planned to be hands-off, which was great. But Echard could really use some help with the Maddock situation. Best to bring that up when the time was right. “You’re going to love the islands. Best rum in the world.”
Issachar quirke
d an eyebrow. “You drink alcohol?”
“No. Just a joke.” He hoped Issachar couldn’t see the lie in his eyes.
Issachar didn’t laugh, or even smile. “Tell me what you’ve got.”
Echard realized he was holding his breath. This was the moment of truth. What if the man didn’t believe him?
“An artifact was recently discovered. I believe it’s an item of great power... a power of Biblical proportions, if you will. It all started with a story I heard from an old man on Cat Island.” Issachar’s expression remained implacable as Echard launched into his story. He then gave a quick summary of his subsequent investigations and the events that had brought the artifact to his attention. When he finished, he handed Issachar the items he’d taken from Alexei’s room, along with a binder filled with his own research and notes.
Issachar examined them quickly, but not carelessly. He devoured the information like hungry piranha consuming a carcass.
“This is the artifact?” He tapped one of the CAT scan images.
“That’s it.”
“Not a lot of detail here, but it looks like a serpent biting its tail. Kind of reminds me of Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent of Norse mythology.”
Echard was surprised. He’d judged the man on his appearance and concluded his education didn’t extend far beyond the efficient cracking of skulls.
“In the Talmudic works, there’s a reference to Leviathan with “its tail placed in its mouth, twisting and encompassing the entire world.”
Issachar nodded. “The Zohar and the Baba Batra. The Elder was impressed with your thorough citations of scripture and extra-Biblical texts. I think that’s the only reason I was sent. He doesn’t like to take chances when there might be a scriptural connection.”
Echard gaped. “My information was passed along to the Elder?”
“Yes, but don’t get too excited. He’s quite skeptical. The scripture mentions sea serpents, but not an artifact.”
“I’m working on the assumption that the Leviathan legend overlaps with sea serpent tales from other mythologies.” He knew immediately he’d chosen his words poorly.
“Is that how you see scripture? Myths and legends? I thought you were one of us. Or, you once were.” His tone added layers of meaning to the words.
“Please don’t misunderstand. I’ve been conducting all my research in the secular world, so their jargon has rubbed off on me. But I do think there’s great value in these extra-Biblical stories. Even if they aren’t literally true, they often contain nuggets of valuable information.”
This seemed to satisfy Issachar. “Just making sure. Obviously, not even the scriptures are literally true all of the time. Sometimes the truth lies in the lessons the story is teaching.”
Echard nodded, relieved that they seemed to see things the same, at least in this case.
“But make sure nothing else from the secular world bleeds through into your life.”
“I understand.”
Issachar’s eyes narrowed. His gaze seem to bore into Echard’s brain. “You’ve actually seen this amulet? Not just blurry scans?”
“I haven’t seen it up close, but I’ve seen it from a distance and it’s the same.”
“And why do you believe the Dominion would want this artifact?”
Echard’s heart raced. He had never said this aloud to anyone before.
“I think this artifact will give the bearer power over Leviathan.”
Issachar’s expression didn’t change. “And what would you do with a thing like that?”
“Me? Nothing.” Echard left out the other reason he wanted to find Leviathan, or Lusca, or whatever you wanted to call it. “But it seems like the sort of thing we, I mean, you, should have charge of. Would you rather it fall into the hands of the Vatican, or Trident?”
Issachar looked up at the ceiling and slowly began to pace. Echard had to hop onto the bed to get out of his way.
“Assuming this artifact is authentic, and if you are correct about its power, there’s potential, to be sure. Imagine the disruption to shipping that could be caused.”
“Like, foreign countries?”
Issachar shrugged. “In certain situations, but I’m thinking more about using it as leverage to get things done in our own country. The United States is run by the people who own the members of congress. Corporations, mostly.”
Echard caught on right away. “You ask them to exert a little influence. Any company that doesn’t play ball, ships containing their merchandise start vanishing in the middle of the ocean. Oops.”
“Exactly.” Issachar stopped his pacing. “You really believe this thing could control Leviathan itself.”
“It depends on which story you believe. One account says control, the other says release.” Echard held his breath but relaxed when Issachar smiled.
“Many believe that Leviathan is the serpent alluded to in Revelation. Its return is a sign that the End of Days is coming!”
“And that would be a... good thing?” Echard tried to make it sound like a statement of fact, but he didn’t quite manage it.
“It is for those who believe.” Issachar tossed the binder onto the bed and rubbed his hands together. “It’s time to get down to business. Who else knows about the amulet?”
“Detective Lane with the police department. I was trying to use him to get it back from the men who have taken it. He just thinks it’s a regular black market antiquity; he doesn’t know anything important.”
“Still, that’s another loose end we’ll need to tie up. Who else?”
“A guy at the pirate museum. Lawson.”
Issachar nodded.
“And a teacher named Raeána Franklin, and the treasure hunters who found it, of course. They’ve been hanging out together.”
Issachar’s eyes narrowed. “And where might I find them?”
“On their boat, I guess. It’s called Sea Foam. I’ve tried to get the artifact back from them, but they’ve proved tough nuts to crack.”
Issachar bared his teeth in a wolfish grin.
“Don’t worry. That’s the sort of thing I can take care of myself.”
22
Sea Foam sat tied up at a remote dock. It wasn’t much of a marina, just enough slots for a few tour boats, fishing boats, and space for a few guests. Maddock had been inclined to anchor offshore, but when he heard the tale of the crew’s narrow escape, he thought the better of it. He, Bones, and Rae now sat on the aft deck, enjoying the cool evening air and moonlit sea. The remainder of the crew, Kyle in tow, had gone out for dinner and drinks. After their narrow escape, they felt the need to get away from the water for a while.
“You think it might have been the Lusca?” Bones asked.
“Of course I don’t,” Maddock said.
“Think about what happened at Blue Descent. Something did that. It could have been whatever chased the boat.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean it’s the monster we just learned about. I swear, Bones, is there a cryptid you don’t believe in?”
“Yes, but I’m not telling you which one. You’ll just have to wonder about it.”
They heard the sound of a boat approaching. A familiar face guided a small boat up to the dock. It was Officer Gomez. He tied up alongside them.
“Permission to come aboard?”
“Granted,” Bones said. “But only if you brought the beer.”
“You said you were providing the beer, but I did bring Jack Daniel’s.” The young man held up a backpack, the kind college students used to carry their textbooks. “I also brought my binder.”
“Good man,” Bones said.
They sat around drinking and making small talk until Maddock circled around to the subject that concerned him most at the moment.
“I hesitate to ask,” Maddock said, “but can you tell us how things stand with the investigation?”
“I can tell you that you’re in the clear for now. Detective Lane made some inquiries. I guess whatever he learned sati
sfied him. That and you both have alibis.”
Maddock raised his bottle in salute. Soon, the conversation turned to the unusual creatures Bones and the officer loved.
“We have rich folklore in the Bahamas. Many fascinating stories and creatures,” Gomez said.
“Which is your favorite?” Rae asked.
Gomez considered the question. “There’s the chickcharney. It’s a cryptid unique to Andros. It lives in the forests, usually in pine trees. I can be feathered or furry, but generally resembles a very large owl.”
“How large?” Rae asked.
“A meter tall. It has three fingers at the ends of its wings, three toes, piercing red eyes, and a head that can spin three hundred sixty degrees.”
“I dated a girl like that,” Bones said.
“It’s a touchy creature,” Gomez continued. “If a traveler meets the chickcharney and shows it respect, the traveler may proceed on his way and might even be granted good fortune. But the traveler who doesn’t show the proper respect will be cursed.”
Bones perked up at that. “Awesome! What sort of curse?”
“The usual. Bad luck. Financial ruin. It’s said that Neville Chamberlain offended the chickcharney by cutting down one of their forests to build a plantation. The endeavor proved to be a spectacular failure.”
“An ‘overdrawn bank account’ cryptid,” Bones said. “Not the scariest story I’ve heard.”
“I forgot to mention, if you laugh at the chickcharney, it clamps down on your shoulders and twists your head in a complete circle.” Gomez made a twisting motion with his fists and accompanied it with a cracking sound.
“That’s more like it,” Bones said.
“I’ve considered doing that to Bones a few times,” Maddock said.
Bones smirked. “You’ve considered doing that to your...”
“Please don’t finish that sentence!” Rae snapped.
Gomez laughed and went on. “Islanders were once so afraid of the chickcharney that they took to carrying brightly colored flowers or bits of fabric to charm the creature and as an offer of respect.”