The Chupacabra Catastrophe

by Amanda M. Lee

  “So he wanted the property, but Dominic Sully had better funding,” Jack deduced. “Sully was ultimately going to win, and your father didn’t like that.”

  “In a nutshell, yes. My father thought that because he was a local and in good standing with the bank that they’d give him more money. But ever since the loan collapse in 2008, the banks have been stingier in handing out mortgages. That infuriated my father.”

  “So what was he going to do?” I was intrigued by the story. It sounded like a nighttime soap opera – since the house reminded me of Dallas (a show my mother loved) that was to be expected – and I was infatuated with hearing the ins and outs of ranching.

  “I have no idea what he had planned,” Naomi replied. “I thought he was letting it go because it was rather obvious that Dominic Sully was going to win the bidding war. If he was out at Hooper’s Mill, though, that’s obviously not the case.”

  “Had your father and Mr. Sully spent any time together?” Jack asked.

  “Are you asking if Dominic Sully had reason to kill my father?”

  “I guess I am.”

  “I don’t see how,” Naomi replied after a moment of quiet contemplation. “Trust me, I’d like to give you a suspect and sew this up, but I can’t come up with a reason why Mr. Sully would want to kill my father. He was going to win the property regardless. There was nothing my father could do. He wasn’t a threat.”

  “What if your father took a gun out there and threatened him?” I asked, shrinking back when Jack murdered me with a look. “What? It’s a legitimate question. They have guns on the wall and everything.”

  Instead of being offended, Naomi mustered a wry smile. “She’s not wrong. My father was a gun enthusiast. But I don’t believe any of his weapons are missing, and the sheriff didn’t mention finding a gun with him.”

  “I don’t believe a weapon was found in the general vicinity,” Jack said. “Is there any way to know for certain if one of your father’s weapons is missing?”

  “I can have one of the ranch hands run inventory,” Naomi said. “I don’t really care to do it myself. I’ve got other things to deal with.”

  “Of course.” Jack slid a quick glance to me. It was clear we were being dismissed. “I’m sorry for your loss, Ms. Morrison.”

  “Thank you.” Naomi extended her hand. “Please keep me informed if you hear anything.”

  “Absolutely.” Jack nodded. “I don’t suppose we can talk to a few of your ranch hands before leaving? We’re just trying to pin down a timeline for the evening in question.”

  Naomi shrugged, her mind already elsewhere. “I don’t see why not. You can show yourselves out. The barn where most of the workers are this time of day is to the east. It will be easier to drive there.”

  “Thank you so much for your time.”

  10

  Ten

  “What do you think?”

  I waited until we were in the rental and heading toward the large barn we saw during our trip to the main house to ask the question.

  “I’m not sure what to think,” Jack replied. “It seems to me that there might’ve been a little more anger and hostility between Sully and Morrison than Naomi wants to admit.”

  “She’s going through a tough time. Her father died, and she’s feeling guilty for not supporting his dreams.”

  “I think she was pretty matter of fact,” Jack countered. “It sounds to me like her father wanted to be a big fish in a little pond, but he created his own barriers to doing that.”

  “That doesn’t change how Naomi feels,” I pointed out. “Her father might’ve made mistakes, did things she didn’t agree with, but she still loved him. She can’t stop herself from feeling guilty about the things they fought over – especially recently – because she’ll always wonder if that’s the last thing he thought about before … well, before it happened.”

  Jack didn’t immediately respond. In fact, he was silent for so long I had no choice but to look in his direction. His eyes snagged with mine when I finally risked a glance.

  “Is that what happened to you?” he asked after a beat.

  I swallowed hard, frustrated. I shouldn’t have said that. It exposed me in a way I wasn’t comfortable with. “Why would you ask that?”

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “I … don’t know what you’re talking about.” I averted my gaze and stared at the approaching barn. “What do you hope to get from the workers?”

  “I just want a feel for Morrison,” Jack answered, pulling into a parking spot in front of the structure. “I don’t expect this to take long.”

  “Shouldn’t the sheriff be handling this part?” I turned to face him as I unfastened my seatbelt. “I mean … I’m not trying to tell you what to do.”

  “Sure you are.”

  I ignored his tone. “It’s just … I don’t get it. I would assume the sheriff is asking the same questions you are. I know you told Naomi you were asking questions because it makes it easier to eliminate certain things, but I think you’re actually interested in solving this case.”

  “I am interested in solving this case.”

  “As long as the Chupacabra didn’t do it, right?”

  Jack pursed his lips. “I know this is difficult for you to understand – especially given what I do for a living – but I prefer having documentable proof,” he explained. “As for the Chupacabra, even if I was predisposed to believe in the supernatural I wouldn’t believe in the Chupacabra. It’s just too ridiculous for me to wrap my head around.”

  “Scientists are discovering new species all the time,” I argued. “They even found a species of fish a few years ago that they thought was long extinct. It could happen.”

  “They’ve found more than one species of fish that they thought was extinct,” Jack countered. “I think you’re probably talking about the Coelacanth.”

  I was dumbfounded. “Excuse me?”

  “What? Don’t look at me that way.” Jack’s cheeks turned pink as he pocketed the keys and opened the door. “I watch a lot of nature documentaries. Sue me. The giant squid was thought to be extinct at one time, too. It’s still alive and kicking … er, waving its multiple arms around.”

  “I’ll alert Peter Benchley,” I drawled.

  “I’m sure he already knows.”

  Jack met me at the front of the vehicle, taking me by surprise when he grabbed my arm before I could turn toward the pathway that led to the barn.

  “What?” Part of me expected Jack to let loose on a diatribe so I was surprised when his voice turned soft.

  “Whatever you said to your parents before their accident, I guarantee it didn’t matter,” Jack said. “If you’re carrying that around … don’t. It’s clear that they loved you and you loved them. Feeling guilty about something you can’t change is only going to give you a complex.”

  His words shook me. “I don’t … I … what?” I was flustered.

  Jack merely shook his head. “You’ll end up giving me an ulcer before this is all said and done.”

  “I hope not.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  Jack was all business when he strode inside the barn, making quick introductions before focusing on a ranch manager brushing a big horse. His name was David Stevens. He was a big, burly guy with bright green eyes and he seemed amused by my reaction to the horse.

  “Naomi said it was okay if we asked a few questions,” Jack said.

  “I have no problem with that.” Stevens looked me up and down curiously. “I want to help as much as I can. Wendell was a good guy – and a good boss – and I want to know who did this to him.”

  “I promise it won’t take too long.”

  “No problem.” Stevens shifted so he was facing me. “Do you want to pet him? I can tell by the look on your face you’ve never been this close to one before.”

  “That’s not exactly true,” I replied, sheepish. “I’ve seen horses before … in parades and stuff. I’ve just never really b
een close to one.”

  “This is Clyde. His girlfriend is over there. Her name is Bonnie.” Stevens grinned as I tentatively raised my hand to the horse’s snout. “It’s okay. He’s gentle.”

  I looked over my shoulder toward Jack, worried he would think I was being unprofessional. But he offered me a nod of encouragement. He looked amused at my wonder.

  I pressed my hand to the horse’s forehead and grinned. “He’s so big.”

  “Don’t take it to a pornographic place, Charlie,” Jack warned, shaking his head as he turned his full attention to Stevens. “You said that you wanted to know who did this. You didn’t say you were interested in knowing what did this. Can I take that to mean that you don’t believe all the Chupacabra stories flying around?”

  “Well, that’s an interesting question.” Stevens rubbed his chin as he shifted from one foot to the other. “I happen to believe in the Chupacabra.”

  “You do?” I flicked my eyes to him, surprised. “Have you seen it?”

  “I have. I saw it out in the desert one night. I was out with some friends – you know, drinking and stuff – and I saw one clear as day. It stood on a slight incline, its spine raised like a cat about to strike its prey. I thought for sure we were dead men, but it stared at us for a few minutes and then disappeared into the night.”

  “I don’t suppose you ever thought the liquor might’ve contributed to that sighting some, huh?” Jack asked.

  “I wasn’t all that drunk,” Stevens replied. “It doesn’t really matter anyway. I do believe in the Chupacabra, but I don’t believe the Chupacabra killed Wendell.”

  “You don’t?” I was so enamored with Clyde I didn’t bother to glance in Stevens’ direction. “Why not?”

  “Because Wendell had a particular personality defect that caused him to fight with humans more than animals,” Stevens explained. “He was a good boss and he paid well. He was also a righteous pain in the ass when he wanted to be. He sometimes made me want to punch him in the testicles.”

  I raised my eyebrows and flicked a glance to Jack. “Wow.”

  Jack ignored my exclamation. “You think he ticked off the wrong person.”

  “That was his way,” Stevens confirmed.

  “Do you have any idea who he might’ve ticked off enough to want to kill him?”

  “That list is long and sundry,” Stevens replied. “He’s been fighting with some land developers who want to lease some of the property for wind turbines. He’s also been fighting with Dominic Sully about Hooper’s Mill.”

  “Naomi made it sound as if he’d given up on Hooper’s Mill,” I said, rubbing my cheek against the horse’s flank. “She said he wasn’t happy about it but knew he didn’t have the funds to compete with Sully.”

  “Yeah? I’m pretty sure that’s what Wendell wanted Naomi to believe.” Stevens was blasé. “He wasn’t giving up. He was trying to work with the county to secure a grant. He thought that might give him the edge on the property – you know, if the county could have a say in the development – but I have no idea how far he got on that plan.”

  “The county, huh?” Jack scratched the back of his neck, something I noticed he did when he was deep in thought, and he stared at his feet. “Do you think Dominic Sully was worried enough about Wendell to kill him?”

  “I can’t answer that for you. I’ve never met Sully. And, as much as I loved him, Wendell was a real piece of work when he wanted to be. I don’t know what happened at Hooper’s Mill. I have trouble believing the Chupacabra swooped in at the exact right moment and ended a potential property feud.”

  Jack nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I have trouble believing that, too.”

  “Not me,” I offered, rubbing my nose against the horse’s snout. I was pretty sure I was in love. “I think the Chupacabra did it. Why else would his body be exsanguinated?”

  Jack’s expression was grim as I flicked my eyes to him for an answer. “That’s exactly what I plan to find out.”

  I LET JACK TAKE THE lead when we got to the clerk’s office, mostly because I had no idea what he was looking for. The woman behind the desk seemed eager to help, her smile flirty and friendly when Jack walked up to the window.

  “I need some information on Hooper’s Mill,” Jack explained, mustering a flirty smile of his own as he read the woman’s nameplate. “Alanna is a beautiful name. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “You’re the first.” Alanna’s voice was breathy. “Are you new in town? Did you just move here?”

  “Actually I’m only visiting.” Jack adopted a rueful smile. “I’m regretting that a little bit right now.”

  “You and me both, honey,” Alanna lamented. “I’ll see what information I can find. I’m assuming you want everything.”

  “You assume right.”

  I barely bit back a groan at the ridiculous exchange and crossed my arms over my chest so I could look stern when Jack shifted in my direction. “You’re shameless.”

  Jack’s lips quirked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re playing with that poor girl’s emotions.”

  “That girl is only here until she meets a husband,” Jack corrected. “I’m guessing she flirts with everyone. She’ll be over me within five minutes of us leaving.”

  He sounded awfully sure of himself. “How do you know she’s here to meet a husband?”

  “I can read women. She’s got ‘I want to snag a man’ face.”

  “That’s a little condescending.”

  “Don’t worry.” Jack patted my head as if I was a stray dog and he was trying to comfort me. “You don’t have that face. If you do, you manage to hide it pretty well because I’ve only seen it once or twice.”

  I was insulted … and horrified … and insulted. “I do not have ‘I want to snag a man’ face,” I hissed, frustrated beyond belief. “Not ever. That is condescending. How would you like it if I told you that you had ‘I want to snag a woman’ face?”

  Jack’s expression was bland. “Most men always want to snag a woman … at least for one night.”

  “That’s rude!”

  Jack snorted. “You’re so easy.” He flicked my ear. “Are you this keyed up because your hangover is making you touchy or are you always like this?”

  “Whatever.” I turned my face from him. “I’m done talking to you.”

  “Best news I’ve had all day,” Jack teased, poking his finger into my side. “Tell me what I did to earn this fate. I might want to do it again.”

  I had a sharp retort on the tip of my tongue, but the second Jack touched me I lost my train of thought, because my mind was invaded by a series of flashes. It wasn’t the first time my psychic senses took over at an inopportune time, but this one was different.

  Usually I see images from the past, things that have happened, and it’s my job to make sense of them. This time I was certain I was seeing something from the future.

  I saw several things at once. Putting them in order, understanding what I was seeing, would prove difficult.

  Charlie!

  Jack screamed in my head, the night sky filling with lightning. Thunder echoed between my ears as the rain pounded down. We were in Hooper’s Mill, Jack in the middle of the street and me watching from inside a building, although I couldn’t tell which one. Jack looked panicked.

  I opened my mouth to answer him, but the cry died on my lips as a dark figure moved in at my left. Jack was looking for me, but someone else had already found me. I couldn’t see a face – or put a name to the presence – but I knew I was in real trouble.

  Charlie!

  “Hey.” Jack snapped his fingers in front of my face, drawing me back to the here and now. “Where did you just go?”

  I swallowed hard, searching for an answer that would placate him. “I … .”

  “Here’s your information,” Alanna announced, appearing at the window.

  Jack kept his eyes on me for a beat before sw
iveling. His smile was back in place, although it was obviously fake. He paid for the documents, thanked Alanna profusely, and then gripped my arm tightly as he led me out of the building. He didn’t as much as glance back to gauge Alanna’s disappointed reaction at his hasty retreat.

  “What was that?” Jack asked as soon as we were outside. “What just happened?”

  “What do you mean?” I needed to come up with a story he’d buy, but all I could do was rub my hands over my cheeks as I tried to anchor myself in reality. “Nothing happened. I was standing right next to you.”

  “You went somewhere,” Jack prodded.

  “I didn’t leave.”

  “You know what I mean!” Jack’s temper was on full display. “Your head went somewhere. I could see it on your face. You kind of went … slack. That’s the only word I can think to describe it. Your eyes glazed over and you froze.”

  “I didn’t.” I felt bad for lying to him. He looked so concerned, as if he wanted to pick me up and carry me to the nearest hospital. I couldn’t tell him the truth. It wasn’t that I never told anyone the truth. Okay, it wasn’t only that. It was also the fact that he didn’t believe in the supernatural. He worked for a paranormal investigative group and he didn’t believe in the paranormal. He most certainly wouldn’t believe this.

  It was altogether ridiculous. The entire thing. I had magical abilities – something the Legacy Foundation would love to know about – and I was hiding in their midst. Jack didn’t believe at all, and he was head of security.

  The group seriously needed to rethink its hiring practices.

  “Charlie, if something is going on … .” Jack trailed off, uncertain.

  “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” I found my voice and held firm. “I kind of have a headache and zoned out. It’s not a big deal.”