Hominid

by R. D. Brady

  They’d also learned that Brannick was dating a deputy from in town. But Tyler wasn’t concerned about that. He knew that as soon as he smiled at the poor girl, she’d be putty in his hands.

  Seth nudged his chin toward the cabin. “You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

  Tyler took off his seatbelt. “No. I think this little meeting requires the personal touch.”

  Seth snorted. “Okay. Good luck.”

  “Luck is for amateurs.” Tyler flipped down the visor and inspected his reflection. He pushed his hair a little to the side and smiled. Perfection.

  He opened the door and stepped out. Dusting off his jeans, he headed for the cabin. An old Labrador lay sleeping on the front porch.

  Tyler kept an eye on the dog as he walked up the stairs. For some reason, dogs never seemed to like him. And to be honest, he didn’t really care for the walking flea magnets either. He didn’t trust anything that didn’t fall for his charms.

  He knocked on the door, and the dog lifted her head. She rose slowly to her feet and let out a low growl.

  “Take it easy,” Tyler said.

  The door opened, and Tyler gave a grunt of surprise. He’d been expecting some old gnarled hippie chick. But this woman… well, she was gorgeous in that girl-next-door kind of way. He smiled. This is going to be easier than I thought.

  Tyler went to lean against the doorway, but the Labrador’s snarl stopped him. He glanced warily over at the dog. “Uh, can you call off your dog?”

  “No. Who are you?”

  Tyler turned back to her, his full-watt smile in place. “Dr. Brannick, I’m Tyler Haven.”

  “And?”

  Shock flooded him. Was it possible she didn’t know who he was? “From Bigfoot Must Die?”

  “Oh, I know who you are,” the woman said. “What I don’t know is why you’re standing on my porch.”

  “Well, I heard about the young girl you found, and I think it’s important for the world to hear her story.”

  Tess laughed. “No, it’s not.” She started to close the door.

  Tyler put his foot in the door. “I really think we should talk.”

  Tess reached beside the door and pulled up a shotgun. “And I really think you need to leave before I get annoyed, or my dog gets more annoyed.”

  Tyler took a step back, his hands up. “I think we maybe got off on the wrong foot.”

  “I don’t think there’s any way on this earth that you and I could possibly have gotten off on the right foot. Now you have thirty seconds to get off my property before I start filling you with holes.”

  Tyler pulled up another full-watt smile. “Now, Tess—”

  “Twenty-five seconds.”

  Tyler narrowed his eyes. “No need to be such a bitch.”

  Her eyes hardened. “Ah, so now I’m meeting the real Tyler Haven. Get off my porch.”

  He backed down the stairs and crossed the dirt drive. Tess stepped out onto the porch, keeping her gun trained on him, her dog at her side.

  Tyler didn’t turn his back on her until he reached the car. He ripped the door open and flung himself into the passenger seat.

  Seth was trying to hide a grin but completely failing. “So… how’d it go?”

  Tyler gritted his teeth. “Shut up and drive.”

  CHAPTER 84

  Tess watched Tyler Haven drive away. When he was gone, she let out a breath and began to shake. Damn it.

  “Tess?” Missy called quietly.

  Tess whirled around. Missy stood to the side of the door, peering out, her eyes large.

  Tess knelt in front of the girl. “It’s okay, honey. Nothing to worry about.” She pulled Missy into the house, and Shelby trotted in as well. Tess shut the door and returned the shotgun to its usual place.

  “Who was he?” Missy asked.

  Tess knelt down again so she was eye to eye with her. “Just a man who wanted to ask you some questions about where you’ve been.”

  Missy’s eyes went large. “Do I have to talk to him?”

  Tess shook her head. “No. He’s not a cop, not a social worker. He’s just nosy.”

  “I don’t want to talk to him.”

  Tess pulled the girl into her arms. “And you won’t have to. I promise.”

  Missy’s next words were muffled into Tess’s shoulder. Tess pulled back. “What was that, honey?”

  “Will he come back?”

  Tess pictured Tyler’s face—not the fake one he put on for the cameras, but the real one. “No. I think he’s gone,” she said, lying with every word.

  CHAPTER 85

  Darkness had started to fall by the time Pax and Shawn returned from town. Tess had called them after Tyler had left to see what they could find out about him and his show.

  “Anything?” Tess asked when they arrived.

  Pax slumped onto the couch. “Tyler and his producer have been talking to everybody in town about the bigfoot hereabouts, as well as you and Missy.”

  Tess shook her head. “Damn it.”

  Shawn grabbed himself a water from the fridge, then joined them. “Well, Tyler seems to be rubbing people the wrong way, but his producer is said to be less obnoxious. A few people say they told him about their sightings.”

  Tess groaned. “Oh, that’s so not good. So what do you think happens next?”

  “Well, it’s a given they’re going to do a show here,” Shawn said. “I don’t see any way of stopping that.”

  “Don’t they need permits?” Tess asked.

  Pax frowned. “Yes, but the mayor is on their side. And all she can see is tourist dollars.”

  Shawn placed his hand on Tess’s shoulder. “Abby said the order of protection should go through tonight. The show won’t be able to come within five hundred feet of you, Missy, or this place.”

  Tess looked to the open bedroom door, where Missy lay curled in bed with Shelby. “Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel better.”

  “It shouldn’t,” Pax said. “I called some of my friends who are in the industry. Tyler’s a piece of work. He probably thinks this is his ticket. He’s not going to go away quietly.”

  Tess sighed. She hated that they had to deal with this idiot when they had so many more important issues to deal with. “Yeah, I have the feeling we haven’t seen the last of Tyler Haven.”

  “Did Abby send Carter the notice about the contract?” Shawn asked.

  “Yeah, and she assures me it’s airtight. I’ve arranged to pay the money back, so I am officially done with Carter Hayes. At least that’s one headache gone.”

  Pax wrapped his arms around Tess, and she leaned her head in to his shoulder. “Well, bright side,” he said, “we won’t have to worry about Carter Hayes anymore.”

  Tess pictured the enigmatic businessman. His interest in bigfoot bordered on obsessed. But he would respect her decision, wouldn’t he?

  “I hope you’re right,” she said softly.

  CHAPTER 86

  Scottsdale, Arizona

  Carter listened impatiently to the CEO droning on about the merits of his corporation. Oh, please. The man didn’t see the potential in his own company. He kept going with the same old approach his father had gone with. Which in this day and age meant the company would be all but dead in a few short years.

  But Carter saw what this oaf could not. He saw that with a few tweaks, this company could lead the way not in circuit chips, but solar. That’s where the future lay.

  His phone beeped.Results back.

  “Mr. Gerund, we’ll have to pick this up at another time.” He disconnected the videophone without waiting for a response. Gerund needed to think Carter was barely interested in him. It would help seal the deal at a much lower rate and with much less bother.

  Carter hit the intercom button. “Thaddeus.”

  Thaddeus opened the door a few short seconds later and made his way quickly to the desk, a few sheets of paper in his hands. “Here you go, sir.”

  Abe had finally managed to snag th
e sample and had overnighted it. Carter had had it analyzed immediately.

  Carter grabbed the results from Thaddeus, and his eyes greedily scanned it. The top half of the page explained the methodology, which Carter ignored. His attention flew to the chart at the bottom of the page. First, the samples the DNA profile had been compared to were listed: brown bear, black bear, human, along with a dozen others. The column on the right indicated that all had been discounted.

  Except there was a similarity to humans. If he was reading this correctly, that meant this sample came from a creature in the human family, just not a Homo sapiens.

  Carter flipped to the second page. This page held the more detailed analysis—and it reported exactly what he had been hoping for. The sample matched the family tree of Homo denisova. The hair wasn’t from an ape. It wasn’t from a human. It was from something else.

  She found them.

  Carter looked down at his legs. “She’s done it.”

  “Sir?” Thaddeus asked.

  “We’re going to need to move fast. Arrange a videoconference with Brannick immediately.”

  “Um, sir, she’s canceled the grant.”

  Carter’s head whipped up and his eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “Well, as I told you, after she went missing for those two weeks, she returned with a little girl. A girl who had herself been missing for over a year.”

  “So what?”

  “Well, according to Dr. Brannick, she’s going to halt her research in order to spend time with the girl.”

  Women and their stupid maternal instincts. Carter’s voice was hard. “She can’t cancel the grant. We have a contract.”

  “Actually, sir, she can. Her lawyer worked wording into the contract that allows her to bow out at any point. She has seven business days to return any funds she’s used.”

  “So we have no leverage over her?”

  “No, sir. I’m sorry.”

  Carter glared. “That is not acceptable.”

  “I know, sir. But Abe is still in the area. I can have him speak with her.”

  Carter mulled that over. He liked Dr. Brannick. He even respected her. But she had reneged on her word, and that he couldn’t allow.

  “Do it. And make sure he convinces her to fulfill her contract—however he needs to.”

  CHAPTER 87

  Tess pushed Pax toward the door. “Seriously, go out, have some fun.”

  “No. We’re fine,” Pax insisted.

  “I love you both, but you need a little time alone. Just go have a nice dinner. Forget about all this craziness for a little while.”

  Shawn arched an eyebrow. “I could go for a little dinner.”

  “Good. Now out, both of you. And you’re not allowed back here for at least another hour and a half.”

  “Are you sure?” Pax asked.

  Tess smiled. “I appreciate you guys and everything you’ve done for me. Now go take a little time for yourselves. The media’s calmed down a little bit, and Dev said he’ll call if Tyler or any of his crew leave town. Missy and I are just going to relax, okay?”

  “Okay,” Pax said. “But if you need us—”

  “We won’t,” Tess said, opening the door.

  Shawn picked up Missy. “Come here, my favorite little girl.” He gave her a big hug. Pax reached up and kissed her on the cheek, and then Shawn handed her over to Tess.

  “Bye, guys,” Missy said.

  They headed out onto the porch. Pax turned. “You’re sure you don’t want—”

  “Go,” Tess said. “Now.”

  He laughed. “Okay, okay. I’m going.”

  Tess smiled as Pax climbed into the car with Shawn. She and Missy stood at the porch railing and waved goodbye. But when the car had disappeared from view, the smile dropped from Tess’s face. She scanned the forest around them. She felt like someone was watching them.

  Missy tugged on her shirt. “Can we make cupcakes?”

  Tess focused her attention on the little girl. “That sounds great. Go wash your hands first.”

  “Yes!” Missy exclaimed, and she ran into the house.

  Tess smiled, but the hair on the back of her neck began to rise. She scanned the trees again. But there was no one there. You’re jumping at shadows.

  Still, as she headed into the cabin, she made sure to lock the door securely behind her.

  CHAPTER 88

  Tess and Missy had assembled all the ingredients for the cupcakes on the counter when they heard a knock on the door. Shelby raised her head with a growl.

  “Tess?” Missy asked, fear behind her eyes.

  “It’s probably just your uncles.” Tess pulled her phone out of her pocket and pulled up one of Missy’s games. “Here. Why don’t you go play this in our room while I see what they want, okay?”

  Missy took the phone and headed to the bedroom. Tess kept the smile on her face until Missy closed the door; then she dropped it. Damn reporters. She stomped over to the front door. Without opening it, she said, “Who is it?”

  “Dr. Brannick? My name is Abe Cascione. I work for Carter Hayes.”

  Tess sighed and leaned her head against the door. Crap. I think I would have preferred if it was a reporter.

  “Could I have just five minutes of your time?”

  Tess debated what to do. Ever since she’d canceled the grant contract, she’d been expecting something like this. Carter Hayes was not known for giving up easily. She’d already ignored over a dozen calls from him.

  She blew out a breath as she unlocked the door. Five minutes, and I never have to deal with this again.

  But the minute she got a good luck at Abe, Tess rethought her decision to open the door. With a bald head, a boxer’s nose, and clothes about two decades out of style, Abe Cascione was not what she would have expected one of Carter Hayes’s employees to look like.

  Shelby stood just behind Tess, growling softly. Shelby doesn’t like the look of him either.

  Tess stood in the doorway, blocking his entrance. “I’ve told Mr. Hayes that the contract is done. I’ve paid him back the money. There’s nothing to talk about.”

  Abe smiled, but the sight only chilled Tess. “Well, you see, Mr. Hayes tested one of those hair samples you collected, and he knows there is something to talk about.”

  Tess’s surprise was followed by outrage. “You’re the one who stole the sample.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Tess started to close the door. “I think this conversation is over.”

  Abe grabbed the door and shoved it back hard, sending Tess stumbling backward, slamming into one of the club chairs.

  Shelby lunged at Abe and grabbed on to his leg. Abe slammed his fist into Shelby’s back. Shelby let out a yelp, and Abe kicked her hard in the side, sending her sliding across the floor. Missy appeared in the bedroom doorway with a gasp.

  “No! Hide!” Tess yelled as Abe grabbed Tess by her hair.

  Abe leaned down and put his mouth right next to her ear. “You know, I’m pretty sure this conversation’s just beginning.”

  CHAPTER 89

  Pax watched the trees rush by on the side of the road. Shawn reached over and took his hand. “You okay?”

  Pax squeezed his husband’s hand. “I’m good. Just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Tess, Missy, our soon-to-be little one. Everything’s changing.”

  “Are you okay with that?”

  “Yeah. I just want to make sure we’re there for them. All of them.”

  “We will be.”

  Pax’s phone buzzed. He picked it up and peered at the screen. “Speaking of which.” He answered the call and put it on speaker. “Hey, you must be psychic. We were just talking about you two.”

  Silence greeted him.

  Pax frowned. “Tess?”

  Missy’s small voice came over the phone. “He’s hurting her.”

  Pax’s stomach dropped, and he felt his heart all but stop. “Shawn.”

>   Shawn had already thrown the car into a U-turn and was tearing back toward Tess’s cabin. “Talk to her,” Shawn ordered, his eyes on the road.

  “Where are you, Missy?”

  The girl’s breaths came out in pants. “In the closet. Tess told me to hide.”

  “You did the right thing.”

  “But he’s hurting her.”

  Pax wished he could hug her through the phone. She sounded so scared, so alone. “We’re coming, sweetheart. We’re coming.”

  CHAPTER 90

  Tess lay on the floor of the cabin, her ribs aching. She spit out a wad of blood. “So this is how Hayes gets people to do what he wants?”

  Abe reached down and yanked her up by the hair. “He’s a determined man. He understands that different problems require different solutions.”

  “And what? I’m a problem?”

  Abe laughed. “Not for long.” He flung her toward the couch. Tess’s knee banged into the coffee table and she let out a grunt. The crayons Missy had been using this morning went flying, along with the glue.

  Her eyes traveled to where Shelby lay. The dog hadn’t moved since this brute had hurt her. Her blood began to boil. As she pushed herself up against the couch, her hand slipped between the cushions and brushed something metal. Scissors. She grasped them and slid them up her sleeve.

  Turning, she glared at Abe. “What do you want?”

  “I want to know exactly where you found that hair.”

  “Why?”

  Abe shrugged. “I have no idea. But that’s what the boss wants.”

  “And if I don’t tell you?”

  Abe smiled and cracked his knuckles. “Oh, you will. The only question is how much pain you want to experience before you do.” He nodded toward the bedroom. “And how much she experiences.”