Everyone began to murmur amongst themselves. “Strange that we haven’t seen any signs of him yet,” one man said.
I shuddered at the thought. It was almost like a bad omen. I couldn’t help but notice that Brent currently wasn’t anywhere to be seen now, so I used this opportunity to speak with Tammy and Dixie, pulling them aside. As we moved between the cabins, I asked them what had happened when they checked out Billy Matlin’s place—after we had disconnected our microphones, that is.
“Well, we crossed the police tape for one,” Dixie began.
“I figured that much. Please, go on. What did you see on the patio?”
“What are you asking, exactly?” Tammy asked.
“Was there anything close by that might have been used to smash the window?”
“Sure. There was firewood out there, but nothing that looked big enough to do that kind of damage. We found a few broken pieces of bricks, too, but I can’t say there was anything that could have done the job. Do you think Billy staged it?”
“That’s certainly a theory, and his blood was on the patio, but that might have happened in a struggle. I guess I just wished there was something more.”
“Not animal scat, either?” Eleanor asked.
“Nope. If that had been there earlier I’m sure it would have been taken as evidence, though,” Tammy pointed out.
“One more question. How long were you there before the cops showed up?”
“Not long, huh, Tammy?”
“Nope, not long at all. The cops might not have finished with the crime scene or that’s what they told us when they threatened to arrest us. We had to tell the cops you sent us there. I didn’t want to spend the night in jail.”
“I can’t blame you, Tammy. Thanks for your trouble just the same.”
“You never expected us to find any real evidence, did you?”
“Actually, no. We mostly just wanted you out of our hair so we could check out another lead, but so far nothing we’ve done has panned out.”
“Keep the faith, Agnes. We might just run across a lead right here on this Bigfoot hunt.”
We reattached our microphones and wandered back to camp. Brent was here now, standing near the fire, and from the look in his eye, I think he suspected that we had unplugged our equipment. I had no idea how that might have worked. Was it possible that they had some kind of computer network that was tracking our every move?
Brent crossed the distance between us in five easy strides. In his hand he held a box of some sort. He showed it to us and pointed out the map with four flashing circles that I assumed indicated an interruption of connection with our microphones. “The four of you disappeared from my grid for five minutes.”
“Well,” I began. “We must have walked into a black hole.”
“The contract you signed states that you’re not allowed to disconnect the microphone or any other pieces of the equipment attached to you.”
Curt and Curtis bounded over. “Oh, great. I told Curtis that this was a bad idea. We could have just found Bigfoot all on our own.”
“That only applies to contestants on this reality show. Now if you two would like to leave, that’s just fine. I’ll have one of the crew escort you back.”
Curt took ahold of Brent’s shirt and said, “We’ll leave when we’re good and ready and not before, and my brother and I certainly don’t need anyone showing us the way home. We know these woods better than any of you.”
“Calm down, Curt. This was all just a misunderstanding,” I said.
When Curt let Brent go, he insisted, “I want the both of you off this reality show. Now!”
Two bald men came forward and stared down Curt and Curtis. I couldn’t help but notice Curt’s hand grabbed something from the back of his pants. “Please, can’t we work something out here?” I said. “There’s no need for violence.”
Tammy nudged Curt in the side. “I’ll meet you for drinks when this is all over.”
Curt smiled widely and yanked the battery pack and microphone attached to him off with a jerk. “Fine by me, but there’s no way any of you will find Bigfoot by being led around the woods by these yahoos.”
Curtis began to nod his head. “Yeah, my brother’s right. It was beginning to weird me out wearing this equipment, anyway. I was starting to think you’re really working for the National Security Agency, Brent.”
The Hill boys strutted out of the campsite and I had mixed feelings about it. I kinda felt safer with them around, and knew they at least had a concealed weapon somewhere that might prove handy in a pinch.
“Now what?” I asked Brent. “Do you want us to leave, too?”
“I can’t afford to lose any more contestants, but boy was that some good drama for the show.”
Peyton made his way toward us. “Brent, you need to cool your jets. Those boys made for some good television. Now all we have left is a couple of old ladies,” he motioned toward Tammy and Dixie, and added, “and these two gals.”
“What about the other team?” As I glanced around I didn’t see them.
“They’re securing the perimeter,” Brent said.
I swatted at a mosquito. “What on earth for?”
“We don’t want to be caught unaware if Bigfoot happens upon this camp. I’ve been told by the locals that this area has been active with sightings.”
“Lucky for me, I have my trusty bow,” Tammy said. “I’m a pretty good shot with this thing, even if I am only a girl.”
“Please, don’t do that. I don’t want to worry about a lawsuit if you accidently impale anyone.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Oh, I think you’re covered with that liability agreement you had us all sign.”
“How about handing the bow over?”
“How about I don’t shoot you with it? Will that do?”
Peyton just shook his head and walked away. I smiled. “Well, I guess that settles it then.”
Chapter Twenty
The other team that consisted of four men sat across from us, moving the squirrel stew around their plates with disinterest. Tammy passed her own blend of seasoning our way, claiming it would make the stew twice as tasty.
I was unsure, but Eleanor and I used the seasoning all the same. I breathed in the now spiced food with interest. It didn’t smell half bad. I didn’t know all that much about Cajun cooking, all I did know was that it was on the spicy side.
Eleanor fanned her mouth after a spoonful. “This meat is a little grisly, but with these spices I can hardly tell what it tastes like.”
“That’s the beauty of my special spices,” Tammy said. “I never leave home without them.”
“I’m not eating this shit,” one man spat, tossing it into the fire, spraying us with sparks.
“You idiot. You trying to catch us on fire?” I bellowed.
“Why are you old folks even out here? It’s not like you’re gonna find Bigfoot. I am.”
“Oh, really? And what makes you so darn able?”
“The name’s Barney Truffle. I hail from Alpena and I’ve been an outdoorsman for my whole life. I’ve hunted bear, wolves, cougars, white-tailed deer, and rabbits.”
“Really? Strange, since two of those animals are on the endangered species list.”
“No they’re not. In the Upper Peninsula, you can hunt wolves from November 15th until December 31st or until the quota is met. According to the DNR, cougars don’t exist in Michigan.”
“I know all about that, but we both know that isn’t true.”
“Well, I killed a few out west when I visited my brother. They were causing problems with his livestock.”
“I see. What’s the story with the rest of you?”
Robert Greer, Ivan Bauer, and Terry Jasman also introduced themselves, each of them with hunting backgrounds. Stiff competition, to be sure.
Tammy and Dixie went back with us to our cabin. I insisted that they stay in there with us for safety’s sake. Eleanor and I climbed on the mattresses that sat atop th
e wooded platforms and I groaned at how uncomfortable it was. I just hoped Eleanor fared much better.
“How you doing over there, Eleanor?”
“I’m gonna have a backache when I wake up.”
“Me too, but let’s try to get some sleep.”
Tammy and Dixie were asleep faster than I would have thought possible. I was like that when I was younger, too.”
Howls were heard in the distance, and my only hope was that the coyotes stayed far from camp. The glow from the fire could be seen through the window and that gave me some comfort. That should keep wild animals away, but I wasn’t so sure about Bigfoot, he sure never stayed away from my house last night.
I closed my eyes with the intention of going to sleep, but my mind just wouldn’t. I heard voices right outside our window. “This oughta scare them but good,” a male voice said. Scratches were then heard with groans and growls that didn’t sound a bit animal-like.
I ignored the noises and obviously nobody else heard them, and Eleanor was snoring. I sighed, and that’s when it hit me—that foul odor that Eleanor and I had first smelled back at Billy Matlin’s place. I grabbed my blanket tight when I heard an awful commotion outside, loud footsteps, whooping noises, and blood curdling screams.
“What the hell?” Tammy said, as she leapt to her feet with bow in hand, pulling an arrow from her quiver, readying her bow for action.
“One of the guys out there must be just messing around.”
“It sure smells bad out there,” Dixie said, her voice quivering.
Eleanor somehow was still snoring away like nothing was happening. I rolled off the mattress and crept closer to the door, chancing a look out. The camp was completely empty, the fire no more than embers.
“What should we do?” I asked Tammy.
“Why you asking me? You’re the big time investigator.”
“Yeah, for criminals, not a huge hairy beast.”
“Maybe we should go outside and take a look around,” Dixie suggested.
I gave her a look, but in the darkness it lost its power. “You can go ahead, but I’m staying right here, unless—”
“Unless Bigfoot decides to come in here?” Dixie finished for me.
“That’s not what I wanted to hear.”
“Well, what you want to hear and what you’re gonna hear are two different things,” Dixie said.
“Would you both hush,” Tammy whispered. “I’d rather not meet Bigfoot tonight.”
“Why are you here then?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just planned to take a few pictures from a distance. Like a far distance away.”
“And here I figured you for the brave one.”
“We’re all closed in here. If Bigfoot decides to check out the cabin, all I’ll have the chance to do is shoot one arrow.”
“Oh, some archery champ you are.”
“I’m used to shooting at targets, not a ferocious beast intent to gobble me up.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. Plus, I think he’s gone now. I don’t hear anything.”
“How are you supposed to with the way you keep yapping?”
Instead of giving Tammy a curt reply, I peeled my ears to determine if what had been outside was still there, or long gone now. I crept over to the window and all I could see was—nothing. I heard something large tossed around outside, and Tammy and Dixie huddled with me. “It’s definitely out there still,” Tammy whispered to me.
The smell came closer, and we kept ducked down just as something walked toward us with a series of thumps. My hair moved as a rush of hot and foul breath came through the window that had no glass. I trembled, my heart now thumping like a drum. Bigfoot was standing just outside.
Eleanor’s snores ceased, and I held my breath, praying that she wouldn’t freak out now. When I heard a thump, I figured it was Eleanor as she crawled to us. She hugged me tight, shuddering. My knees shook now and hurt so bad that I collapsed onto the floor. Luckily, I was cautious when I did it, not making a sound.
Footsteps moved away from us now, taking the foul air with it.
What should we do now?” Eleanor asked. “Sounds like he’s gone.”
“We need to stay here,” I recommended. “It’s too dark outside to see anything and I’m certainly not risking meeting up with Bigfoot in the dark.”
“Or at all,” Tammy said. “I don’t even date hairy men.”
* * *
We waited until the first rays of daylight came from the east. Eleanor was as sore and achy as I was and Tammy and Dixie wanted to go back to Louisiana where the worst they had to worry about were alligators. They knew how to deal with them … stay far away, or carefully capture them.
When we finally left the cabin, the camp was in complete disarray. Cameras, tripods, and boom microphones were smashed on the ground.
“Let’s take a look around and see if anyone else is here,” I suggested.
We looked in the other cabin, but it was empty. “It looks like everyone is long gone,” Tammy observed. “What do you suggest we do now?”
“Look for the survivors.”
“Look where?” Dixie asked.
“We’ll have to get deeper into the woods, I suppose. We just can’t leave without at least trying to find the men.”
Tammy massaged her chin. “What was it that Peyton said; the only people left are old women and girls? Looks like girls rule to me.”
“I’m glad you’re on board. We might as well head out.”
We searched the campsite and found meager supplies, like snack cakes in Brent’s cabin, which we completely devoured.
“I spoke into the microphone. “I’m not sure if this is working or not, but we’re the lone survivors of this hunting party. I’m not sure what happened last night. All I know is that all of the men have disappeared, leaving two old ladies and two girls from Louisiana to find the men folk. Send help if you hear this transmission.”
“You’re funny,” Dixie said, with frosting dripping from her lips from a Little Debbie snack cake.
We made our way back onto a trail that we decided to take based on footprints leaving the area. Eleanor was in charge of the map, which was great since we didn’t want to get completely lost.
We hadn’t made it far on the trail before white pines overtook the landscape.
“It’s beautiful out here,” Dixie sighed. “And the air is so crisp smelling.”
“That’s Michigan for you, and as you can see it’s quite misty out yet.” And it really was, hovering near our feet as we followed the trail.
The trail we were on began to get mushy.
I saw wetlands in the distance, but off to the left there was a cabin that looked to be abandoned. I made my way over there and I tried the door, but it was locked. Tammy took a hold of the doorknob and rattled it something fierce. The handle came off in her hands. She then began to shoulder the door open with Dixie’s help. It slammed against the opposite wall and I pressed my arm against my nose from the foul odor that emitted from within.
“Should we go in, or—?” I hesitated, “—Eleanor, do you still have your cell phone on you?”
She reached into her cleavage and retrieved it, trying to make a call. “Hello, we need help out here.” Eleanor pulled her phone from her ear. “It went dead.”
“Who did you call?”
“I don’t know if I called anyone.”
“Well, check would you? It might be the difference between life and death.”
Tammy walked into the cabin. “Place looks empty.”
Dixie pointed out a trap door on the floor. “What about down there?”
Between Tammy and Dixie, they managed to get the door open. “There’s a ladder down there,” Dixie said. “I’m not sure if we should check it out.”
“How else are we gonna figure out what’s happening?”
Tammy and Dixie played rock, paper, scissors with their hands and fingers, to decide who would go first. “Scissors cuts paper,” Dixie said. “Tammy
, you’re first.”
Tammy went down the stairs, but came back within minutes, pale as a ghost. “We’d better get out of here before—”
“What’s down there?” I interjected.
“I’m not sure who it is, but he’s quite dead.”
“Oh, to hell with it. I’ll have to go down there and check myself.” I had to know if it was anyone I knew.
“But, Agnes,” Eleanor said. “You have a bad hip.”
“I know that, but it’s been much better of late. I’ll just go down far enough to try to identify the body.”
Tammy gave me a look of uncertainty. “Are you sure you should? Perhaps we should go get the cops and let them do the dirty work.”
I ignored Tammy and descended the stairs. A man was secured to the wall with chains that cut into his arms and had a rope around his neck. He was slight in frame and I had to suck in a breath as I lifted his head. I then stared into the face of the very dead Billy Matlin. I lowered his head again, and searched his body for other possible wounds, and finding none, determined that the he might have choked to death from the rope that was around his neck as it was tight enough to create quite a deep indent in Billy’s neck.
I heard a few thumps from above, but figured it was the other girls. I glanced around, but there was nothing down here that would give me any indication of who was responsible for Billy’s death. When I climbed back up the stairs, Tammy, Dixie and Eleanor were standing against the far wall with their hands held high in the air.
Brent stood there with a gun in his hand. He turned in my direction and motioned me toward the far wall where I joined my friends. “Why did you kill Billy?” I asked.
“He was getting in my way. How was I supposed to do a show about hunting Bigfoot if he found him first?”
“You must have figured out that one of us would run across Billy’s body during this show. Seems to me that you would have gotten rid of the body at least.”
“Actually, I didn’t plan for us to even take this trail.”
I felt Tammy’s body stiffen, but her bow was clear across the room where she had set it down before she descended the ladder and found Billy’s body.
Madison Johns - Agnes Barton 06 - Bigfoot in Tawas Page 17