The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 19~20

NineteenAll You quest to Know Ab come in ThatIntimacies, what happens between two people in tete-a-tete (or bingle person and a Sea Beast in a pasture), ar not the business of anyone tho the riveies involved. Still, for the sake of the voyeur in us all, a tidbit or two to satisfy curiomollie tried, made a valiant effort in fact, unless even for a woman of such fine physical conditioning, the trade union movement was too great. She did, however, manage to locate near the molt a gas-powered weed-whacker (which the belatedly drug chefs used to clear flammables from the area) and with firm further gentle dischargeing of that rude machine, and a junior-grade coaxing, was able to bring Steve to that state the cut inscrutably call the little death.And soon after, what at first seemed an insurmountable obstacle, the sizing difference, was turned to advantage, allowing mollie to join Steve in that place of peace and pleasure. How? mean a slow slide d cause a long, slippery bal usters of a tongue, each taste bud a tease and thrill in honest the right place, and you can down the stairsstand how Molly finish up a satisfied puddle snugg direct in that reproach between his neck and shoulder that women so love. (Except in Steves case, it didnt make his subdivision go to sleep.)Yes, there was a bit of the awkwardness that comes with the unfamiliarity and exploration of new l all overs, andTheos Volvo was phonely sma shake before Steve realized that rolling virtually on the ground was an inappropriate way to display his enthusiasm, but a boxy Swedish automobile is a small price to net profit for passion in the great scheme of things.And that is all you need to fill pop virtually that.TwentyTheoOver the years, Theo had learned to forgive himself for having inappropriate plans at inappropriate times (imagining the widow naked at the funeral, rooting for a high death toll in Third World earthquakes, query whether white slavers provided in-house financi ng), but it worried him more than roughlywhat that, while hand-cuffed to a chair, waiting for his executioner, he was commending ab kayoed start outting laid quite of escaping or making amends with his creator. Sure, hed tried to bring on away, managing to do little more than tip the chair over and give himself a bugs-eye catch of the dirt floor, but shortly after that, when the voices outside had stopped, he was over busyn with thoughts of women hed had and women he hadnt, including an erotic mental montage of the erstwhile actress and resident Crazy Lady, Molly Michon.So it was embarrassment as slightly(prenominal) as relief that he felt when, after the goodly of a weed-whacker and the crashing of metal, Molly popped her lintel into the shed.Hi, Theo, she utter.Molly, what are you doing here?Out for a walk. She didnt come in, just craned her channelise approximately the corner.Youve got to throw away from here, Molly. theres most very dangerous guys around here. no n a problem. You dont destiny any help hence?Yes, go get help. But get away from here. thithers guys with guns.I mean, you dont want me to uncuff you or anything? in that locations no time.thithers plenty of time. Where are the keys?On my key ring. In the ignition of my car.Okay. Be right lynchpin.And she was gone. Theo perceive some pounding and what sounded care safety tripe being shattered. In a second Molly was back in the doorway. She tossed the keys on the floor near his head. Can you get to those?Can you unlock me?Uh, Id rather not right now. But youll be able to get to those eventually, wont you?MollyYes or no?Sure, butOkay. See ya, Theo. Sorry about your car.And again she was gone.As he scrambled in the dirt to get to the keys, he was still troubled about the unwarranted wave of heat that had overtaken him. Could it bring on been set off by the handcuffs? Maybe hed been into manacles all these years and never even knew it. Although when hed been arrested right befor e Sheriff Burton had blackmailed him into become constable, hed spent almost two mos in handcuffs and he didnt guess it being an espe-cially erotic experience. Maybe it was the death threat. Was he turned on by the thought of being shot? Man, I am a sick individual, he thought.In ten minutes he was save of both the handcuffs and the dogging thoughts of sex and death. Molly, Joseph Leander, and the house trailer were gone, and he stood before the ruins of his Volvo with an entirely new set of questions nagging him. The roof of the topographic point wagon was now mashed down to level with the hood, three of the four tires were blown, and on the ground, all around the car, were the tracks of what had to be a very, very large animal.There were two trails that had matted down the grass leading away from the shed and over the hill. One, obviously, was the track of a person. The other was wider than the dirt road that led into the ranch.Theo dug into the Volvo for his gun and cell pho ne, having no idea what to do with either of them. There was no one to call and certainly no one he wanted to shoot. Except maybe Sheriff John Burton. He searched the area, set Joseph Leanders gun, and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. The keys were still in the red four-wheeler, and after a minute of measuring the ethics of borrowing the truck against having been kid-napped, handcuffed, and almost killed, he climbed into the truck and took off across the pasture, following the double trail.GabeGabe and the rancher stood over the powdery remains of the Holstein, waving flies away from their faces, while muleteer crouched a few yards away, his ears back, growling at the mess.The rancher pushed his Stetson back on his head and shuddered. My people sacrifice been evaporatening dairy and beef cattle on this land for sixty years, and I aint never heard or seen anything like it, Gabe.His name was Jim Beer. He was fifty-five, going on seventy, leathery from too much sun and stress, and there was a subscriber line of the sad lonely under everything he said. He was tall and thin, but stood with the broken-backed slouch of a beaten man. His wife had left him years ago, driving off in her Mercedes to live in San Francisco and taking with her a note worth half(a) the value of Jim Beers thousand acres. His only son, who was to consume taken the ranch over, was xxviii now and was busy acquiring thrown out of colleges and into rehabs all over the country. He lived alone in a fourteen-room house that rattled with emptiness and seemed to suck up the laughter of the ranch hands, who Jim fed in his wide kitchen every morning. Jim was the last of his breed, and he would forever trace the beginning of his spill to an affair hed had with the witch who once lived in Theos cabin at the bounds of the ranch. Cursed he was, or so he believed. If the witch hadnt run off ten years ago with the owner of the general store, he would extradite been sure the mutilated c attle was her doing.Gabe shook his head. I have no idea, Jim. I can take some samples and have some test run, but I dont even realise what we are feel at here.You imagine it was kids? Vandals?Kids tip cows over, Jim. These look like theyve been dropped from thirty thousand feet. Gabe knew what appeared to have happened, but he wasnt imparting to admit it. There wasnt a creature alive that could have done this. There had to be another explanation.So youre saying aliens?No, I am definitely not saying aliens. Im not saying aliens.Something was here. Look at the tracks. Satanic furor?Damn it, Jim, unless you want to be on the cover of Crackpot Weekly, dont twaddle that way. I cant speciate you what did this, but I can tell you what didnt. This was not aliens, or Satanists, or Bigfoot on a binge. I can take some samples and run some tests and wherefore maybe, maybe, I can tell you what did this, but in the meantime, you should call the state ag guys and get them out here.I cant d o that, Gabe.Why not?I cant have strangers cart track around on my land. I dont want this gettin out. Thats why I called you.Whats that? Gabe held up a finger to hold his place in the conversation, then looked to the hills the sound of an engine. In a second a red four-wheel-drive pickup appeared on the hill headed toward them.Youd better go, Jim Beer said.Why?Youd just better. Nobodys supposed to be on this side of the ranch but me. You need to go.This is your land?Lets jump in your truck, son. We need to go.Gabe squinted to get a better look at the truck, then waved. Thats Theo Crowe, he said. Whats he doing in that thing?Oh shit, Jim Beer said.Theo pulled the truck up future(a) to Gabes, skidded to a stop, and crawled out. To Gabe, the constable looked pissed off, but he couldnt be sure, having never seen the expression on Theo before. Afternoon, Gabe, Jim.Jim Beer looked at his boots. Constable.Gabe noticed that Theo had two pistols stuck in his jeans and was half-covered with dust. Hi, Theo. be feeler truck. Jim called me out to take a lookI bash what that is, Theo said, tossing his head toward the mashed cow. At least I think I do. He strode up to Jim Beer, who seemed to be trying to sink into a hole in his own chest.Jim, you got a crank lab back there turning out enough product to hype all of Los Angeles. You wanna tell me about it?The lifetime seemed to drain out of Jim Beer and he fell to the ground in a splay-legged sit. Gabe caught his arm to keep him from cracking his tailbone. Beer didnt look up. My wife took a note for half the ranch when she left. She called it in. Where else was I going to get three jillion dollars?Gabe looked from Jim to Theo as if to say, What the hell?Ill explain later, Gabe. I have something I have to show you anyway. Theo pushed Jim Beers Stetson back so he could see the ranchers face. So Burton gave you the money so he could use your land for the lab.Sheriff Burton? Gabe asked, totally confound now.Shut up, Gabe, T heo snapped.Not all of the money. Payments. Hell, what could I do? My grandfather started this ranch. I couldnt sell off half of it.So you went into drug dealing?I aint never even seen this lab youre talking about. Neither have my hands. That part of the ranch is off-limits. Burton said he had you in the cabin to keep anyone from coming in the back gate. I just run my cattle and judgement my own business. I never even asked Burton what he was doing out there.There million dollars What the hell did you think he was doing? Raising rabbits?Jim Beer didnt answer, he just stared at the ground between his legs. Gabe held his shoulder to steady him and looked to Theo. Maybe finish this later, Theo?Theo turned and walked in a tight circle, waving his hands in the air as if chasing away annoying spirits.You okay? Gabe asked.What the fuck do I do now? What do I do? What am I supposed to do?Calm down? Gabe ventured.Fuck that I got murders, drug manufacturing, some fucking titan animal of som e kind, a whole town thats gone nuts, my car is mashed, and I have a crush on a crazy woman I dont have the training for this No one has the fucking training for thisSo solace down isnt an option right now? Gabe said. I understand. Theo interrupted his anguish Tilt-A-Whirl and wheeled on Gabe. And I havent smoked any pot in a week, Gabe.Congratulations.Its made me insane. Its ruined my life.Come on, Theo, you never had a life. Gabe without delay realized that perhaps he had chosen the wrong tack in consoling his friend.Yeah, theres that. Theo strode to the red truck and punched the fender. Ouch Goddamn it He turned to Gabe again. And I think I just broke my hand.Mad cow malady worries me, Jim Beer said from his stupor of defeat.Shut up, Jim, Gabe said. Theo has a gun.Guns Theo shouted.I stand corrected, said Gabe. You mentioned a giant animal?Theo massaged his temples as if trying to squeeze out a coherent thought.After a few minutes, he walked to where Jim Beer was academic t erm and kneeled down in front of him. Jim, I need you to pull it unneurotic for a second. The rancher looked at Theo. Tears had traced the creases in his cheeks. Jim, this never happened, okay? You havent seen me and you havent heard anything from this side of the ranch, okay? If Burton calls you, everything is standard operating procedure. You know nothing, you understand?No, I dont understand. Am I going to jail?I dont know that, Jim, but I do know that Burton finding out about this will only make it worse for every one. I need some time to figure some things out. If you help, Ill do my best to protect you, I promise.Okay. Beer nodded. Ill do what you say.Good, take Gabes truck home. Well pick it up in an hour or so.Skinner watched all this with heightened interest, tentatively wagging his tail between Theos tirades, hoping in his heart of hearts that he would get a ride in that big red truck. Even dogs harbor secret agendas.Theo, these cant be real, Gabe said, tally his hand ov er a footprint nearly three feet across. This is some sort of hoax. Although the depth of the claw impressions and the scuffing would indicate that whoever did this really knows something about how animals move.Theo was moderately calm now, as if he had settled into the whole unreality of the situation. And they know something about crushing a Volvo too. Theyre real, Gabe. Ive seen a track like this before.Where?By the creek, the night the fuel truck blew up. I didnt want to believe it then either.Gabe looked up from the track. Thats the night I had the mass exodus with my rats.Yep.Theres no way, Theo. That couldnt be what happened. A creature that could leave tracks like this would dwarf a T. Rex. There hasnt been anything this size on the planet for sixty million years.Not anything we know about. Look, Gabe, I followed the trail through the grass to the mutilated cows. I thought that was where they went, but evidently thats where they just came from.They? You think theres more th an one?So you accept that this thing is real?No, Theo. Im just asking what you think.I think that this thing was with Molly Michon.Gabe laughed. Theo, I think the withdrawal has you addled.Im not joking. Molly was here right after I heard my car getting crunched. She gave me the keys to the handcuffs. When I came out, she was gone, and so were Joseph Leander and whoever he came here to see.So what do you think happened to them?The same thing that happened to those cows. Or something like it. The same thing that I think happened to the Plotznik kid. The last time anyone saw him was at the Fly rod cell Trailer Court. Thats where Molly lives.Gabe stood and looked around at the pattern of tracks. You havent been into town today, have you, Theo?No, Ive been busy.Les from the hardware store is missing. They found his truck behind the Head of the Slug, but theres no sign of him.Weve got to go to Mollys, Gabe.We? Theo, Im a biologist, not a cop. I say we try and track whatever this is. Ski nners a pretty skillful tracker. Id bet we find an explanation that doesnt involve some sort of giant creature.Im not a cop anymore either. And what if we track this thing and youre wrong, Gabe? Do you want to meet up with whatever did that to my car? Those cows?Well, yes, I do.We can do that later. It shouldnt be too hard. Whatever it is, its pulling a house trailer.What?There was a trailer here when Leander took me into the shed. When I came out, it was gone.Gabe check up on his watch. Have you eaten today? Im not questioning you, but maybe youre having a hypoglycemic reaction or something. Lets go get some dinner and when your head clears, we can go by Molly Michons.Right, Im hallucinating from a bad case of the munchies.Gabe grabbed his shoulder. Theo, please. I have a fight.Theo nodded. Mollys first. Then Ill go to dinner.Deal, Gabe said, still staring at the tracks. I want to come back here with some casting materials. Even if this is a hoax, I want a record of it.Theo sta rted for the truck and pulled up when he heard the sound of a cell phone ringing inside the shed. He walked into the shed, determined the cell phone, and looked at the display for the number that was ringing in. It was Burtons private number. He drew his .357 Magnum and blew the phone into a thousand pieces. He walked out of the shed to find Gabe hiding behind the fender of the red truck and Skinner cowering in the bed.What in the hell do you mean, you have a date?