The Winter Creek Beast Read Free Page B

cigarettes out of his breast pocket and started to pull one out when his radio crackled with Edith Baxter’s voice.
    “Are you gonna sit there all day, Sheriff? Go on, best to get it over with.”
    Despite himself, Jay burst into laughter and put the cigarettes back in his pocket before picking up the handset and clicking it on. “One of these days you need to tell me how you do that.”
    “It ain’t nothing, darling. I just know you, is all.”
    Smiling and shaking his head, he responded, “Roger, out.”
    Once the handset was back in its cradle, he slid out of the Jeep and walked towards the cabin’s door. “Alright, it ain’t nothing you can’t handle. Just walk in and talk with the man.” His voice was low enough that he could barely hear himself talk. Shaking his head, he made a mental note to stop talking to himself. At least in front of his grandfather.
    Jay paused at the door with his hand raised to knock. It was his last chance to leave, but if he did so would he find the understanding or peace he sought? Muttering a curse, his knuckles struck the door three times. A click told him the door was about to be opened so he took a step back just as it swung in and an ancient, wrinkled face appeared.
    The years had been relatively kind to Jacob Bearfoot. Despite his age, he had little trouble moving about as his joints and bones refused to deteriorate as they were supposed to. It was due to that that he stopped going to a doctor. Being poked and prodded as someone tried to explain his health had grown tiresome to him. He wanted to celebrate being alive and healthy, why couldn’t they understand that? He only had one ailment, and that wasn’t more than a small hindrance to him.
    Jacob’s glassy, milky eyes settled on Jay as though they could see him. “About time you came by.”
    Jay shifted his weight from one foot to another. He hated being under the scrutiny of those eyes. They made him feel awkward, as if they gave his grandfather an insight into his soul. “Been busy.”
    Jacob harrumphed and turned, leading the way into his home without a single word. Jay paused a moment before following. With each step he chastised himself for coming and acting like the young boy he felt like when he was around the man.
    After closing the door behind him, he had to take a few seconds to allow his eyes to adjust to the dim interior. “Want me to turn on a light?”
    Jacob didn’t slow as he reached his chair, an old plush recliner he’d had for twenty years. “Do you want to turn on a light?”
    Jay felt as though he were being tested, so he shook his head. “Just saying, it might be easier on company.”
    Jacob waved his hand at nothing in particular. “Only the truly blind need light to see by.”
    Wonderful. Jay knew it was pointless to argue, so he let out a breath and sat in the chair across from his grandfather.
    The pair remained sitting in silence for several minutes before Jacob spoke. “Something you don’t understand worries you.”
    Jay didn’t move a muscle as he stared at his grandfather. The man stated the obvious, but there was something about his voice that cut through Jay’s cynicism and doubt. Moistening his lips, he explained finding Mitch Rhodes’ body and that something about it didn’t sit well with him.
    Jacob remained quiet as he listened, just like he always had when his grandson had something to say. As the words wound their way into his mind, he reached out with his senses into the spirit world. When his guide brought him the answer he sought, the old man’s breath caught in his chest.
    The sudden change in Jacob’s demeanor surprised Jay and he leapt from his chair to offer some kind of aide. As soon as he touched his grandfather’s shoulder, he saw an image of a large beast. It snarled and growled at him as it stood upright and reached seven feet in height. It was something he’d never seen before and the power of the image caused his knees to buckle. Swaying, he dropped to