The Chupacabra Catastrophe

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Hmm.” Naomi didn’t look convinced. “Perhaps it was someone looking for the silver.”

  “Could be. The jeweler said the earring was valuable, so if you have money for an earring like this why are you rooting around in the dark for silver that probably isn’t there?”

  “I … um … don’t know how to answer that,” Naomi replied after a beat.

  “I was just hoping maybe you’d recognize the earring,” I admitted. “I thought maybe your father had a friend or someone he hung around with. If he took her to the town and she was wearing this earring … .”

  “Ah.” Realization dawned on Naomi’s face. “I see what you’re saying. Unfortunately, I don’t recognize the earring. I don’t know what to tell you.”

  “It was a shot in the dark. Thank you for your time.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  MILLIE AND I DECIDED TO surprise our co-workers and picked up sundaes from the nearby ice cream shop before returning to the hotel. The shop was just around the corner, so the ice cream wasn’t overly melted when we delivered it.

  Chris, Hannah and Bernard were thankful. Laura and Zach weren’t in the lobby, so Millie and I ate their sundaes (after already eating sundaes of our own at the shop). Jack merely smiled when I delivered his.

  “Vanilla ice cream with butterscotch sauce,” he mused. “How did you know this was my favorite?”

  I was caught off guard by the question … and the hint of amusement in his eyes. He looked sweaty and tired, grime edging his forehead and cheeks. He immediately dug into the ice cream with gusto.

  “I don’t know,” I hedged. “You got me a butterscotch malt yesterday.”

  “I did. How was your day today?”

  I shrugged. “The zoologist was a bust. He says the print belongs to a coyote that once broke a foot that healed poorly.”

  “Did you expect a different outcome?” Jack’s gaze was probing.

  “I don’t know. I guess not. The setup at the zoo was really cool. They had a laboratory in the middle of the habitat, and I got to see a huge wolf named Lobo. He was really beautiful.”

  Jack smiled. “You like animals, don’t you?”

  “Yes. I want to make a pet out of the Chupacabra and walk him on a leash,” I said dryly.

  “Not that.” Jack shook his head as he spooned more ice cream into his mouth. “You liked the horse. You’re gaga over the wolf. You like animals. I like animals, too.”

  “I wanted to stop and see Clyde while we were at the ranch today, but Millie thought it was a waste of time.” I was a little wistful, so I barely registered the shift in Jack’s stance. “Now I wish I had put my foot down and forced her to let me see him.”

  “You went back to the ranch?” Jack’s tone was decidedly chilly. So was his gaze when I risked a glance in his direction.

  “Oh, well … .”

  “Don’t even think about running,” Jack warned, as if reading my expression when I swiveled toward Millie. “Talk.”

  “Ugh. I have such a big mouth,” I complained.

  “I’ve been telling you that for days. Talk.”

  “Fine.” I related our trip to the jeweler and the ranch, bracing myself for an explosion when I finished. Instead of yelling, Jack looked intrigued.

  “So Naomi said her father was a bit delusional.” Jack scraped his spoon against the bottom of the sundae container, digging for the last bit of butterscotch. “I’m starting to think that Wendell Morrison was unbalanced and that might have played a part in his demise.”

  “Naomi is interesting,” I said after a beat. I kept expecting a meltdown, but Jack seemed content to let my detective work slide. “She’s obviously very sad about her father’s death, but she knows that he was a bit of a kook. I feel bad for her.”

  “I do, too. You made a smart move this afternoon,” Jack noted. “I wouldn’t have thought to show her the earring, but it adds credence to the idea that someone else has been hanging around Hooper’s Mill – and it’s not the sort of someone who is poor and looking to scrape out a few pieces of silver.”

  “Naomi didn’t recognize it.”

  “No, but it was still a good idea.”

  “We have no way to track the owner,” I reminded him. “We also have no way of knowing if the earring was there for five days or five months. I mean … we could take it to someone who knows antiques, a historian or something, but that’s probably a longshot.”

  “You said that it wasn’t dirty and was out in the open,” Jack pointed out. “That indicates that it wasn’t there very long. If people are visiting the town every week and searching … someone would’ve snagged that earring and tried to sell it, even if they thought it was worth only a few dollars.”

  “It’s worth more than that.”

  “Which means someone would’ve taken it if they saw it,” Jack said. “That means it wasn’t there very long.”

  “We don’t know that this earring has anything to do with Morrison’s death, though.”

  “We don’t, but the earring solidifies my belief that a human is responsible here and not an animal.”

  “Chris won’t like that.”

  “Chris is more convinced than ever that it’s the Chupacabra. He won’t listen to my arguments. He’s too far gone.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ll find out at dinner. Chris has new video footage and he’s absolutely determined he’s got proof of the Chupacabra.”

  “Sounds exciting.”

  “You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen the footage yet.”

  “It still sounds exciting.”

  “Let’s see if you feel the same way after you’ve watched the footage.”

  19

  Nineteen

  I headed to my room to wash my face and chill in private for thirty minutes or so – I wasn’t used to so much “together” time with people and was still coming to terms with the group dynamics. I pulled up short when I entered the room.

  It was cool, the air conditioning unit in the window working overtime, but something felt … off. I furrowed my brow as I glanced around, instinctively leaving the door open. The room wasn’t big enough for someone to hide. I could see inside the tiny bathroom, including inside the grim shower. It was empty. There was no closet, only a rack in the corner, and there was no way anyone could fit under the bed.

  Despite that, I felt as if I wasn’t alone.

  “What are you doing?” Jack appeared in the doorway behind me, his gaze curious.

  I jolted at his sudden appearance, unsure how to respond. “Oh, well … um … I was going to wash my face and lay down for twenty minutes.”

  “Are you sick?” Jack instantly went into mother hen mode and pressed his hand to my forehead.

  “You keep doing that and it bugs me,” I groused, pushing his hand away. “I’m not sick.”

  “Well, excuse me for looking out for you,” he shot back. “If you’re not sick, why are you standing here with the door open?”

  I wanted to be angry – he was a pain in the butt, after all – but I remained unsettled from my initial reaction to walking into the room. I couldn’t quite shake my discomfort. “I don’t want to tell you because you’ll think I’m being crazy.”

  Jack’s expression softened. “I won’t think you’re crazy.”

  “Really?” I had my doubts. “What if I told you I thought a ghost was in my room?”

  “I’d tell you to be careful when changing your clothes in case it’s a perverted ghost.”

  He answered a little too quickly for my taste. “What if I told you I felt as if someone had been inside this room while I was gone?”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you say that?”

  “I don’t know.” That was the truth. “It’s just a feeling. I … .”

  Jack opened his mouth to say something, seemingly changing his mind mid-thought and offering a reassuring smile. “I won’t laugh at you. I won’t think you’re crazy. Tell me why you th
ink someone was in here.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Jack remained calm. “Has anything been moved?”

  I scanned the room and shook my head. “I don’t think … .” I broke off and moved toward the duffel bag at the end of the bed. “I think someone went through this.”

  “Why do you say that?” Jack’s tone wasn’t accusatory. It wasn’t exactly sympathetic either.

  “This wasn’t on top.” I pointed at the raggedy T-shirt on the top of the pile. “It was at the bottom. I know, because I saw it there when I was deciding which shirt to wear today.”

  “Okay.” Jack didn’t act as if he doubted me. Instead, he grabbed the bag and upended it on the bed. “Look through here and tell me if anything is missing.”

  “I don’t have anything of value.”

  “Look anyway.” Jack watched as I sorted through the clothes, pressing his lips together when I grabbed a handful of bras and panties and shoved them to the side. My cheeks burned, but I refused to acknowledge the clothing. “Do you have any jewelry? Even if it’s not valuable, that might not stop someone from stealing it.”

  “I don’t have any jewelry. Er, well, that’s not entirely true. I have my mother’s engagement ring and a few necklaces from her, but they’re in a safety deposit box. I don’t leave them out because we travel so much.”

  “That’s probably wise.” Jack bit his bottom lip as he glanced around the room. “It could’ve been the maid. She’s obviously been in here. Maybe she went through your things.”

  That was a possibility … yet it didn’t feel right. The energy I felt upon entering the room was much more sinister. A thief wouldn’t leave that sort of vibe behind. “Jack … .”

  “Don’t panic.” It was almost as if Jack read my mind when he rested his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “If someone was in here, they’re gone now. You said yourself that you don’t have anything to steal.”

  “That doesn’t mean it’s not creepy.”

  “No, definitely not,” Jack agreed. He gave my shoulder another squeeze before moving to the door and hunkering down to study the lock. His expression was hard to read, but I didn’t see joy there … or relief. In fact, he looked annoyed. “This lock would be easy to bypass. All you need is a credit card.”

  I shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. “Do you think someone was in here?”

  “I think you believe it, and that’s all that matters to me,” Jack replied. “You should be able to feel safe in your own hotel room. I’ll talk to the owner about switching out the lock.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Jack moved toward the hallway and then stilled. “You’re okay. My room is right across the way. No one will come in here while you’re sleeping. I won’t allow it.”

  He was so full of himself, so puffed out and determined, I couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.”

  “Do what you need to do. I’ll be downstairs with the owner. If I have to change that lock myself, I’ll do it before you go to bed.”

  “I’m probably just being an idiot.” I ran a hand through my hair, my fingers snagging. “The heat is making me act crazy.”

  “I don’t believe that, and I don’t think you do either,” Jack argued. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “You’re going above and beyond.”

  “I’m head of security. This falls exactly on my shoulders.”

  “Well … thank you anyway.”

  “It will be fixed. Trust me.”

  TRUE TO HIS WORD, Jack had a maintenance man at my door in twenty minutes. I never got the rest I wanted, but the relief I felt watching the man switch out my lock was profound. There was also an amusement factor, because Jack oversaw the entire endeavor, arms crossed over his chest, and he didn’t wander away until he’d double-checked the lock himself, testing it three times before allowing the maintenance man to leave.

  “Better?”

  I nodded, grateful. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me, Charlie. This is part of my job. It’s important you feel safe.”

  “Well, I definitely do now.”

  “Good. It’s time to head over to the diner. Chris has already left. He’s dying to show you guys the footage he found from last night.”

  I locked the door and pocketed my new key before following Jack down the hallway. Even though the hotel cooling system wasn’t great, it felt as if an oven blast smacked into my face when we hit the street.

  “I’m not used to this heat.” I rubbed my forearm over my forehead. “I like it in the low eighties. That’s my happy place.”

  “You and me both.” Jack pressed his hand to the small of my back as he directed me to the side so I wouldn’t collide with a few of the locals walking down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. I was already hot, but the feel of his hand on me seemed to ratchet up the temperature. “Chris will be looking for people to agree with him when he shows his footage.”

  The change in conversation threw me for a loop. “Excuse me?”

  “Chris is looking for people to agree with him,” Jack replied. “He’s angry I don’t see what he sees in the footage.”

  “And what does he see?”

  “Well … .” Jack broke off. “I want you to look at it yourself. I don’t want to force you to see what I want you to see.”

  “Fair enough.” Jack was a pragmatic sort. Whatever Chris saw was enough to alarm Jack. He might not agree with our leader, but he was worried enough to try to get me on his side. “Is it an animal? What? You can at least tell me that.”

  “I want you to see the footage for yourself,” Jack pressed. “Chris is extremely excited. You tend to land on the excitable side of things, too.”

  “What about the others? What do they see?”

  “Bernard sides with me. Hannah sides with Chris.”

  “That seems normal. What about Laura and Zach?”

  “Laura and Zach are a little too worried about Laura and Zach right now,” Jack supplied. “They’re much more interested in flirting with one another than casting a vote in the great Chupacabra debate.”

  I snickered, genuinely amused. “So Chris thinks he has footage of the Chupacabra?” That was definitely an exciting prospect. “You disagree.”

  “It’s not that I disagree. It’s that … well … I don’t see what he sees. Or, rather, I don’t come to the same conclusion about what’s on the footage.”

  “Oh, I’m practically salivating.”

  “That’s because you’re getting barbecue again tonight,” Jack teased. “We’re all practically salivating.”

  My smile slipped. “Yeah, I love barbecue as much as the next person, but I’d kill for a nice stir-fry right now … or pasta. Oh! Olive Garden sounds divine.”

  Jack snickered as we crossed to the diner. “I hate to say it, but Olive Garden does sound divine. Some nice seafood alfredo with breadsticks. Yum.”

  “That’s my favorite, too.”

  “I’ll eat just about anything from Olive Garden, but that’s definitely my favorite. Unfortunately for us, for the time being, we’re stuck with barbecue.” Jack held open the door, and before I could duck inside he lowered his voice and held my attention before I could find our group. “Please keep an open mind when you watch the footage. Don’t say the first thing that comes to you. Just … think about it first.”

  “I promise.” He was so earnest I felt the need to return the emotion in kind. “Everything will be okay.”

  “HOLY CRAP! The Chupacabra is real and we have actual footage!” I jumped to my feet and clapped my hands ten minutes later, almost knocking Chris’ laptop over in my zest.

  Jack slapped his hand to his forehead. “I told you not to say the first thing that came to your mind.”

  “I didn’t. I said the second. The first was, ‘Holy moly, we’re going to be on the news.’” I flashed Jack the prettiest smile in my repertoire. “This is exciting, Jack.” I grabbed his hand and gave it a good shake. �
�Why aren’t you excited?”

  “Because this is unbelievable idiocy,” Jack shot back. “There’s a slight glow on one camera’s footage.”

  “And a shadow that is very obviously an animal with it,” I replied. I looked at the footage Chris caught. I looked hard. I knew Jack was being pragmatic when he tried to reel us in. I also knew that I saw something that couldn’t be … well, normal … when I looked at the footage. There was definitely something out there. “It’s the Chupacabra, Jack.”

  “I need a drink,” Jack muttered, shaking his head.

  Millie moved up beside me so she could look, allowing Chris to show her the footage three times before she spoke. “That could be fireflies.”

  “Thank you!” Jack threw up his hands. “Finally a voice of reason.”

  “I said it could be fireflies,” Millie cautioned. “It could be something else.”

  “You don’t mean … .” Jack looked distraught. “I expected you to be one of the rational ones.”

  “That is so not something I want on my business cards,” Millie drawled. “It’s not about being rational, Jack. There’s something there. I don’t know what it is, but there is definitely something there.”

  “None of us knows what it is,” Jack barked.

  “Which is why we have to investigate.” Millie adopted a pragmatic tone, as if she was talking to an overwrought child and reasoning was imperative. “You’re not a natural believer, Jack. I’m not either. But I can’t say that I don’t see anything in this footage. That wouldn’t be the truth.”

  “So what do you suggest?” Jack’s frustration oozed so hard it was enough to cast a pall over the room. “What do you think we should do about the possible glowing eyes in the abandoned town? Should we get some humane traps and see if we can catch it?”

  “That’s certainly something we can consider down the road,” Chris replied. “I don’t think that’s a prudent move now.”

  “Really? And what do you think a prudent move would be?” Jack was at the end of his rope, and it just so happened to be a rope I thought he might be considering using to hang Chris.