by Brian
“Another hour or so.... I appreciate your coming down to South America to tag along with me, but based on my last two stops, you may feel you’ve wasted your time.”
“Any info we can get on this creature is useful, Linus.”
“Well, at least your presence ought to lend some authority to my poking around.”
“Maybe,” nods June. “Actually, I jumped at the chance. If the lab wants to pay for me to visit a country I’ve always wanted to see, that’s all the better for me.”
Linus looks at her doubtfully. “Yeah, right. Did Van Horn send you?”
“Van Houten,” she says smiling. “Yes. He and I both thought it would be a good idea to stay close to you because you happen to know more than almost anyone else about the creature. And you appear to not be worried about stirring up any hornet’s nests along the way.”
She pauses to look more directly at him. “And I think you also seem to care about finding him a great deal; care that no one else gets hurt. ... Of Course this last reason doesn’t carry that much traction with my boss, but it does with me.”
Linus looks over briefly at June as he is driving, connects with her eye to eye. Always embarrassed when the attention is on him, he tries to brush it off. “Maybe I feel a little responsible having found him first. Sure I don’t want anyone else hurt, neither do you. Neither does Van Houten for that matter.”
They drive on in silence for a moment.
“Question. Why’d you give up biology?”
“A difficult professor,” says Linus. “I’m not proud of the decision. But I’ve had a steady job as a result of the career I ended up in.”
“Not exactly a ringing endorsement. You should go back and finish your degree in zoology. Just look at your interest in this creature, and the fact that you have a lemur. I think you’re more interested in animals than in guarding prisoners.”
Linus thinks about it for a moment. “Maybe. Hey, speaking of lemurs, who’s watching Sava? Not Van Holder I hope.”
June smiles. “Don’t worry. I have someone very trustworthy looking after him at the lab. He’s being treated like a celebrity, actually.”
Linus is grateful. “Thank you.”
“De nada,” replies June. “Do you think you could stop at the next Burger King or its Argentine equivalent along this highway? I am really hungry.”
“I don’t know that they have Burger King’s out here in the pampas, but I am sure we can find something in the next little town we pass through.”
June nods in agreement. “This is really a beautiful drive. Straight road, verdant farmland, the occasional tree, nice weather, not a lot of traffic. Quite a bit different from south Jersey.”
“It is very different. A lot fewer people out here.... You want to drive for a while? I can check the map and see how far the next town and our lunch is.”
“Sure thing,” June replies with a smile.
Linus pulls the car over to the side of the road and happily relinquishes the driver’s seat to June. Once they’re buckled in, the car and its occupants resume their journey through the grasslands of Argentina in search of food and a deadly killer.
›
Linus and June are standing in front of the desk of a policeman at the Villa Huidobro police station, in the province of Cordoba, Argentina. Another policeman stands scowling nearby.
“What do you mean you have someone in custody for the murder?” asks Linus.
Detective Arroyos is dark-skinned, fit looking, and has a good command of English, despite the fact that they are in the heart of Argentina where he rarely gets to use it. As a police detective, knowing English has come in handy on occasion for Arroyos.
“This is what we police in Argentina do, Señor,” says Arroyos. “Find out who commits crimes and put them in jail. You know, like NYPD Blue, but without the beautiful female detectives.”
Linus bristles with anger. June puts a hand on Linus’ shoulder indicating that she’ll take over.
“What kind of evidence do you have on this fellow, Detective Arroyos?”
The detective narrows his eyes at the woman. “We have motive and opportunity. We’ll get the evidence... or a confession.”
“And what was the man’s motive?” asks June. “Can you tell us that?”
“Is this an inquisition?” says Arroyos indignantly. “I don’t explain my investigations to every Tom, Dick, and Mary who walk in here.”
“We’re not ‘every Tom, Dick, or Mary,’” says June. “As Linus explained to you a moment ago, we have information concerning the killing and have come a long way to share it with you. Very frankly, Detective Arroyos, whatever motive he may have had, we believe the man you have in custody is innocent.”
“Well, that’s what HE says. Why do you say it?”
June replies. “The victim was killed by a tiny puncture to his lung, correct? How many times have you seen that since you’ve been investigating homicides?”
Arroyos shrugs. “There’s a first time for everything.”
“This kind of puncture wound is consistent with a new species of animal that my lab has had in its possession. We have the animal on videotape killing one of the lab’s scientists. Mr. Hather has just come from China and Canada where he was following up on two killings with the exact same causes of death.... Tell me Detective, has your suspect been to China and Canada in the last few days?”
Arroyos rolls his eyes. “An animal! Why?”
Linus jumps in before June can answer. “We suspect that because of competition for food, this animal evolved over time into a hunter. A hunter that only hunts Man.”
“And where has this animal been?” asks a visibly skeptical Arroyos. “Someone ought to have run across them if they’ve been going around killing people for so long.”
“People have run across them, Detective,” says Linus. “But the ones who do are dead. This creature is very stealthy. It avoids contact with people. Even so, there are legends about the creature in some countries.”
Linus hands the detective a drawing he’d been working on. It is a pretty good rendition of the creature. The detective laughs when he sees it.
Linus responds with some anger. “I have surveillance photos for you on disk. That’s just to give you an idea.”
Arroyos shakes his head. “I think this is very surreal.” He looks at the policeman who is still scowling nearby. “Pinch me quiere, Pablo. Todavía debe estar en la cama.”
Pablo laughs.
Linus ignores the other man and answers in his own Spanish. “Me gustaría que no bromeaba sobre este detective. La gente está muriendo. La cosa casi me mata.”
Arroyos looks at the Spanish-speaking Linus with some surprise.
June follows quickly, in English again. “A friend of mine died two days ago. … We’re here to help.”
Arroyos looks at the two people in front of him and can see that they are quite serious.
“What exactly do the two of you get out of this investigation of yours?”
“Just information,” says June. “Maybe we’ll learn something that will help us recapture the creature that we lost. Perhaps we can assist you in finding the one here. At the very least we can help get an innocent man out of jail.”
Arroyos doesn’t like this, but they are persuading him to at least follow the lead. He knows that he has a weak case against the man that he’s holding in his cells.
“Are there just four creatures then?” the detective asks.
“Highly unlikely,” replies Linus.
“But we can only go after the ones we know about,” says June. “Are you going to help us?”
Detective Arroyos wishes he’d never seen the two Americans. Their story is too ridiculous and he can feel his deputy bristling with incredulousness next to him. But he doesn’t have a shred of evidence against the man in his jail cell.
“Give me some phone numbers of people who can verify this or your credentials. And give me the disks and whatever else you have. I’ll call
you at your hotel later.”
Pablo can hold his tongue no longer and bursts out in Spanish. “Detective! You don’t believe these, Norte Americanos, do you?”
His reply is in Spanish. “We’ll work it out, Pablo. If they aren’t telling the truth, I’m sure they know how unpleasant it will be for them in Argentina.”
He looks to Linus and June as he says this.
Linus is unruffled by the comment and June doesn’t understand it. Linus writes a few names and numbers on a sheet of paper and hands over his disks. June writes a few more names and numbers on the same sheet.
“Thanks, Detective,” says June sincerely.
The detective gives her a look that says he’s not so sure if he’s doing the right thing. The two start to leave and he speaks to them. “If your story checks out, I expect to get some help finding the killer.”
Linus answers over his shoulder. “That’s why we’re here, Detective. I didn’t come to Argentina to see the sights with Dr. Dituro here.”
Arroyos raises an eyebrow. “Though who could blame you if you did, aye Señor?”
Linus smiles and June chuckles. The two walk outside into the sunshine of Villa Huidobro. They stand in front of the police station thinking about what to do next.
“I like how you handled old Arroyos in there,” says Linus.
“Thank you,” says June. “So, do you have anything against seeing the sights of Argentina with Dr. Dituro?”
Linus winces. “I just meant to suggest that my focus was searching for the creature. Nothing against you, of course. I appreciate that you are here, especially considering that Van Horn could have come in your place.”
June smacks Linus in the arm playfully and smiles. “Not exactly a ringing endorsement. And it’s Van Houten!”
“I am kidding, of course. I’d vacation with you anywhere, and have a grand time.”
“Wow, Mr. Hather. I’m honored by the compliment. I’d enjoy vacationing with you too.”
Linus smiles. June looks down and then directly at Linus. Their eyes connect for a while.
“Well, it’s not Paris, or the Bahamas,” says June. “But let’s pretend we’re seeing the sights while we wait for Arroyos.”
“There’s a good idea,” says Linus. He hadn’t planned on doing so, but he reaches down and takes her hand in his. “Okay, let’s see what Villa Huidobro has to offer.”
June is surprised and looks down in pleasure at their hands. It’s been a long time since someone held her hand. She cannot remember when. She grasps his hand tighter and looks at his smiling face, something he hasn’t done very much since she’s met him. His smile increases his attractiveness tenfold she thinks. He starts to pull her along at a leisurely stroll.
“What do you think?” he asks. “See the sights? Get something to eat?”
“I’m still full from that wonderful steak at lunch,” she replies. “How about some coffee and churros?”
“Bueno. Shouldn’t be hard to find either of those in Argentina.... Then, assuming Arroyos believes us, we get ready to help find the real killer.”
June stops walking. “Sounds like a short vacation.”
Linus is still smiling. “Okay, okay. Let’s forget about that for now. I agree. Churros, coffee and see the sights with my lady friend.”
June smiles and the two resume their walk hand in hand toward the center of town.
›
Linus is sitting at the small desk in his hotel room and speaking on the phone. A picture of the capitol building in Buenos Aires hangs on the wall over the desk. The floor is wood and the room looks more like a bed and breakfast than a typical hotel room. Two windows throw sunshine into the room.
“So the reporters have been hounding you about the creature?” asks Linus.
Jay is on the phone in his office at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “Them and every professor and postdoc from here to Timbuktu. And while they don’t mind siphoning me for information, as little as I have to give them, guess who they really want to talk to?”
“I don’t know, Bill Nye the Science Guy?”
“Yeah. Nooo. It’s you they want, chum.”
“I wonder why,” asks Linus rhetorically.
“Maybe because you discovered the creature.”
“Caught it actually. By accident. So what are you telling them?”
“That you’re on vacation with a beautiful brunette,” says Jay.
Linus chuckles and looks at the door as if expecting someone to be there. “It’s funny that you should say that, Jay.”
“Yes. What does that mean?”
“Nothing,” says Linus. “Just a game we were playing.”
“So you’re getting along?”
“So far so good. Listen, keep giving them the same line if it makes your life easier. We’ll be back in a couple of days and some pressure will be off of you.”
“Good,” exclaims Jay. “As I mentioned, I’ve got some bad news. Someone else has been killed. This one was in the paper. That’s why there’s been so much publicity. It seems the creature killed a homeless man in Franklin Park in Philadelphia. Another homeless man watched it happen.”
“Oh man...”
“The victim tried to fight the creature with his cane. He lost his life pretty quickly, the other man says. When the cops got there he was afraid they’d throw him in the can for the murder, but he was drunk enough to tell them the story, which to his surprise, they believed.”
“So they any closer to finding it?”
Van Houten says they haven’t found it yet.”
“Figures.”
“Speaking of Van Houten,” says Jay. “He seems pretty keen to see you as well.”
“Whatever for?” says Linus without worry.
“I couldn’t tell you, Linus. I’ll let you go on that mysterious thought. What’s next down there, by the way?”
“We’ve finally persuaded the police here thanks to you and the lab. I do believe we’re going hunting.”
“You really like to get into the thick of things, don’t you?” says Jay. “Well, you and June be careful, seriously. It doesn’t seem like too many people have much luck staying alive around this animal.”
“I know, thanks, Jay. Hasta la vista.”
›
It’s a cloudy morning. A police four-wheel drive vehicle drives quickly down a rural Argentine road. Behind it follow four similar vehicles, each packed with people and guns. Inside the lead car are Detective Arroyos and his deputy, Pablo, who is driving, and Linus and June. The two are sitting in the backseat of the SUV. June is dressed a la Banana Republic. Linus has on Levi’s and a brown button-down shirt. A restless dog paces behind Linus and June in the back of the vehicle.
“We have ten men from the provincial office,” stated Detective Arroyos, “four men from my department, five men from the ranch of the man who was killed and three men from the station in the village where the creature was spotted, and us. Twenty-six and two hounds. Not a bad start.”
“It’s not enough to put a noose around him,” said Linus skeptically.
“This is the best that we could do for manpower in two hours. When I get two hundred men we can try to surround him in a noose. But I don’t have two hundred men. Do you?” The detective pauses. “This ‘poco diablo’ is an animal after all, isn’t he?”
Linus is looking eye to eye with Arroyos as he says this, then looks out the car’s window to watch the plains roll by. “This is no typical animal, Detective. His intelligence is practically human, and what’s worse is that all his genetic code, all of his instincts and intelligence have one goal – to hunt and kill humans, and get away.”
Arroyos is dismissive, turning back to the front of the car. “We’re hunting him now. You say his technique is to hunt weak and helpless humans.” The detective lifts his shotgun and looks at Linus. “We are not weak nor are we helpless.”
›
Under a gray morning sky, twenty-six people and two eager dogs are gathered in
front of an old barn. The policemen are all outfitted similarly for the hunt: walkie-talkies, and backpacks with supplies, weapons, and ammunition. The five gauchos are not as uniformly dressed or equipped, though they have canteens, guns, and gaucho hats in common between them.
Detective Arroyos addresses the group of men and one woman in Spanish. “Everyone with a compass check it now so that if we get separated you can find your way back. Mine is showing this direction as North.” He points. A few other men with compasses check them. Then Arroyos divides the group in two.
“You thirteen will start out with the first dog. The next thirteen will start out after the other dog ten minutes later. We’ll meet back here in . . . six hours.” He looks at his watch. “That’s 2:15. Also, no shooting unless you have positive identification of your target. I don’t want any of you ending up dead or injured.”
He looks around at the group. “Any questions?”
There are none. He looks at his second-in-command, Pablo. “I want regular contact with the radios.”
Pablo nods.
The first group of thirteen hunters moves out. Arroyos, June, and Linus are in the lead, directly behind the policeman who has the hound on a long leash. Linus’s compass hangs around his neck and his rifle is in the ready position, as is June’s rifle dart gun.
The hunters walk alertly, scanning from side to side, following the trail blazed by the dog and his handler. As time passes, the group is beginning to spread out. Linus keeps himself near June, ready to protect her from the creature. He speaks to her quietly, maintaining his alertness.
“So what made you think to bring the dart gun? I can’t believe you thought you’d be hunting ‘el poco diablo’.”
“It was a possibility that occurred to me . . . Us government types like to be prepared, as you pointed out.”
“Is that what I said?”
“Yes,” June whispers. “Now, shhhh.”
›
Hours later it is still overcast. Detective Arroyos is searching alertly. He is closest to the man handling the dog. The dog still hasn’t led them to anything. He checks his watch impatiently. “Where are you, diablo?”
