by Cate Dean
“None with claws like that. Just the usual demons.” He kissed my forehead, his lips soft. “Okay?”
“Better,” I whispered.
I’d feel even better once I figured out just what was strong enough to gouge solid granite.
~ ~ ~
I grabbed a bag of salt and vinegar chips and a large bottle of water before I headed up to my room. It was time to boot up Red and see if I could find some answers.
I started with my Monster Files, then the haven guide, and eliminated the Devil immediately. She was big enough, and I’d seen what damage her claws could do. But she was the haven’s mascot, and devoted to keeping the residents safe.
She also stayed away from humans, and hadn’t ventured above ground for months.
There weren’t any other monsters in the guide that matched what I saw—at least none that had been seen since the haven reopened. I would have to ask Detective Sampson what he smelled at the scene that made him suspicious. It might give me a clue.
With my references exhausted, I started searching online. Some of the images I found would give me nightmares, but I kept hitting dead ends. Mom called me down for dinner, and I let Red run some search programs, hoping something would pop up that I had missed.
If this was a monster, past experience told me they wouldn’t stop with one person.
Four
The next morning, I woke to a phone call from Detective Sampson.
“I know it’s early, Alex.”
I sat, pushing sleep tangled hair out of my face. “You beat my alarm by five minutes. What is it?” I was afraid I already knew.
“Two more people have gone missing overnight. A couple, taken out of their home.” A pause told me his next words weren’t going to be good news. “The same claw marks are there, on the outside wall. Below their second floor bedroom window.”
Oh, God. “It—climbed up the side of the wall?”
“Looks like. I only found that smell in the bedroom. Nowhere else in the house. So it took them out the window as well.”
“With no one else hearing?”
“They live in the neighborhood next to the forest.”
I closed my eyes, picturing where he was talking about. Older homes, several blocks in from the beach, most of them surrounded by trees. It would have been easier to grab someone there—two someones in this case.
Detective Sampson’s voice brought me back to the conversation. “This latest definitely puts Henry in the clear. The case has been handed over to me, and I can’t take my—enhanced evidence to my LT. I need something solid. I need a suspect.”
He needed a monster to pin this on—unless I found an alternative. I wasn’t about to let him use one of the residents so he could solve his case.
“I’ll see what I can find out. Try Google, Detective Sampson. You might get some leads.”
He let out a dry laugh. “Not my usual investigation method.”
“Not your usual investigation.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Alex, I don’t want you doing anything more than online research. Are we understood? I do not want to find you somewhere with another knife sticking out of you.”
I flinched, and rubbed at the scar on my left side. “No worries there.” A door opened down the hall. “I have to go, my parents are awake. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
“Thanks, Alex.”
“How are you doing?” I wanted to know before I hung up that he was okay.
“Better than I thought I would be.” I heard the humor edging his voice. He sounded less exhausted, and more like himself than he had in months. “It’s been an adjustment, but I’m not going to lose myself and start biting people. Thank you for your concern, Alex.”
Guilt stabbed me. Again. “It was my fault—”
“No, it wasn’t. I stuck my nose in, and I paid for it.” His voice gentled. “You warned me off, and I didn’t listen. I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself again. Understood?”
“Yeah. I’ll call you after school.”
“Be good.”
He ended the call before I could make a smart remark. It was probably for the best. I sat and stared at the wall, trying to process.
Three people missing in two days. No idea of what might be taking them, or doing to them after they’d been taken. Okay—time to jump off that thought train.
I pushed to my feet and padded to the attached bathroom. As much as I wanted to be done, I still had school, and homework. It was days like this that I really missed Misty. And Sam. Oh, how I missed watching him walk through the halls every day, seeing him smile.
After splashing my face with some water, and pulling my hair back, I headed for the stairs.
Mom would be making breakfast by now, which meant Dad would be hovering, trying to sneak an extra piece of bacon.
I had a couple of questions an architect could definitely answer.
~ ~ ~
“Enjoying your bacon, Dad?”
He froze, his hand hovering over the plate next to the stove. Mom smacked his wrist, smiling when she turned back to the stove.
“Busted,” he said, winking at me. He took the piece he’d been trying to sneak and popped it in his mouth as he walked over to the table.
“Dad?”
“Hmm?” He chewed, a look of bliss on his face. Bacon did that to him. I swear, he was addicted. Not that I had room to talk; my jelly bean habit surpassed his bacon addiction by a mile.
“Can I ask you an architect related question?”
He swallowed and leaned back, hands resting on his stomach. “Shoot.”
“How much force would it take to, um, mark granite?” That didn’t sound obvious at all.
Dad leaned forward, his eyes serious. “What kind of mark?”
I had one foot in, I might as well jump. “Claw marks.”
Mom dropped the spatula.
“Alex—”
“It’s all right, Beth.” Dad reached out one hand to her, his gaze never leaving me. “Where were these claw marks, Alex?”
“The old granite fountain, in the public garden. A man went missing there yesterday.” I didn’t mention the couple snatched out of their house. One drama at a time. I would have to tell them everything, if I got any more involved. That had been my promise to them, and I meant to keep it. “Detective Sampson wanted my advice, since it didn’t look like a human abduction. The detective on the case is trying to pin it on old Henry.”
“That sweet man?” Mom sat in the chair next to Dad, still holding tightly to his hand.
Sweet—right. Only Mom would call a crotchety, anti-social hermit sweet.
Dad took a second to soothe Mom before he turned to me. “It would take incredible strength to gouge that fountain. What else, sweetheart?”
No getting past him. I sighed. “A couple was taken last night, out of their bedroom. The claw marks were in one place—on the outside wall, under their bedroom window. On the second floor.”
Mom gasped, her face white. I knew exactly how she felt.
Dad rubbed his forehead, and I braced myself, waiting for him to forbid me. God knows I’ve put them through enough the past year.
He surprised me. Again.
“That would rule out sweet old Henry.” He winked at me. “I want to see where this first abduction happened. How is your school load today?”
I blinked at him. Was he asking if I could play hooky? “Nothing much, with the holidays coming up.” I’d already done finals for all my classes. This last month, with pointless homework assignments, was like slow torture. “Why?”
“I want to go in broad daylight, see what you’re describing in person. No, Beth.” He slipped his arm around Mom’s waist. “We agreed to not avoid, or hide from things like this. If this is a threat to Emmettsville, it has to be stopped. Alex has the knowledge, and the monster back up to help stop it.”
“I know.” Mom laid her head on his shoulder, her gaze on me. “It’s taking longer to accept than
I thought. We almost lost you, sweetheart. I can’t—I can’t go through that again.”
Honestly, neither could I. “We’ll be careful, Mom. I promise.” I stood and moved around the table, hugging her. “I have an appointment on Christmas Day, and I don’t plan on missing it.”
She let out a watery laugh. “You better not.”
Dad pulled us both in, and we held on to each other for a long minute. I felt better after he let go—safer, stronger, and aware that I wasn’t alone.
My parents are the best.
“I’ll call the school,” Mom said, easing out of the hug. “One sick day won’t matter now.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
I ran upstairs to get dressed, munching on bacon as I went. It would have to do for now, because I didn’t want to take the time for anything else. Now that the decision had been made, I wanted to get there and get it done.
Dad was waiting outside my bedroom door when I stepped out, and I almost tripped at the sight of the holster attached to his belt, not quite hidden by his jacket.
“Dad—”
“Less conspicuous than my shotgun.” He winked at me. “I have a permit, Alex, and I trade off between this and the shotgun at the firing range. Every week.”
Wow. Just when I think he can’t surprise me anymore, I get blindsided.
“Okay. Just—don’t shoot anything, unless it’s coming straight at us.”
“Cross my heart.”
He led the way downstairs, careful to conceal the holster before Mom saw us. We’d never get out of the house if she spotted it.
“Please be careful, Raleigh.” Mom adjusted the collar of his jacket, and missed his flinch at hearing his full name. Everyone called him Lee, except Mom. He hated it almost as much as I hated my first name, but he told me once that Mom loved his name so much, he couldn’t bear to disappoint her. Thankfully, I hadn’t heard Margaret out of Mom’s mouth in a while. I think she might be finally letting go of it. She turned to me. “You listen to your father, Margaret.”
Maybe not.
“I will. Promise.” I stood on tiptoe and kissed her cheek, escaping before she could straighten my hoodie, or try to fix my hair.
Dad bit back as smile as he walked past me, headed for the door. He was going to get an earful when we were alone.
He distracted me by talking all the way to the public garden—so thoroughly my nerves didn’t kick in until he pulled into the parking lot.
“Okay?” He rubbed my back, slow and soothing.
“Yeah. I just—I don’t want to know what could have carried off a man with no one noticing.”
“Let’s see what this mysterious kidnapper left behind, and go from there.”
I took a shaky breath and nodded, hopping out of the truck. I didn’t want Dad worrying about me. The damp weather made my left ankle ache, and I limped across the parking lot, trying not to limp too much. Even with Zach’s healing talent, the injury came back to haunt me on cold days like this.
We reached the area with the fountain and greenhouse, and Dad moved to the fountain, crouching down to examine the claw marks. They looked more vicious than I remembered, and I hugged myself, spooked by the mist that shrouded the trees.
I moved closer to Dad, who was muttering under his breath and measuring the claw marks. It calmed me, watching him approach the evidence like a design challenge.
“Remarkable,” he said, finally pushing to his feet. “These gouges are at least two inches deep, which would make the creature at least... what?”
I couldn’t help myself; I grinned at him, loving him for being who he is. No panic here, just the rabid curiosity I inherited from him, much to Mom’s despair.
“Only you would measure evidence of a violent monster like you’re working out a puzzle.”
He laughed, and kept measuring, taking notes as he went. “It is a puzzle, and one I want to solve without anyone being hurt.”
I swallowed, getting his meaning. I’d been hurt, more than once. I really didn’t want to put my parents through that again.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He flashed a smile, and took another measurement. “Anytime, twinkle toes.”
I laughed at the old nickname. My laughter cut off as I heard something behind me.
Something in the trees.
“Dad—”
A figure hurtled out of the shadows and grabbed me before I could move.
It took endless seconds to recognize Henry—mostly by the violent colors of his plaid jacket. It was one of several equally hideous jackets he wore when he was stalking around town.
“That you, Alex Finch?” Henry leaned in to squint at me. “What are you doing here? Don’t you know there’s a monster roaming this forest?”
“Hello, Henry.” Dad moved to my side, the pistol pressed against his leg. “What’s this about a monster?”
“Big, ugly lug, swear it was eight feet tall. Saw it drag a bloody man past my cabin. Black eyes stared straight at me, and I thought I was dead.”
I looked at Dad, my heart racing. He stepped in front of me. “How long ago did you last see this ugly lug, Henry?”
The old man coughed—or laughed. I couldn’t quite tell. “Why do you think I’m running, boy?”
He darted past Dad without another word.
“Come on, Alex. Let’s get out of...ˮ His voice faded, and he turned to the trees, aiming his pistol.
“Dad,” I whispered.
“Alex.” He kept his voice low. “Head for the truck. Move slowly, sweetheart, and try not to look like you’re retreating.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, my throat too tight to even try and answer him. It felt like an eternity before he joined me. I took his outstretched hand, clutching it like a lifeline. He squeezed my fingers and led me toward the pathway, constantly scanning our surroundings, the pistol pointed at the ground. By the time we reached the parking lot my heart was pounding so hard I was afraid it would break my ribs.
Dad opened the driver’s door, pushed me in ahead of him before he climbed in. He dropped the pistol on the seat, then locked both doors and shoved the key into the ignition, roaring out of the parking lot so fast I had to hold on to the door to keep from falling against him.
We kept going, out of the gardens and into the closest neighborhood. Dad made several random turns deeper into the neighborhood, stopped in front of a small, open park, and pulled me into his arms.
“Breathe, Alex.” He took his own advice, taking in slow, deep breaths. It helped calm me, and I went from clutching him to just holding him as tightly as I could. “We’re all right, sweetheart. We’re safe now.” He eased back, his dark blue eyes scrutinizing me. “Did you see anything?”
I shook my head. Just feeling the creature’s presence scared the hell out of me. “Did you?”
“No.” He sounded disappointed. I know my involvement in the haven delighted him, and he spent as much time as possible down there, talking to the residents in between his improvement projects. “I think that was for the best. It felt—malevolent.”
“Good description, Dad.” I shivered, and he tightened his arms around me. The gloomy day looked ominous, and the longer we sat in the open, the more nervous I got. “Can we go?”
“Of course.” He kissed the top of my head and let go of me. “Buckle up this time.”
We had both forgotten in the rush to escape—whatever had been in the trees.
I scooted over to my side and buckled my seatbelt. He slipped the pistol in his holster and started up the truck.
“Dad?”
“What is it?”
“Thanks for getting me out of there.”
He flashed a smile. “It’s what I do.”
“Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Don’t go back there.”
He idled at the corner and looked over at me. “I want to know what it was, Alex. But I’ll find another way. Cross my heart.”
“Okay.” Th
e weight on my heart eased. I knew him—he’d worry at it until he found the answers he needed. He would also keep his promise to me.
We headed home, and by the time he pulled into the driveway, I was exhausted from the tension, and the scenarios running through my mind. Having a vivid imagination wasn’t always a blessing. Dad steered me into the house, then sat me at the dining room table, returning with the leftover chicken from last night’s dinner.
My stomach rumbled at the sight of it, telling me I had been neglecting my usually huge appetite. We both dug in, devouring the chicken and roasted vegetables in record time. I felt much better by the time I was down to licking my plate, and I abandoned it in favor of my stash of jelly beans. Dad jumped in, helping me deplete the giant bag. We were both giddy from the sugar overload when Mom walked into the dining room.
“Oops,” I said. “Busted.”
Mom crossed her arms. “I hope there’s a good explanation for decimating the leftovers I planned for lunch, and—is that bag nearly empty?” She snatched it off the table before I could hide the evidence. “Good heavens. Alex I can understand, but you, Raleigh?” He didn’t flinch this time, probably because of the sugar high. “What were you thinking?”
“That I needed to let loose. Sorry, Beth, love of my life.” She let out a shriek when he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her on his lap. “It’s been one hell of a morning.”
She looked from him to me, then sighed. “Tell me. All of it, Raleigh. You don’t overdose on sweets, so I know it must have been quite—spectacular.”
By the time Dad and I finished telling her, she had her hand in the bag, picking out her favorite flavors.
“We won’t be going back,” Dad said. “I promised Alex, and I promise you. As much as I want to know what was watching us, I’ll find another way.”
“Thank you.” Mom leaned her head on his shoulder, and I watched them together. They loved each other, so much, but I never felt left out. Instead, I felt safe, knowing that my parents were solid, a unit that would stand with me, or in front of me if necessary. “I guess we’re ordering takeout, since you ate lunch.”
“Chinese!” I ran for the phone before they could object, and speed dialed my favorite local.
