Cryptid Frontier (Cryptid Zoo Book 7)

by Gerry Griffiths

  Randy rushed over to the door and peeked out the window. “I don’t see it.” He looked from another angle. “I think it’s gone.” He turned around.

  “Get the nurse,” Billy said. “Please, I need something for the pain.”

  “I’m not going out there. Use your call button.”

  “I can’t reach it. You moved the bed.”

  “Well, I’m not budging from this door,” Randy said. “What if that thing comes back?”

  Billy screamed so loud his vocal cords snapped.

  44

  SPILLED COFFEE

  Miguel was in the restroom, washing his hands at the sink, when he heard the first muffled scream. He pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, wiped his hands, and made his way to the door. He stuck his head out and glanced both ways before stepping out into the hall. It sounded more like a man than a woman so the first thought that came to mind was the scream came from the patient he’d seen laid up in his room.

  Rushing down the hall, Miguel heard another god-awful scream that ended abruptly like someone had suddenly placed a hand over the person’s mouth. This time he was sure it was the young man.

  When he reached the room, he found the door closed. He gave it a push. It wasn’t locked because it opened slightly but something was preventing him from opening it all the way. “Hey, everything okay in there?” Miguel said. “Was that you screaming?”

  “Yes,” the young man replied hoarsely.

  “How come I can’t open the door?”

  “That’s because I’m blocking it with the bed,” another man’s voice said.

  “Who are you?” Miguel asked.

  “The night janitor.”

  “Then open the door.”

  “Screw that! Not with that thing out there.”

  “What thing?”

  “It’s a werewolf. If I were you, I’d get the hell out of there.”

  Miguel had no idea what the man was talking about. He stepped away from the door and looked down the hall at the nursing station. He wondered why the nurse on duty hadn’t responded to the young man’s screams. He went down the corridor to find out why.

  “Excuse me, Nurse?” Miguel said, walking up to the counter. “I think the patient down the hall needs your help.”

  He looked over and saw medical folders strewn about the floor. The chair behind the desk was lying on its side like someone had knocked it over trying to scramble out of it. Spilt coffee was all over the desk and on the floor. Miguel saw a shoe print in a puddle. He glanced across the hall and saw a closed door.

  Miguel went over and tried the handle. He pushed the door open a few inches but then it stopped abruptly. “What is it with this place and doors?” He reached in, and when he turned on the light switch on the wall, he heard a gasp.

  “Someone in here?” Miguel asked.

  “Thank God,” a woman’s voice replied, and opened the door. It was the night nurse. Her mascara was streaked from crying and the front of her white uniform was badly stained where she had spilled coffee on herself. She looked so happy to see him, he thought she might throw her arms around his neck and give him a kiss.

  “What happened? I saw the mess at your desk.”

  “It came at me so fast. I jumped out of my chair and ran in here.”

  “What came at you?”

  “I don’t know. All I can tell you was that it was big and hairy.”

  “Don’t tell me. A werewolf?”

  “My God, now that you mention it, yes. That’s exactly what it was.”

  Miguel could discount one person’s crazy claim, but not two. He had to make sure Maria was safe. “Okay, you wait in here. I’ll call the police.”

  “Good luck with that. The Sheriff’s in the other room getting stitched up.”

  A scream came from the examining room.

  This time it was a woman.

  Miguel dashed for the double doors.

  45

  ABDUCTION

  “Hi, I’m Doctor Clarkson. If you could sit up for me, I can take a look at your head. Are you feeling any dizziness, blurred vision?”

  “No, nothing like that,” Maria answered. Even though she still felt strange—not every day you got resurrected from the dead—she wasn’t sure how much information she should divulge to the doctor.

  She sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the gurney. The doctor stepped around to examine the back of her head. She could feel his gloved fingers prodding through her sticky hair.

  The double doors banged open and the woman screamed on the other side of the curtain. Maria heard heavy footfalls, not someone wearing shoes, but the sound of a large animal’s paws stomping across the floor.

  “What in the world?” The doctor threw open the curtain.

  A wolf-like beast was about to attack the sheriff lying on the gurney in the next examining area.

  “Hey!” the doctor yelled.

  The creature cocked its head in the doctor’s direction. It marched over, grabbed the physician by the lapels of his lab coat, and hoisted him off his feet.

  “Everyone get the hell out of here!” the sheriff shouted, struggling to sit up on the gurney.

  Maria saw that his right arm was bandaged. She also noticed that there wasn’t a gun in his holster.

  The double doors blasted open and Miguel rushed in.

  “Miguel, watch out!” shouted Maria.

  The beast heard Miguel come in and gave him a quick glance before opening its mouth wide and setting its sharp teeth into the doctor’s throat. It tossed back its head and ripped out a long strand of flesh. Blood squirted out of the gaping wound. The wolf-like creature released the doctor, dropping his limp body to the floor.

  The sheriff managed to slip off the gurney, using the bed on wheels as a barrier between him and the fierce creature.

  Maria watched Miguel get behind a supply cart and push it with all his might, ramming it into the animal’s legs. The beast let out a pitiful cry then shoved the cart up against the wall. It turned on Miguel and was about to attack him when the woman who was standing behind the sheriff screamed.

  Stepping over the dead doctor, the creature shoved the gurney out of its way and backhanded the sheriff across the face with a powerful blow. The sheriff flew back into the woman and they both crashed against the wall and crumpled to the floor.

  Miguel ran over to Maria to protect her from the ferocious animal.

  She watched the creature snatch up the semi-conscious woman off the floor and throw her over its shoulder.

  The wolf-like beast charged out of the room.

  “My God, Miguel,” Maria said. “Did that thing just abduct that woman?”

  “Sure as hell looked that way.”

  46

  NAME CALLING

  Camilla was about to get up from her chair and walk around when the door leading from the examining room burst open. As soon as the creature stepped into the lobby she knew it was a Nagual in the animalistic form of a wolf. It had a woman slung over its shoulder: the sheriff’s wife, Vera Lobo.

  “Oh my God, Abeula,” Sophia gasped, sitting in the chair next to her grandmother.

  The Nagual glared at Camilla and Sophia like a predator with too many options.

  “Don’t move, child,” Camilla whispered.

  Adjusting the passed-out woman on its shoulder, the Nagual stomped toward the automatic doors.

  Astuto rushed out from behind a large potted plant. He ran at the shapeshifter and stabbed the beast in the back of the foot with his knife. The Nagual roared and looked down at the tiny troll. A thick blob of drool fell from the beast’s gaping mouth and landed on the top of Astuto’s head and into his eyes, blinding him.

  The beast raised its foot and was about to stomp down on the troll when its attention was drawn to the automatic doors swishing open.

  Camilla recognized the figure standing in the doorway even though she was only wearing a T-shirt instead of her uniform shirt. It was the Sheriff’s deputy, Roxy Nez, an
d she was holding a pistol at her side.

  “Put her down,” Roxy told the creature.

  The Nagual snarled and took a step forward.

  “I won’t tell you again.”

  It took another step.

  “I’m warning you,” Roxy said. “Don’t make me do it.”

  The beast didn’t comply and kept advancing.

  “KANE, STOP!”

  The Nagual froze. A strange pitiful look came over its face. Its broad shoulders slumped as though the weight of the woman was too much to bear. Vera Lobo slowly slipped down the back of the beast and onto the floor.

  Camilla knew whenever a Nagual was called by its human name, it would soon die a gruesome death. She grabbed Sophia and turned her away. “Cover your eyes, child.”

  The Nagual leaned back its head and howled at the ceiling. Looking straight at Roxy, it charged the deputy.

  Roxy aimed and pulled the trigger multiple times.

  Each bullet rocked the Nagual back on its heels as they punched holes in the creature’s chest. Camilla knew for the shots to be effective they would have to be tipped with silver.

  The deputy kept firing until she emptied her clip.

  Dropping to its knees, the Nagual began to change. Its head reverted from canine to an oval shape while its wolf-like body resumed back to human form.

  Naked, and riddled with bullets, Kane Nez took his last gasping breath, and fell facedown on the floor.

  47

  PARTING GIFT

  Miguel carried their bags and stowed them in the back of the truck while Sophia and Maria said their goodbyes. He walked back and went up the porch steps. “Well, we’re all set.”

  “I’m going to miss you, Abuela,” Sophia said and gave her grandmother a hug.

  “And I’m going to miss you, child,” Camilla replied, giving Sophia a kiss on the head.

  Maria stepped up and gave Camilla an embrace. “Thank you for everything.”

  Camilla leaned in and whispered something in Maria’s ear.

  “My turn.” Miguel wrapped his arms around his mother and gave her a tender squeeze. “Thank you for having us.”

  “The pleasure was all mine. Promise to come and see me soon?”

  “We will.” Miguel stepped back. He glanced over at the corral next to the barn and saw the two goats grazing on some weeds. “Glad to see they’re okay.”

  “They’re still a little weak but they’ll survive.”

  Miguel heard the donkey bray from its pen like it knew the Wallas were about to leave and it was saying farewell. Miguel looked at his mother. “You don’t think those things will come back?”

  “They do, they’ll wish they hadn’t.”

  “If there’s any trouble, any trouble at all, you call us,” Miguel said. “Promise?”

  “Yes, son. Don’t forget, I can take care of myself.”

  “Just like great-great grandma Lizzy?” Sophia said.

  “Just like Lizzy.”

  “And get that truck of yours fixed,” Miguel scolded his mom. “I hate to think of you stranded out here all alone.”

  “I will. I know someone that owes me a favor. And stop your worrying, I’m never alone. Don’t forget I have Astuto and my animals to keep me company.”

  “Speaking of Astuto, where is the little scoundrel?” Miguel asked.

  “Oh, he’s somewhere I imagine.”

  “We should get going.”

  “Bye,” Camilla said.

  Sophia ran down the steps. Miguel and Maria followed her to the truck.

  “What did my mom whisper in your ear?” Miguel asked Maria when they were far enough away from the house so Camilla wouldn’t hear.

  “She said ‘have a good life.’”

  “Well, I guess it’s up to me to see that you do,” Miguel said and kissed Maria on the cheek. She went around to the passenger side. The door was open. Sophia had already climbed onto the backseat.

  Miguel got behind the wheel and was about to close his door when Camilla called out, “Miguel, hold on. Astuto has something for Sophia.”

  The troll scampered down the porch steps with a gift wrapped in a piece of paper from a plain brown grocery bag and ran across the dirt yard to the truck.

  Miguel looked down. “What have you got there?”

  The wrinkly-old-man-looking troll held the small package over his head so Miguel could reach it.

  “Thank you, my little friend.”

  Astuto blabbered something and took off running.

  “Here you go,” Miguel said and handed the present over the seat. Sophia grabbed it and tore through the paper.

  “What is it?” Maria asked.

  “That little rat,” Sophia said and held up her topaz necklace.

  Miguel started up the truck. They gave Camilla and Astuto a final wave and drove down the dirt road. “Well, I have to say, that was quite the visit.”

  “You can say that again,” Maria said.

  “So when are we coming back?” Sophia asked, putting on her necklace.

  “Soon,” Miguel said. Her looked over at Maria and she smiled back.

  48

  CASE SOLVED

  Ben sat in the deckchair and gazed out at the panoramic view of the desert, the setting sun casting a burnt orange glow over the sprawling landscape. He grabbed his coffee mug off the armrest and took a sip. Even though he’d washed his favorite cup numerous times, he could still taste a hint of Vera’s paint. A constant reminder that his wife would always harbor a jealous streak, especially when it came to Roxy Nez, though after what had transpired in the past few hours, Vera’s dislike for Roxy had waned.

  After all, the woman did save her life.

  “The game hens should be ready in about twenty minutes,” Vera said, sitting in the deckchair next to Ben. She raised her wineglass to her lips and drank.

  “Great. I’m starved.”

  “How’s the arm?”

  “Still throbs.”

  “Want another pain pill?” Vera asked.

  “I’ll take one before we sit down to dinner.”

  “How’s the investigation going?”

  “With Roxy? Knowing what we’ve learned about Kane and Ethan, I believe both shootings were justified. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. I have confidence she’ll be cleared to come back to work. Whenever she’s ready.”

  “Guess that’s going to leave you a little short-handed.”

  Ben tried to raise his bandaged arm but stopped when a sharp pain ran up his forearm. “I take it that’s your idea of a lame joke?”

  “Not as bad as your lame comeback,” Vera snickered.

  “I had a call this morning from Albuquerque.”

  “Oh yeah? About what?”

  “Remember that art critic that was killed? Brad Filcher?”

  “How could I forget? He nearly derailed my career.”

  “Seems one of the detectives was finally able to get his hands on some decent surveillance footage of the actual murder and was able to get a good look at the killer. Care to take a guess?”

  “Who was it?”

  “Kane Nez.”

  49

  FRONTIER JUSTICE

  Roxy missed being in uniform and driving the Mustang cruiser but there was nothing she could do about it until after the hearing proceedings were complete. She felt confident that she would be cleared of any wrongful doing though it didn’t ease the pain knowing she had put both her brothers in the ground. Being on administrative leave gave her the time she needed to deal with her grief.

  Though it wasn’t her cruiser, Roxy enjoyed her Chevelle SS-396. The paintjob was weathered and the upholstery had rips in places, but it had a Hurst linkage 3-speed transmission with a high-performance small block 350-horsepower V-8 engine, dual glass pack exhaust and ran like a top.

  She downshifted into second and turned off the highway into the Quick Stop parking lot. Pulling up to a stall in front of the entrance, Roxy revved the engine, which made the exhaust syst
em rumble and pop. She turned off the ignition and got out of the car.

  Even though it was mid-morning, it was already hot. She could feel the sun on her bare shoulders, the heat radiating through the fabric of her tank top and jeans. As soon as the automatic doors opened, she could feel the cool air-conditioning on her face.

  Walking into the store, Roxy sensed that something wasn’t right when she heard someone groan from behind the checkout stand. She rushed over and looked over the counter. A young man was lying on the floor. He was clutching his side with a bloody hand.

  Roxy vaulted over the counter. “Let me help you. I’m a cop.”

  The young man scrunched up his face and let out a moan.

  Raising the bottom of his shirt, Roxy saw that he had been stabbed. “Hold on. You’re lucky, it doesn’t look too deep.” She looked up and saw a paper towel roll on the counter that the clerk probably used to periodically clean the counter. She grabbed the roll and peeled off a long piece. She wadded it up and pressed it against the young man’s wound. “Here, you do it.” Roxy took the man’s hand and placed it over the gash. “Keep pressure on it.”

  Roxy took her cell phone out of her back pocket. She punched in 9-1-1. “Hello? This is Deputy Nez with the Yucca Basin Sheriff’s Department. I’m at the Quick Stop just out of town. I have a male in his early twenties that’s been stabbed. Dispatch an ambulance right away.”

  She looked at the young man. “Who did this?”

  “Some guy. He came in and—”

  Roxy heard a vehicle outside peal out on the asphalt. She looked out the front windows and saw a truck race across the front parking lot and speed onto the highway.

  She looked down at the young man. “Keep pressure on it. I have to go. An ambulance is on the way.”

  Roxy leaped over the counter and darted out of the store. She jumped into her car and started the engine. She slammed it into reverse, did a three-quarter turn, and gunned the Chevelle onto the highway. The truck already had a quarter-mile head start so she stomped the gas pedal to the floor, letting up only to double-shift into the next gear as she thundered down the road.