Page 5

Chapter Five

T he woods where the group met, was thick with pine trees and plenty of worn paths to follow. The cold night and the half-moon gave the space, alive with foliage, an eerie glow.

“Are you sure you’re up to this, Nina? I really wish you’d wait in the car for us. You look wiped.”

“And I really wish you’d stop fucking yapping in my ear. I’m fine ,” she spat, stomping toward the place where the Facebook group had met last night. When Nina was frustrated, annoyed she couldn’t do something or someone challenged her mettle, she lashed out.

This was one of those times. To be perceived as weak, no matter the circumstances, is unacceptable to her.

“Sorry if I’m trying to be a good friend and look out for your feeble backside!” Marty spit back.

“Sorry if you’re being annoying AF.”

I pushed my way past a thorny bush and grabbed both of their arms. “Girls, knock it off! If Nina says she’s fine, then she’s fine. If Marty wants to be concerned about you, as am I, then she’s allowed. Now stop arguing and get walking. We need to look around the whole area. If that sharpshooter Benson said he saw Neerie that night, and it’s true, we’ll smell her. It hasn’t been that long, and we haven’t had any snow or rain. Though, it looks like we’re about to get some. Now get to sniffing before we lose her scent.”

“Yes, Mom,” Nina teased, the tension lifting, leaving behind only the cold air and the scent of a hundred humans.

We were about a half hour in, scouring a good square mile, including the area where the shooting incident had occurred, when I finally asked, “Anything, guys? I feel like I’m wandering around in circles. I smell her, but the scent goes nowhere.”

Nina appeared out of the dark, her beautifully pale face ghostly in the velvety night. “Same. It’s like one big damn circle of Neerie, but I’m tellin’ you two, I sure can smell the blood from where the guy was shot.”

“Same,” Marty added, plucking leaves from her flannel jacket. “So what now? Where do we go from here? Neerie was here, but nobody remembers it except Benson, and Benson’s in human jail. Smelling her scent doesn’t do us any good if it leads nowhere.”

Nina crossed her arms over her chest. “Doesn’t mean we can’t talk to this dude Benson. I can get inside a human jail. I’ve done it before.”

I held up a hand. “Getting in people’s heads is taking a toll on you, Nina. That can wait for the moment. Let’s talk about this text Neerie sent to Earl about the basement. She said, ‘I have to go to the basement.’ What could that possibly mean?”

Marty ran some lip balm over her lips. “Maybe she has a basement? Do you know if she has one? I don’t know why she’d show up here and then text Earl to tell him she had to go to the basement. She was definitely here, though. I smell her bossy pants everywhere. The strange thing is, like you both said, her scent goes in a big circle but there’s nothing outside the circle to indicate she actually left the woods.”

I pointed to the screenshot Nina had sent us of Neerie’s text. “To me, this looks like she possibly began a text and was interrupted. Neerie’s nothing if not articulate. She’s particularly articulate when it comes to telling us all what to do. What I don’t understand is why she sent it to Earl, who seemed to have no idea what it meant? Or maybe she sent it to other people, too? Naida said she hadn’t heard from her in two days, so she didn’t send it to her .”

“Well, she probably wouldn’t if it had to do with some conspiracy. Her sister thinks she’s fucking deranged, too, Wanda. Maybe the text meant nothing at all. To me, it looks pretty innocuous, like maybe she was telling someone whatever they were looking for was in the basement.”

But my gut said differently. I shook my head. “No. This means something. I can feel it. It’s almost too innocuous. Maybe she didn’t mean to send it to Earl at all? Why would she send someone she doesn’t know a text about a basement if it’s her basement she’s talking about? We need to go to her house and see what we can see. If she has a basement, there could be something helpful there.”

“Cool-cool. We’ll go to her house tomorrow. Are we done here, though? Because I’m not seeing shit and I wanna say goodnight to Charlie and Carl before they go to bed. I need to see my kids. I need to see something wholesome and good.”

I gave one last glance around, the barren trees swaying in the frigid air, the rustle of bushes and debris loud in the quiet forest, and nodded. My toes were frozen anyway. I was ready for story time with my babies, a hot cup of tea and maybe a nice warm bath, scented with lavender.

With a long sigh borne of my frustration, I nodded. “I guess so.”

We began heading back toward the SUV, parked on the outskirts of the woods, when I tripped over a root, falling on the ground with a hard crack and landing in some thorned bushes.

“Argh!” I cried out as the back of my head hit a rock, the thorns scraping along my skin.

“Wanda!” Marty called, dropping to the ground to reach for me.

“Here, allow me,” an incredibly deep, almost seductive voice said.

I felt an enormous, unfamiliar hand grip my wrist, and without thinking, I allowed it to help me up.

Yet, when I went to push the hand away, all I got was a handful of hair…

What in all that’s furry and smelly?

I’m not usually much of an alarmist, but listen, this wasn’t just any ol’ hand. I screamed, long and ear-piercing. “Take your hands off me!”

The hand immediately let go, freeing me to jump back and fall into Marty. Nina came up from behind and steadied us before whipping in front of us in protection mode.

But quite suddenly, she gagged, making this clicking sound in the back of her throat. “What the fuck is that smell?” she crowed, putting a hand to her mouth.

I smelled it, too. But the real question here was, what the eff was that hand?

Or maybe the question was, who owned that hand?

“Ladies, don’t be afraid. The smell is me.”

As my eyes zoomed in on what was in front of us, I had to tilt my head upward in order to see who was speaking. The half-moon shifted out of the clouds then, shining on the figure—and when it registered, I gasped.

“Yes, yes,” the deep, cultured voice said. “I’m Bigfoot. Blah, blah, bah. Surprise!” He threw up his hands—the size of basketballs, mind you—and shook them before letting out a deep rumble of a laugh. “Now can we get the shock and awe over with? It’s not as though you don’t know what it’s like to be a creature people think is a myth. I’m just like you, though not quite as common as a werewolf or a vampire. We’re fewer and farther between.”

I frowned, unsure why my first question wasn’t at all pertinent to the situation at hand, but I asked it anyway. “How do you know people think we’re a myth? How do you know we’re considered myths at all?”

He bent at the waist to look me in the eye. I think. I couldn’t tell, his eyes were shrouded by hair—so much hair. “Because I can smell you, just like you can smell me.” He pointed at each of us. “Vampire, werewolf, and…” He took a deep whiff of the cold night to smell me. “Forgive me, but I don’t know what you are. An amalgamation of two species. Amiright?”

I didn’t have the chance to answer before Nina—eyes wide and gleaming, fangs displayed—blurted out, “You… You fucking exist…”

He nodded his matted, furry head, standing up straight once more. “I do. I’m just like you…Nina, is it? I suppose some would call me paranormal. I’m not sure where a Bigfoot fits in the scope of species.”

We all took a step back in obvious fear—even Nina—but he held up his hand. “Please don’t cower. I won’t hurt you. I’ve never hurt anyone. Not one soul. Even those who shoot at me. It’s everyone else who wants to hurt me .”

Nina straightened her spine and puffed her chest out. “Ain’t nobody cowerin’, pal. Did you see me cower? Not on your fucking life.”

Marty latched onto her arm and pulled Nina to her side. “Nina!” she whispered. “No need to posture. Stop trying to prove something.” Marty looked up at him, her voice shaky. “She doesn’t mean it. Mr. Bigfoot. She’s just sensitive when she thinks her prowess has been challenged. I swear…”

“Piss off, Marty. I do so mean it. I don’t cower.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she jutted her chin outward to prove her point.

I’d roll my eyes but my heart, as I said, usually sluggish, was racing, slamming so hard in my chest I thought it might burst out like a scene out of Alien . Yet his scent—a mixture of cow manure and skunk—didn’t say enemy. It said sadness, loneliness.

How did I parse my fear and my concern without getting us killed? We were strong, stronger together, but were we strong enough to take on Bigfoot? Bigfoot . Did I even have to worry he’d hurt us?

As I examined that, I decided he wouldn’t.

“I understand,” he explained. “It’s natural to protect how you present yourself to the world. No one knows that better than I.”

I couldn’t believe I was about to consider this, but he really wasn’t much different than us. The only real difference being he wasn’t half human. So there was never any respite from his true origins. He was always big and hairy. We shifted. We had a cloak we could wear to appear like the rest of the world—to fit in, to blend.

Swallowing hard, I tilted my head, my manners never far. “I almost don’t know what to say. This is as surprising as finding out werewolves and vampires, among other things, exist. So I’ll simply introduce myself. I’m Wanda Jefferson, and this is Marty Flaherty and Nina Statleon. We’re here on an investigation. But not one that involves hunting you down.” I held out my hand, almost praying he wouldn’t take it.

But take it, he did, and I was surprised to find his fur was soft, his palm warm when it engulfed my hand. “I’m Hank. Pleasure.”

The silence between us grew, the three of us unsure how to approach the idea that Bigfoot was real or that he was an articulate being with feelings.

Suddenly, Hank spoke, his eyes barely visible from behind all his hair. “I’m assuming you were human once, and that’s what you meant by your surprise at finding out the paranormal existed. Am I correct?”

Marty gave him a small, if not tremulous smile. “Yeah. We weren’t born this way. We were accidentally turned. I guess there are still some things, even after all we’ve seen, that we didn’t believe were real. Our bad.”

His nod was solemn. “I know what you’re thinking, Marty. This is crazy, but it’s not so crazy. I mean, look at you. If people knew you existed, they’d think your existence was just as crazy. I’m just a rarer form of paranormal.”

Nina nodded, though she continued to keep her distance and a sharp eye on him. “Wanda said just that earlier today. So, Hank, sorry we intruded. We were just out here lookin?—”

“For Neerie Lincoln’s phone?” he asked, the charming rumble to his tone making me smile.

Marty gasped, putting a hand over her mouth to silence her shock. “How did you know about Neerie?”

“She was here with those other people who were hunting me. I gotta give it to them. They were on the right track. That’s why I smell like this, by the way. I rolled around in some cow patties to hide my scent because the one named Benson, he didn’t just bring a gun. He brought a dog, too. I love dogs, but I feared he might smell me and then, well, you know what happens next. The Bigfoot enthusiasts are getting harder to stay hidden from. If they build another subdivision in these parts, I’m sunk.”

Nina, relaxing a bit, nodded her understanding. “I feel you, buddy. If one more human asks me if I’ve ever seen the sun, I’m gonna show them the damn sun.”

He chuckled, a satisfying gurgle of a laugh. “At least you have each other. I’m mostly alone. I’ve heard of others like me, but I’ve never seen them. Though, the animals here in the forest make it easier.”

Almost as if on cue, a deer appeared from the brush, slipping to Hank’s side to rub up against him. He cupped her head with his large paw, stroking her ears.

I hated the sadness in his deep tone, the longing, and I wondered how we could ease that. But before we could even consider it, I wanted to know what he knew about Neerie.

I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jacket, my fingers frigid, my nose drippy. “So, before we get to know one another, and we surely will, Hank, what can you tell us about Neerie?”

He spread his arms wide, making a gesture that said not much. “She was here with that group, but she came late. I’m not sure if they even attempted stealth. I could hear them a mile away, guffawing and stomping around. I have super-hearing, too, by the way.

“Anyway, she wasn’t here long, and I was so focused on those cowboys and the guy who was out here…” He cleared his throat. “Um, mating , I lost track of her. She just disappeared. But she dropped her phone. I have it, if you’d like. I was going to try to drop it off at a police station, if I could get close enough. Cameras are everywhere these days. It’s not like the days of old anymore.”

I thought of all the shots I’d seen over the years of the ever-elusive Bigfoot and wondered if any of them were of Hank.

“We’d definitely like Neerie’s phone, Hank. She disappeared, and she has a little girl who misses her terribly. We came here because of the group that was here the other night, thinking maybe we could find something, maybe track her scent. You have no idea how much her phone might help.”

Stooping, he dug around an area with shrubbery and rocks and pulled out a black square. “Here you go. I hope it helps.”

I took it from him, almost laughing at how it looked like the size of a chiclet in his hand. “I could kiss you, Hank!”

He backed away with a hearty laugh. “I wouldn’t do that, Wanda. I smell like a landfill. I promise I don’t always smell like this. I do bathe regularly.”

The deer who’d approached Hank sniffed the air and moved toward Nina. All animals loved her. We thought it so ironic that vampires had once fed off of small animals. They didn’t do that anymore, at least not the good ones, but no animal ever appeared to fear Nina. She had a gift when it came to all creatures great and small.

Reaching out a hand, she ran her fingers over its snout to caress it between the eyes. The deer leaned into Nina’s hip, its soft eyes gazing up at her in adoration.

“An animal lover, are you?” Hank asked, his deep voice going gentle.

She grinned down at the deer. “The biggest. They’re the only beings on Earth who don’t judge you.”

“Tell me about it,” Hank responded, the irony in his words clear.

I thought about what I was about to offer, knowing it sounded outlandish, but somehow also perfectly feasible. “Hank, Nina’s castle isn’t far from here. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it in your travels. Would you ever consider popping in? Maybe joining us for lunch…or…I hate to be rude, but do you eat lunch? I’m unfamiliar with a Bigfoot’s dietary needs, but I’m sure we can accommodate, right, girls?”

He stood very still and for the first time, I saw one of his eyes gleaming in the dark night. “You’d have me sit at a table with you?”

Nina snickered. “Fuck yeah. I have tall ceilings. There’s no reason you can’t fit. The kids’d love ya.”

Now he stared at us for a long moment. “You’d allow me around the children? Won’t I frighten them?”

“Don’t be silly,” Marty chimed in. “They’re used to all manner of the paranormal. Mermaids, elves, trolls, you’re no different. You’re just bigger.”

“True dat. He’s even bigger than Teddy,” Nina agreed. “She’s a bear shifter, FYI, for reference.”

Hank held up a fuzzy paw, the wind blowing his fur around. “Wait, sorry to backtrack, but mermaids are real?” he squeaked.

I laughed so hard, I almost wet myself. “Yes, Hank. Mermaids are real and so is our invitation. We’d love it if you’d drop by. We always say, the more the merrier.”

“I…I…I don’t know what to say…” he murmured.

“Say yes and it’s a date, Gigantor,” Nina said with a smile. “Arch is gonna love you. Bet you could eat a side of beef.”

Hank scratched his head. “You know, I don’t know. My diet consists of mostly berries and mushrooms.”

I gave one of his fuzzy fingers a squeeze. “Well, I guess we’ll find out then. Anyway, Hank, you’ve been a huge help, but I’m freezing and it’s getting late. So we’d better go. We have a wayward fairy to find, but we’ll see you soon, okay? Promise. And if you remember anything else that might be helpful, we’ll stop back and check with you.”

“Your kindness is unmatched, Wanda,” he whispered softly. “Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all again and meeting your families.” He looked toward the edge of the woods. “May I escort you back to your car?”

Nina flapped a hand at him. “Nah. You stay hidden from those whackadoodles. I don’t want ya gettin’ caught.” She gave one last stroke of her hand to the deer’s head before she waved at Hank. “See ya soon.”

We all waved at him before we began the walk back to the car, each of us lost in our thoughts at what had just occurred.

When we get into the SUV, Nina shook her head. “We just fucking met Bigfoot and his name is Hank. I didn’t think anything could surprise me anymore, but here we are.”

I pulled my seat belt across my lap, still in awe. “And what a gentle giant. Who would have ever thought Bigfoot was such a huggable love?”

Marty’s laugh was soft. “The kids will freak out when they meet him. What a crazy, wonderful night.”

“Who wants to take a trip to Scotland?” Nina asked, rather out of the blue.

I settled back in my seat. “What’s in Scotland, vampire? You have a sudden urge for some sheep?”

“After tonight, probably the Loch Ness monster. Bet she’d make a cool pool toy, huh?”

I laughed so hard, I did a very unladylike thing and snorted.