Justin, understandably confused.
“It's not important,” I said. I was sprawled on my ownbed, the phone in front of me on the polyester bedspread. “Let's stay on track.”
He obligingly moved on. “But there was a rock with footprints like the ones you found by the highway?”
“Yeah. They were old, but not like dinosaur ancient.”
“Any luck matching either print to a known animal?”
“They weren't in the book I got from the library.” By now I was pretty convinced that I wasn't going to find them identified in any field guide. At least, not in any normal one.
Lisa swallowed a mouthful of chip. “But if it makes tracks, doesn't that mean it's just an undocumented animal? Giant squid or whatever.”
“It means that whatever it is,” I said, “it's real enough to make footprints.”
“So, if it's not a natural but undiscovered creature, then what's the alternative?” Justin's tone was rhetorical, but it was a good question.
“A supernatural one. Something that really can disappear, or fly, or shape-shift.”
“You mean like an actual goat-sucking vampire?” said Lisa, dryly dubious.
I exhaled in exasperation. “Well, it sounds stupid when you say it like that. But it's not like this is the first ‘mythical’ thing we've ever seen.”
Justin cleared his throat and moved the conversation forward. “So, how is this related to the protective magic you felt in your dream, Maggie?”
“I'm not sure yet. We need to find out whether there's a past event on record: a rise in cattle deaths, reports of wild animal attacks, anything like that.”
Justin correctly interpreted “we” to mean “the only one of us with Internet and library access.” “Can you give me an idea where to start looking for something like that?”
“Try the online archives for the nearest cities. Corpus Christi and San Antonio are the biggest.” I wished I could send him the pictures I'd taken. Since I always have a real camera with me, I never think of using the crappy one in my phone. “The other thing I need to know about is the Coahuiltecan Indians.”
“You want to spell that for me?”
I did the best I could from memory. “The guy at the museum said they vanished mysteriously into thin air.”
Lisa pursed her lips, and rolled up the bag of chips. “Maybe he thinks they went up in the mothership when the aliens left their pet behind.” At my glare, she raised her hands, pleading innocence. “I didn't say
I
thought that.”
“Yes, but your sarcasm is inhibiting the seriousness of my chupacabra investigation.”
Justin, to my surprise, came to Lisa's defense. “To be fair, Maggie, the whole urban legend aspect does make it harder to take seriously. It's like the boy who cried wolf.”
“Whose side are you on?” I asked, even though I knew he was right.
“The side of you guys staying safe. Which means not turning your back on any possibility.”
Lisa rolled her eyes and mouthed, “Paladin.”
Her phone rang before I could answer. She glanced at the caller ID, then looked at me. “It's Zeke.”
“I'll go outside.” Picking up my own phone, I turned off the speaker and spoke into it to Justin. “Hang on a second.”
I slipped out of the motel room, closing the door behind me, and explained to Justin as I settled onto my usual place at the top of the concrete stairs. “Zeke's the guy whose ranch we're visiting tomorrow. The one who helped us the other night.”
“How much do you know about him?” His tone wasn't suspicious, exactly. Just cautious.
“He's okay. Spidey sense says he's a decent guy trying to hold things together.”
“Could you ask him about previous weird happenings? It's his family's land, right?”
“Lisa's worried that he'll think we're crazy. Plus, he's not happy about the chupacabra rumors that Teresa the innkeeper is spreading, so we don't want to alienate him.”
I didn't mention any other reasons Lisa might be hesitant to alienate Zeke. I might discuss her
“It's not important,” I said. I was sprawled on my ownbed, the phone in front of me on the polyester bedspread. “Let's stay on track.”
He obligingly moved on. “But there was a rock with footprints like the ones you found by the highway?”
“Yeah. They were old, but not like dinosaur ancient.”
“Any luck matching either print to a known animal?”
“They weren't in the book I got from the library.” By now I was pretty convinced that I wasn't going to find them identified in any field guide. At least, not in any normal one.
Lisa swallowed a mouthful of chip. “But if it makes tracks, doesn't that mean it's just an undocumented animal? Giant squid or whatever.”
“It means that whatever it is,” I said, “it's real enough to make footprints.”
“So, if it's not a natural but undiscovered creature, then what's the alternative?” Justin's tone was rhetorical, but it was a good question.
“A supernatural one. Something that really can disappear, or fly, or shape-shift.”
“You mean like an actual goat-sucking vampire?” said Lisa, dryly dubious.
I exhaled in exasperation. “Well, it sounds stupid when you say it like that. But it's not like this is the first ‘mythical’ thing we've ever seen.”
Justin cleared his throat and moved the conversation forward. “So, how is this related to the protective magic you felt in your dream, Maggie?”
“I'm not sure yet. We need to find out whether there's a past event on record: a rise in cattle deaths, reports of wild animal attacks, anything like that.”
Justin correctly interpreted “we” to mean “the only one of us with Internet and library access.” “Can you give me an idea where to start looking for something like that?”
“Try the online archives for the nearest cities. Corpus Christi and San Antonio are the biggest.” I wished I could send him the pictures I'd taken. Since I always have a real camera with me, I never think of using the crappy one in my phone. “The other thing I need to know about is the Coahuiltecan Indians.”
“You want to spell that for me?”
I did the best I could from memory. “The guy at the museum said they vanished mysteriously into thin air.”
Lisa pursed her lips, and rolled up the bag of chips. “Maybe he thinks they went up in the mothership when the aliens left their pet behind.” At my glare, she raised her hands, pleading innocence. “I didn't say
I
thought that.”
“Yes, but your sarcasm is inhibiting the seriousness of my chupacabra investigation.”
Justin, to my surprise, came to Lisa's defense. “To be fair, Maggie, the whole urban legend aspect does make it harder to take seriously. It's like the boy who cried wolf.”
“Whose side are you on?” I asked, even though I knew he was right.
“The side of you guys staying safe. Which means not turning your back on any possibility.”
Lisa rolled her eyes and mouthed, “Paladin.”
Her phone rang before I could answer. She glanced at the caller ID, then looked at me. “It's Zeke.”
“I'll go outside.” Picking up my own phone, I turned off the speaker and spoke into it to Justin. “Hang on a second.”
I slipped out of the motel room, closing the door behind me, and explained to Justin as I settled onto my usual place at the top of the concrete stairs. “Zeke's the guy whose ranch we're visiting tomorrow. The one who helped us the other night.”
“How much do you know about him?” His tone wasn't suspicious, exactly. Just cautious.
“He's okay. Spidey sense says he's a decent guy trying to hold things together.”
“Could you ask him about previous weird happenings? It's his family's land, right?”
“Lisa's worried that he'll think we're crazy. Plus, he's not happy about the chupacabra rumors that Teresa the innkeeper is spreading, so we don't want to alienate him.”
I didn't mention any other reasons Lisa might be hesitant to alienate Zeke. I might discuss her
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