Sheep's Clothing by Gary Lewis (dark books to read TXT) 📗

and only the people in that room knew all the details," David whispered. "It's one of us."

"Okay," Terry said. "After we get help and rest, let's meet at Willow Baptist tomorrow night."

"Count me out," Sarah said loudly as she walked toward them. "I'm not about to sit around having group prayers with a bunch of Bible beaters." She put her hands on her hips and looked away from them, toward the hanging fog overhead. "Been there. Done that."

David tensed his eyebrows together as he looked at her. I hate how she always brags about how rough her life is. 

A powder keg of annoyance at her level of disrespect ignited in David's throat. "Ooh. Sarah gets a chance to brag about how bad her life has been at the expense of others." He waved his hands in the air as he spoke. "They're not bringing you to a damn group home, we're just trying to find a neutral headquarters for your investigation."

"You're such an asshole," she said before stomping off in the direction of the road.

"She's got a point," Terry said quietly to the ground as he and his brother rose to their feet to follow.

"What?" David shrugged before jogging to catch up as they faded into the mist ahead.

Chapter 8

#Vance#

Deep in the forests on the outskirts of town, the crack of dawn transformed the dense fog into a milky, white sheet that concealed anything that lurked within. Vance had been following the tracks in the darkness for what seemed like hours, but time was lost to him in the blur of the dark woods. He knew that his truck was alright, but couldn't say the same for old man Sam's. Images of the mangled deer carcass laying bashed against it beside one of Jake's shoes flashed into his mind.

He was in no rush to return home. "I've got all the time in the world for you," he said. "Where'd you go in such a hurry?" He stalked the paw prints into the gullies that led down toward the lake. That morning, he was going to bag a monster, armed with nothing more than a crowbar and a flashlight. Monster or David. Whichever comes first.

The mist thickened as he descended further between tangled briars and mountain laurel, but he could see it brightening to the rising sun. "Where the hell did you go now?" Vance searched the brush for signs of disturbance while listening carefully. "There," he said, shuffling over to a patch of bent weeds spread open to reveal scratched dirt.

"Looks like you got a lot sloppier here." He continued following the broken foliage onto a forestry service road that hadn't seen a set of tires since long before the rain. A group of shoe prints crossed the path in front of him. Two short males, another tall, but lighter male, and a female had passed through. "Sarah, David..." he slowly whispered to himself as he glanced across the mud. "Terry and Blane." A perfectly shaped paw print pressed over theirs. Vance stretched a half grin across the side of his face. "Looks like I got competition." His firm whisper traveled between the trees, fading into the dense foliage.

Vance examined the direction of the shoeprints down into the dense patch of new growth pine with the beast's impressions following right behind them. "Amateurs," he said with a smirk. He took a right to head further northward along the overgrown forestry road, looking for a quicker path down to the lake.

"I should be glad," he said to himself, glancing side to side through the mist covered forest. "Getting stonewalled in that wall of new growth pine." He huffed as the weight of his thoughts struggled to continue to his breath. "Giving that thing the perfect chance to catch up with you."

His stomach turned with a threat that pushed itself into his legs, now picking up their pace along the road shrouded thick with pine and spruce still dripping about. He knew it would be impossible to rely on sound with the pattering of droplets from all directions. Anything could sneak up on him. But the soaking wet surroundings were also in his favor since he didn't need to remain downwind to hide his scent.

The thick conifer trees began to spread, giving way to oaks, maples and elms where a steep, downward trek led onto pavement that curved a hard left in the direction of the lake. "Now we're talking," Vance said. He started walking along the narrow, faded single lane of pavement toward more familiar surroundings.

A deliberate crunch sounded in the leaves behind. Then another. Vance stopped to listen, unsure if they were just the sound of his own boots. He started stepping slowly, listening as he continued. There it is again. Each time, it stopped when he did. It seemed to come from behind to his left, but just far back enough for the cover of the foggy woods.

Vance's heart thumped harder as he squeezed the crowbar tightly. It was his only salvation alone on the deserted, wet road. All alone... His thoughts creeped from the shadows of adrenaline that inked their way out from their hiding places inside his mind. Nobody would ever know what happened to me. He let out a huff as he continued striding through the mist filled road, surrounded by trees that reached out from the fog. "Just the way I would want it."

A vibrating buzz shook his left pocket. Haven't had service all night. He opened his hand as he looked toward his pocket, but then he paused. Not giving this thing an opening to attack. One boot moved in front of the other as Vance continued his march toward the lake.

After covering some distance and slowing to a brisk walk, he pulled out his phone and saw that it was blowing up with missed messages, the most recent being Janice asking if he was alright. He was about to reply when flashes of red and blue shined through the fog, drawing his attention down the road. "Cops. They