by Jana DeLeon
The creature growled and she screamed.
She tried to scramble across the seat, but the creature grabbed her and pulled her from the truck, wrapping one hairy arm around her waist and covering her mouth with his huge hand. She flailed about with everything she had, hands, arms, feet and legs, trying to tear loose, but the creature was too strong. He began to drag her into the swamp, and a second wave of panic hit her full force. Her heart beat so hard her chest ached from the effort.
Desperate to get away, she got her mouth on one of the creature’s fingers and bit as hard as she could. The creature howled right in her ear and she thought her eardrum would split from the volume. He increased his speed, almost running as he dragged her along his side.
She closed her eyes to protect them from the dry foliage that scratched her face and bit him again as hard as she could. He yanked his hand from her mouth and she retched, gagging on the hair stuck in her throat. As soon as she could suck in a breath, she screamed again, her throat burning with the effort.
Suddenly, the creature released her and she fell to the ground. The last thing she remembered was her head striking something hard. Then everything went black.
* * *
JOSIE’S SCREAM RIPPED through the silence of the night air. Tanner’s heart leaped into his throat as he tore downstairs and out the front door of the house, all thoughts of the intruder forgotten. He panicked when he saw the truck door standing open and Josie nowhere in sight. The thin glimmer of moonlight that was shining when he ran from the house faded away and left only the darkness in its place.
Stay calm.
He pulled out his flashlight and shined it on the ground next to the truck. The dirt right next to the truck showed clear signs of a struggle, so he cast the light to the surrounding area. A surge of panic ran through him when he saw the huge four-toed prints leading into the woods.
He had Josie!
Not even a second passed before Tanner launched into autopilot and followed the tracks into the swamp. The prints quickly disappeared on the canopy of dead leaves and vines, but the telltale signs of passage were there—broken branches, the occasional heel or toe print left in the tiny patches where the dirt was exposed.
He moved as quickly as he dared, knowing that making a mistake and having to backtrack could cost Josie her life.
A second scream tore through the swamp and he abandoned all concentration and ran directly toward the scream. The brush tore at his bare arms and face, but he didn’t even pause, certain he was closing in on Josie.
A minute later, he tripped over a log and sprawled on the ground in a small clearing. He jumped to his feet, ready to take off again, but glanced back just in time to see that it wasn’t a log he’d tripped over at all.
He rushed over to Josie’s prone figure and knelt beside her, feeling for a pulse. A wave of relief passed over him as it pounded strong against his fingertips. Shining his light at her head, he saw a patch of blood and a cut. He had to get her inside.
He gathered her in his arms and hurried back down the path as quickly as possible, hoping all the while that her attacker had given up for the night. It wasn’t possible to carry Josie and his pistol, and right now they were highly vulnerable. He tried to listen as he ran, but didn’t hear the sounds of approaching prey.
He burst out of the swamp close to the barn, startling Emmett Vernon, who was standing outside the barn, smoking a cigarette.
“What the hell?” Vernon dropped his cigarette and ran up to Tanner.
“Josie was attacked. I’ve got to get her inside and call a doctor.”
Vernon pulled out his pistol and dashed ahead of them and into the house. He flipped on the living room lights as Tanner hurried in and placed Josie on the couch. She was still unconscious and her face was so pale that a second wave of fear passed over Tanner.
“I’ll call Doc Hebert,” Vernon said, and grabbed the phone on the end table next to the couch. A couple of seconds later, he barked orders at the doctor and hung up the phone. “He’s close by. Shouldn’t take him but a couple of minutes to get here.”
Tanner nodded and checked Josie’s pulse again. It was still strong.
“Is she all right?” Vernon asked, the worry apparent in his voice.
“Her pulse is strong, but she’s been unconscious since I found her.”
Vernon ran one hand through his gray hair and paced the living room. “What the hell happened? I thought you were supposed to keep trouble away, not invite it to the damned house.”
Tanner felt both angry and guilty at the other man’s accusations. By advertising his purpose in Miel all over town that night, he had been inviting trouble. He just hadn’t thought it would appear before they’d even gotten inside the house.
“I was protecting her. I saw a light in the house and told her to stay in the truck and go into town and get the sheriff if I didn’t return in five minutes. I’d just gotten upstairs when I heard her scream and she was gone. I have no idea what happened.”
Vernon’s face turned red. “Running around town all night, flaunting what you were hired to do to everyone in Miel, is protecting her? I’ve had six phone calls about your little stunt already tonight. What the hell did you think was going to happen?”
“I thought he’d either go away or escalate. I was hoping for the first. I didn’t expect the second so soon.”
“Well, that’s just great. I don’t suppose you let Josie in on this fool plan of yours that almost got her killed?”
Tanner bristled and he struggled against the urge to punch Vernon squarely in the jaw. “Josie is aware and has approved everything I’ve done. I don’t ignore my boss’s wishes.”
“Like me, you mean. Well, at least nothing I’ve done has put her in harm’s way. You think about that one for a while. I’ll wait for the doc out front. The air stinks in here.”
Vernon gave Tanner one last disgusted look, then walked out the front door and into the driveway. Tanner sank down on the couch next to Josie and brushed a lock of her hair from her face.
He took a deep breath and blew it slowly out, trying to control his anger. Vernon had hacked him all the way off, but if he was being honest with himself, it was because what he’d said was true. This was all his fault. Josie had hired him because she wanted things to stop, not get worse. Now she’d been hurt, and it was killing him to sit here, waiting on the doctor and not knowing if she was going to be all right.
He was just about to suck up his pride and ask Vernon to call the doctor’s house again when she stirred, then groaned softly.
“Josie?” He leaned in closer to her, studying her face.
Her eyelids flickered a couple of times, then flew open and she tried to jump up from the couch. He held her shoulders with both hands and prevented her from rising.
“It’s Tanner,” he said as her eyes flashed wildly back and forth across the room. “You’re safe in your own living room.”
Her eyes locked on his and she slumped back down on the couch. “I’m so sorry. I forgot to lock the truck doors and then there was a noise outside. I tried to lock them but he’d already pulled open the door.”
He leaned down toward her. “Who? Who pulled open the door?”
She stared at him, her eyes wide. “The Tainted Kietre. He dragged me out of the truck and into the swamp. I fought like crazy, and even bit him. That’s why he finally dropped me.”
“It must have been a man in a suit.”
She shook her head. “He was huge with yellow eyes, and the smell...”
Tanner felt his lower back tighten. “What kind of smell?”
She scrunched her brown in concentration. “Like a skunk, sort of, but worse. More pungent. It made my eyes water.”
He blew out a breath. It was the same smell he’d encountered when he’d chased the creature in the swamp. A thought flashed through his mind and he leaned over to smell her clothing.
“What are you doing?” she asked, staring at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“If the smell was really the creature itself, some of the smell would be on your clothes, but I don’t smell anything.”
She lifted her arm and sniffed her blouse. “You’re right, but that doesn’t have to mean it was a fake.”
“Then what is another explanation?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s his feet that smell or other body parts that I don’t want to think about. Skunks have scent glands. Maybe he does, too.”
“And this wild creature knew how to open a truck door?”
“Maybe.”
The sheer ridiculousness of their conversation hit Tanner and he laughed. “You realize it’s the middle of the night, you were attacked and we’re actually discussing the possibility of scent glands and elevated thinking ability on a creature for which there is no proof that it even exists.”
“I—”
She stopped speaking when Emmett Vernon rushed into the living room, a man with a medical bag close on his tail.
“You’re awake?” Vernon said and glared at Tanner.
“Sorry,” Tanner said, wondering if he was going to spend his entire night apologizing. “She just woke up. I was about to come tell you.”
He rose from the couch and let the doctor inspect Josie.
“Can someone get me a warm, damp rag?” the doctor asked. “I want to remove the blood so I can get a better look at that gash.”
“I’ll do it,” Vernon said, and headed for the kitchen.
The doctor turned Josie’s head from side to side, studying the gash. “Do you know what hit you?”
“A rock, maybe? I think I blacked out for a bit and when I woke up, he was running with me. I screamed and he dropped me, then ran off into the swamp. My head must have struck something when I hit the ground.”
Vernon hurried back into the living room with a wet dishrag and passed it to the doctor. He dabbed gently at the wound, lifting the blood from her forehead, then leaned in for a closer look.
“Could have been a rock,” the doctor said. “It’s a small gash. Won’t need stiches, but being on the head, they bleed like crazy. Always looks worse than it is.”
“What about her blacking out?” Tanner asked.
“Based on what she describes, I’d say the first time was out of fear. The second was most certainly because of the blow to the head.”
“Concussion?” Tanner asked.
“Perhaps, but a light one, if any. I’ll clean this up and butterfly the gash.” He patted Josie’s leg. “You’ll be fine, young lady. Still, if it’s all the same, I’d like to see you at my office tomorrow for an X-ray. Just to be safe.”
“She’ll be there,” Tanner said, ignoring Vernon, who smirked.
The doctor nodded. “And I want you to take it easy for a couple of days. You will likely have a mild headache, but if it gets painful, or if you become weak or nauseated, then I want you to get to a hospital straightaway.”
“Okay,” Josie said.
Given her weak voice and complete lack of argument, Tanner knew Josie felt worse than she was willing to admit.
“Doc?” Tanner asked. “Is it okay for me to move her upstairs to her bedroom? She’ll be more comfortable there and I can fetch anything she needs from the kitchen.”
The doctor nodded. “Bed is definitely the best place for her, and she should stay in it awhile. I’m not sure what your role is here, Mr., er...”
“LeDoux,” Tanner said, and extended his hand to the doctor. “Tanner LeDoux. Ms. Bettencourt hired me to look into the problems she was having with vandalism.”
The doctor studied Tanner as he shook his hand. “Seems those problems just got worse.”
Vernon snorted and Tanner frowned. “Yes, sir, but that’s a situation I’m going to correct.”
“It’s not his fault,” Josie said. “I knew if someone really had it in for me, they’d escalate if I hired someone to investigate. I just didn’t expect a response this quickly. I’ll be more prepared from now on.”
The doctor didn’t look particularly happy at her response, but he must have known her well enough not to argue. He looked back at Tanner. “I’m going to hold you to your promise, young man. Josie’s father was one of my oldest friends. That makes her family.”
Tanner nodded. “You have my word. I’ll keep her safe.”
Josie blew out a breath of exasperation. “Don’t I get a say?”
“No.” All three of the men spoke at once.
She looked from one determined face to another and finally sighed. “I give up. If there’s nothing else you need to check, I’d like to go to bed now.”
She pushed herself into an upright position. Three hands reached out to her, but she waved them all away, swung her legs around and rose from the couch. “You guys can fight over who’s going to bring me aspirin and a soda. I’m going to take a long, hot bath and then climb into bed.”
Tanner watched as she disappeared up the stairs. Then he turned back to the other men. “You have to admire her spunk,” he said.
“She’s as hardheaded as her dad,” Vernon said, “and not as wise, which makes for a dangerous combination.”
The doctor clapped Vernon on the shoulder. “She’s young yet, and Franklin could be as big a fool as anyone if he decided to. The girl’s got a good head on her shoulders. She’ll be fine.”
The doctor turned and pointed a finger at Tanner. “And if she’s not, I’m paying you a visit.”
“Yes, sir,” Tanner said, and followed the doctor and Vernon to the door.
The doctor waved one hand over his shoulder and headed to his car.
“You didn’t see anyone enter the house?” Tanner asked.
“No, and there wasn’t anyone on the trail from my cabin. I couldn’t sleep and figured after that stunt last night, I’m come check on the horses. I didn’t see no light, either, but I’m not doubting your word on that.”
“I should have been better prepared,” Tanner said, mentally cursing himself.
Vernon shuffled a bit, then finally sighed.
“I assume you know how to use a weapon?” Vernon asked.
“Of course. Shotgun, rifle or pistol.”
Vernon nodded. “Don’t hesitate to use them. If anything happens to that girl, Franklin is going to come back and haunt me.”
He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and walked out the door and across the lawn in the direction of his cabin. Tanner watched him walk away, wondering if he’d ever figure the man out. He was belligerent to Josie one minute, then worried about her the next.
So many things about Emmett Vernon simply didn’t add up, but Tanner was going to keep crunching the numbers until they did.
Chapter Ten
Josie pulled on yoga pants and a T-shirt and towel-dried her damp hair. Her head still throbbed a bit, but her chest no longer ached. She supposed it had been anxiety that caused it to hurt in the first place, but she’d never felt anything like it in her life. Of course, she’d never been almost abducted from a creature out of a horror movie, either, so she supposed it was only right that she’d panicked.
She’d just walked back into her bedroom when there was a soft rapping at her door. “It’s open,” she called out as she picked up a comb and started working on her long tresses.
Tanner walked in, carrying a glass of soda and a bottle of aspirin. “The doctor said aspirin should be fine for tonight, but if they didn’t work well enough, to let him know and he’ll prescribe something stronger when you see him tomorrow.”
“I’m sure the aspirin will be fine. My head doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”
Tanner nodded. “The adrenaline rush is over. Your blood flow and heart rate are back to normal. Not as much pressure on your head.”
She put the comb back on her dresser and looked at him. “Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Lots of things happen when you’re working in the swamp. I’ve been on the wrong end of trouble more than once, and I doubt it’s the last time.” He
motioned to the bed. “Why don’t you take a couple of aspirins and get some rest? That’s the best thing for a head injury.”
She propped the pillows up and climbed into bed, resting her back against the pillows. Tanner crossed the room and handed her the soda, then poured a couple of aspirins into her hand. As she swallowed the aspirin, he sat on the edge of her bed and stared down at the floor for a moment.
Finally, he looked back up and said, “I’m really sorry about this. It’s all my fault. You hired me to protect you and your property, and I’ve only made things worse. I’m going to call my brothers first thing tomorrow and ask for one of them to take over your case.”
“No, you’re not!”
Tanner’s eyebrows lifted at the strength of her reply, and instantly, she felt bad. She’d been thinking only of herself, not of him.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “If you want to leave, I understand completely. You’re a tracker, not a bodyguard. But if you’re offering to leave because you think you somehow failed me, you’re wrong.”
“How can you say that? I was supposed to be tracking a vandal in the swamp. Instead, I started setting up a sting operation like I was a cop. I don’t have the training for that, and it’s something I never should have done. Look what happened.”
“What happened is we made him nervous. He’s reacting now. He’ll make a mistake.”
He raised one eyebrow. “That sounds like an interesting theory for a horse trainer.”
“I watch a lot of Law & Order.”
He gave her a small smile and she could tell that some of the guilt had lifted off him.
“Look,” she continued, “I knew the risks when I agreed to go into town with you tonight. And the reality is, it was going to happen now or later because I’m not going to quit. So whether he escalated tonight or two weeks from now, his response would have been the same. The difference is tonight I had you here to help.”
He stared at her for so long that her body began to tingle. Suddenly, she realized how close he was to her, separated only by thin bedding and clothing. Even more disturbing was how much she wished there was even less between them.