“What are we going to do?” Carol asked.
“I’d love to know what kind of animal we’re dealing with,” Decker replied. He held up the claw. “Let’s get this thing looked at, see if it provides us with any answers.”
“I can put in a call to the University and see if they have anyone that can help us identify it.”
“Good idea. We should know more when the autopsy results come back for Jake Barlow. The M.E. said she’d send her report over as soon as she had something. Maybe that will give us some clue what we’re dealing with here.”
“What about the missing moonshiners?”
“There’s nothing we can do tonight. We’ll start a search at first light,” Decker said. “I hope to god we don’t find what I think we will.”
“We’ll need to let folk know what’s going on,” Carol said. “We don’t want another attack.”
“It’s probably a bear so the likelihood is it will stay clear of the town, but you’re right, we need to warn people. Why don’t you give Channel 6 a call and get something out on the air. Don’t give them too many specifics though, we don’t want to cause a panic. Just tell them that we have a wild animal on the prowl and to stay indoors, and steer clear of the woodlands.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“In the meantime I’m going to check in on Nancy and Taylor.” He put the claw back in the drawer, picked up his hat, and headed for the door.
“John?” Carol stopped him. “Before you go-”
“I know what you are going to say.” Decker turned back toward her. “You don’t need to.”
“This attack, this whole nasty business,” Carol said. “I just want to make sure you are coping okay?”
“What happened to my mother has nothing to do with this. That was a long time ago.”
“But it must have brought back some memories.” Carol looked concerned. “You left Wolf Haven because of what your mother’s death did to you, what it did to your family.”
“I left to go to college.”
“We both know that’s not true. You couldn’t cope with the change in your father, his obsession, after your mother died.”
“And I made my peace. I came back.”
“Almost two decades later,” Carol said. “I’m worried about you John. What you went through back then was horrific, and now with Jake being killed like this–”
“I’m handling it just fine.” Decker reassured her, pulling the door open. “There’s no need to worry.” But even as he said the words, he didn’t believe them. Memories were stirring, and for the first time in years, he felt the pain of those dark days from so long ago.
22
JEREMIAH BOUDREAUX DROVE back to his trailer in a black mood. Every now and then he pried the bottle of illegal liquor from between the driver and passenger seat and took a long swig. By the time he got home the bottle was empty.
He stumbled to the trailer and pulled the door open, foraging around until he found a second bottle, unscrewed the top, and went to work on it. There was still no sign of Terry, and he still had a full load of scrap in the bed of his pickup, so he would have to make the trip to the junkyard on Monday, which would cost him a bundle since he’d planned on hauling a load of old tires out for recycling. Now he would not be able to. It was a good thing Terry was not showing his face or he would be in for it, stupid kid.
He slumped down on the old couch that he’d found years before on the side of the road and turned on the TV, flicking through channels until he found a black and white John Wayne movie.
His thoughts turned to Floyd. If that sheriff’s dispatcher was right then the old man was nowhere to be found either. Not surprising since his liquor operation was impounded. For sure the old moonshiner was holed up in the woods somewhere, hiding out to avoid a stint in the county jail. He’d probably stay out there a while. If anyone knew the pine forest it was Floyd. As for his son, Terry would come home when he was good and ready, probably when the booze ran low. And when he did, he’d get a good hiding.
As for Sheriff Decker, there was no way Jeremiah was going to give him any information. Not on your life. Damn cops, always poking their noses in where they didn’t belong. Only last year Jeremiah had spent four days in a cell on a drunk and disorderly thanks to Decker. It wasn’t the first time either. It was almost as if the sheriff had it in for him. That dispatcher sure did seem jumpy though when he’d said Terry hadn’t come home. And he had to admit that it was odd, Floyd leaving his truck like that, and breaking all those jugs of liquor. He’d known the old man for years, and in all that time Floyd had never abandoned a load.
He put the bottle to his lips again and gulped back a good amount of alcohol. His eyes felt heavy. A dull warmth closed in around him. Soon he’d forgotten all about Floyd and the abandoned truck.
The bottle fell from his grip and landed on the floor, the clear liquid seeping out onto the carpet as Jeremiah snored.
23
SHERIFF DECKER PARKED outside Cassidy’s diner, pulling into a space between Taylor’s car, which had not moved since that morning, and a blue Toyota that he did not recognize, and climbed from his cruiser. The place was dark, a closed sign hanging in the window. Normally the restaurant would be open for at least another hour, but Nancy had better things to do tonight than feed the town of Wolf Haven.
He skirted the building, walking down the driveway at the side of the diner until he saw the house silhouetted against the pinewoods beyond. The kitchen light burned bright but other than that there were no signs that anyone was home. He knew Nancy was there though. Her red SUV was parked near the front steps.
He knocked on the door. A second later there was movement, and a voice drifted from inside.
“Who is it?”
“Sheriff Decker.”
The door opened. Nancy stood there dressed in a pair of old jeans and a baggy tee. “John. Come in.”
He stepped over the threshold. “How’s Taylor?”
“How do you think?” Nancy closed the door. “She was pretty hysterical when I brought her home. I couldn’t stop her crying. I found some sleeping pills in the cabinet and gave her a couple. She’s resting right now.”
“Good.” He followed her into the kitchen. “She’s a tough kid, she’ll get through it.”
“I hope so.”
“She will.” He reached into his pocket and brought out a cell phone. “I thought she might want this back. We found it up at Sullivan’s Pond.” He paused, unsure if he should mention what else they found up at the swimming hole, and then decided against it. There was no need to mention the discarded bikini, what the teenagers were up to before the attack. It was irrelevant now.
“Thanks. I thought you might need it for evidence.” Nancy took the phone and placed it down on a side table.
“Not necessary,” Decker said, “Besides, I know where to find it if something comes up.”
“Of course.” Nancy said, her eyes on Decker.
“She’s a lucky girl.” He met her gaze and for a moment he wondered why he’d ever left town - Why he’d left her.
“She is at that. Did you find Jake?”
He nodded. “Just like she said. Kid didn’t stand a chance. I spoke to the parents this afternoon, broke the news.”
Nancy sighed. “Those poor people.”
“It could have been worse. If Taylor hadn’t gotten out of there so fast–”
“I don’t want to think about that,” Nancy shuddered. “Do you know what attacked them?”
“No. Not yet.” Decker wished he could tell her more. “Maybe a black bear. We’ll know more once we get the report back from the M.E.”
“A bear, in these parts?”
“I know. It sounds a little far-fetched, but what else could it be?” Decker shrugged. “There aren’t any other large mammals that could come close to doing this. The only other candidate is an alligator, but that doesn’t fit the bill.” He wondered if he should tell her about the claw he’d found, but
decided not to. There was no point in worrying her further.
“It didn’t sound much like a bear from Taylor’s description.”
“She was terrified. Who knows what she saw up there.”
“I know.” Nancy looked up at Decker. “I can’t believe this is happening.” A tear rolled down her cheek.
Decker stepped forward to comfort her, to put his arms around her. He hesitated, unsure if he should, but when he reached out she fell against him and put her head on his shoulder.
“I’m so pleased you’re here,” She said. “You make me feel safe.” She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
He ran a hand through her thick red hair, noticing for the first time the faint flecks of hazel in her deep blue eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, holding her close.
“Good.” She reached up, sliding her hands around his neck, and then she kissed him, her lips brushing his. He froze for a moment, surprised, and then returned her kiss with fervor. For a moment the years fell away and he was eighteen again. He pulled her close, determined not to waste this chance the way he had all those years before.
She broke away, a faint smile upon her face. “I’ve wanted to do that for such a long time.”
“Me too.” He kissed her again, his lips lingering upon hers, wanting the moment to last forever.
For a long while, they held each other in a comforting embrace, Decker stroking her hair, and Nancy holding him tight, feeling safe and comfortable in his arms.
“I don’t want to be alone tonight. Stay with me?” Her voice was soft and low, barely more than a whisper.
Decker looked at her. “I’m not sure I should.”
“Why, because you’re the sheriff?”
“No, because with everything that’s happened I don’t want to take advantage.”
“You’re not.”
“What about Taylor?” Decker asked. The girl had been through hell, and the last thing he wanted to do was make the situation worse.
“She’s resting. I doubt she’ll even notice you are here. Besides, I’m sure she’d feel safer knowing you were close by.” She took his hand and led him through the house, toward the bedroom, closing the door.
“Nancy, before we go any further, maybe we should-”
“Not now.” Nancy said, her voice low and urgent.
“Last time we were together things didn’t end right. I owe you-”
“I need this John. I need you, here and now. The past is done and gone.”
“But–”
“Shut up.” She lifted her tee up and off, and then threw it to one side. Underneath she wore nothing. Her naked breasts fell free, nipples erect and taut.
John smiled, pulling her close. His hands found her jeans. He fumbled to loosen the button, slipping it open and sliding them down until she wore nothing but a pair of white cotton panties.
She pulled at his shirt, his trousers, undressing him with an urgency he found surprising but enjoyable, and then she stood back and slipped her panties off.
Within seconds they were on the bed, their bodies joined together in a fit of passion. Their lovemaking was fast and heated, a blur of wild need. Afterward, they made love again, and now it was gentle and tender. They rediscovered each other, explored each other in a way they hadn’t done for years.
Afterward they lay together for the longest time without speaking. Decker held Nancy close, his hand stroking the small of her back. She rested her head on his chest, her auburn hair spilling across him, and fell asleep.
24
THERE WAS ONLY one customer left by the time Ed Johnson, owner of The County Line Saloon, announced last call. Benny Townsend, proprietor and sole employee of the Pump and Go gas station on the south side of town, looked up at the TV above the bar, half watching a news story about a local kid killed by a bear in the pinewoods outside of town.
. “Bad business that,” he said, shaking his head. He offered his beer glass to Ed. “I’ll take one for the road.”
“Sure.” Ed took the glass and refilled it, watching the amber liquid pour from the pump. He glanced toward the TV. “What are the odds?”
“Beats me.” Benny pushed four crumpled dollar bills across the bar. “They say that a bear did it.”
“A bear,” Ed scoffed, pushing the refilled glass toward Benny. “In all the years I’ve lived here I’ve never once seen a bear.”
“Me either.” Benny lifted the glass and downed half the drink in one gulp. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Not a lick.” Ed leaned on the bar and watched Benny drain his glass. “One more?”
“Nah.” Benny heaved himself to his feet, pulling a stained jacket from the barstool. “I’m off. Got to be up early tomorrow.”
“Right. You take care on the way home.” Ed, looked past his friend, to the empty bar beyond. It had been a slow night, but even so, he was glad it was done with. “Make sure that bear don’t get you.”
“Nothing’s gonna get me,” Benny chuckled. He turned away and took a stumbling step toward the front door. “I’m too old and too scrawny to be worth the time.”
Ed watched him lurch across the bar room and slip out into the night. He reached down to the PA system and flicked a switch, killing the music. Next he made a quick circuit around the bar, picking up a few spent glasses and wiping down the tables.
He wrinkled his nose. The place smelled like cigarette smoke despite his no smoking policy. People always snuck one in rather than stand outside in the humid night air. That was fine. He couldn’t afford to turn business away, and would not even bother with the non-smoking thing at all except for his asthma, which had gotten worse over the last few years.
He stacked the glasses in the dishwasher, wiped the bar down, and reached up to turn off the TV. On the screen was a picture of a storm churning in the Gulf of Mexico, twin spiral arms spinning around the calm center as it moved toward land.
Damn weather.
The TV news people were always hyping up some tropical system or other, scaring people for the sake of ratings. He shook his head. The thing would probably blow itself out long before it made landfall, and even if it did come ashore the likelihood was it would go through Florida, or veer off into Mexico. As usual the media were making a mountain out of a molehill. Now that they had a bear attack to go along with the storm they must be over the moon.
He pushed the off button and watched the TV go dark, then pulled the trash bags from the two large waste containers behind the bar. They were full of bottles, old napkins, and discarded lemon slices. He heaved the two black bags over his shoulder and took them to the rear door, dropping them down ready to put into the dumpsters near the back fence. He was about to turn back toward the bar when a noise caught his attention.
It was nothing much, just a faint movement behind the metal paneled door, a scratching, shuffling sound.
He froze.
Ordinarily he would not have given the noise a second thought, but the news story stuck in his head. Something had killed that kid, and if it was a bear, it might still be prowling around. Weren’t bears attracted to trash?
He paused for a second, deciding what to do. He could leave the bags of garbage sitting inside until morning and go upstairs to bed, but then they would stink the place up to high heaven, not to mention the bugs it would attract. With a health inspection coming up he couldn’t afford to encourage cockroaches. On the other hand, he did not want to go outside if there was a dangerous animal lurking around. For a moment he was torn, but the thought of failing his health inspection made his mind up. That didn’t mean he had to go out there unarmed though.
He hurried back to the bar and retrieved the baseball bat hidden under the counter, relishing the heft and weight of the thing in his hand.
He returned to the back door and reached out to open it, then hesitated. Maybe there was a bear roaming around, and the last thing he wanted to do was to cross paths with it.
“Pull yourself together,” he mumbled
, although the words did little to ease his nerves. Regardless, he reached out and pulled the handle, opening the door a crack and peering out.
The area behind the saloon consisted of a paved access road skirted by a low fence. The dumpster stood next to the fence, one of its twin lids lifted to allow easy access. Beyond that, an open area ran down to a section of marshy grass, and then nothing but dark pine forest, the trees reaching fifty feet or more toward the sky, their thin trunks packed tight together.
He saw no sign of whatever had been moving around, and breathed a sigh of relief. There was no bear. He was alone.
He opened the door wide, stepped out, leaned the bat against the wall and picked up the trash bags. He walked to the dumpster, and hefted the first bag over the rim.
It dropped in with a dull thunk.
A low menacing hiss rose from the dumpster.
The hairs on the back of Ed’s neck stood up. He felt a prickle of fear. There was something out here after all, and he’d been stupid enough to leave the bat all the way back at the rear door to the bar.
He lowered the second bag to the ground as quietly as he could and took a step back, hoping that whatever was in the dumpster decided to stay there. If only he could make it back to the door he would lock himself in for the night and deal with the trash at first light.
He’d barely moved a step before something large and black shot toward him, propelling itself out of the dumpster with unbelievable speed.
He screeched and stumbled away in a panic as the creature lunged forward, the dumpster lid crashing closed behind it. His foot caught a crack in the concrete and he tumbled backward, his butt hitting the ground with a smack.
He let out a yelp of pain.
The beast landed a few feet away and hissed again.
A wash of relief flowed over Ed as he realized his attacker was nothing more than a large, fat raccoon. Two beady eyes studied him through patches of white and black fur. Then, without a sound, it turned and sauntered off back in the direction of the dumpster, disappearing behind it.
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