I craned my neck looking for a hint of Jack or Bernard. The street was empty, signifying that both men were probably on the main floor. All I had to do was walk down the stairs and find them.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Jack appeared out of nowhere, racing to the center of the street and staring at the building façade. His eyes moved to mine, even though I was certain that he couldn’t possibly see me in the darkness.
“Charlie!”
My stomach twisted as I recognized the scene from my vision. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. It couldn’t possibly be.
“Charlie!” Jack sounded anguished.
I opened my mouth to answer, hoping he’d hear me through the glass, and then I remembered the second part of my vision.
By the time I swiveled it was already too late. The shadow was moving … and it was moving fast.
IT ONLY TOOK A moment to register the fact that Zach was about to throw himself on me. Somehow he’d made it up the steps and was coming after me.
I didn’t think. I reacted. The magic inside of me spurted out, grabbing the flimsy armoire from the wall – it was really more a humiliated hunk of junk more than anything else at this point – and hurling it at Zach.
I didn’t wait to see if it would work, instead hopping over the remnants of what used to be a bed and tearing into the hallway. I didn’t know if Jack could hear me, but I bellowed anyway.
“Inside the hotel! Go to the second floor! It’s Zach and Naomi!”
I didn’t wait to see if Jack would barrel up the steps. Instead I scrambled into the hallway, turning toward the back staircase rather than the front when Zach’s arm shot out to grab me.
I raced through the narrow space, launching myself at the dilapidated staircase everyone had said looked as if it was about to fall as I felt Zach’s fingers brush against my hair. I stumbled as I attempted to descend without tripping forward, gripping the railing to keep my balance.
“I’m going to kill you,” Zach hissed, his breath ragged. “I’m going to rip your heart out of your chest. You’ve ruined everything!”
“You ruined it yourself,” I shot back, pounding down the steps. I heard Jack’s voice in the hotel as he yelled my name. He was heading up while I was going down, racing into a dark world where I had no idea what to expect. At least he would find Millie and Chris. That was something, right?
“Come here, you … .” Zach didn’t get a chance to finish whatever hateful thing he was about to say because the stair I landed on gave way at that exact moment.
It was like a cascade of dominoes after that. Once the first step went, the rest followed, one step failing right after the other as everything attached to the stairwell railing tumbled. I was no longer running, instead falling into a gloomy darkness. I screamed when I realized what was happening, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I fell for what felt like forever, hitting the floor below hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I did my best to protect my face from falling debris, grunting when Zach landed on top of me.
He didn’t move, which was a blessing, but I was in so much pain I couldn’t muster the strength to push him off my back. My head felt as if a cloud was invading, pain exploding through my temples. I hit something going down, and my hip throbbed.
Even in my confused state I managed to register movement to my left. Only a sliver of light filtered through the dust and darkness, coming from the second floor and the window at the top of the stairs as the storm continued to barrel down.
I didn’t know what to expect. Zach was on top of me, dead or unconscious, I couldn’t say. It could be Naomi, I reasoned. She might’ve regained consciousness and headed in this direction to cut me off. If it was her, I didn’t have the strength to fight her off a second time.
The being that moved into the light, though, wasn’t human. I registered four feet – more like paws really – and red eyes as I struggled to hold onto consciousness. My mouth dropped open when I saw ridges on the creature’s back, and I cringed when it emitted a high-pitched screech.
The Chupacabra.
It couldn’t be, and yet … it was.
“Holy smokes!”
I didn’t know what else to say as darkness overwhelmed my mind. The last thing I heard were claws clacking against wood … and then I knew Jack was close because I felt him before he made a sound.
“Charlie!”
Jack was here, which meant I was safe. That simple knowledge allowed me to let go and embrace utter blackness.
“WAKE UP! YOU WAKE up right now!”
Jack’s voice traveled a long distance to pierce through the haze surrounding my brain. I struggled to open my eyes, and when I did, I found myself resting on Jack’s lap as he cradled me. The events of the past hour ran through my head at a fantastic rate as I attempted to make my tongue work.
“There you are,” Jack choked, smoothing my hair. “I thought maybe you weren’t going to wake up.”
I had no idea what to say, so I went with the obvious. “I saw the Chupacabra.”
Jack didn’t look bothered by the statement. “Is that what you’re calling Zach? He’s dead, by the way. He broke his neck on the way down. I was worried you’d done the same.”
“Not Zach.” Still, it was a relief to know he was gone. “I saw it. It was here. It … looked at me.”
“Okay.” Jack stroked the back of my head. “Okay. I believe you.”
I wasn’t sure he spoke the truth, but I was in too much pain to argue. “My back hurts.”
“I’ll bet everything is going to hurt once you’re not in shock. You took a long, hard fall. What were you thinking going down the back steps?”
“He cut me off from the front. Plus … I didn’t want to lead him back to Millie and Chris. Are they okay?”
“Bernard is with them. Help is on the way. The roads are going to be rough because of the storm, but Myron will find a way to get here.”
“That’s good.”
I was so tired that keeping my eyes open was becoming a terrific struggle. “Jack, I really did see the Chupacabra. It was right in this room. I swear it.”
“Okay, honey. It’s okay.”
“It was here. I think this room is its den.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
Now he was just placating me. “It was Zach and Naomi all along. I didn’t see it.”
“None of us did. How could you expect to see that?”
“I knew there was something wrong with Zach.”
“I think that was obvious to all of us.”
“Naomi fooled me.” I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I saw myself when I looked at her. I didn’t see anything else.”
“You’re not to blame. It’s okay. Everyone is going to be okay. I need you to hold on until the paramedics get here. Bernard called. They’re on their way.”
“That’s good. I think I’m going to pass out again.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t,” Jack argued. “For once, I think it would be smart for you to keep talking. Can do that for me?”
“Probably not.”
“We can talk about the Chupacabra.”
Well, that was an interesting offer. “It had ridges on its back and red eyes. It made a screeching sound.”
Jack stilled. “That wasn’t you?”
“What?”
“That screeching sound wasn’t you?”
I shook my head. “It was the Chupacabra. It left when I heard your voice.”
“Well … hmm.”
“You still don’t believe, do you?”
“I don’t know. I believe in you. Tell me about the Chupacabra and we’ll see what I believe when you’re done. How does that sound?”
Because he needed it, I did as he asked. It was the least I could do.
29
Twenty-Nine
I woke in the hospital shortly before midnight. I’d managed to hang on until Jack heard sirens, but after that it was too
much for me. I had no idea how I managed to get from the back room of the hotel into the ambulance, but apparently I did … and I was still alive.
I flicked my eyes to the monitor next to the bed. It was quiet. I didn’t know much about vitals, but mine looked great. They were hopping without making the display angry, so that had to be good. At least that’s what I told myself.
I shifted in the bed, jolting when I saw Jack sitting in a nearby chair watching me. The lights were dimmed, and I almost missed him save for his glittering eyes.
“Welcome back.”
“Thanks.” My voice was raspy and I was ravenously thirsty as I tried to struggle to a sitting position.
Jack hopped to his feet, propping a pillow behind my back as I settled. “Do you want some water?”
I nodded, grateful, and watched him pour a glass from the pitcher on the nightstand. He popped a straw in it and held the glass to my face.
“Slowly,” he prodded. “Don’t make yourself sick.”
I was so dry his admonishment went largely ignored, and I gulped the entire glass before stopping to gasp. Jack wordlessly filled it again, and this time I drank slowly. Finally, when I was satiated, Jack returned the glass to the nightstand.
“What happened?”
Jack cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t remember?”
“I remember,” I replied. “I mean after. You said Zach was dead. What about Naomi?”
“She’s alive, although she’s got a concussion,” Jack answered. “I can’t believe you got the jump on her and smacked her in the head with a board. That was brave … and a bit stupid.”
I ignored the dig as I focused on the other part. Is that what Millie told him? I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t as if she could tell them the truth. Still, she protected me. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. “I was running on instinct.”
“Well, you’re alive, so I’d say your instincts served you well.” Jack picked at the nubs on my blanket. “Naomi admitted everything to the police. She blamed all the terrible stuff – her father’s murder, the attack on Chris, the dead coyote outside your hotel room – on Zach, but she’ll be going away for life anyway.”
“She said the same thing to me. I can’t decide if I believe it or not. I do think Naomi was smart enough to steer clear of the hotel. I think that means the coyote is definitely on Zach.”
“Naomi said he tried to get into your room another time. It was the night you came home drunk.”
“Why? That was before I found the earring.”
“I have no idea, but I don’t like the scenarios I’ve been coming up with,” Jack said. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s dead.”
“How is Laura taking it?”
“How does Laura take anything? She’s angry and blaming everyone else.”
“Well … she’s probably just embarrassed,” I said after a moment. “I know I’d be jealous if I made out with a sociopath. Still, Naomi’s story doesn’t make much sense. Zach was making out with Laura when Chris went missing. She has to be the one who went after him. Do we know how that happened?”
“No, but that’s a very good point. I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll make sure to point it out to the cops.”
“And what about Chris?”
“He’s dehydrated and has a concussion of his own,” Jack replied. “They drugged him so he’d remain docile. The doctors are flushing his system. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but it’s doubtful he’ll wake up before morning. Hannah is with him.”
“And Myron? Did he ever show up?”
“He did. He’s with Millie.”
That was surprising. “What about Bernard?”
Jack smirked. “I believe they’re sharing nursing duties. Millie has a hand fracture, but is otherwise fine. By the way, whatever you think you know about Bernard and Millie, forget it. That’s their business.”
“Okay.” I’d let it go … for now. “Did Naomi tell her story about the silver and gold?”
“Yes, and the cops think she’s completely full of crap. There was never any gold in that area to their knowledge, and whatever silver was found wouldn’t be nearly the windfall that Naomi seemed to think.”
“Part of me feels bad for her,” I admitted. “Her father raised her on lies and she couldn’t quite seem to break away from them. She thought he was telling the truth, and that’s ultimately what got him killed.”
“Yeah, well, Hannah talked to the medical examiner while we were waiting on news about you guys,” Jack explained. “The medical examiner mentioned that they noticed the blow to Morrison’s head, but they thought it was because he fell while being attacked. They’re going back over their notes again.”
“And how did Zach get all the blood out of Morrison?”
“I have no idea, and I don’t care to find out.”
He wasn’t the only one. “So … that’s it, right? The mystery is solved. Morrison was killed and the Chupacabra is real.”
Jack shifted on his chair. “I thought maybe you might have thought better about what you said to me right before you passed out,” he hedged. “You took your own blow to the head, after all.”
Of course he would hope for that. He didn’t want me to suffer from a bout of crazy after the day we had. But I was more certain than ever that what I saw was real.
“It was really there, Jack.”
Jack blinked several times before responding. “Then I believe you.”
“Really?” I couldn’t help being dubious. “Since when do you believe in things like that?”
“Since you put your life on the line to save us all. I think you deserve a little faith.”
“That’s quite possibly the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Jack smirked. “Don’t let it go to your head.” He exhaled heavily as he stretched out his legs and got more comfortable on the chair. “It’s late. You need your rest. We’re hopefully packing up and getting out of here tomorrow. It all depends on what Chris’ doctors say. You should sleep now.”
“What about you? Are you going back to the hotel?”
“No. I’m watching our hero to make sure she’s safe.”
The simple statement warmed my heart even as it made me feel like a bit of a goof. “I’m no longer in danger.”
“And yet I can’t forget the feeling I had while racing through the street of a western ghost town to find you. In fact … .” Jack broke off, his expression unreadable.
“What?”
“It’s weird, but while I was out there I had a tremendous case of déjà vu,” he said. “It was like I was remembering something from a dream.”
My heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t possible, was it? “What?”
“I don’t know. I think it was a conversation between you and me. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around. I swear you told me that if you went missing that you would be in the room where Zach attacked you.
“By the way, I have no idea how you tipped over that armoire and shoved it against him, but that was a good move because it slowed him down,” he continued. “You made a lot of good moves today. Millie said you knocked Zach down the stairs, hit Naomi in the head with a board and somehow managed to smack Zach around with an armoire. I’d say you had a full day.”
He was glossing over the dream as if it were simply an odd occurrence. I knew better. “Well … I’m nothing if not resourceful.”
“There is that.” Jack’s grin was weary. “You really need your sleep, Charlie. I’m tired, too. If you’re a good girl and get your rest I promise to make sure you get something other than barbecue before we leave tomorrow.”
Oddly enough, that was the best offer I’d had all day. “Olive Garden?”
Jack snorted. “I think I can manage that … or at least something similar.”
“You’re on.” I slouched lower on my pillow and let my eyes drift shut. “I really did see the Chupacabra, Jack. I swear it.”
“Then I think you’ll be Chris’ favorite p
erson when he wakes up. Make sure I’m there when you tell him.”
“Sounds good.” I rolled to my side and hugged the pillow. “Jack?”
“Ugh. You can’t be quiet even when you have a head injury, can you?”
“You said I was the hero. Heroes get to talk as much as they want.”
“Fair enough.”
“I just wanted to say something.”
“I’m listening.” Jack sounded as tired as I felt, but he kept his eyes open.
“I knew you would find me. I think that’s why I wasn’t afraid.”
“I’m worried that you weren’t afraid, because you’ve got a head like a rock. But I’ll take the other option right now, because it makes me feel better,” Jack said. “Now … sleep.”
“Okay.” I pressed my eyes shut. “I still knew you’d find me … and the Chupacabra is definitely real.”
“Oh, geez! Someone shoot me now.”
“Not until after I’ve had my Olive Garden.”
“Deal.”
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About the Author
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my novels. I have a particular brand of humor that isn’t for everyone – and I know that.
If you liked the book, please take a few minutes and leave a review. An independent author does it all on their own, and the reviews are helpful. I understand that my characters aren’t for everyone, though. There’s a lot of snark and sarcasm in my world – and I know some people don’t like that.
Special thanks go out to Heidi Bitsoli and Phil VanHulle for correcting the (numerous) errors that creep into a work of fiction.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The Chupacabra Catastrophe Page 26