Under Devil's Snare (Under Series Book 2)

by S. Y. Thompson

  Though trying to remain confident, a part of Lee worried that she was way off base and wouldn’t find Brenda. If that happened, she would lose Cleo. Lee felt her heart harden. Losing Cleo wasn’t an option. She would kill Brenda first. A primal part of Lee rejoiced as the sun began to set. She would be in her element, but Ranger Thomas would not.

  An hour later, she wasn’t any closer to finding the ranger or the beagle. Lee hadn’t even seen a park service vehicle. Sitting in the front seat of the rental, Lee waited on the side of the park road. A few vehicles passed, headlights blinding her briefly in the rearview mirror. Each time she tensed in anticipation, but each time they passed without slowing. Lee’s palms slipped a little against the steering wheel, slick from nervous perspiration.

  “Come on, where the hell are you?”

  Lee huffed in impatience and checked her wristwatch again. In the darkness, she could just barely make out the illuminated details. Almost seven, Jamison should be home by now. Lee had been sitting outside the entrance to the Deerlick Falls campground for the last forty minutes and was beginning to worry that she was in the wrong place. She realized that maybe she’d made a faulty assumption. Whoever left the note never said they’d be arriving by car. Lee had only assumed they would be. More than that, the note did not state a time for their meeting, although they had mentioned it would be after sundown. That wasn’t a very specific time reference. She could be out here half the night with no one the wiser.

  Squinting her eyes, Lee concentrated on trying to adjust her vision. After a few moments, she figured it wasn’t working. The heat of the moment had passed long ago and with it her spontaneous ability to transform. Lee didn’t understand why shifting seemed so effortless when the situation proved life threatening, but had difficulty changing otherwise.

  She opened the car door and hurriedly closed it, worried about the glare from the dome lights. Lee reached up and switched off the lights before opening the door again. She stepped out into the night. Closing the door softly, Lee hip checked it to ensure it closed completely. She didn’t want the dome light to switch on and inadvertently inform an onlooker of her actions. She took a few steps into the brush. Lee thought that if she moved away from anything manmade it would help her connect with her more instinctual abilities.

  Lee smelled the acrid scent of vegetation crushed under her hiking shoes. She opened herself up to hearing the nocturnal sounds and the feel of cold air against her exposed hands and face. When she’d gone far enough that the car disappeared in the gloom, Lee stopped and squatted down. Placing one hand against the cool ground, she closed her eyes and tried to let everything else go. She took two long breaths and then raised her head. Finding Cleo was the ultimate goal and centering her emotions the key.

  Blood rushed through her veins. Lee felt gooseflesh erupt on the backs of her arms. The center of her spine tingled and she expected pelt to erupt. She opened her eyes a few moments later when nothing happened. Frustrated, she struck her thighs with her fists. What good was a shape changer who couldn’t change shape?

  “Dammit!”

  Tears flooded her eyes when Lee thought about Cleo being held by a psychopath. Her imagination happily supplied her with gruesome scenarios Cleo was experiencing at that very moment. Lee buried her face in her hands, feeling like a total loser for not finding her friend. After a few minutes, she dropped her hands and sat back on her heels.

  “All right, Grayson. Get it together. You can’t help her if you fall apart.”

  Lee had always found talking to herself helped her concentrate. She needed all the assistance she could get now and didn’t worry about sounding crazy. No one was out here anyway.

  “Okay, if I were a psychotic killer where would I go? I’ve checked out the campground so where next?”

  Lee climbed to her feet and returned to the rental. She sat thinking for a moment and then switched on the engine. She considered the possibility that Brenda hadn’t been talking about the park at all. Lee had met Ranger Thomas for the first time at the visitor’s center, but she didn’t think that was the answer. She decided to check the area near the hiking trails between here and Cherry Falls Reservoir. It was a fair hike on foot, but wouldn’t take long to drive over. If she didn’t find anything there, Lee would try Paul Smith’s Visitor’s Center.

  Within minutes Lee arrived and turned off the Chevy. She left the headlights on for a brief time, but then realized that was ridiculous. No one was stupid enough to pass right in front of the beam. She clicked off the lights and climbed out, walking over to the spot where they’d found the dried blood. Lee could smell the coppery scent long before she arrived and grimaced at the irony. Any abilities that didn’t require conscious thought came easily. Unfortunately, those same faculties were useless for finding Cleo.

  Lee strolled passed the scene, her eyes taking in everything around her. The moon floated overhead, illuminating the trail between the trees. She felt like she stood under a spotlight. The trail disappeared around a bend and Lee started walking. The turf under her feet absorbed any sound. The wind seemed louder than usual as it sang through the branches and leaves. Pleasant scents of cool earth, dry grass and impending snow teased her nostrils.

  Lost in the sensations of nature, Lee didn’t realize her sight had expanded. She stopped dead on the hiking trail, suddenly able to see as clearly as she usually could in the daylight. In relaxing she had accomplished what sheer will alone could not. She’d simply been trying too hard. Jamison had been telling her that all along, but Lee hadn’t really believed her.

  Now, she paused to savor her newly formed visual acuity. Colors faded, taking on a washed out appearance while things at a distance seemed to rapidly rush closer. It was her enhanced night vision that created the effect and Lee appreciated being able to see better than her human alter ego. The jaguar in her sensed that she could easily cross the final barrier and transform completely, but she currently held the element of surprise. The ability to shift to cat form was her ace in the hole. Lee intended to keep it that way for as long as possible.

  She heard a slight noise off to her left, merely a rustling in the brush. She inhaled deeply, seeking an indication that Cleo was near. Only an animal could have heard the sound. The muscles below her ears twitched, but in her human condition Lee couldn’t utilize directional hearing. Instead, she turned her head. At the same time, Lee spotted a small object zooming toward her. She could hear the swish of displaced air as it whizzed toward her.

  Lee threw her body to the side, attempting to avoid the projectile. She wasn’t quite fast enough. Reflexively, she reached up and yanked the dart from her shoulder. The needle didn’t really sting. In fact, her whole arm felt numb. Lee’s vision swam and her eyes returned to their usual appearance. When they did, the world seemed to shrink around her. She stumbled a little and then dropped to one knee.

  Footsteps approached and Lee watched Ranger Thomas strolling casually toward her. She held a rifle by the pistol grip, the barrel pointed toward the sky as the weapon rested against her shoulder. A smile gently curved her lips. As she approached, Brenda started to whistle. Lee wanted to rush at her, to grab her by her jacket and shake her until she revealed Cleo’s location. Her body didn’t obey her commands to move and Lee fell over onto her side.

  “Took you long enough to get here,” Brenda said. “I was starting to think you didn’t care about the damned dog.”

  “Wh...,” Lee swallowed and tried again. “Where is she?”

  “Impressive. I gave you enough to drop a buffalo. Most people would be unconscious by now.”

  Lee had trouble understanding Brenda’s words. Her brain felt disengaged. “Jami will find me.”

  Brenda’s smile vanished, much as it had the day she told Jamison Lee had struck her. Anger washed over her like a tide so strongly that even in her insensate condition Lee sensed it. The full moon highlighted Brenda’s face as it hardened.

  “Shut up. You don’t deserve to say her name.”


  Lee shook her head, not understanding. She wanted to ask why Brenda was doing this, but didn’t get the chance. As Ranger Thomas grasped the rifle in both hands and raised it high into the air, Lee realized what was about to happen. She didn’t have the motor control to avoid it when Brenda brought the weapon down hard and struck her between the eyes with the rifle butt.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “JEANIE, I’M HEADING out now. I’ve got to run over to the sheriff’s office before I head home.”

  “It’s kind of late for that isn’t it? I’m pretty sure the office closes at five.”

  “They’ll be there,” Jamison assured her tiredly. Although it was going on six-thirty, the media release had people coming out of the woodwork with helpful tips. Jamison was exhausted from chasing down leads that went nowhere and expected the local deputies were doing the same. Macke wouldn’t go home until things died down.

  Since the tip hotline was running inside the sheriff’s office, Jamison didn’t see that happening anytime soon. At least Macke had Hex and her crew in addition to twenty full and part-time deputies as well as ten park rangers to help out. Jamison had considered calling in extra help from the other park headquarters but decided against it. Unless they came up with anything useful, all of the extra bodies would have people tripping over each other.

  “Did you ever hear from Ranger Thomas?” Jeanie asked curiously. “It isn’t like her to just not show up for her shift without calling.”

  Jamison hesitated before answering. She could tell her secretary about the incident with Brenda yesterday, but didn’t feel comfortable doing so. Jamison felt like she had bungled handling that whole situation and blamed herself for the outcome. She hoped that by giving Brenda some time to deal with her emotions things would blow over. All things considered, she shouldn’t have expected her to show up for work today.

  “No, but I’m sure she’s fine. She’s just...going through some things.”

  “What things?” Jeanie sounded curious, but didn’t look up from her typing.

  Rather than answer directly, Jamison changed the subject. “Why are you still here? Don’t you get off at five?”

  Jeanie stopped what she was doing and looked up with a grin. “You busted me. All right, I admit it. With everything on the news this morning I wanted to hang out and see if you learned anything.”

  “Hoping to be around when we catch the bad guy?”

  “Is that so wrong of me?” Jeanie sighed in a deliberately melodramatic fashion.

  Jamison chuckled. “No, it’s not wrong. Unfortunately these things rarely work out quickly and usually not at all.”

  “Then why do it if it doesn’t work?”

  “We use every tool at our disposal.” Jamison shrugged. “Just because it doesn’t usually work like we want it to, doesn’t mean that we don’t try. Why don’t you head home? I won’t be back tonight and there’s no reason for you to just hang out.”

  “Let me log off and get my coat.”

  Jamison waited patiently and then walked Jeanie to her car. The headlights blinded her a little but she waved in Jeanie’s generally direction as her secretary drove away. She took her own vehicle to the sheriff’s office since she didn’t plan to return to the park. This late in the evening Jamison almost expected the sheriff's lot to be deserted. Instead, she finally had to park on the grass. People crossed at random across the lot and it looked like midday at a busy supermarket. The melee inside the building was even worse. Jamison absently caught snatches of conversation from operators brought in specifically to handle calls on the tip lines.

  “Harmon County Sheriff’s Office, how may I help you?”

  “No sir, we’re not asking volunteers to scour the forest at this time.”

  She smirked at little at the last one, but also appreciated the caller’s enthusiasm. It might just come to that. Down the hall, she caught sight of Sheriff Macke inside her office. The sheriff was also on the phone but looked up and caught Jamison’s eye through the window. The building boasted an open floor plan and where the walls weren’t load bearing they were constructed of glass. Macke waved for her to enter the office while she continued with her call. She hung up a few seconds later.

  “How’s it going?” Jamison asked. “Is there anything we can use yet?”

  “Not unless a report of a Yeti roaming the backwoods is helpful. I actually had someone tell me that Bigfoot is responsible for the murders. Another guy said it’s a government conspiracy designed to distract the public so they can take over everyone’s computers without anyone noticing.”

  Jamison shook her head. “How gullible, don’t they know that it’s not the government doing that? The Panthera are planning to perform that little stunt at New Year’s Eve. The ball dropping in New York is really the perfect time.”

  Sam stared at her for a moment without blinking. Clearly she didn’t appreciate Jamison’s humor. “Why are you here?”

  “I came to see if you need any help chasing down these hot tips. Bigfoot roaming the Adirondacks is pretty impressive and should be looked into.”

  This time Sam sighed aloud. “You’re in a particularly good mood.”

  “I take it you don’t approve.”

  “I’ll let you know when I’ve decided. In the meantime, Detective Hex went into town to pick up some pizzas for the crew out there. Care to join us?”

  “No thanks. What’s the deal with you two anyway.”

  After a moment, Macke replied, “I’m not sure I take your meaning and if I did, I’m not sure that’s an appropriate conversation.”

  “Are you telling me to butt out?”

  It wasn’t lost on Jamison that Macke was entirely right. They barely knew each other and usually interacted with ambivalence at best. It did seem odd for them to be discussing the sheriff’s love life.

  “Yes I am. However, since I’m sure you intend to pursue the subject anyway just let me tell you for the record that there is nothing going on between us.”

  “And even if there was you wouldn’t say? Fair enough.” Jamison nodded. “It’s none of my business. I don’t know why I even brought it up. It must be Lee’s domesticating influence. Anyway, I just came by to see if you needed any help.”

  “No, not really, I’ve practically got an army on standby and so far there isn’t a damn thing we can use. Go on home. I’ll call you if we hear anything worthwhile.” Macke hesitated. “Come to think of it, there might be one thing you can do. Would you mind making a little patrol out by the campgrounds utilizing your...special skills?”

  “Come again?”

  “Hear me out.” Sam raised a hand. “All of this publicity might shake things up for our psycho. This might be the perfect opportunity.”

  “Or all this media attention might drive our killer into hiding. Besides, how would I even know where to start? Do you know how big the Adirondacks are?”

  “That’s actually not so hard to figure out,” Sam assured her. “Each of our two victims was taken from the Deerlick Falls Campgrounds. It makes sense that he would be looking for his next target there.”

  Jamison snorted. “Sure, it makes perfect sense. That’s why he cut my partner’s brakes and kidnapped Lindsay Drake and Mira Pye, neither of which happened in the park. The truth is that we don’t have any idea what this guy is going to do next. Still, if it’ll make you feel any better, I’ll take a stroll through there on my way home.”

  It wasn’t lost on Jamison that they were utilizing euphemisms in discussing her shifting abilities. She appreciated Macke’s tact considering the crowd in the next room.

  With nothing further to say, she returned to the pickup. She hadn’t expected another trip into the park and realized it would be a while before she returned home. Jamison pulled out her cell phone and tried to call the manor to inform Lee of the delay. The call went to the answering machine. Thinking she had gone outside for some reason, Jamison tried Lee’s cellular. Again there was no answer. Jamison left a short message and then started
the pickup.

  Surprisingly, Jamison didn’t see many people out as she drove to the falls. With the press release, she’d expected the area to become crowded fast. Then again it was the middle of the week and any New Yorkers out for a thrill would have to wait until after work to make the drive up. Of course that didn’t count the locals who would probably be just as curious. She had agreed to this little excursion, but would have to be very careful not to be spotted.

  Jamison shut off the engine and headlights and then sat for a moment. Just the thought of transforming had the adrenaline rushing through her veins. Her eyes constricted and the pupils elongated. From the safety of the vehicle’s cab she scanned the darkness into the woods for as far as she could see. No one lurked in the shadows. Jamison pressed a switch on the mirror to turn off the interior lights. Only then did she open the door and step out. Shivering a little, partly in anticipation of the change and partly in response to the cold, Jamison began stripping down.

  She folded her clothes and set everything on the seat. Once ready, Jamison stepped off the park road. Dirt and twigs slid against the bare soles of her feet. She squatted down and placed her palms against the ground. Jamison relaxed, allowing her human mind to go quiet as her beast sprang forward. The great cat was eager to pounce and for once, she allowed it. Normally, Jamison savored the process, relishing each alteration beginning with the thickening and shortening of her spine to the eruption of claws. In this instance, she didn’t have that luxury. Some camper might come along at any moment and while trapped between forms, she’d be vulnerable. A rush of endorphins and dopamine joined the adrenaline pumping through Jamison’s system. The flood of hormones made the change painless, bordering on the sensual.