A Cold Tomorrow

by Mae Clair

  “Precisely. Earth was unlike it is now, the landmasses and oceans structured differently, your dinosaurs the only true predators. My people stayed for a time, studying, paving the way for others of our kind to follow. My father, however, returned to Lanulos with news that Earth had proven habitable. As it turned out, our own planet stabilized and an exodus wasn’t necessary.”

  Caden took a swig of beer. Bully for Earth. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Evenings and Colds running around in number. “The Mothman doesn’t look anything like you.”

  “Your atmosphere changed my people, warped their physical form, even their minds. They chose to remain rather than return to Lanulos where they would have been outcasts. Those who stayed became like the being you call the Mothman.”

  It was a lot to absorb. “Damn.”

  “As the leader of the expedition who brought our people here, my father feels responsible. He has returned to Earth time and again, offering what comfort he could to those he abandoned. But the eons have weakened his connection.” Evening dipped a slender finger into the glass. Retracting his hand, he rolled a bead of water around the bulbous tip below his nail. “All of those he left behind have died—with the exception of one.”

  Caden wet his lips. “The Mothman.”

  “The creature yearns to pass on.” Evening’s gaze flashed to his face, steady and hard. “You’ve felt that. But his time isn’t now. Unlike this fragile plant, which can be revived, his death will come in a desolate hour when a tear in time renders past and present as one.”

  Stretching out his hand, Evening brushed his wet fingertip lightly across Eve’s plant. One stroke, then two, the touch as gentle as a father caressing a sick child. As if spelled by magic, the wilted stalk stretched upright. Buds sprouted, opened, and grew. Withered leaves unfurled into glistening fronds, fresh and green with new life.

  Caden sucked down a breath. For a moment he couldn’t move, mesmerized by the sight. “How did you do that?” His voice came out a strained whisper.

  Evening’s smile was thin. “I’m not without power. Unfortunately, I can’t do the same for the Mothman, nor can my father. Do we understand each other now, Sergeant?”

  “Yeah.” The admission came freely, twined up with admiration he hadn’t expected. “There’s only one thing I’m still not clear about.”

  “Lyle Mason.”

  Caden nodded.

  “Everything I told you in Sheriff Weston’s office is true. Unlike my father who travels between dimensions, I exist solely in your world. My people have since found ways to adapt our body chemistry to your planet, unlike our forebears who arrived in a time when Earth was primal. We may not blend perfectly, but for the most part we’re able to fade into your society as needed.”

  “Except you don’t age. Katie Lynch said you were here before…in ’67 before the bridge fell. You were looking for her mother.”

  “Ah. Yes.” Another tight smile. “Word reached me that Mrs. Lynch had witnessed an interdimensional UFO crossing. I arrived to warn her not to speak of the event, but the tragedy of your Silver Bridge overshadowed my mission. Even I was emotionally affected by that catastrophe.” He dropped his gaze momentarily, a pained expression crossing his face.

  Caden was surprised by the glimpse of feeling. From the moment he’d met Lach Evening, he’d considered the man detached, possessed of a patronizing attitude. Tonight’s discussion had proven many of his perceptions wrong. “You left.”

  “Yes. I didn’t feel the need to intrude afterward, given the misery plaguing your town.” Evening sat straighter, recovering his usual control. “You have, however, hit upon the one characteristic of my people that remains problematic. Because of our slow progression in aging, I am frequently forced to relocate. Others like me—those you call Men in Black—also staff the facility I operate.”

  Caden narrowed his eyes. “I thought you were some kind of subcontractor or employee?”

  Evening offered a shrug as apology. “A slight, but necessary, distortion of the truth to gain your aid, and that of your sheriff. I did not lie when I said I use flicker phenomena on contactees who claim encounters with supernatural creatures. There are some who have no desire to remain silent, but are extremely vocal in spreading their stories. Many of what your people call monsters are simply dimension travelers. We work to sort true encounters from perceived fantasy, and do our best to erase those memories. You might frown on our methods, but the results are necessary to maintain the security of our separate populations.”

  Caden’s head was spinning. At the same time, he believed everything Evening said. The rumors of Point Pleasant and the TNT existing on a ley line were true, which explained the area’s unusual degree of otherworldly activity. At least now he knew what he was dealing with.

  “If Lyle surfaces, I can handle him.” He had no qualms about Mason. Tracking him down would bring one problem to a conclusion, and the guy couldn’t stay hidden forever. “Lyle’s head might be screwed up, but he’s human.” He leaned forward, forearms on the table as he met Evening’s steady gaze. “What do I do about the Mothman?”

  Evening pushed the water glass away. “There’s nothing you can do. Let my father arrive—”

  “But this bond I’ve got—”

  “I understand.” A flicker of distaste twisted Evening’s mouth in a downward curl. Evidently, he was not used to being interrupted. “If there is any benevolence or morality that still lingers within the creature, he has chosen you as the conduit for that compassion.” Appearing thoughtful, he glanced to the side. “I am unclear why. Perhaps it is nothing more than the mercy you showed at your first meeting, when—perceived as a monster—he expected antagonism, fear or aggression.” Evening’s gaze snapped back to Caden. “Our conversation is over now, Sergeant.”

  “Huh?” The abruptness of the statement made Caden wrench physically backward.

  “Your fiancée is home.”

  The words no sooner passed Evening’s lips, than the front door burst open and Eve hurried in, slightly out of breath. “Caden, you won’t believe what happened at the café.” She dumped her purse on the couch, then slipped from her coat and tossed the garment over the bag. “I met Ryan, Katie, and Jerome for dinner like we planned, and things exploded. Shawn Preech was out of control.” It took her a second to realize she spoke to an empty room, a second longer to spy the two men through the arched opening into the dining room. “Oh!” She crossed the distance to the table. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

  Evening stood and Caden followed suit.

  “A pleasure to see you again, Ms. Parrish.” Evening inclined his head in an old-fashioned greeting. “May I extend my congratulations? I understand you are recently engaged to Sergeant Flynn.” Taking her hand, he kissed her fingertips lightly, a courtly gesture resurrected from another time.

  Eve flushed in delight. “Why…why, thank you.” When he released her, she placed the hand over her heart, an entranced smile warming her face.

  Caden raised a brow. Evening might be odd, but he oozed genteel charm when it came to women, an inborn charisma further enhanced by his bearing and accent. “Lach was just leaving.”

  Eve deflated. “You can’t stay?” She looked directly at their guest.

  “I’m afraid not. Other matters demand my attention. But it was good to see you again. I can find my own way to the door.” Another tilt of his head as parting. His gaze shifted to Caden. “Sergeant.”

  “I’ll be in touch.”

  “What a charming man,” Eve said after he’d left. “I didn’t see a car outside. How will he get back to the hotel?”

  Caden hadn’t considered that, but given the man’s peculiarities and abilities, he didn’t think traveling would be an issue. “I don’t think that will be a problem.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “What happened at the River?”

  “You’re not going to believe it.” Just that quickly, Eve refocused. “Everything was going fin
e until Suzanne came in, looking for Shawn. She’s pregnant, you know?”

  He’d heard the news somewhere before, probably from Eve when she was sharing town gossip with him. People tended to talk about anything and everything when they camped out at her café.

  “Even Jerome was doing okay. We had him talking about stuff other than UFOs and spacemen, and then—” She stopped suddenly, her attention shifting to the healthy plant in the center of the table. “Caden, did you throw away my Dumb Cane and get a new one?”

  “Your dumb what?”

  “You did, didn’t you?” Indignation cracked in her voice. “I told you I was going to nurse it to health.” She motioned to the leafy plant in its bright ceramic container. “That’s the pot it was in, but that is not my plant.”

  “Oh. Yeah. About that…” How did he explain what Evening had done? “I didn’t get rid of it.”

  She knuckled her hands against her hips, jutting her chin to stare up at him. “Then where is it?”

  “Um… Can we talk about this later? It involves Lach, and it’s complicated.” Taking her arm, he steered her toward the living room. “I promise I didn’t get rid of your plant, but at the moment I’d rather hear about what happened at the River.”

  She pressed her lips together and eyed him as if measuring how truthful he was being. Finally, she exhaled, clearly having a hard time holding back whatever news she’d originally wanted to share. When he pulled her to a seat on the sofa, she pivoted to face him.

  “Shawn had too much to drink. Nancy overheard him mumbling that he was unhappy about Suzanne’s pregnancy.”

  Caden didn’t make a habit of sticking his nose in other people’s business, but ever since the domestic dispute he’d responded to last summer, he’d thought the couple a disaster waiting to happen. Both were volatile and self-centered, two people who didn’t know how to share a spotlight. And at twenty-four, three years younger than Suzanne, Shawn was still grossly immature, more interested in his growing fame on the dirt track than in maintaining a healthy marriage. Caden didn’t see how a child was going to change any of that.

  “Anyway,” Eve picked up the thread of her story. “Suzanne came in and started screaming at Shawn. He was at the bar with Floyd and the Bradley brothers when she unloaded on him. Telling him she was sick of him going out every night and coming home in a stupor. That he had a child on the way and needed to shape up. I’ve never seen her so angry.”

  “Ryan saw all this?” He couldn’t imagine his brother not intervening.

  “Yeah, but before he could do anything, Shawn stood up and pushed her.” Eve’s eyes widened with the memory. “I mean really pushed her. She fell back against one of the tables and ended up on the floor. A pregnant woman!”

  Caden swore. “I hope Ryan threw Shawn across the bar.”

  Eve shook her head, flapping her hands in the air like a bird. “Jerome beat him to it.”

  “Kelly?” He must have heard wrong. “Jerome Kelly?”

  “I couldn’t believe.” Eve gulped for air. “He flew across the room and punched Shawn straight in the face. I think the poor guy bruised his hand, and all Shawn did was stagger—probably because he was drunk. He shook it off and clobbered Jerome. Suzanne was screaming and sobbing, the whole time he was whaling on Jerome. Ryan and the Bradley boys finally got them separated, and Ryan turned Shawn over to the Point Pleasant police.”

  “What happened to Jerome?”

  “Katie and I iced his hand, then got him a steak to put on his eye. It was already turning black when I left. He’s pretty banged up, but I think he’s going to be okay. People at the café went out of their way to treat him like a hero. He was actually still there and smiling when I headed home.”

  Caden released a quiet exhale. It could have been worse. “What about Suzanne? Is she okay?”

  “Hopefully. Donnie volunteered to take her to the hospital to be checked out, and make sure the baby’s okay. She took a hard fall, and I think she banged her head.” Eve fisted her hands on her laps, her expression hardening with determination. “I am not going to serve Shawn at my café. He either gets his act together or he can find someplace else to socialize.”

  “I’ll back you on that one.” Although he had a feeling after tonight’s episode and the way gossip spread through town, it would be some time before Shawn Preech grew bold enough to show his face again. A man who abused a pregnant woman had nothing to look forward to but shame and scorn.

  Hooking an arm around Eve’s neck, he tugged her close and kissed her temple. “You’ve had a chaotic evening and so have I. What do you say we call it a night and start over again tomorrow?”

  She flattened her palm against his chest, searching his face as she gazed up into his eyes. “You still haven’t told me about my Dumb Cane.”

  He sighed. She would be fixated on the plant. Each of the leafy greens scattered through the house held a special place in her heart. Thank God they didn’t have a dog.

  “Honestly?” He raised a brow. “It had a growth spurt. Other than that you’ll have to ask Lach.”

  Chapter 16

  On Halloween night Katie joined Eve and Sarah Sherman to watch the town’s Halloween Parade from the front porch of the Parrish hotel. Earlier, she and Eve had positioned extra rockers outside, and made sure hot cider and cocoa was available for a small fee in the lobby. Residents lined the streets with lawn chairs and stools, others gathering under the awnings of local businesses to watch the colorful procession. Overhead, the sky was clear, a cauldron of black jeweled by the glittering pinprick of starlight. A nip of cold underscored the air, but an atmosphere of excitement kept the worst of the chill at bay.

  Katie had allowed Sam to accompany her mom and Martin Ward down the road, the three of them claiming a prime spot in front of Doreen Sue’s salon. The location was perfect for Sam, giving him an up-close view of the costumed skeletons and ghouls strutting down Main Street. The high school marching band followed, decked out in hooded black capes and stark white face paint. There were scarecrows, zombies, and ghosts.

  “Look at that.” Katie motioned down the street where the top of a green glowing head was visible. Given the recent UFO activity and the flap that occurred in the sixties, it was only natural that extraterrestrials would make an appearance in the parade. From experience, she knew the Mothman would be last, several people costumed in gray, white, or black to represent Point Pleasant’s infamous monster. “I think the parade is bigger this year.” She liked the addition of several women dressed in fairy costumes passing out candy to the children in the crowd.

  Eve moved beside her, a cup of cocoa cradled in her hands. They had a corner of the porch to themselves. “Too bad Caden and Ryan couldn’t be here.”

  “Where are they, anyway?” Bundled into a coat that looked too big on her small frame, Sarah hunched her shoulders. She’d never liked the cold.

  “Where else?” Eve sipped her cocoa. “Working late shift. At least with most everyone here for the parade, they should have a quiet night.” A wagon loaded with mammoth pumpkins rolled past. The cart was driven by a man wearing the flowing robes and coiffed white wig of an old-fashioned judge.

  “Maybe they’ll get lucky and find Lyle.” Katie bit her lip. She and Sam planned to move home tomorrow, but it bothered her to know her ex was still out there. She also worried about the driver of the green van and whether he might return for a repeat visit. Ryan seemed to think she was in the clear. With Jerome out of the hospital and Parker still missing, Deputy Brown, or whoever he might be, would be focused solely on Indrid Cold and the Mothman.

  “Let’s hope so.” Sarah tugged the collar of her coat closer.

  Across the street, Katie caught sight of Jerome as he waved to her over a throng of teens with spiked fluorescent hair. The extravagant styles were most likely the work of her mom’s salon. Smiling, she waved back.

  “I think he has a crush on you.” Eve elbowed her side.

 
“We’re just friends. He knows I’m with Ryan.”

  “So I guess the Ouija board was right.” Sarah’s eyes danced with amusement. “You did get involved with him.”

  Only several weeks old, the memory of that night seemed an eternity of the past. The board wasn’t something she liked to think about, but the eerie game had served a purpose. “It indicated I was going to be involved with someone named Cold.” She shivered, disturbed the prediction had come to pass. “In a roundabout way, through Parker’s message, I guess that came true.” She and Eve had told Sarah about Cold’s message.

  Katie eyed her friend. “Did you ever find out who Q.M. is?”

  Sarah exhaled a breath that sent her bangs fluffing from her forehead. A quartet of baton twirlers dressed as jesters danced past. “No luck. I wish the silly thing had spelled out L.E. instead.”

  “L.E.?” Eve’s brows knit together.

  “Lach Evening.” Sarah rubbed her gloved hands to circulate warmth. “I haven’t seen him tonight. I thought he’d want to watch the parade.”

  Eve shook her head. “I don’t think he’s the frivolous type.”

  “Or much for flirting.” Sarah sounded disappointed. “I tried to strike up a conversation with him and all he did was respond politely, then excuse himself. If he hadn’t been so courtly about the whole thing, I would have thought he was snubbing me.”

  Katie laughed. There was something undeniably magnetic about Lach. Unquestionably attractive, his accent and the aura of mystery he projected had most of the women in town twittering like besotted hens. “I wouldn’t worry about Lach.” She leaned closer to Sarah. “You still have Q.M. waiting for you. You just have to figure out who he is.”

  “Great. The love of my life is a phantom.” Sarah rubbed her nose. “I’m getting cold. I’m going inside for cider. Anyone want to join me?”

  Katie glanced back to the street. “Jerome is headed over. I think I’ll stay here and say hello.”

  “And that’s the unfairness of life.” Sarah tapped Katie’s arm. “You’ve got Ryan Flynn wrapped around your finger and Jerome following you around like a love-sick dog.” She chuckled lightly, her tone one of warm affection. “Lucky girl. The next time we consult a Ouija board, I’m going to insist on more than initials.”