I’m sure drinking tequila makes for loose lips.
Taylor’s still looking at me when I glance back at him. He pours us another shot, which I slide over to Nick.
“Taylor and I think the story of what happened with Jake should not leave this room,” Nick tells Sam and me.
“I agree. No one would believe this unless they see it for themselves anyway,” I answer. I watch Nick and Taylor exchange a look. “You think more sightings, more incidents such as this one, will happen, don’t you?” I look back and forth between them. “What are those things?”
“Let’s wait before getting excited,” Nick suggests. “We’re waiting for word from... a friend of ours. I’m going to visit Estella and Lucian tonight to find out what they can tell me.” Nick takes my hand and gives a gentle squeeze.
“Do you think we’re in danger of these—things attacking humans?” Sam asks a good question. I glance at Nick. Again, he and Taylor exchange looks.
“As I said, let’s wait until we know more,” Nick answers.
The Sweetwater community building has stood at the edge of town since the late fifties. All types of Sweetwater activities happen here. People rent the facilityfor family get-togethers, school functions, and fundraisers. A group plays bluegrass every Friday night, and area residents attend for a little pickin’ ’n’ grinnin’. Tonight, the turnout for the meeting is surprising—and not in a good way. We only have a show of about twenty concerned citizens.
Jake decided not to attend. He’s starting to feel his hurts, and Diane is staying with him at the house. When I called earlier, she said he was doing a lot of moaning and groaning. I do not envy her his company.
So only Sawyer, Nick, Taylor, and I attend the meeting. Nick thinks it’s a good idea for Sam to stay with Jake and Diane. For some reason, this worries me.
The representative from the sheriff’s office, Deputy Harvey Graves, reveals they’ve had dozens of calls from area residents wanting to know what the sheriff’s department intends to do about the situation. I wonder what their response would be if they’d seen what Jake had. Most of the information discussed at the meeting pertains to cattle rustling. The officer suggests a neighborhood watch program, but people who live in the country pretty much do that anyway.
Terry Joe Wooten, Jerome’s cousin, speaks up and asks just what the sheriff’s plans are.
Deputy Graves’s gaze travels around the room. “I’m sorry. No way can we patrol the county’s back roads all the time.” He glances about. “Any knowledgeable thief can throw a horse, dog, and trailer together, driving away with your cows.”
I look at Sawyer, who sits beside me. I wonder if anyone has clued Deputy Graves in on what’s going on.
“Excuse me, Officer Graves,” Sawyer speaks up as he stands, all eyes focusing on him. “They’re butchering our cows in the field.”
“Yes, Sawyer, they’re probably selling the meat. We suggest following the same protocol—”
“Selling the meat?” Sawyer interrupts. “They’re butchering and eating on the cows, right in the field.”
Nick leans over to me and speaks in a low voice. “Maybe you should remind him not to say too much.” I regard Nick and see the corners of his mouth twitch, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling.
I tug on Sawyer’s jacket. He glances down at me, pausing in the process of telling Deputy Graves and the good people of the community that sometimes several will feed on the slaughtered cow. I have to hand it to him; he doesn’t say several what . Of course, we don’t know what the several are either. I smile and give a slight shake of my head. He takes the hint and sits down.
“Sorry,” he apologizes, giving Nick a brief glance. At least Sawyer has the meeting moving in the right direction. Some of the other farmers are voicing their concerns.
“You did really well,” I whisper, smiling at him. I glance back to assess the
Taylor’s still looking at me when I glance back at him. He pours us another shot, which I slide over to Nick.
“Taylor and I think the story of what happened with Jake should not leave this room,” Nick tells Sam and me.
“I agree. No one would believe this unless they see it for themselves anyway,” I answer. I watch Nick and Taylor exchange a look. “You think more sightings, more incidents such as this one, will happen, don’t you?” I look back and forth between them. “What are those things?”
“Let’s wait before getting excited,” Nick suggests. “We’re waiting for word from... a friend of ours. I’m going to visit Estella and Lucian tonight to find out what they can tell me.” Nick takes my hand and gives a gentle squeeze.
“Do you think we’re in danger of these—things attacking humans?” Sam asks a good question. I glance at Nick. Again, he and Taylor exchange looks.
“As I said, let’s wait until we know more,” Nick answers.
The Sweetwater community building has stood at the edge of town since the late fifties. All types of Sweetwater activities happen here. People rent the facilityfor family get-togethers, school functions, and fundraisers. A group plays bluegrass every Friday night, and area residents attend for a little pickin’ ’n’ grinnin’. Tonight, the turnout for the meeting is surprising—and not in a good way. We only have a show of about twenty concerned citizens.
Jake decided not to attend. He’s starting to feel his hurts, and Diane is staying with him at the house. When I called earlier, she said he was doing a lot of moaning and groaning. I do not envy her his company.
So only Sawyer, Nick, Taylor, and I attend the meeting. Nick thinks it’s a good idea for Sam to stay with Jake and Diane. For some reason, this worries me.
The representative from the sheriff’s office, Deputy Harvey Graves, reveals they’ve had dozens of calls from area residents wanting to know what the sheriff’s department intends to do about the situation. I wonder what their response would be if they’d seen what Jake had. Most of the information discussed at the meeting pertains to cattle rustling. The officer suggests a neighborhood watch program, but people who live in the country pretty much do that anyway.
Terry Joe Wooten, Jerome’s cousin, speaks up and asks just what the sheriff’s plans are.
Deputy Graves’s gaze travels around the room. “I’m sorry. No way can we patrol the county’s back roads all the time.” He glances about. “Any knowledgeable thief can throw a horse, dog, and trailer together, driving away with your cows.”
I look at Sawyer, who sits beside me. I wonder if anyone has clued Deputy Graves in on what’s going on.
“Excuse me, Officer Graves,” Sawyer speaks up as he stands, all eyes focusing on him. “They’re butchering our cows in the field.”
“Yes, Sawyer, they’re probably selling the meat. We suggest following the same protocol—”
“Selling the meat?” Sawyer interrupts. “They’re butchering and eating on the cows, right in the field.”
Nick leans over to me and speaks in a low voice. “Maybe you should remind him not to say too much.” I regard Nick and see the corners of his mouth twitch, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling.
I tug on Sawyer’s jacket. He glances down at me, pausing in the process of telling Deputy Graves and the good people of the community that sometimes several will feed on the slaughtered cow. I have to hand it to him; he doesn’t say several what . Of course, we don’t know what the several are either. I smile and give a slight shake of my head. He takes the hint and sits down.
“Sorry,” he apologizes, giving Nick a brief glance. At least Sawyer has the meeting moving in the right direction. Some of the other farmers are voicing their concerns.
“You did really well,” I whisper, smiling at him. I glance back to assess the
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