Читать книгу Small Town Monsters - Craig Nybo - Страница 82

Small Town Monsters

13

“That’s just it; coffins are not piling up. Like I have to keep telling everyone; no crime has been committed. Look, Hugh, I’m a cop. I’ve been a cop for a long time. But I’m new to all this. You’ve lived here your whole life. What can I do? Sit everyone down and explain that there is no such thing as monsters?”

“If what happened up at Buren’s ranch is what you say it is, just a wolf attack, then this whole thing will blow over like a thunder cloud.”

Kurt leaned forward and directed his words straight at Hugh. “The Danny Slade affair also began with animal mutilations. The investigator even thought it was a wolf attack back then. As for Buren’s sheep, everything points to a pack of wolves coming down from the mountains. But I have to entertain every avenue, even the possibility of a copycat killer. If I have a Danny Slade super-fan on my hands, damn him. I’ll track him down and I’ll cook him. What scares me is the angry mob that might come along with him. Should that mob rally, can I count on you, as one of DePalma Beach’s finest men, to back me up?” Though he had spent hours thinking about it, this was the first time Kurt had voiced the idea of a loose killer; hearing it come out of his mouth scared him.

Hugh’s face went slack. “Pray you don’t have another Danny Slade, Kurt; pray you don’t.”

Lucy interrupted the two men by placing two platters stacked with eggs and bacon on the table. “Your lumberjack specials,” She said with a smile.

“Wonderful. It all looks so good,” Hugh said with a fresh grin. He picked up his fork and carved into the pancakes.

Kurt only took a few cursory bites. He had lost his appetite.

As Hugh ate, he shot sporadic glances toward Harmon and Durlin’s table. At one point the two of them made eye contact. Hugh smiled; Harmon clenched his teeth and turned away.