“Are you okay?” Bert asked, gently helping Talia up from the sidewalk.
“I-I think so,” she admitted, her whole body shaking and sweat breaking out on her brow.
“You’re sure, do the bites hurt?”
“A little.” Small streams of blood were dripping from the tiny puncture wounds.
“Why don’t we have you sit down over here,” Bert offered, leading the poor woman to the curb and helping her rest.
“T-Thanks,” she whispered.
“We’re calling in the paramedics right now, just in case.”
She nodded. “There aren’t any really poisonous snakes in this area, are there?”
Bert thought about the way that snake had looked, how large it was. She didn’t remember seeing something like that ever before. “There are rattlers sometimes.”
“I-I didn’t hear it rattle. Did you?” she asked. She was shaking more violently at that point, sweat pouring down her forehead. She was such a small woman and Bert was worried about the poison spreading faster.
Bert shook her head. “No, I didn’t hear it rattle.”
“Then it wasn’t a rattler,” she affirmed, clearly trying to calm herself. Instead, the shaking just got worse.
“Did someone call the paramedics?” Bert shouted at the crowd. Many parents were ushering their children inside, as far from the woods as possible. Many younger children were crying.
“They’re on the way,” Carla shouted, holding up her phone.
“So are the animal control people,” Claudia added, hanging up her phone as well.
At least she’s responsive in a crisis, Bert thought.
“Heaven sakes, are you okay?” Peter asked, running up to them. He crouched down near the woman.
“I’m fine,” she snapped at him.
“Peter, what kind of snake was that?” Bert asked, praying to all goodness that he had intentionally put it in the display. “It wasn’t poisonous, was it?”
His face grew deathly pale. “I had no idea there was a live snake in there. I seriously have no clue how it got in.”
Bert sighed. “That’s not good.”
“I mean, I didn’t even see it until it was basically gone and in the woods,” he admitted.
Bert shook her head. “Talia, did you see the snake?”
The woman hesitated, but shook her head mournfully.
“Shoot.” If the snake wasn’t his, and they hadn’t managed to trap it inside the trunk, how were they going to know if the bite was poisonous or not? The only thing they had to go on was Bert’s own description of the snake.
“Here are some bandages, Talia,” Pastor Chimney cut in, stepping through the crowd with some oversized band-aids.
“Thank you,” Bert took them.
“You should really have her lie down. There is a couch inside.”
Talia looked up at them with frightened eyes.
“We should do as he says,” Bert encouraged her, placing her arm under Talia’s.
“Let me help, too,” Peter offered.
“No,” Talia barked at the man.
He stepped back, shock and hurt in his wide-eyed stare. It seemed she was growing more upset and was possibly blaming Peter for the attack.
“We’ll take care of this Peter. Come along. I’ll help,” the pastor offered, putting a hand under her other arm. They gently guided her indoors and onto the couch in the foyer just as the sound of approaching sirens could be heard in the distance. Carla followed them, taking the bandages from Bert and carrying them inside.
“There you go,” Bert said.
“Keep that arm below your heart, if possible,” the pastor asked once she was comfortably laying on her back. He moved her arm into place, making sure it was where it needed to be. “How are you feeling now?”
“I-I have a headache. I’m a little nauseous.”
He nodded. “That’s to be expected.”
“D-Don’t let me die,” she whispered to him.
“Just you hold on,” he reassured her, using the fatherly tone he was so famous for.
The sound of multiple emergency vehicles entering the parking lot could be heard outside.
“That’s them,” Bert noted.
“We’ll want them in here.” Pastor Chimney stood up. Bert followed suit.
“I’ll stay with her,” Carla offered, taking out the bandages to put on the wounds.
“Good. Come on Bert, you seem to be the only one that actually saw what happened.”
Bert stayed close behind the pastor as they walked toward the exit. “How did you know what to do for those snake bites?” she asked.
“From my time as a missionary in Africa. Lethal snake bites were a frequent occurrence, so we all had to know basic first aid.”
That word, lethal, stuck in her brain.
Stepping through the side doors, they greeted the paramedics just as they were coming up the stairs. The animal control people were not far behind.
Bert led them inside and tried to explain everything that had happened.
CHAPTER 6
* * *
“Now, I’m sorry to have to ask this, but can you please describe the animal for me one more time?” the man in the animal control crew uniform asked, holding his official notepad at the ready. His nametag said, Karson Well, and he was fairly young with straight black hair and a serious expression.
Bert had already explained the situation three times now, once to the paramedics and twice to animal control, but it seemed to pass over Karson’s head. Either he wasn’t very good at his job, or he wasn’t familiar with this particular species of snake.
Bert was betting on the second option, and it didn’t make her feel very comfortable.
“It was long, really long,” she reiterated first.
“Can you make an estimate of just how long?”
“Possibly ten or twelve feet.”
The man’s face twisted up in complete confusion. It was possible that he didn’t believe her, thought she was just an old woman who was over-exaggerating. He didn’t try and clarify or correct her. “Okay, what else?”
“It was gray.”
“What shade?” he asked while scribbling something down.
“A lighter gray? I’m not sure. It’s not exactly daylight out here.”
“Okay, understood, but it appeared light gray?”
“That’s right, and it moved fast, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”
“And the inside of its mouth? You mentioned it had a different coloration?”
Bert swallowed. “It was black, totally black.”
He nodded, sighing. Bert was sure this man had no idea what species of snake they were talking about—or if he did know, he was confused about it for some reason.
“Bert, are you sure about that description?” a male voice came from over her shoulder.
Turning to face the parking lot, she noticed Pastor Chimney standing there. His face was slightly pale and his mouth hung open. “Pastor?”
“The description, the black inside of its mouth. You’re positive about this?”
Bert shrugged, “As positive as I can be. I mean, I only saw the snake for a few seconds.”
She didn’t like the way the Pastor was looking at her. He was growing more pallid with each passing second. “Pastor Chimney, what is it? What do you think is going on?”
Before he could muster an answer, the door on the building opened.
“Excuse me, ma’am. You said you’re the one who actually saw the attack?” One of the paramedics asked, poking her head out of the church’s glass door. The sound of hurried commotion could be heard inside.
“That’s right,” Bert answered.
“I need you and animal control to answer some questions.”
“Yes, of course,” she agreed, following the paramedic into the building. The pastor and Karson weren’t far behind.
“My arm, I can’t feel it at all,” Talia complained as they loaded her onto the stretcher. She coughed with some
severe difficulty. In only a matter of ten minutes, she’d lost all color in her face. Her hair was completely damp with sweat.
The paramedic nodded at her fellow EMTs, indicating them to rush her out of the building and into the ambulance.
“Is she going to be okay?” Bert whispered.
“We’re doing all we can for the moment. It’s clear to us now that the animal that struck her was highly venomous.”
“Oh, no.”
“I need information, and fast. Can you tell us exactly what kind of snake we are dealing with?” She looked at Karson expectantly. “Did you figure out what kind of snake this is that attacked her?” she pressed, the urgency in her voice growing dire.
Bert shook her head. “I can only describe it. I’m not an expert.”
The man in the animal control uniform looked down at his notes and shook his head. “If she is accurate in her descriptions, it’s unlike any snake that is native to this region. At least, it’s nothing I’ve had to ever deal with myself.”
The paramedic folded her arms, her lips growing tight. She was clearly ready to dart out the door and into the ambulance, seeing as she likely wasn’t going to get any better information here.
“If I may, I think I have an explanation,” Pastor Chimney cut in, holding up a finger for everyone to listen.
“I’m ready for anything, but make it fast. We’ve got a dying girl on our hands.”
The pastor swallowed. “Based on Bert’s description and on the girl’s symptoms,” he paused, afraid of what he was about to say, “I think it’s the black mamba.”
“The black mamba?!” Karson exclaimed, clearly unable to believe the words he’s just heard.
The pastor nodded. “Also known as the kiss of death.”
CHAPTER 7
* * *
As soon as the paramedic had heard this information, she darted out the door and the ambulance took off toward the hospital. Without a moment’s hesitation, Karson turned and stared at the pastor. “What you’ve suggested is next to impossible.”
Pastor Chimney nodded. “I’m aware of that, but I don’t see any other explanation at the moment.”
“If I am not mistaken, the black mamba is only native to parts of Africa. How in the world would such an animal come to be in the middle of Culver’s Hood, Nebraska?”
“And in the trunk of someone’s car?” Bert wondered out loud.
Pastor Chimney shook his head. “I have no idea, but I served as a missionary in Africa. I’ve seen this case almost verbatim countless times, usually in teens and children.”
“Surely there is another explanation for all this. Perhaps your description is inaccurate, ma’am?” he suggested, turning on Bert.
“I’m only sharing exactly what I saw, okay?” she defended herself. However, there was the slightest hint of doubt on her own part. It had been a moment of extreme stress when she’d spotted the slithering beast. Perhaps the man was right and she had mistaken what she’d seen.
“All I’m saying is that there is simply no feasible way for that breed of animal to be here in this area, unless it belonged to a zoo.”
“Tell that to the girl who was just bitten three times by the thing,” the pastor retorted.
Suddenly, a lightbulb turned on in Bert’s mind. “Wait a minute. I know who we can ask to identify the snake.”
* * *
The Culver’s Hood Zoo was already closed for the night by the time they arrived. Thankfully, the presence of animal control (and Pastor Chimney’s close familiarity with the resident snake handler) convinced the woman at the gate to let them inside.
“I’ll show you to his office,” the gatekeeper offered, motioning them in through the employee door.
The small local zoo wasn’t anywhere near as impressive or large as the one only an hour away in the city, but it was nice for the families with small children who didn’t want to make the trip. Admission prices were also cheaper.
Most of the park’s lights had been turned off for the night, leaving the cages and pens in shadows. Fake skeletons, bats, and witches all hung throughout the zoo in preparation for Halloween night. The shadows cast by these strange figures, against the long expanses of bars, felt like walking through a dungeon.
If it weren’t for the darkness and the strange events of the night, it would regularly be a fun place. Bert knew the zoo always did trick-or-treating on Halloween, where the kids could get candy from the handlers.
She vaguely wondered if she’d ever have the opportunity to bake some pies for one of the events at the zoo. Her business was still new and she hadn’t even considered the possibility of catering, but she was sure it was something that would come up eventually—especially with the holiday season upon them.
Passing by the cat house, Bert jumped as two pairs of yellow eyes blinked at her.
“You okay?” Pastor Chimney asked.
“Y-Yeah. Just got surprised, is all.”
“Those are the tigers,” the woman who was escorting them through noted. “Just like other felines, sometimes their eyes glow in the dark.”
“I can see that,” Bert admitted, staying close to the two men.
Approaching the reptile house, they skipped over the glass front doors and walked up a path marked Zoo Personnel Only and stood at a metal door. Stopping there, the woman knocked.
A second later, there was the noise of the deadbolt unlatching and the door swung open. Staring out from the dimly lit, cramped office, was Kay Corral. “Pastor Chimney? Mrs. Hannah? What are you two doing here?” he asked, his eyes widening at the strange group that had gathered just outside his office.
“Mr. Corral, these people needed to see you. Said it was urgent,” the woman spoke, stepping aside to let them in.
Animal control stepped up first. “I’m Karson Wells, the chief of the local animal control branch.” He held out a hand and Kay shook it.
“What is this all about?”
“We need to make this quick. A woman’s life could be on the line,” he informed him.
“Of course, come right in.” He stood aside, and held out his arm to welcome them inside.
Stepping through, they each took seats on metal folding chairs. The gatekeeper returned to her post. The scent of wild animals was strong. Glancing at a door on the other side of the room, Bert wondered if it led to the backsides of the cages where Kay could easily handle and feed them. Bert had to admit, she felt nervous just being this close to the animals—especially considering so many of them were dangerous creatures.
“I’m glad we could catch you here at work,” Pastor Chimney said. “I had heard you were working late this evening.”
“What is going on?”
“Talia is in danger.”
“From the congregation? In what way? What can I do to help?” Kay asked, hobbling along and sitting in the tattered looking computer chair behind the simplistic metal desk. Bert knew he had a bum leg, but had never found out what from. She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.
Kay looked nervous, wondering what kind of news would bring out his pastor, a fellow church member, and the head of animal control in one emergency visit.
“She was bitten by a snake tonight, and it seems it was venomous,” Karson jumped in.
“It was at the trunk-or-treat,” the pastor added.
“What was it? A rattler?”
All three of them looked at one another nervously. “I’m the only one who got a good look at it. That’s why I’m here,” Bert added.
Kay looked directly at Karson. “You can’t identify it based on her description?”
He shook his head. “Not really.”
The pastor folded his hands reverently on the desk. “Perhaps you should listen to what she has to say and draw your own conclusions.”
Kay raised an eyebrow, but focused his attention on Bert anyway. “Go ahead.”
Bert quickly offered her full detailed description of what she’d seen, exactly as she’d delivered it to the param
edics and animal control, keeping all the details about color, length, and speed. When she had finished, Kay leaned back in his chair in awe. “That’s impossible.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Karson jumped in.
Kay looked Bert in the eye. “What you’ve described is the black mamba, to a T.”
“That’s what I’ve been told.”
“However, I see no possible reason why such a species could be here in this area. It is literally impossible.”
“I know what I saw. I’m not a snake expert or anything like that, but I’m just telling you how the thing looked.”
Kay looked at the man in the animal control uniform. “If, by some very slim chance, this is true, we’d have a very dangerous situation on our hands.”
“I’m aware of that, but I want to be one-hundred percent positive about what we’re dealing with before we go out looking for some snake that may or may not actually be here.”
Kay hummed thoughtfully, twiddling his thumbs. “I have an idea. Bert, come with me.” He stood up and opened the door to the outside.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m going to show you a real black mamba, the one we keep here on display at the zoo, and you can tell me if it is what you saw tonight. If it is, we know we have to be on our guard. If it isn’t, then we know it was something else.”
Bert was getting tired of basically being called a liar. She wasn’t exaggerating and she wasn’t making things up. She’d described the snake exactly as it had appeared. However, if this is what it took to prove herself right—and hopefully save Talia’s life—she’d do it. She stood up. “Very well. Let’s go.”
Following him back out of the office, with Karson and Pastor Chimney hot on her heels, they walked around the building and into the front doors. The instant sound of hisses and rattles filled the air, the occupants singing their nightly songs.
Approaching the cage labeled black mamba Bert noticed the image they had of the snake next to the name—which made it easier for zoo patrons to spot the animal. She silently made a note, thinking that the picture looked exactly like what she’d seen.
However, she would wait to say anything until she’d seen the live animal itself.
Killer Halloween Pie (Pies and Pages Cozy Mysteries Book 3) Page 3